April 2
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
(2 Corinthians 4:8–10, ESV)
(2 Corinthians 4:8–10, ESV)
“Back in the early 1930s, C.D. “Bigboy” Blalock of Louisiana State University—a six-foot-six-inch giant of a boxer—was taking on a stocky fellow from Mississippi State. In the second round, Bigboy let lose a roundhouse. The Mississippi man stepped in, and his head caught Bigboy’s arm inside the elbow. With the opponent’s head acting as a lever, Bigboy’s arm whipped around in almost full circle, connecting with haymaker force on Bigboy’s own chin. He staggered, grabbed the rope, walked almost all the way around the ring, and then fell flat for the count—the only prizefighter who ever knocked himself out with a right to his own jaw.” (L.M. Boyd)
The moral of the story for Bigboy Blalock? Every now and then, we can be our own worst enemy! We can be our own downfall! We can be the source of our own failure!
In a sermon back in October of 2000, Rev. Paul Fritz noted the way that some Christians tend to be defeatists with a negative attitude, while other Christians have learned to “do all things in the name of Christ Jesus” with an overcomer’s attitude (See Roman 12:1-2). Here’s a few of the words he chose to tell his congregation:
Defeatist Attitudes
* Nobody cares about me and my problems
* Everybody seems to be against me
* I am worried that nothing will work out right
* I am suspicious of others who are against me
* Woe is me. Gloom and doom is all around me
* Life is so hard and I feel so alone
* Why can’t I get the breaks like other people
* Sometimes I get so cynical I have a hard time seeing anything positive
* Sometimes I feel that my life has no real significance
Overcoming Attitudes
* Nothing can separate me from Christ’s love
* If God is for us who can be against us
* I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power
* God works all things together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes
* Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
* Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger
* Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
* Love believes all things, endures all things, hope all things. Love outlasts anything
As you read the lists from Rev. Fritz, which type of attitude described you the most? Are you an “overcomer” or a “defeatist”?
A young girl sat in the living room watching TV. Her mother was talking on the phone with her best friend. Though enthralled with the TV show, the daughter heard her mother saying things like, “I’m so mad … Why do I keep trying? What was I thinking?” When mother hung up the phone, her daughter turned to her and said, “I guess this means you are “in a mood”?”
Even good-hearted people can be moved with circumstances to be “in a mood”. Even faithful people can become negative, brooding, or defeatist. Why? What does it help? Today’s scripture even challenges the notion that faithful people should languish in a bad mood.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote that despite all the “afflictions” Christians had to face in that day, they were “not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). These faithful people who witnessed persecution, beatings, stonings, and the deaths of fellow Christians were “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). What kept the people from falling into defeatism and despair? 2 Corinthians 4:10 tells us that they remembered and celebrated the life and death of Jesus. When confronted with hate and persecution and suffering, they remembered how Jesus remained faithful while tortured on the cross. When dealing with life’s difficulties, they kept celebrating “the life of Jesus”. Not getting mired in their suffering or pain, they focused instead on the love of Christ!
When life becomes difficult, it’s all too easy and worldly to fall into despair. It’s no sweat to become a defeatist. Negativity in social media is rampant and destructive. If you follow down the “rabbit hole” of worldly negativity, you will end up depressed and knock yourself right out of the fight! Instead, follow the example of the saints! Focus on Jesus and His love for you! Remember His love! Celebrate His words! Look forward to eternal life with Him!
The world celebrates when you get negative. Many worldly people love it when people give up or give in. Jesus does not! Jesus loves it when you overcome the evils of this world. Heaven celebrates love and faithfulness and peace and hope and all the other godly, overcoming attitudes.
So, where will your mind go today? Will it be mired in negativity and self-defeat? Or will it stay focused on the love of Jesus!
The moral of the story for Bigboy Blalock? Every now and then, we can be our own worst enemy! We can be our own downfall! We can be the source of our own failure!
In a sermon back in October of 2000, Rev. Paul Fritz noted the way that some Christians tend to be defeatists with a negative attitude, while other Christians have learned to “do all things in the name of Christ Jesus” with an overcomer’s attitude (See Roman 12:1-2). Here’s a few of the words he chose to tell his congregation:
Defeatist Attitudes
* Nobody cares about me and my problems
* Everybody seems to be against me
* I am worried that nothing will work out right
* I am suspicious of others who are against me
* Woe is me. Gloom and doom is all around me
* Life is so hard and I feel so alone
* Why can’t I get the breaks like other people
* Sometimes I get so cynical I have a hard time seeing anything positive
* Sometimes I feel that my life has no real significance
Overcoming Attitudes
* Nothing can separate me from Christ’s love
* If God is for us who can be against us
* I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power
* God works all things together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes
* Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
* Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger
* Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
* Love believes all things, endures all things, hope all things. Love outlasts anything
As you read the lists from Rev. Fritz, which type of attitude described you the most? Are you an “overcomer” or a “defeatist”?
A young girl sat in the living room watching TV. Her mother was talking on the phone with her best friend. Though enthralled with the TV show, the daughter heard her mother saying things like, “I’m so mad … Why do I keep trying? What was I thinking?” When mother hung up the phone, her daughter turned to her and said, “I guess this means you are “in a mood”?”
Even good-hearted people can be moved with circumstances to be “in a mood”. Even faithful people can become negative, brooding, or defeatist. Why? What does it help? Today’s scripture even challenges the notion that faithful people should languish in a bad mood.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote that despite all the “afflictions” Christians had to face in that day, they were “not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). These faithful people who witnessed persecution, beatings, stonings, and the deaths of fellow Christians were “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). What kept the people from falling into defeatism and despair? 2 Corinthians 4:10 tells us that they remembered and celebrated the life and death of Jesus. When confronted with hate and persecution and suffering, they remembered how Jesus remained faithful while tortured on the cross. When dealing with life’s difficulties, they kept celebrating “the life of Jesus”. Not getting mired in their suffering or pain, they focused instead on the love of Christ!
When life becomes difficult, it’s all too easy and worldly to fall into despair. It’s no sweat to become a defeatist. Negativity in social media is rampant and destructive. If you follow down the “rabbit hole” of worldly negativity, you will end up depressed and knock yourself right out of the fight! Instead, follow the example of the saints! Focus on Jesus and His love for you! Remember His love! Celebrate His words! Look forward to eternal life with Him!
