Suffering: August 4, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 4, 2017.

SUFFERING

DEFINITION:

Feeling pain or hardship; experiencing loss; undergoing something painful or unpleasant whether physical or emotional.

SCRIPTURE:

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. Philippians 1:29.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing Psalms. James 5:13.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We receive emails from across our world, as well as from here in America, telling us about the suffering that people are facing today. Many are suffering because they are Christians who are standing firm in their faith.

We receive reports of churches being bombed, pastors being martyred, families being tortured, individuals, even children, being beheaded all because of their stand for their Lord. But sadly, only a few of these disasters make the news.

We are living in a world filled with evil people and evil ideas. Satan is really at work and we as Christians must stand firm in our faith. We must also, as believers in Jesus, pray for those who are suffering and giving their lives for Him.

We also hear from families who are suffering for their faith in God right here in America. They are being ridiculed at their workplace because of their faith. Some even are losing jobs because they live by Godly standards and will not compromise their Christian values in order to keep their job. Some are being sued for discrimination and political incorrectness.

Children are being mocked, bullied and made fun of for their faith at their schools. It is heart breaking that a child going to a school has to suffer because he or she has biblical standards to live by and is told they cannot share their faith. Praying and reading the Bible is forbidden today in schools and teaching in our colleges and universities is anti-God.

There is much suffering around our world and the scripture has much to say to help us understand and to cope with suffering.

The author of the book of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 2:10 that, “For it was fitting for Him (God), for whom are all things and by whom all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain (Jesus) of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

Jesus was mocked, spit upon, beaten and killed (Mark 10:34). Jesus suffered so that we can have eternal life. He suffered an excruciating death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus, in His suffering, set an example for us to live by when we are faced with suffering for Him while we are on this earth preparing to spend an eternity with Him.

When we as Christians suffer for our faith in Jesus we become partners with Christ in His suffering. What and how we suffer does not compare with the suffering Jesus went through for us. Jesus can comfort us in our suffering because He experienced all the same suffering we have. Jesus comforts us by giving us strength, encouragement and the hope of eternal life which enables us to endure.

Having to suffer is not easy. The author of Hebrews understands this. He is writing to believers whom he knew had endured suffering and would most likely have to continue to endure suffering for their faith. He encourages these believers in Hebrews 10:32 to persevere by telling them to think about how their faith had enabled them to endure in times of suffering in the past.

The author of Hebrews also says in Hebrews 10:32 to those that had suffered for Jesus: “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated (accepted Jesus as Savior), you endured a great struggle with sufferings”. When we look back on times of great distress and suffering, we can see how Jesus was with us and how we felt His presence more strongly.

Suffering can grow our faith and remembering what Jesus has done for us in the past, enables us to trust Him more completely for what He will do for us in the future.

For centuries, some have faced a great struggle as they suffered for the cause of Christ and Christians will continue to suffer until Christ returns. We must persevere for the cause of Christ in spite of suffering.

In the verse from Philippians we have printed above under SCRIPTURE, Paul reminds us that as believers in Christ we will share in Christ’s sufferings.

James tells us how we should respond when we are suffering -- we are to pray. When we pray, God will give us the strength to get through each and every trial and He will comfort and encourage our hearts. No matter what our suffering there is joy in the Lord that brings cheer to our lives. The response to the joy of the Lord we feel in our hearts is to sing praises to God.

In every situation that we face today, God wants us to be cheerful and sing unto Him. He will give us the strength to get through what we are facing. He cares for you, He loves you and He will be with you in your times of suffering. That is why Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God in the middle of the night while sitting in chains in a dark prison.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 5:16b.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

PRAYER:

It is my prayer today that You would lead me through any suffering I may face because of my faith in You. Also give me a new burden and a tender heart to pray for those who are suffering for Your sake. Put a song of praise in my heart for all that You have done for me.

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Trust: August 3, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 3, 2017

TRUST

DEFINITION:

Having reliance or faith in.

SCRIPTURE:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

God has a plan and purpose for each of us that He wants to reveal to us. It is a pathway He has designed specifically for each one of us. Unfortunately, many of us fail to consider this and walk down our own unproven pathway.

If we do not fully trust God, we may be reluctant to follow the path He has chosen for us. Proverbs 3 tells us what is required to follow the Lord and what the benefits will be.

God commands us to trust Him. Trust is a strong belief in someone’s integrity, ability, and character. This is the kind of confidence we are to have in the Lord. If we lack trust we will not follow Him. But if we spend a lifetime trusting Him, we can testify without a doubt that He will never let you down.

We are commanded to trust God as believer’s in Him with all of our heart. We do what God says to us because we trust Him to guide us the right way. We cannot pick and choose areas to trust in Him. God’s understanding is complete and eternal and if we start picking and choosing from our personal desires we will come to the place of trusting in ourselves and not in God. We should always be willing to listen and be corrected by God’s Word.

Proverbs 3:6 says we are to acknowledge God in all we do. This is not a partial agreement but it says in all that we do. If we acknowledge Him, he will make our paths straight. He will protect us from side roads, eliminate obstacles that may come our way, and confusion as to what is right and what is wrong.

To trust God is to fear Him. To fear God is to recognize and honor Him as not only the only sovereign Ruler of the Universe, but the Lord and Master of our lives.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 5:16b.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

PRAYER:

It is my prayer today that You will show me how to trust You fully. Keep me from leaning on my own abilities. Help me to keep my eyes on You and lead me on the right path.

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Righteousness: August 2, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

DEFINITION:

Characterized by uprightness or morality; virtuous or devout.

