Hopeless: October 23, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY OCTOBER 23, 2015.

HOPELESS

DEFINITION:

Having no hope; beyond optimism; desperate, irreversible, beyond help.

SCRIPTURE:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:2-3.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless and unable to deal with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion, you will relate to the prophet Habakkuk’s concerns.

We read in Habakkuk chapter 3 about how discouraged he was about the wickedness of society and about the coming destruction. He knew that soon the army of the Babylonians was going to attack his people. He felt that the coming destruction was going to be unbearable. But despite the hopelessness of the situation he wrote an amazing response in verses 18-19.

“I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hind’s feet and makes me walk on my high places.” He also said in verse 17 that even if the crops all failed, the livestock died, and everything he had learned to depend on was ruined, Habakkuk would still trust the Lord.

Habakkuk had found such hope in God’s Word because he read the law daily. He was facing a terrible calamity but he found hope in God’s Word. His expression of faith echoed the faith of David echoed centuries before him as written in Psalms 18:2-3. David said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.”

Habakkuk spent hours with God, according to what he wrote in his book, and even though he did not understand what he heard God was saying to him about the Children of Israel, he acknowledged that God’s plans were better than his.

Habakkuk knew that the Lord was at work and would bring good out of what looked like to be horrendous circumstances. This is God’s promise not only to him but to us today. God is always at work in our lives and will bring good out of the darkest of situations.

When the outlook looks grim in your life, Christ will be your strength. When the circumstances seem volatile in your life, Christ will be your stability. When the future looks impossible to you, Christ will remain your only hope. The strength of Christ is both inexhaustible and immeasurable and it is yours to receive.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:2.

Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.

 

PRAYER:

Thank You that Your supply of spiritual stamina for me never runs out. I come to You and Your Word today for strength to carry on. Thank You for supplying the power I need to walk through the valleys I may face and over the mountains that come my way.

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Flawed: October 22, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 22, 2015.

FLAWED

DEFINITION:

Defective; imperfect; weak.

SCRIPTURE:

My strength is made perfect in weakness. II Corinthians 12:9.

For without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The media knows that people love to read and hear about people’s failures and flaws. They especially like it when the person is famous or at least well known. Possibly the reason people like to hear about this type of failure is because it makes them feel better about themselves. We all know that we are flawed but we do not want others to know how flawed we really are.

There are many accounts in the Bible of people who were flawed and had weaknesses and yet God used them in powerful and mighty ways. We need to stop here and remind ourselves that we are all sinners thus we are all flawed, especially in God’s sight. Most biblical accounts that are recorded show people that had to face times of decision or times of crisis for their weaknesses to be exposed.

Jacob resorted to deceiving his father so that he would receive his father’s blessing. Gideon was so unsure of what God wanted from him that he asked Him twice for proof that He would be faithful to do what He said he would do. Peter was so fearful for his own safety that he denied three times knowing his friend and Lord.

In each of these cases these men were able, with the help of God, to overcome their shortcomings or flaws and were ultimately useful to God. They were flawed but when they put their trust in God, He made them useful. They had to realize first that they were weak and flawed in order for them to realize that they had to depend on God for strength to accomplish what God wanted of them and not on themselves.

Just as these men who lived years ago, we today have flaws and only by the grace of God can we overcome our flaws and imperfections. We can accomplish this by embracing the words we have put above from II Corinthians, “His strength which is made perfect in weakness.” When we forget to depend on the Lord, the Lord may make us weaker with the intention of making us realize we will do better when we rely only on Him. When we feel we are strong in abilities or resources we try to do God’s work on our own. It is usually when we are struggling with our weaknesses that we turn to God.

When we seek to do things on our own we set ourselves up for failure. When we seek God’s help we give God’s power the opportunity to be displayed. The weaker we are the more God’s love and power is able to shine.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:2.

Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.

 

PRAYER:

May Your strength be made perfect in my weakness today. Through my weakness, it is my prayer, that You can be glorified by the working of Your power through my life. Help me to recognize my weaknesses and give me Your grace to acknowledge that of myself I can do nothing.

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Good: October 21, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21, 2015.

GOOD

DEFINITION:

Excellent; virtuous; righteous; sound or valid; morally right.

SCRIPTURE:

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked: “Teacher, what good things must I do to get eternal life?” Matthew 19:16.

Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Good works cannot erase sin. That is why good works can’t save us. No amount of good works will cover the sin debt that we owe. Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross can do that. It is the crucifixion of Jesus that makes it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins. There will never be anything else, including all of the good works done in the world, that can eliminate our death penalty for the sins we have committed.

In the verse we have put above from Matthew a rich young man approached Jesus and asked Him what good things he would need to do to spend eternity in heaven. What he was really asking was that he had done so many good things in life hadn’t he done enough to earn eternal life? Like so many people today this young man was asking the wrong question.

The young man’s emphasis was on what he could do to earn salvation. Unfortunately, this is the great deception because eternal life cannot be earned by any amount of good works. This is the way that many people approach God. They ignore their sinful nature.

The young man did not understand the source of eternal life. The man was rich so no doubt he was accustomed to getting what he wanted. Eternal life cannot be bought for any amount of money. The young man realized this but thought he could earn it by good works.

In answer to the young man’s question we read in Matthew 19:16 that Jesus told the young man to keep God’s commandments and listed six of them. The man replied saying that he kept all of them. No doubt the man thought that he was looking good. The six commandments dealt with human relationships not his relationship to God. When Jesus told the man to sell all he had and give the money to the poor, Jesus exposed his sin. The truth was that the man’s riches were his idol and he could not give them up. He was a good man but he had not kept God’s greatest and most important commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:3.