The world celebrates when you get negative. Many worldly people love it when people give up or give in. Jesus does not! Jesus loves it when you overcome the evils of this world. Heaven celebrates love and faithfulness and peace and hope and all the other godly, overcoming attitudes.
So, where will your mind go today? Will it be mired in negativity and self-defeat? Or will it stay focused on the love of Jesus!
April 4
“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28, NLT)
Titian, the Venetian painter from the 16th century, was renowned the world over for his beautiful Biblical scenes, some found in places of worship in Italy. He painted scenes from Jesus’ life including His baptism, time with Mary Magdalene, and the betrayal of Judas. Yet, Titian also painted images of flagrant debauchery in other works. He painted naked people caught up in orgies, people getting drunk, and scenes of self-indulgence. How could he be so passionate about portraying Jesus one day and hedonistic debauchery the next? Durant spoke that Titian had no problem painting scenes of Jesus’ life or worldly sin; it didn’t matter to him. Titian had “no apparent loss to his peace of mind” whether painting about evil or holiness.
You might wonder how Titian could be so enthused about painting scenes from a sinful life and the next day painting about Jesus’ life. It seems very hypocritical, doesn’t it? And yet there are many religious-seeming people who have the same type of disconnect in their day-to-day living. They seem faithful in one moment but are unholy the next.
Peter the Great of Russia sang in his church choir, regularly partook of communion, and loved to discuss theological issues. He even fined people from falling asleep or talking during Mass! And yet, Peter the Great was known to leave worship and a few hours later meet up with prostitutes and have group sex!
A businessman in a western city owns six adult bookstores, an X-rated theater, and a Condoms Plus store. Yet almost every Sunday he attends his local church and contributes generously.
A man in St. Louis is well-known for his support of the poor. He regularly works at a soup kitchen and frequently is filmed doing mission work in the city. He is a strong advocate for basic human rights and desires to leave behind a legacy of generous giving. This same man also has been involved in several accidents while driving drunk. He often is videotaped on drunken rampages where he swears up a storm. Then, on many a Sunday, he attends his local parish, where he is warmly greeted and well-respected.
Then again, there is the Roman Catholic President of the United States, Joe Biden. He too espouses his faith. He talks about growing up as a Christian. Still, he turns right around and advocates overwhelmingly for abortions in the United States. He speaks out against traditional marriage. On several occasions, his decisions and measures have been proven by multiple courts and the Supreme Court to be against the law and a travesty to basic human rights. Videos of his own words and actions have proven time and time again of his lies and manipulations of the truth. Within hours of advocating for blatantly anti-Christian laws, he ambles into his local church expecting to be seen as a deeply religious individual.
Throughout history, there has been a disconnect between the religious nature of people and their actions or words. Some people can act religious one minute and be completely sinful a few moments later! You might think this is a more modern form of sinfulness. Hardly! Jesus even spoke about this disconnect from His own experience. In the scripture for today, Jesus was critical of the most religious people of His day, the scribes and Pharisees. These two groups of religious leaders were known publicly to be some of the most theologically advanced people of their day. They were revered in society for being uber-faithful. But Jesus saw the smokescreen of their faith. These people acted religious but were hypocrites in real life. As Jesus said in Matthew 23:28, “Outwardly they appeared religious, but inwardly their hearts were filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Even Biblical heroes were at times challenged for their hypocrisy. King David, who was the apple of God’s eye, hid his sins of adultery and murder. The prophet Balaam was called out by God for his manipulation of a prophecy to save face. Herod, the king of the Jews when Jesus was born, attempted to murder Jesus in order to secure his throne, killing hundreds of babies in his attempt to stop the Messiah. Peter, the strong “rock” of faith among the disciples, denied Jesus three times. While Judas ate the Last Supper with Jesus, he was already plotting to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver!
Be careful you don’t follow down the same path as other religious figures from history who made shambles of their faith by being hypocritical in their actions or words.
Are there any disconnects between your faith and your actions or words? Do you get this nagging guilt from God that some of your thoughts do not conform to the truth of Christ? Do you hide a part of your life that is a mockery of true faith?
Before Easter comes this year, wouldn’t it be wise to heed Jesus’ words from Matthew and rid your life of any hypocrisy, whether small or large?
You might wonder how Titian could be so enthused about painting scenes from a sinful life and the next day painting about Jesus’ life. It seems very hypocritical, doesn’t it? And yet there are many religious-seeming people who have the same type of disconnect in their day-to-day living. They seem faithful in one moment but are unholy the next.
Peter the Great of Russia sang in his church choir, regularly partook of communion, and loved to discuss theological issues. He even fined people from falling asleep or talking during Mass! And yet, Peter the Great was known to leave worship and a few hours later meet up with prostitutes and have group sex!
A businessman in a western city owns six adult bookstores, an X-rated theater, and a Condoms Plus store. Yet almost every Sunday he attends his local church and contributes generously.
A man in St. Louis is well-known for his support of the poor. He regularly works at a soup kitchen and frequently is filmed doing mission work in the city. He is a strong advocate for basic human rights and desires to leave behind a legacy of generous giving. This same man also has been involved in several accidents while driving drunk. He often is videotaped on drunken rampages where he swears up a storm. Then, on many a Sunday, he attends his local parish, where he is warmly greeted and well-respected.
Then again, there is the Roman Catholic President of the United States, Joe Biden. He too espouses his faith. He talks about growing up as a Christian. Still, he turns right around and advocates overwhelmingly for abortions in the United States. He speaks out against traditional marriage. On several occasions, his decisions and measures have been proven by multiple courts and the Supreme Court to be against the law and a travesty to basic human rights. Videos of his own words and actions have proven time and time again of his lies and manipulations of the truth. Within hours of advocating for blatantly anti-Christian laws, he ambles into his local church expecting to be seen as a deeply religious individual.