SCRIPTURE:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people in our world will tell you that they strive daily to live a righteous life. When you ask these people to tell you what they mean by being righteous, you will get many different kinds of responses. Some will say that being righteous is living an honest life. Others will say being kind to people. Some will say that being helpful to others is living a righteous life. Many in today’s culture will respond referring to something personal because we are living in a “ME” generation.

Most people will also tell you that it is very hard to live a righteous life and others will tell you that it is impossible if you are going to be successful. Many people are trying to achieve righteousness by their own strength and actions, but it is impossible to overcome our evil desires because of the sinful nature we are born with.

We cannot buy righteousness and we cannot earn it. Paul writes in Romans 3:10 that “There is no one righteous, not even one.” A person that does not know Jesus as their Savior cannot experience the righteousness we are talking about today. Righteousness comes only after we are saved.

The scripture above begins very clearly by stating it is, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” that we are saved. It is because of God’s mercy that He saved us and it is only through Him we can experience righteousness in our lives.

In Galatians 2:21 we are reminded that righteousness does not come through the law. If it had been possible to obtain righteousness by keeping the law and doing good then Christ would have died in vain.

There is nothing that we can do in the way of keeping the law, doing good deeds, or working to improve ourselves and obtain righteousness. This was something that Paul learned in a most traumatic way when he met Jesus on the Damascus road and was struck blind for three days. Paul studied and lived by the law of the Old Testament but after his conversion he recognized he did not have a righteousness of his own that comes from keeping the law, but the righteousness he had comes from God by his faith (Philippians 3:9).

In Ephesians 6:14 Paul writes that we are to put on the breastplate of righteousness, that only God can give us, to stand firm against the temptations of the devil. And finally Paul tells us in I Timothy 6:11 that we are to flee the things of this evil world and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Look at the company that Paul puts with righteousness. Are you practicing and growing daily in faith, godliness, love, patience and gentleness? Each day we need to strive to be more like Jesus but it is only because of His mercy we will be righteous in His sight.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 5:16b.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

PRAYER:

Thank You, dear Lord, that because of Your mercy I have been made righteous because of my faith in You. Help me to increase my faith by being more like You today. May I put on the breastplate of righteousness that Paul talks about, so that I may stand firm against the attacks of the devil and wage the war on Your behalf against evil.

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Waiting: August 1, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 1, 2017

WAITING

DEFINITION:

Stop briefly; pause; be patient; be in expectation.

SCRIPTURE:

Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed. Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:3-5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Discipline and commitment is needed when we wait for God’s timing. Waiting on the Lord is especially tough on people with not much patience. That is why discipline and a commitment to Him is necessary when waiting on God.

We can think of several basic requirements that have been given us in the scriptures that will enable us to be successful waiting on the Lord.

The Lord’s ways and timing is nothing like ours. The way He does things is often nothing like the way we would do it. But the good news is that if we trust Him more, we will soon discover that His approach isn’t so strange after all. When we live in harmony with God’s will, His timing starts to make sense. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us to wait on the Lord BY FAITH!

To wait on the Lord, you must be convinced of your need for him. Submission to His divine will means and requires humility on your part. Many people say that they are waiting on the Lord for an answer to some concern they have but then charge ahead with their own plans to solve the concern. When we take matters into our own hands it shows we are not convinced of our need for God’s direction and we are not willing to submit to God.

Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive a clear and divine directive from the Lord? Many people just pause and their impatience will not allow them to wait on Him. Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience.

Waiting for God also takes courage, especially when the pressure is on you to act sooner rather than later. If you are not careful it could become very easy for you to stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear tuned to the voice of God and you will not go wrong.

Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest and most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing on issues, He will enable us to prevail.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 5:16b.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

PRAYER:

Help me today to have the faith, humility, patience and courage that only You can give me so that I might learn to wait upon You for every major issue I face in life.

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Scriptures: July 31, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY JULY 31, 2017.

SCRIPTURES

DEFINITION:

The Bible; the Word of God.

SCRIPTURE:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy 3:16.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, but for you it is a safeguard. Philippians 3:1.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In II Timothy 3:16 Paul says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The scripture is the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Inspired means God breathed.

Although God used men to write down the scriptures, the Bible is not a collection of stories or myths, which are merely man’s ideas about God. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed not only His person and who He is, but also His plan for us in this world. We can be assured that what the Bible says is true and trustworthy because it is the inspired Word of God. Therefore, we should read it so that we know what the Bible teaches and says about God and then apply it to our lives.

Paul notes in Philippians 3:1 that he is writing some things that he has written before. The basics of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior and living for Him are so important they must be written again, and we need to read the Word over and over again because as Paul says, it is a safeguard for us. The Bible, God’s Word, is our safeguard both morally and theologically.

The scripture says that it was written to instruct us and to help us in pressing on for Christ. No person can press on and grow spiritually without heeding the scripture. God’s Word is a safeguard for us to keep from falling prey to Satan’s temptations and to prevent us from following false teachings. If we fail to study and obey the scripture we will cave in either to the temptations of life or to false teaching. Only as we obey the scripture which contains the commandments of the Lord, can we show our love and loyalty to the Lord.

Over and over in the scriptures we are told to obey the Word of the Lord and keep His commandments. It is so important that in just one chapter, John 14, Jesus said three times to obey His commandments. In verse fifteen Jesus says, “If you love me, keep My commandments.” In verse twenty-one Jesus said, “He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” In verse twenty-three Jesus says, “If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him.”

It is not only necessary to keep God’s commandments to show we love Him, but if we truly love Him we will want to obey His Word. We must read and study the scripture daily in order for us to keep our guard up against the evil we face daily in our lives.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 5:16b.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

PRAYER:

Today I turn my life completely over into Your hands. Help me to diligently study and obey the scriptures in a new and fresh way, so that I cannot be affected by the evil of this world and any false teaching that comes my way.

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