The sad thing about this young ruler is that he walked away from the one person who could give him eternal life --- Jesus. This is the tragic decision that too many people make today.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:2.

Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.

 

PRAYER:

Thank You for Your goodness and grace in giving me eternal life through the shed blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that salvation is a free gift that does not depend on my goodness because there is nothing I can do to be good enough to earn eternal life.

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Finances: October 20, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 20, 2015.

FINANCES

DEFINITION:

The management of one’s monetary affairs.

SCRIPTURE:

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me on this, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Tell us what you think about money, and we will tell you what you think about God. A man’s heart is closer to his wallet than anywhere else. Did you know that a family today spends 10 times more each year on luxuries and non-essential items than on charitable and religious donations?

The Bible warns us about greed and selfishness. The Bible encourages frugality and thrift. Jesus said to His disciples after He fed the multitude to gather up the fragments that remained, that nothing be lost. The famous preacher of years past, John Wesley, had a threefold philosophy about money that he often preached. He said, make all you can, keep all you can, and then give back to the Lord all you can. Most people today get all the money they can, spend all they can and then give meagerly to God if anything.

God has a plan for us concerning our finances. If we follow God’s plan he has promised to manage our money. But most believers do not take the Lord seriously about His plan on finances. Who do you think knows better as to how to manage your money --- you or God?

God’s plan is very simple. He promises that if we give Him the first part of all we receive, a tithe of 10%, he will then provide for all of our needs. All we can tell you is that the two of us obeyed God in regard to out tithe of 10% to Him even before we were married and then we continued year after year and God has provided for all of our needs.

Yes, there were times when we wondered if we were going to make it financially but we can testify that God never let us down and perfectly on time He provided so we could meet every need we had. It is amazing as we look back and see how God has taken us through valleys and over mountains providing to us all we have ever needed.

When we see this promise that God has given us in Malachi 3:10 and the blessing that He promises and we know the unfailing faithfulness of the promise giver, what keeps us from obeying His command. The reason is the lack of complete trust. People say that if God does not supply what they need what will they do? Others say that if they give away 10% and then do not have enough to pay their bills what do they do?

God has a response to these questions. It is simple, TRY ME! It is time for you to put Him to the test. God is faithful and if you give back to Him to further His kingdom, and then put your trust in Him, he will supply your every need.

We have been blessed to have had several visits to Israel. There are two bodies of water in Israel that serve as a good financial example for us today. The Jordan River is surrounded by beautiful healthy trees and greenery but around the Dead Sea nothing grows. It is barren and nothing lives. You see when the water flows into the Dead Sea it stays there because there is no outlet. But as the water flows into the Jordan River it moves continually.

The Dead Sea can be likened to the world’s financial system which is to accumulate and preserve all your wealth. The result is self-centered stagnation. Hoarding and saving all you make like this lives spiritually unfruitful and hinders the good works that God wants to do through you.

The Lord’s financial plan is like the Jordan River, a river that moves continually and as God’s provisions pass into our lives, we pass at least 10% back to Him and His ministries and God then will continue to give back to us. God supplies enough to live and enough to give.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:2.

Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.

 

PRAYER:

Help me to take the step of obedience and to trust You to supply all of my needs if I follow Your promise of giving the first fruits, 10% minimum, of what I earn back to You and Your work.

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Responsible: October 19, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 19, 2015.

RESPONSIBLE

DEFINITION:

Accountable; having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable, reliable or dependable.

SCRIPTURE:

Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say. Exodus 4:12.

Nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things. Acts 17:25.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Responsibility requires a spirit of faithfulness, dependability, and refusal to give up when times are tough. In the verse above from Exodus God was speaking to Moses after Moses tried to convince God that he was inadequate for the responsibility of leading the Children of Israel. But God responded to Moses, just as He will respond to us today, telling him to go and He would teach him what and how to say things. Moses had not yet learned that God does not ask us to do anything or go anywhere that He will not provide His help.

Few men have ever had more responsibility placed on their shoulders then Moses did. God chose him to lead the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and into the Promise Land. He was leading over two million people and had the responsibility to keep them all obedient and worshipping God.

It took years for God to prepare Moses for this enormous job. Moses at a young age was hotheaded and stubborn. When he witnessed the suffering of God’s people in Egypt, he sought to deliver them through his own human strength but neither he nor his people benefitted from his hasty actions.

God always clarifies our responsibility on something He wants us to do so we can respond in obedience. We need to learn to know when it is God’s timing to do something. Moses moved ahead believing in his own ability and really not looking to God for His help.

God will never leave us standing alone in a circumstance we cannot handle. He promises to shoulder the burden with us.

When God calls on us to take on responsibility He will give us clear directions if we pay attention. God used a burning bush to get Moses’ undivided attention and then spoke to Moses giving him clear directions. God will also equip us for whatever He asks us to do. God used Moses staff to equip him to demonstrate God’s power before Pharaoh by turning it into a snake and back into a staff.

Anytime the Lord calls us to fulfill a certain responsibility there will be challenges to deal with. Satan is forever at work to hinder God’s plan which may put us in a position to wait on Him. The Hebrews made it difficult for Moses. They were disobedient to God and as a result they spent 40 years in the desert wandering with no place to go. But it is in these times of difficulty that God molds and shapes us to know His will, just as He did with Moses.

When God gives you a hard task of responsibility be assured He will enable you to carry it out successfully.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:2.

Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.

 

PRAYER:

Give me the confidence to obey Your calling and to trust in Your ability to lead me. Give me the courage to obey You no matter the cost and give me a commitment to You that does not waver. Thank You that You can and will give me limitless responsibilities and You will equip me to fulfill them all.

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