Throughout history, there has been a disconnect between the religious nature of people and their actions or words. Some people can act religious one minute and be completely sinful a few moments later! You might think this is a more modern form of sinfulness. Hardly! Jesus even spoke about this disconnect from His own experience. In the scripture for today, Jesus was critical of the most religious people of His day, the scribes and Pharisees. These two groups of religious leaders were known publicly to be some of the most theologically advanced people of their day. They were revered in society for being uber-faithful. But Jesus saw the smokescreen of their faith. These people acted religious but were hypocrites in real life. As Jesus said in Matthew 23:28, “Outwardly they appeared religious, but inwardly their hearts were filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Even Biblical heroes were at times challenged for their hypocrisy. King David, who was the apple of God’s eye, hid his sins of adultery and murder. The prophet Balaam was called out by God for his manipulation of a prophecy to save face. Herod, the king of the Jews when Jesus was born, attempted to murder Jesus in order to secure his throne, killing hundreds of babies in his attempt to stop the Messiah. Peter, the strong “rock” of faith among the disciples, denied Jesus three times. While Judas ate the Last Supper with Jesus, he was already plotting to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver!
Be careful you don’t follow down the same path as other religious figures from history who made shambles of their faith by being hypocritical in their actions or words.
Are there any disconnects between your faith and your actions or words? Do you get this nagging guilt from God that some of your thoughts do not conform to the truth of Christ? Do you hide a part of your life that is a mockery of true faith?
Before Easter comes this year, wouldn’t it be wise to heed Jesus’ words from Matthew and rid your life of any hypocrisy, whether small or large?
April 7
“… [The Lord] commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalm 78:5–8, ESV)
Decades ago, humanists cried that religion should not be taught in schools. Their mantras included phrases like “Values do not belong in the classroom.” And “Teachers should teach facts, not beliefs.” People bought the lies. How can a person teach any subject without imparting values? Do we value clean air to breathe? To pass that on to the next generation involves teaching values on how to keep companies from polluting the air. Do we value the wide variety of species on earth? Then, we must protect their habitats. Values are intrinsic to teaching. Still, the Western world bought the lies. Now, fifty or so years later, we see the humanist results. They teach Critical Race Theory in schools which is NOT based on fact but values and opinions and beliefs. Some schools have “clothes closets” so that kids can come to school and then dress up as the opposite sex. Why? Because they teach alternate values that gender is a construct. That is not only an opinion, but also a value of humanists and NO OTHER GROUP. So, essentially, by allowing their lies and reasoning to persuade the masses, schools teach a new “humanistic religion” in their classrooms, with new values. They indoctrinate people into gender theory and critical race theory and other humanistic ideals. Many teachers teach these theories as facts. All the while, they are teaching the values of the humanistic, anti-religious world.
After taking religious values out of schools for a little over fifty years, how is that going for Western Society?
A recent commentary by a teacher leaving the teaching profession made it clear what many schools are facing today. The teacher said that school discipline is so non-existent, that there are breakdowns of order in the classroom. Children are not taught the basics. Liberal curriculum teaches race and gender theory while youth can’t do algebra and form basic sentence structure. The teacher explained that when a child bullies other classmates or disrupts the class, the child often receives no punishment or correction even when the bullying turns dangerous.
How many school shootings have occurred since religious values were banned from the classroom?
I have read of at least a dozen accounts of books in elementary school libraries that advocate for same sex marriage, sexual promiscuity, gender reassignment, and promote humanistic ideas of sexuality. Some school boards have been embarrassed by the pornographic content of these books. In one case, they refused to have the books read live before the board because the words were indecent to be aired in public or would even go against the law!!!!! In libraries where the Bible is not allowed to be placed, these books and other humanistic tomes are allowed to be shared and cherished. That is why there is now a movement by liberal school leaders to keep the choices of curriculum and the methods of teaching OUT OF THE HANDS OF PARENTS!
At a recent open forum on women’s sports and the rise of transgender athletes to dominate women’s sports, a professor challenged the speaker. He stated that it was wrong to question the rights of transgender people to compete against women. When the speaker questioned the professor on how many sexes there are, he could not answer. When she asked if the bones of the dead could be categorized as male and female just from the bones and DNA, he said that was untrue! Well, he was obviously wrong as they’ve been doing this for hundreds of years. This is the level of delusion being taught in schools. It also shows you the humanistic values the professor was not only taught but expected to defend!
Essentially, the present chaos in the world today can be directly linked to those who desired to remove faith-based and time-tested values from being taught in the classroom decades ago. They wanted to replace traditional values with modern, humanist, atheistic ones. If you would have told people fifty years ago that in 2023 professors couldn’t tell the sex of a person from the bones or that the president of New Zealand and a candidate for the Supreme Court couldn’t define a woman, they’d have said you were insane. Sadly, the insane ones are those who are promoting modern values like Critical Race Theory, Gender Ideology, and many other fake sciences and humanistic principles in the modern world.
All these modern atheistic and humanistic values are anti-Christian and anti-God. That is why the transgender shooter in Nashville targeted a Christian school. That’s why protesters who advocate abortion rights are allowed to speak while protesters who are pro-life are refused a chance to speak on college campuses. That’s why schools have become breeding grounds for youth with psychological issues. I could go on and on. When you advocate against God, you advocate for evil. When you go against God in your values, you inevitably cause suffering and pain and the destruction of the family and many human-derived disasters in the world.
Does it surprise you that the COVID-19 virus came out of a country that openly persecutes Christians and people of other faiths (China)? Does it surprise you that the humanistic leadership at that lab in Wuhan and the medical and professional establishment that promoted what happened in that lab were adherents to humanism and socialism and non-ethical experimentation? They were not people faithful to God by any stretch of the imagination. Look at what they wrought.
Psalm 78 contains some important words for those who want to be faithful to God. It is crucially important to “teach the next generation” to “set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:5, 7). They were “not to forget the works of God but keep HIS commandments” (Psalm 78: 7). The scripture makes perfectly clear that when God’s works and commands were not taught to the young, there would arise “a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalm 78:8). When one generation fails to pass on the teachings and commandments and instruction of God, the next generation is bound to be “rebellious” and untrustworthy.
At a congregational meeting, I was thoroughly maligned by a family in the church. They were very upset that I “forced” their daughter to memorize things like the books of the Bible, the Ten Commandments, the Apostle’s Creed, and such. They thought it was good enough that their daughter should read them once and then move on! I asked that the children not only read but memorize these important basics of the faith in order to “write it upon their hearts” (as it says to do in Hebrews 8:10!). The scriptures have long advocated that the faithful memorize and meditate on scripture deeply (Proverbs 7:3, Jeremiah 31:33, etc.). Doing so helps the next generations to keep God and God’s commandments close to the heart and affect their everyday choices! I told the church leaders that I’d rather not be their pastor than to fail to educate the next generation in the works of God.
