Favoritism: May 8, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY MAY 8, 2015.

FAVORITISM

DEFINITION:

Showing partiality to one person over another; preference.

SCRIPTURE:

My brothers, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.
James 2:1.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Genesis 27 contains an ugly portrait of parental favoritism. This kind of favoritism is prevalent in families today. We read in this chapter that Isaac favored Esau and Rebecca, Isaac's wife, favored Jacob. Romans chapter 9 points out to us, that even before Jacob and Esau were born, God chose Jacob to carry on the covenant line of Abraham. God had also informed Isaac and Rebecca that "the older will serve the younger" (25:23).

Although Rebecca was well aware of God's promise, she would not refrain from allowing her feelings of favoritism toward Jacob to motivate her to take action. She schemed with Jacob to deceive Isaac, who was nearly blind, by disguising Jacob as Esau so that Isaac would give the blessing, which was to be given to the first-born, to Jacob instead of Esau. Rebecca's scheming to advance Jacob was both foolish and wrong. She was wrong to resort to deceit and make her son, Jacob part of it. She was foolish to think that God needed her help to accomplish His purpose and fulfill His promises. God does not need our help in carrying out His plans.

We ask you this question regarding this biblical account: Who was at fault, the parents or the children?  Rebecca had no reason to lie and cheat to gain what she wanted. In choosing deceit, Rebecca so provoked Esau's hostility that Jacob, her favorite, was forced to flee and leave home. All that her conniving did was to divide the family and deprive her of her son for twenty years. The lesson we can learn from this is that "Ends never justify adopting sinful means."

To complete the story it is recorded in Chapter 27 verse 33 that Isaac realized he had been tricked concerning his inheritance. He favored Esau, but he also knew that God had chosen Jacob. Nevertheless, Isaac tried to meddle with God's promise for Jacob. Isaac intended that Esau should have the blessing. When Isaac knew what had happened he began to shake violently, because he realized that he had tried to change God's plan but God had intervened to prevent it. So Isaac submitted to God's will and bestowed his blessing upon Jacob. Isaac could not change what had been done even though Esau asked for a blessing of his own. It is the parent's responsibility to counsel and guide their children in doing what is right.

Parents who desire to please the Lord and to have a loving Christian home will love and treat their children equally and teach their children to honor and respect their parents equally. Favoritism never works out for the good.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:5.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

PRAYER:

Help me to learn from the biblical account of Isaac, Rebecca, Esau and Jacob. Help me to treat all of my children equally so that they feel equally loved. Keep me sensitive to other people's feelings as well, so that at all times I treat people equally and fairly.

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Desires: May 7, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY MAY 7, 2015.

DESIRES

DEFINITION:

Things wished or longed for; want; a longing for something to be obtained that will bring satisfaction.

SCRIPTURE:

Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

One of our favorite passages in the Psalms is found in Psalm 37:1-8 and we will share a few thoughts from this passage with you today.

Verse 4 gives us an awesome promise (He will give you the desires of your heart if you delight yourself in the Lord) but many Christians do not read the verses around verse 4 as to the conditions God gives us. To understand the scope of the Lord’s awesome promise, it is important for us to explore the conditions He set for us in these few verses.

In verse 1 God instructs us not to fret about “evildoers” or envy them. Clearly said we are not to be consumed with the success of unrighteous people. God will deal with them. Our responsibility is to watch our own actions.

In verse 3 God instructs us to trust in the Lord, do good and to cultivate faithfulness. God desires that we grow and mature in our faith and put our trust in Him to be responsible for the big things in our life which relate to our deepest desires.

In verse 4 we are clearly told to delight in the Lord. We are to seek His desires. If we truly follow and pursue God’s good pleasure our own desires will fall right into place with God’s purpose for us.

In verse 5 we are told to commit our way unto the Lord and trust Him. When we focus our steps on His path we will know we are heading in the right direction. God will not bless our sinful missteps; our duty is to keep to His plan for our lives.

And finally in verse 7 God calls us to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. God’s timing is perfect and constantly we try to rush Him. When it comes to your desires are you frustrated by God’s seemingly lack of response? Psalm 37:1-8 will bring you into line with Him if you read it, remember it, live by it and wait on the Lord.

In summary if you want God to give you the desires of your heart you must not fret, trust in the Lord, delight in Him, commit your ways to Him, and rest in Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:5.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

PRAYER:

Help me to learn not to fret and to trust in You, delight in You and to commit my ways unto You. And then help me to rest and wait on You knowing that in Your perfect timing You will meet my every need.

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Rebellion: May 6, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 6, 2015.

