Choices: November 18, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2016.

CHOICES

DEFINITION:

The act or instance of selecting; things carefully selected; decisions; preferences.

SCRIPTURE:

I have chosen the way of truth. Psalm 119:30

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Life is about choices. We all make them and sometimes they are made unconsciously. One thing is certain; all of our choices have consequences. Choices determine the direction we go with our lives so they should never be made casually.

The most important choice we make in life is to choose or not to choose the “way of truth” (Psalm 119:30 above). We all have the choice to choose between the deceitful ways of Satan or the “way of truth.”  Satan’s way leads to death and destruction. The “way of truth” is the right way, God’s way, and leads to life eternal. (Matthew 7:13-14)

When we choose the “way of truth” we are choosing to be obedient to God and obey His commandments. To choose the “way of truth” one needs to accept Jesus as their Savior. God sent His Son to this earth to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. By accepting Jesus, we ask Him for forgiveness and ask Him into our heart. The best guide line that we know to the “way of truth” is the Ten Commandments. We encourage you to read them and memorize them.

Today we want to look at the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus took the time to speak to his disciples about the “way of truth” and taught them choices that they needed to make in life. These same choices must be made by us.

Jesus was not only speaking to the masses in His day but to each of us. In Matthew chapters 6 and 7 Jesus lists for us 8 different choices that we need to make and also gives us the right (the way of truth) and wrong way (Satan’s deceitful way) to make these choices.

First, is the right and wrong way to give alms or what we call today “charitable gifts.” In Matthew 6:1-4 we are told to make our gifts in secret and we will receive our heavenly rewards. We are not to give for all to see so that we will get our due recognition. Satan’s way seeks the world’s recognition.

The second choice is found in Matthew 6:15-25 where Jesus gives us the right and wrong way to pray. Jesus reminds us not to be like the hypocrites who stand in the synagogues and on the corner so that they can be seen by all as they pray. He says for us to go to your room or a corner and pray in private.

In Matthew 6:16-18 we have a choice given us as to the right way and wrong way to fast. Do not be sad and disfigure your face to impress others. The right way is to wash your face, anoint your head so you do not appear to be fasting to those who see you. Fasting is between you and God.

In Matthew 6:19-21 we are told not to lay up treasures on this earth but the right choice is to lay up your treasures in heaven where neither rust nor moth will destroy and where thieves will not break in and steal.

Jesus continued His teaching discussing making a choice on vision. In Matthew 6:22-23 Jesus talks about spiritual vision. Our spiritual vision can become clouded with evil thoughts and evil desires. When the eye is evil we will be full of darkness. When the eye is good we will be filled with light.

We have the choice of serving the right or wrong master. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus makes it clear that we cannot serve two masters. You must make a choice. Will you choose God or will you choose mammon (money and material treasure). You cannot serve both.

Jesus then taught that we had the choice of the right way or wrong way to think in Matthew 6:25-34. We are to not worry about everyday life or what tomorrow may bring. We are to choose to trust in God and seek His Kingdom and His righteousness.

And finally He teaches the right and wrong way to judge in Matthew 7:1-6.  Jesus teaches clearly that we are not to judge that we may not be judged. We often judge others for faults that we excuse ourselves from. We judge wrongly when we tear down others to build ourselves up.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:29.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

PRAYER:

Help me to make choices in life as You taught when You were here on this earth. Thank You for the Godly principles You have given us in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount to help us develop a lifestyle based on the choices You want us to make that will bring glory and honor to Your name.

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Attitude: November 17, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016.

ATTITUDE

DEFINITION:

A feeling or opinion toward a person or a situation; mind-set; disposition.

SCRIPTURE:

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed, so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

As we walk the Christian life, many times we face situations that seem like “mountains” to us. We can feel so overwhelmed with the enormity of the problem that we have a defeatist attitude before we begin.

The experience that the children of Israel had while they were trying to conquer Jericho gives us an understanding of God’s perspective about dealing with what seems to be the unconquerable situations in our lives. The city of Jericho was fortified by a double ring of walls that were in some places twenty feet thick and twenty-five feet high. They were impenetrable and an insurmountable obstacle to conquer.