As you continue in this Holy Week culminating in Easter, consider how important it is that the next generation know about Jesus! You and I are responsible in passing on the faith. By doing so, we are protecting the human race, even if they don’t know it yet! Do all your family members know you are a believer in Jesus? Do others know you trust in God? How might you help the next generations to see the truth in God’s word, the hope in Jesus, and the necessity of living faithfully?
May God bless your endeavor to spread the gospel and expose the lies of this world! It is a highly dangerous endeavor that will expose evil and firmly place you as one of the children of God in this world. Psalm 78 expects a response. Jesus died for you! He’s counting on your witness to the present generations.
After taking religious values out of schools for a little over fifty years, how is that going for Western Society?
A recent commentary by a teacher leaving the teaching profession made it clear what many schools are facing today. The teacher said that school discipline is so non-existent, that there are breakdowns of order in the classroom. Children are not taught the basics. Liberal curriculum teaches race and gender theory while youth can’t do algebra and form basic sentence structure. The teacher explained that when a child bullies other classmates or disrupts the class, the child often receives no punishment or correction even when the bullying turns dangerous.
How many school shootings have occurred since religious values were banned from the classroom?
I have read of at least a dozen accounts of books in elementary school libraries that advocate for same sex marriage, sexual promiscuity, gender reassignment, and promote humanistic ideas of sexuality. Some school boards have been embarrassed by the pornographic content of these books. In one case, they refused to have the books read live before the board because the words were indecent to be aired in public or would even go against the law!!!!! In libraries where the Bible is not allowed to be placed, these books and other humanistic tomes are allowed to be shared and cherished. That is why there is now a movement by liberal school leaders to keep the choices of curriculum and the methods of teaching OUT OF THE HANDS OF PARENTS!
At a recent open forum on women’s sports and the rise of transgender athletes to dominate women’s sports, a professor challenged the speaker. He stated that it was wrong to question the rights of transgender people to compete against women. When the speaker questioned the professor on how many sexes there are, he could not answer. When she asked if the bones of the dead could be categorized as male and female just from the bones and DNA, he said that was untrue! Well, he was obviously wrong as they’ve been doing this for hundreds of years. This is the level of delusion being taught in schools. It also shows you the humanistic values the professor was not only taught but expected to defend!
Essentially, the present chaos in the world today can be directly linked to those who desired to remove faith-based and time-tested values from being taught in the classroom decades ago. They wanted to replace traditional values with modern, humanist, atheistic ones. If you would have told people fifty years ago that in 2023 professors couldn’t tell the sex of a person from the bones or that the president of New Zealand and a candidate for the Supreme Court couldn’t define a woman, they’d have said you were insane. Sadly, the insane ones are those who are promoting modern values like Critical Race Theory, Gender Ideology, and many other fake sciences and humanistic principles in the modern world.
All these modern atheistic and humanistic values are anti-Christian and anti-God. That is why the transgender shooter in Nashville targeted a Christian school. That’s why protesters who advocate abortion rights are allowed to speak while protesters who are pro-life are refused a chance to speak on college campuses. That’s why schools have become breeding grounds for youth with psychological issues. I could go on and on. When you advocate against God, you advocate for evil. When you go against God in your values, you inevitably cause suffering and pain and the destruction of the family and many human-derived disasters in the world.
Does it surprise you that the COVID-19 virus came out of a country that openly persecutes Christians and people of other faiths (China)? Does it surprise you that the humanistic leadership at that lab in Wuhan and the medical and professional establishment that promoted what happened in that lab were adherents to humanism and socialism and non-ethical experimentation? They were not people faithful to God by any stretch of the imagination. Look at what they wrought.
Psalm 78 contains some important words for those who want to be faithful to God. It is crucially important to “teach the next generation” to “set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:5, 7). They were “not to forget the works of God but keep HIS commandments” (Psalm 78: 7). The scripture makes perfectly clear that when God’s works and commands were not taught to the young, there would arise “a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalm 78:8). When one generation fails to pass on the teachings and commandments and instruction of God, the next generation is bound to be “rebellious” and untrustworthy.
At a congregational meeting, I was thoroughly maligned by a family in the church. They were very upset that I “forced” their daughter to memorize things like the books of the Bible, the Ten Commandments, the Apostle’s Creed, and such. They thought it was good enough that their daughter should read them once and then move on! I asked that the children not only read but memorize these important basics of the faith in order to “write it upon their hearts” (as it says to do in Hebrews 8:10!). The scriptures have long advocated that the faithful memorize and meditate on scripture deeply (Proverbs 7:3, Jeremiah 31:33, etc.). Doing so helps the next generations to keep God and God’s commandments close to the heart and affect their everyday choices! I told the church leaders that I’d rather not be their pastor than to fail to educate the next generation in the works of God.
As you continue in this Holy Week culminating in Easter, consider how important it is that the next generation know about Jesus! You and I are responsible in passing on the faith. By doing so, we are protecting the human race, even if they don’t know it yet! Do all your family members know you are a believer in Jesus? Do others know you trust in God? How might you help the next generations to see the truth in God’s word, the hope in Jesus, and the necessity of living faithfully?
May God bless your endeavor to spread the gospel and expose the lies of this world! It is a highly dangerous endeavor that will expose evil and firmly place you as one of the children of God in this world. Psalm 78 expects a response. Jesus died for you! He’s counting on your witness to the present generations.
April 9
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17–18, ESV)
“The young man had never dreamed of earning so much money. What would his father say now? What would his friends think? How proud his mother would be.
But Robert Nicholas’s parents back in Ontario were concerned. Six dollars for a sixty-hour week was too much for a young man on his own in Chicago in 1900. Could he handle it, or would it ruin him? His father wrote him a lengthy letter, warning of the dangers of money. Be cautious and wise, he said. Give to the Lord. Some people are financially blessed so as to be generous in the Lord’s work. And don’t forget Proverbs 11:24, a verse Mr. Nicholas prominently quoted in his letter to Robert: “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.”
The verse had its intended effect. Robert began giving his tithes and offerings to the Lord. Joining a nearby Methodist church, he worked in the Sunday school and witnessed to friends.