REBELLION

DEFINITION:

Defiance; a spirit of resistance to authority; disobedience; revolt.

SCRIPTURE:

An evil man seeks only rebellion. Proverbs 17:11.

These people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. Jeremiah 5:23.

For I know how rebellious and stiff necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am alive and with you, how much more will you rebel when I die? Deuteronomy 31:27-29.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We are rebellious by nature all the way back to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve’s downfall was rebellion against God.

Every parent knows about the terrible “two’s.” Two year olds do not like the word “NO.” Just tell a two year old that he cannot do something or that he cannot have something and he will rebel -- guaranteed. None of us like to be told that we cannot have or cannot do something.

We are all rebels by nature just like Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve found out quite quickly how God regards rebellion against Him. Because they disobeyed God and took from the tree that was off limits they forfeited a life blessed by God. Today, we all must deal with God’s penalty for Adam and Eve’s rebellion.

The toughest job of Moses’ job in leading the children of Israel was dealing with their rebellion against God. Moses knew the rebellious nature of the Israelites. Just before handing the leadership of the children of Israel over to Joshua he said he knew how stubborn and rebellious they were and he knew they would rebel even more when he was not with them.

In Deuteronomy chapter 32, we read the song of Moses which was his last message to the Israelites. He reminded them of God’s blessings to them and warned them against rebelling against God and then commanded them to love and honor God and obey His commandments.

Rebellion is caused by pride. We think we know better than God and everyone else. It is especially arrogant to think we know better than God. Adam and Eve found that out the minute they sinned and rebelled against God’s authority.

And we all know the story found in Luke 15:11-31 about the prodigal son. He was rebellious and took his share of his inheritance and left home. After he lost everything he had, he recognized the folly of his rebellious nature and headed home. His father saw him coming and despite the rebellious nature of his son he went out to meet him and gave him all he needed and more, including a great welcome home feast.

This is what God wants to do for us if we have been rebellious in our words or deeds. He is waiting with open arms to accept us back and all we have to do is come to Him.

Many parents today are concerned because of the rebellion they are witnessing in their children. If this is a problem that you are facing you need to show them at all times that you love them, but that you will not tolerate their rebellion. Make sure you always set the standard you expect from them and then give them a fair and just punishment if they rebel.

Be consistent in keeping the boundaries and standards you have set for them. No matter how rebellious they are, always love them but be firm. The children of Israel were rebellious against God but He never stopped loving them. But He did punish them and they had to suffer the consequences of their sins and rebellion against God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:5.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

PRAYER:

Help me this day to keep my heart tender and open to Your leading so my heart will never harden and lead me into a life of sin. Make my family aware that rebellion is sin. Forgive me of my rebellion and let my life be an example to my family of being obedient to God.

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Companion: May 5, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY MAY 5, 2015.

COMPANION

DEFINITION:

An associate; a person who frequently associates with or accompanies another; a comrade; a close friend.

SCRIPTURE:

I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts.
Psalm 119:63.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel.
Philippians 4:3.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

For the most part we are living in a very lonely world. When we talk to people we find out that many do not have family or friends that they can count on in their time of loneliness or concern.

In today’s world with all the conveniences of modern transportation we have been privileged to meet many people across our world. This has allowed us so many more opportunities to gain friends, acquaintances and even companions. For this we are so grateful.

Most of you that read these daily devotionals have acquaintances, a few friends but very few companions. Acquaintances are those we meet but possibly do not know very well. Friends are those we know well and have a favorable relationship with. Companions are those we have a close relationship with and spend the most time with. Teenagers say today that these are the ones that we “hang” with.

Companions have the same interests and values that you have and this gives you a common bond. A true companion will stand by you and can be counted on for support in times of need.

No matter how self-sufficient someone feels, we all have a need for a companion. This is why God instituted marriage because He said that man needed a companion. Marriages that put Christ first in their relationships are marriages that have spouses that share a common bond and a companionship based on God’s love. This provides a solid foundation for their family. When God is in the marriage the spouses will be true companions.

Our choice of companions has a great influence on our life. That is why the writer of Psalms 119:63 said, “I am a companion of all who fear you and of those who keep your precepts (God’s law).” The Psalmist desired to be obedient to God and faithful to keep God’s commandments. He saw the importance of choosing the right companions who shared his same desires to love and obey the Lord. We need to learn this when we are choosing companions. Choose those who love the Lord and you will have a blessed life.

The danger for believers who choose close companions who are not believers is that they will be drawn away from their fellowship with the Lord and be enticed to disobey God’s commandments. The scripture clearly tells us that we cannot serve two masters.