Even as believers we often have to deal with insurmountable problems or situations. It may be a habit that we want to get rid of that has haunted us for a long time. It may be something that threatens our spiritual life. We may feel our problems are insurmountable just as the Israelites thought about the walls of Jericho.

God will provide a way to those who trust and obey Him. God had the children of Israel walk around the city one time for six straight days and on the seventh day seven times with the Ark leading the way. On the seventh day they were to blow a long blast on their trumpets and then shout. We can imagine that some of the people thought that Joshua must be out of his mind with these strange instructions.

It would seem that God was putting the Israelites attitude to the test. Did they have an attitude of faith and obedience to follow God’s instructions completely, strange as they seemed? Indeed they did have an attitude of faith and because of their obedience to God’s command the wall fell down and they took the city.

When we follow, in our lives, the strategy outlined for the Israelites, walking around our situation in the presence of God (the Ark represented God to the people) asking Him in faith believing for wisdom and direction, the walls of our problem will collapse. An attitude of faith and confidence in the Lord will bring us victory. God can change our attitude of fear and worry to an attitude of joy and victory no matter what the battle might entail, if we begin with an attitude of faith.

Perhaps God had the Children of Israel march for seven days because they needed to improve their faith and it took the people that long to fully grasp the enormity of the problem and to get the right attitude about Jericho. The more they walked, the more they realized that it would have to be God to conquer their goal. He alone would make them victorious.

We all see people every day with bad attitudes. Their bad attitude comes from within but they will blame others. Maybe it is a bad home situation where nothing seems to go right and there is constant dissension. For others it might be a work place frustration. We even see people in churches, including pastors, with bad attitudes. Bad attitudes lead to bad responses, bad actions, and sad consequences.

This illustration from the story of Joshua and Jericho is one that each of us must remember. The next time you have an attitude problem, stop fast and ask God to help you conquer it. Then walk around the attitude problem, evaluating every perspective of the situation, while you continue to talk to God. He will lead you and in His proper time will change your attitude. We all need to work on our attitudes daily, beginning with our attitude about the little minor situations that bother us. Put God first and watch what He will do for you. It is God that brings us the victory.

Recently we saw a truck on the road ahead of us with the words, “Attitude is contagious” on it. How true that is. The walls of Jericho would not have come down if Joshua’s attitude of faith and confidence had not spread throughout the tribes of Israel. As Christian parents we must be aware that our attitudes have great effect on our children. Children pick up on our attitudes. We must ask ourselves what kind of attitudes we are transmitting to our children. Whether good or bad they are contagious.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:29.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

PRAYER:

Give me an attitude of faith today that will bring honor and glory to You. Help me to be an example to my family so that as they watch me and my actions that they will see a constant consistent attitude that glorifies Your name.

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Evidence: November 16, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2016.

EVIDENCE

DEFINITION:

That which tends to prove or disprove something; grounds for belief; proof.

SCRIPTURE:

Explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” Acts 17:3.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Whenever a law is broken whether it is an accident or a planned situation there are investigations that follow. These investigations look for reasons and evidence that prove that a law was broken. Evidence is presented in trials in a court to prove the innocence or guilt of a person charged with a crime.

Certain laws of evidence hold in the establishment of any historic event, as factual, documentation of the event in question must be made by reliable contemporary witnesses.

There is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that Julius Caesar ever lived, or that Alexander the Great died at the age of 33. It is strange that historians will accept thousands of facts from which they can produce only shreds of evidence and will accept it as valid. But in the case of the overwhelming evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they cast a skeptical eye and hold intellectual doubts.

The trouble with many people is that they just do not want to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. The Gospels and the book of Acts give us eye witness accounts of Jesus life and death. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, Cephas, and the twelve disciples. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15:6 that Jesus appeared to more than 500 eyewitnesses at one time and that most of them were still alive at the time He was writing I Corinthians. People who do not want to believe are so completely skeptical that they cannot accept the glorious fact of the resurrection of Christ on Bible testimony alone.

Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection. No one else has ever predicted his own death and resurrection and then accomplished it. In John 14:28 Jesus said, “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.”

May we remind you that it does not matter what you or other skeptics may think it will not change the evidence or the fact that it happened. Read the 14th chapter of John and I Corinthians 15 and see the clear evidence in these chapters, that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died and rose again to save us so that all who believe in Him can spend eternity with Him in the place he is preparing a home for us.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:29.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

PRAYER:

Thank You for the evidence that You left not only in Your Word but through those who met You after Your resurrection that You are alive. I know You are alive for You live in the hearts of all those who love You.

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Blind: November 15, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2016.

BLIND

DEFINITION:

Unable to see; lacking the sense of sight; something that obstructs vision; to lack spiritual discernment.

SCRIPTURE:

He replied, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing, that although I was blind, now I can see. John 9:25.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Our dear friend, Dr. Billy Graham, years ago was trying to explain to a group of Rotary club members the joy that he experienced by following Christ. He was trying to communicate the thrill, the excitement, the exhilaration knowing where he came from and where he was going. He was trying to explain that there was a real reason for him to exist every day and it was not the pleasures and things of the world.

At the end of his talk to the club he asked if anyone had any questions. One man stated very clearly to Dr. Graham that he just could not see what he was explaining. Dr. Graham responded: I have found Jesus and every morning as I study the scriptures and walk with my Lord, I have excitement and joy.

And you tell me that you cannot see that. Of course, you can’t. You see you are blind. Try to explain television to a blind man. He can understand a little but it just does not make sense. Try to explain a sunset to him. He is blind to it.

In order to see and understand what I am talking about the scales must be removed from your eyes and only Christ can do that. He can remove them right now and you can start living and seeing a whole new world that you never knew existed just like I did years ago. God will do great things for you if you let Him open your spiritual eyes.

We ask you today, are you experiencing the joy and excitement of knowing Jesus as your Savior? If you have not experienced the things that we have talked about --- joy, happiness and peace --- then you are spiritually blind. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers to God’s truth. Ask Jesus today to open your eyes today to the truth of God’s Word and ask Jesus into your heart and watch God work in your life.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:29.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

PRAYER:

I thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit who is at work in this world to give sight to the spiritually blind eyes of each person who seeks to know You.

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Mind: November 14, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2016.

MIND

DEFINITION:

The part of a human that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives and judges. Intellect or understanding.

SCRIPTURE:

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

God invites us to use our minds. In Isaiah 1:18 it is written, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord.” Christ touches every area of our lives. When He touches our minds we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We are told in the scripture not to be like a senseless horse or a mule, “which have no understanding” (Psalm 32:9). Mules and horses must be led by bits and bridles. They have no understanding. God has given us a mind with which to reason and to gain understanding. It is with our mind that we understand who God is. God wants us to love Him not just with our minds but with all that we are.

When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

Love is an emotion and comes from the heart. Christianity is falling in love with Christ. Have you ever fallen in love without emotion?

Our emotions, however, can vary widely from day to day. The words of Mark 12:30 reads, “all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength” depicts the completeness of the love we are to have for our Lord and our God. Complete love for the Lord will change us. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”, Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is --- His good, pleasing and perfect will.

The renewal of the mind is the work of the Holy Spirit. The working of the Holy Spirit in our lives is the result of our faithful and sincere study of God’s Word.

You shall love the Lord with all your heart, your mind, your soul, your mind and your strength is expressed as a commandment and it means we are to love the Lord with our entire being.

There are three principal things that make up our being and flow from our heart.

The power of feeling and desire is our Soul.

Energy and power is our strength.

Understanding and wisdom is our mind.

Our love for the Lord proceeds from our heart and manifests without through our soul, might and mind.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:29.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

PRAYER:

May my love for You emanate through my whole being. Renew my mind through the study and meditation on Your Holy Word.

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