Within five years, he purchased his own hardware store in nearby Oak Park and soon built it into one of the strongest businesses in Illinois. His leadership in Oak Park brought in department stores, banks, and schools. He advised and aided nearby Christian colleges, and helped finance many projects for the Kingdom. Selling his hardware store in 1929, he opened a lending institution that went through the darkness of the Great Depression without a single default. Homes and homeowners were saved by his counsel and patience. Many missionaries and mission boards, churches, and students received aid from him, the gifts often coming anonymously.
His life overflowed because he never forgot his father’s counsel: Scattering leads to increasing more, but withholding brings poverty (Proverbs 11:24).”” (Robert J. Morgan, From This Verse)
Robert Nicholas and his parents knew something very important about living in this world. If you do not share from your wealth, something dies in you. People who hoard don’t become more rich. While their material possessions or bank accounts may increase, so many things in their life become poor. Their love for others withers. Their compassion falters. Respect from others fades. Their spiritual life dies a horrible death. They become a people consumed with material concerns and love becomes non-existent. There is a direct correlation between wealth and the loss of love. The only antidote is to lovingly share.
1 John 3:17 draws together this link between God’s love abiding in a person and selfish hoarding of material goods. In this scripture, John wrote that “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” Truly, a godly love cannot coexist with a selfish heart and soul and mind. Over time, the selfish, materialistic attitude begins to control the entire being of any person. Is it any wonder that Jesus proclaimed that “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than a rich man to gain entrance into heaven” (Matthew 19:24)?
Look at the character of God. With power and knowledge and a creative ability that knows no bounds, God did not choose to hoard up all the benefits of such gifts. Instead, God brought forth humanity from the dust of the earth and shared His bounty with us. God is constantly giving, providing, sharing, caring, and loving. That’s what it means to be godly. Sadly, too many do not reflect this sharing nature of God. I’ve even met some of the stingiest givers in my life at meetings with churchgoers! It should never, ever be that way.
When you look at God the Father, you see a powerful desire to share. God the Father even shared His beloved Son with the world! The famous John 3:16 even offers that “God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, that whosoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life.” God is loving. Thus, God is giving. Thus, God shares. He even shared with us His most precious Son! And what did humanity do with Jesus? We were threatened. His kind of love frightened the powers that be! They put Jesus to death on a cross. So much for love!
In the final verse for today, John advocates that the faithful never “love in word or talk” only (1 John 3:18). Instead, truly faithful people need to follow God’s example. We love “in deed and in truth”. True love doesn’t talk about what is loving alone. It follows through. It shares. It cares. It gives. It sacrifices. Those who are godly exhibit a holy and selfless kind of love. That’s what God the Father did by sending Jesus into this dangerous world. God put real love into action.
If you want to be godly, sharing and loving need to be central to your life. Let Jesus be your guide to a loving, selfless, benevolent life. Don’t let your faith be about words alone. Don’t be one who is all about virtue signaling or making promises you don’t keep or talking about needs without making a difference. Don’t just talk about love… live it. Don’t just flatter Jesus with religious words, share the gospel with those who need it. Don’t walk past a brother in need. Find a way to share some honest, real, holy, beautiful, “Jesus-kind” of love.
But Robert Nicholas’s parents back in Ontario were concerned. Six dollars for a sixty-hour week was too much for a young man on his own in Chicago in 1900. Could he handle it, or would it ruin him? His father wrote him a lengthy letter, warning of the dangers of money. Be cautious and wise, he said. Give to the Lord. Some people are financially blessed so as to be generous in the Lord’s work. And don’t forget Proverbs 11:24, a verse Mr. Nicholas prominently quoted in his letter to Robert: “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.”
The verse had its intended effect. Robert began giving his tithes and offerings to the Lord. Joining a nearby Methodist church, he worked in the Sunday school and witnessed to friends.
Within five years, he purchased his own hardware store in nearby Oak Park and soon built it into one of the strongest businesses in Illinois. His leadership in Oak Park brought in department stores, banks, and schools. He advised and aided nearby Christian colleges, and helped finance many projects for the Kingdom. Selling his hardware store in 1929, he opened a lending institution that went through the darkness of the Great Depression without a single default. Homes and homeowners were saved by his counsel and patience. Many missionaries and mission boards, churches, and students received aid from him, the gifts often coming anonymously.
His life overflowed because he never forgot his father’s counsel: Scattering leads to increasing more, but withholding brings poverty (Proverbs 11:24).”” (Robert J. Morgan, From This Verse)
Robert Nicholas and his parents knew something very important about living in this world. If you do not share from your wealth, something dies in you. People who hoard don’t become more rich. While their material possessions or bank accounts may increase, so many things in their life become poor. Their love for others withers. Their compassion falters. Respect from others fades. Their spiritual life dies a horrible death. They become a people consumed with material concerns and love becomes non-existent. There is a direct correlation between wealth and the loss of love. The only antidote is to lovingly share.
1 John 3:17 draws together this link between God’s love abiding in a person and selfish hoarding of material goods. In this scripture, John wrote that “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” Truly, a godly love cannot coexist with a selfish heart and soul and mind. Over time, the selfish, materialistic attitude begins to control the entire being of any person. Is it any wonder that Jesus proclaimed that “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than a rich man to gain entrance into heaven” (Matthew 19:24)?
Look at the character of God. With power and knowledge and a creative ability that knows no bounds, God did not choose to hoard up all the benefits of such gifts. Instead, God brought forth humanity from the dust of the earth and shared His bounty with us. God is constantly giving, providing, sharing, caring, and loving. That’s what it means to be godly. Sadly, too many do not reflect this sharing nature of God. I’ve even met some of the stingiest givers in my life at meetings with churchgoers! It should never, ever be that way.
When you look at God the Father, you see a powerful desire to share. God the Father even shared His beloved Son with the world! The famous John 3:16 even offers that “God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, that whosoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life.” God is loving. Thus, God is giving. Thus, God shares. He even shared with us His most precious Son! And what did humanity do with Jesus? We were threatened. His kind of love frightened the powers that be! They put Jesus to death on a cross. So much for love!
In the final verse for today, John advocates that the faithful never “love in word or talk” only (1 John 3:18). Instead, truly faithful people need to follow God’s example. We love “in deed and in truth”. True love doesn’t talk about what is loving alone. It follows through. It shares. It cares. It gives. It sacrifices. Those who are godly exhibit a holy and selfless kind of love. That’s what God the Father did by sending Jesus into this dangerous world. God put real love into action.