Children today look for companions. Parents have the responsibility to lead their children to choose the right companions.  When our children went anywhere without one of us, we made sure that we knew where they were going and with whom they were going. We always encouraged them to go with a trustworthy friend, a companion that would always be there for them. This also gave us assurance as parents that our child would not be alone. The choices of companions when a child is young can affect their lifestyle and standards for a lifetime, so this is a vital challenge for parents with their children, especially in the world we live in today.

Jesus wants to be our companion every day in all of our activities. He does not want us to be alone. With the Lord as our companion He gives us the confidence and boldness to live a life honoring the Lord.

In Philippians 4:3 Paul uses the term “true companion.” In another translation it reads “loyal yokefellow.” These words describe the close relationship Paul had with the believers in the church at Philippi, and for that reason Paul could call on them. For example, Paul was concerned for the women who had labored with him when he was with them. Now he is hearing that they were having problems so he wanted to alert his true companions in the church to share his concern for these women and help them on Paul’s behalf.

Through out the scriptures we have many illustrations where Jesus and His disciples required believers, as true companions, to help those in need. This included the widows, the orphans, the homeless, the sick and the needy.

Being a companion is more than just being a daily friend to another person. It is the giving of yourself to meet their needs. As believers we need to be companions to others to show them through our words and actions that Jesus is our companion and will be their COMPANION who is always available to them if they know Him personally.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:5.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

PRAYER:

Thank You for being my companion throughout this day. Give me the confidence to walk the walk and talk the talk honoring You every moment of the day. I ask for Your direction as I lead my children. May they put their total trust in You and rely on You as their true companion to guide them in their daily lives.

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Blame: May 4, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY MAY 4, 2015.

BLAME

DEFINITION:

To hold responsible; to find fault with; censure; to place the responsibility of.

SCRIPTURE:

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ephesians 1:4.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When we do something wrong we all are inclined to want to blame something or someone else. When our children were young and we caught them doing something wrong they often blamed one of their brothers or sisters. How often we heard, “it was his (or her) fault or he (or she) started it”.  It is very easy to pass blame to someone to cover a wrong behavior or a lie in order to avoid the consequences.

The “blame game” started long ago after God created Adam and Eve. God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 2-3) and told them not to do only one thing: “Do not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (verse 17). But they did and by doing so they sinned against God and the BLAME GAME began. In Genesis 3:7-13, we read that they first tried to avoid having to take responsibility for their actions and attempted to hide from God. When they were discovered Adam first blamed Eve as to why he ate of the tree (verse 12) and even blamed God because God had given him Eve. Then Eve blamed the serpent (verse 13).

The result is that sin came into the world because Adam and Eve were told one thing not to do and they did it. Rather than admitting what they had done they blamed someone else. To avoid taking responsibility for their own actions, people seem to constantly look for someone to blame.

In Mark 3:2 we read about Jesus and His disciples being in the temple with the Pharisees on the Sabbath. The Pharisees felt that the popularity of Jesus was a threat to them and they wanted to find something that they could blame Jesus for. They were watching Jesus carefully with the intent of criticizing Him for doing something on the Sabbath.

A man with a shriveled hand was in the temple and as the scripture reads: “They watched Jesus closely whether He would heal a man on the Sabbath, so that they may accuse (blame) him.” Jesus was grieved by the hardness of the Pharisees hearts and looked at them with anger and said to the man that needed healing to “Stretch out your hand.” The man obeyed and was healed. The Pharisees immediately left the temple to begin to plot how they might kill Him by blaming Him for healing the man on the Sabbath, thus breaking the Jewish law.

Every parent that has raised children has had to live with the “BLAME GAME.” Some of the time a parent has to be the judge as to who is really telling the truth. The scripture gives us a guideline as to how we should handle blame as it happens with our children. It begins with training. In Proverbs 22:6 it reads: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Children must be taught to accept responsibility for their actions and when they do wrong they should confess it and ask for forgiveness. Blaming someone else is not an option.

God always knows our every action and He always knows who is the blame. We might be able to fool others, but we cannot fool God as Adam and Eve found out very quickly. The opportunity to blame others will constantly pop up in our lives. Satan loves to tempt us in this way. The only way to resist the temptation is to seek the Lord’s help by reading His Word and praying and asking Him to give us the desire and the strength to do what is right. The right thing to do when we sin against God is always admit our sin and repent of it and ask for God’s forgiveness.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:5.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

PRAYER:

Help me today to do all that I can, with Your help, not to blame people for an issue that I have caused. Give me wisdom and the grace that only You can give to live a Christ honoring life in all that I do. Convict me of my sin when I do wrong and help me to do the right thing and seek your forgiveness.

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