If you want to be godly, sharing and loving need to be central to your life. Let Jesus be your guide to a loving, selfless, benevolent life. Don’t let your faith be about words alone. Don’t be one who is all about virtue signaling or making promises you don’t keep or talking about needs without making a difference. Don’t just talk about love… live it. Don’t just flatter Jesus with religious words, share the gospel with those who need it. Don’t walk past a brother in need. Find a way to share some honest, real, holy, beautiful, “Jesus-kind” of love.
April 11
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1–2, ESV)
In the 1400’s, the theologian Thomas a Kempis wrote De Imitatione Christi, or in English, The Imitation of Christ. This book is a devotional on how to live the Christian life. Its main focus is to move people away from following mundane worldly beliefs and practices, instead following Christ. Jesus would be THE example for all of life’s choices. Faithful people need only imitate Jesus in order to be true examples of holiness.
When Kempis wrote his book, there were problems in many religious communities. Priests were becoming lukewarm in their faith. Worship services lacked passion and commitment. Too many people of that day merely mouthed the words of the Mass, never really partaking in the meaning of the words! Apathy replaced joy in the spiritual lives of most. Kempis wrote his book to bring people closer to God. He thought Jesus the best human example to complete this task.
Little children find it easier to learn new things by imitating their parents. Students find it easier to understand a new theme by studying the examples of their teachers. Kempis wanted you to use Jesus in the same manner; to imitate Jesus in everyday living.
At various times in your life, you will imitate others in order to learn something new, to fit in, to follow the rules, or out of habit. Teachers often know much about the homelife of a child by watching him or her interact with others. For example, a child that is patient with classmates often has patient parents. Without knowing it, the children are imitating their parents’ behavior.
When I taught pre-marital counseling classes, I often found that the ideas people have about family life and childrearing often are based directly on what they saw at home and with mentors and friends. AND, because people tend to imitate and emulate those around them, it’s crucial that you surround yourself with good role models comprised of healthy, holy, truthful people. Some people, even well-intentioned Christians, do not surround themselves with good role models. Their idols or mentors are sorely lacking in all the most important areas of life, especially the spiritual life.
“A 12 year-old boy doused himself with rubbing alcohol and set himself on fire imitating a scene he had seen in a rock music video, authorities said. The boy, a fan of heavy-metal music who takes electric guitar lessons and wears an earring in the shape of a cross, said he was inspired by a member of the band “Motley Crue”, performing in a television video.
“He just lit his legs on fire, and nothing happened to him,” the sixth grader said.
“He dropped to the ground and rolled around, but the fire would not go out.”
The youth ran to the bathroom and got in the tub, which was filled with water from a bath he had taken earlier.” (As reported in the section on “Evil” in 6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths.)
A woman named Charlene came to see me during office hours. She asked my secretary to speak privately with me. When I finished talking on my phone, my secretary let me know she was there. I came out and greeted her warmly, recognizing her as a member of a prominent family in the church (though she didn’t attend worship very often). I invited her into my office, where she immediately began to bear her soul.
Charlene was having marital problems. She had been married for six years to her college sweetheart. They had a daughter who was three. Husband and wife both had good jobs. They lived in a new subdivision in the town. They seemed to have everything. However, Charlene was not happy. Recently, arguments dominated home interactions. Charlene was contemplating divorce.
After meeting several times with Charlene and her husband, several things became clear. First, the stress of a young child with two full-time working parents was taking a toll. Charlene and her husband were having a hard time with work/home/life balance. Second, the couple did not communicate well. They often were in such a rush that they didn’t take the time to talk about their own needs and issues and hopes and feelings. Third, their division of labor in the household was not healthy. Charlene did too much of the work at home and resented it when her husband didn’t pitch in to her satisfaction.
Though all these issues affecting Charlene and her husband were stressful and damaging, the main reason Charlene considered divorce was because her best friend Linda was a divorcee herself. Charlene confided in Linda about everything going wrong in the marriage. Sadly, Linda always took Charlene’s side. Linda constantly harped on Charlene’s husband. Rather than being a good influence on Charlene and her husband, Linda was driving a wedge between the two. Often, Linda’s advice was not constructive and resulted in more and more fights between Charlene and her husband. Until Charlene came to see me, she saw her husband as the sole source of all her problems and divorce as the only way forward. God had other plans! After six months of honest sharing and loving interaction during counseling sessions, Charlene and her husband ironed out their differences. Their relationship is now stronger than it ever was, two decades later.
A friend can be a holy influence or a bad source of advice. A mentor can give good instruction or lead you down the path of self-destruction. Our scripture for today urges you to be an “imitator of God” (Ephesians 5:1). The very next verse lifts up Jesus’ sacrifices as worthy of consideration. It also commands you to “walk in love, as Christ loved us…”. Get to know the Jesus of scripture. Study His words and responses. Meditate on His actions. You may find that Thomas a Kempis was entirely correct… imitating Jesus is a perfect way to lead a holy and blessed life.
When Kempis wrote his book, there were problems in many religious communities. Priests were becoming lukewarm in their faith. Worship services lacked passion and commitment. Too many people of that day merely mouthed the words of the Mass, never really partaking in the meaning of the words! Apathy replaced joy in the spiritual lives of most. Kempis wrote his book to bring people closer to God. He thought Jesus the best human example to complete this task.
Little children find it easier to learn new things by imitating their parents. Students find it easier to understand a new theme by studying the examples of their teachers. Kempis wanted you to use Jesus in the same manner; to imitate Jesus in everyday living.
At various times in your life, you will imitate others in order to learn something new, to fit in, to follow the rules, or out of habit. Teachers often know much about the homelife of a child by watching him or her interact with others. For example, a child that is patient with classmates often has patient parents. Without knowing it, the children are imitating their parents’ behavior.
When I taught pre-marital counseling classes, I often found that the ideas people have about family life and childrearing often are based directly on what they saw at home and with mentors and friends. AND, because people tend to imitate and emulate those around them, it’s crucial that you surround yourself with good role models comprised of healthy, holy, truthful people. Some people, even well-intentioned Christians, do not surround themselves with good role models. Their idols or mentors are sorely lacking in all the most important areas of life, especially the spiritual life.
“A 12 year-old boy doused himself with rubbing alcohol and set himself on fire imitating a scene he had seen in a rock music video, authorities said. The boy, a fan of heavy-metal music who takes electric guitar lessons and wears an earring in the shape of a cross, said he was inspired by a member of the band “Motley Crue”, performing in a television video.
“He just lit his legs on fire, and nothing happened to him,” the sixth grader said.
“He dropped to the ground and rolled around, but the fire would not go out.”
The youth ran to the bathroom and got in the tub, which was filled with water from a bath he had taken earlier.” (As reported in the section on “Evil” in 6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths.)
A woman named Charlene came to see me during office hours. She asked my secretary to speak privately with me. When I finished talking on my phone, my secretary let me know she was there. I came out and greeted her warmly, recognizing her as a member of a prominent family in the church (though she didn’t attend worship very often). I invited her into my office, where she immediately began to bear her soul.
Charlene was having marital problems. She had been married for six years to her college sweetheart. They had a daughter who was three. Husband and wife both had good jobs. They lived in a new subdivision in the town. They seemed to have everything. However, Charlene was not happy. Recently, arguments dominated home interactions. Charlene was contemplating divorce.
After meeting several times with Charlene and her husband, several things became clear. First, the stress of a young child with two full-time working parents was taking a toll. Charlene and her husband were having a hard time with work/home/life balance. Second, the couple did not communicate well. They often were in such a rush that they didn’t take the time to talk about their own needs and issues and hopes and feelings. Third, their division of labor in the household was not healthy. Charlene did too much of the work at home and resented it when her husband didn’t pitch in to her satisfaction.
Though all these issues affecting Charlene and her husband were stressful and damaging, the main reason Charlene considered divorce was because her best friend Linda was a divorcee herself. Charlene confided in Linda about everything going wrong in the marriage. Sadly, Linda always took Charlene’s side. Linda constantly harped on Charlene’s husband. Rather than being a good influence on Charlene and her husband, Linda was driving a wedge between the two. Often, Linda’s advice was not constructive and resulted in more and more fights between Charlene and her husband. Until Charlene came to see me, she saw her husband as the sole source of all her problems and divorce as the only way forward. God had other plans! After six months of honest sharing and loving interaction during counseling sessions, Charlene and her husband ironed out their differences. Their relationship is now stronger than it ever was, two decades later.
A friend can be a holy influence or a bad source of advice. A mentor can give good instruction or lead you down the path of self-destruction. Our scripture for today urges you to be an “imitator of God” (Ephesians 5:1). The very next verse lifts up Jesus’ sacrifices as worthy of consideration. It also commands you to “walk in love, as Christ loved us…”. Get to know the Jesus of scripture. Study His words and responses. Meditate on His actions. You may find that Thomas a Kempis was entirely correct… imitating Jesus is a perfect way to lead a holy and blessed life.
April 14
“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22, ESV)
There are times when we need to lean on a friend for comfort, help, encouragement, or support. Usually this occurs when we are weak, vulnerable, or hurting. In times like this, a loyal friend can be a godsend. A trusted friend will bring forth wisdom and give us courage.
When David wrote Psalm 55, he was in a vulnerable position. Troubles were on his horizon (Psalm 55:2). The troubles were becoming overwhelming. David began to fear for his life (Psalm 55:5). Sorrow and anguish tormented his soul (Psalm 55:4). Though David was hounded by dishonest enemies, what really wounded his soul was the double-cross of a trusted friend. David wrote in Psalm 55:12-13, “It is not an enemy who taunts me, I could bear that. It is not adversary… it is you, my familiar friend”. The betrayal of a familiar and trusted friend deeply wounded David’s heart.
Lacking a trusted confidant to lean upon in that vulnerable time, David turned to the one he could trust when all others fell short. He threw himself toward God in anguished prayer. David expressed his hurt, his wishes, his fears, and his needs. He knew that God would hear and be powerful in that moment (Psalm 55:19). David was fully convinced that God would save and protect him (Psalm 55:16).
In the midst of all this upheaval in his life, David gave a valuable piece of information to the reader of his psalm. He offered up the words that begin Psalm 55:22 chosen for our meditation today, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and HE will sustain you”. David found that especially when you are vulnerable, God is powerfully present to the faithful. God will NEVER fail the “righteous” (SEE Psalm 55:22b)!
As I was preparing for this meditation, I looked up the Hebrew word for “cast” used in the scripture for today. It means literally to throw off or toss. This is important for understanding this scripture. Sometimes, the burdens God wants us to cast upon Him are very heavy. They weigh heavily on heart and soul. They are difficult to bear. When lifting a heavy weight, sometimes it is easier to throw it, toss it, or cast it away. It is actually less burdensome than simply picking it up and moving it. What we can deduce from the use of the words “cast your burden on the Lord” is that David wanted you to consider taking those heavy burdens of sin or shame or guilt and throwing them toward the Lord. Sometimes, the only way to shake off the terrible guilt and shame of a past sin is to just hurl the evil residue God’s way!
After committing adultery, Sharon hid the affair from her husband. She buried deep in her mind and heart the memories of her cheating past. However, every time she came into the sanctuary to worship on many a Sunday morning, the guilt and pain of that past would rise up within her. Memories of shame riddled her thoughts and kept her from feeling joy during worship. All too often, she would tear up. Recalling those memories flooded her mind and heart while listening to a sermon or participating in prayer. What Sharon did not realize was that though she had asked for forgiveness and buried that past, God wanted more. God wanted her to fling all the shameful residue to Him. God wanted her to cast that burden upon HIM, so she could receive HIS healing grace. Only after years of suffering and shame did Sharon realize her mistake. When she finally felt the release of this burden, she was shocked at how light her heart felt and how much joy came cascading back!
Now, before you decide to cast every burden God’s way, understand that some burdens are meant to be carried by you while others are meant to be cast to the Lord. Some burdens need to be borne by you in order for you to learn patience or deepen your understanding of grace. Other burdens need to be cast upon the Lord. For example, there was a time when God wanted Sharon to bear the brunt of her affair. God wanted her to feel the shame and respond with confession and repentance. That burden was meant for Sharon to change her ways. But, after a while, God wanted Sharon to cast the burden upon HIM. After she sought repentance and confessed her sin, God wanted Sharon to cast that burden upon Heavenly shoulders. That sin was no longer Sharon’s burden to carry each day.
Can you learn to separate out those burdens you must bear from those that must be cast upon the Lord? This is an important aspect of the holy life. God will put some burdens on your shoulders in order for you to grow in strength. God will ask you to bear the burdens of others to help them to bear the load. On the other hand, God will want you to cast upon Him those burdens that belong with the Lord. To continue to bear a burden that belongs with God will only cause suffering and pain where God intended grace and joy and forgiveness and peace!
When David wrote Psalm 55, he was in a vulnerable position. Troubles were on his horizon (Psalm 55:2). The troubles were becoming overwhelming. David began to fear for his life (Psalm 55:5). Sorrow and anguish tormented his soul (Psalm 55:4). Though David was hounded by dishonest enemies, what really wounded his soul was the double-cross of a trusted friend. David wrote in Psalm 55:12-13, “It is not an enemy who taunts me, I could bear that. It is not adversary… it is you, my familiar friend”. The betrayal of a familiar and trusted friend deeply wounded David’s heart.
Lacking a trusted confidant to lean upon in that vulnerable time, David turned to the one he could trust when all others fell short. He threw himself toward God in anguished prayer. David expressed his hurt, his wishes, his fears, and his needs. He knew that God would hear and be powerful in that moment (Psalm 55:19). David was fully convinced that God would save and protect him (Psalm 55:16).
In the midst of all this upheaval in his life, David gave a valuable piece of information to the reader of his psalm. He offered up the words that begin Psalm 55:22 chosen for our meditation today, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and HE will sustain you”. David found that especially when you are vulnerable, God is powerfully present to the faithful. God will NEVER fail the “righteous” (SEE Psalm 55:22b)!
As I was preparing for this meditation, I looked up the Hebrew word for “cast” used in the scripture for today. It means literally to throw off or toss. This is important for understanding this scripture. Sometimes, the burdens God wants us to cast upon Him are very heavy. They weigh heavily on heart and soul. They are difficult to bear. When lifting a heavy weight, sometimes it is easier to throw it, toss it, or cast it away. It is actually less burdensome than simply picking it up and moving it. What we can deduce from the use of the words “cast your burden on the Lord” is that David wanted you to consider taking those heavy burdens of sin or shame or guilt and throwing them toward the Lord. Sometimes, the only way to shake off the terrible guilt and shame of a past sin is to just hurl the evil residue God’s way!
After committing adultery, Sharon hid the affair from her husband. She buried deep in her mind and heart the memories of her cheating past. However, every time she came into the sanctuary to worship on many a Sunday morning, the guilt and pain of that past would rise up within her. Memories of shame riddled her thoughts and kept her from feeling joy during worship. All too often, she would tear up. Recalling those memories flooded her mind and heart while listening to a sermon or participating in prayer. What Sharon did not realize was that though she had asked for forgiveness and buried that past, God wanted more. God wanted her to fling all the shameful residue to Him. God wanted her to cast that burden upon HIM, so she could receive HIS healing grace. Only after years of suffering and shame did Sharon realize her mistake. When she finally felt the release of this burden, she was shocked at how light her heart felt and how much joy came cascading back!
Now, before you decide to cast every burden God’s way, understand that some burdens are meant to be carried by you while others are meant to be cast to the Lord. Some burdens need to be borne by you in order for you to learn patience or deepen your understanding of grace. Other burdens need to be cast upon the Lord. For example, there was a time when God wanted Sharon to bear the brunt of her affair. God wanted her to feel the shame and respond with confession and repentance. That burden was meant for Sharon to change her ways. But, after a while, God wanted Sharon to cast the burden upon HIM. After she sought repentance and confessed her sin, God wanted Sharon to cast that burden upon Heavenly shoulders. That sin was no longer Sharon’s burden to carry each day.
Can you learn to separate out those burdens you must bear from those that must be cast upon the Lord? This is an important aspect of the holy life. God will put some burdens on your shoulders in order for you to grow in strength. God will ask you to bear the burdens of others to help them to bear the load. On the other hand, God will want you to cast upon Him those burdens that belong with the Lord. To continue to bear a burden that belongs with God will only cause suffering and pain where God intended grace and joy and forgiveness and peace!
April 16
“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”” (2 Corinthians 6:17–18, NLT)
“You need to walk away from it.”
The sentence above came from the mouth of a doctor. He gave this advice to a stock analyst who worked on Wall Street in New York. The analyst had been in his position for eight years. During that time, he made lots of money. By his early thirties, he was a millionaire. He was known among some powerful people as a guy who could predict trends in the stock market. Yet, only in his thirties, the analyst began to have heart palpitations at work. The stress of the job was eating him alive. The exciting work environment was taking its toll. After a bout of nausea at work, his blood pressure was found to be 180 over 110. He was liable to have a stroke with those numbers. The doctor grimly stated, “You need to walk away from it.” He didn’t. He died at forty-one.
Steven’s first job at a paper mill paid well. It was a good steady job. The job was physically taxing, but the pay and benefits were good. Five years after working at the mill, Steven was given a position on the line that included a bonus along with added responsibility. Seven years after working there, he received special commendation by the “higher ups” for his exemplary leadership of his team on the line. There had been no accidents in the entire time he led his team, and the line had few interruptions. Despite the success, Steven sometimes felt nervous about issues at work and home. When a new manager increased Steven’s workload, Steven found it easier to cope by savoring a beer or two after work. When Stephen was promoted again, he took his line workers out for beers at a local bar once a month. He also began drinking a little more at home. Steven knew his father and uncle were alcoholics, but he convinced himself that he could stop drinking at any time. What would be the harm in a few drinks after work every day or two? However, as the drinking increased, so did Steven’s problems at home. He was an angry drunk. His wife became upset with the drinking. His young children grew afraid when Steven drank too much. In the end, Steven was told by his wife that he needed to give up drinking and seek help, or else she would divorce him. Her words that day included, “You have to give it up, Steven. For me.. for the kids. Please just stop!” Steven stopped for a while but inevitably started again. This cycle of stops and starts to his drinking went on for several years until his wife divorced him. Today, Steven is an old, bitter drunk dying from liver failure. Nobody is around to care for him when nausea overtakes his body, or he is too fatigued to get out of bed in the morning.
The scripture for today from 2 Corinthians 6 contains several words called “imperatives”. Imperatives are verbs that often contain commands. Imperatives always demand a response. Like a sergeant in the army who gives a command to a corporal, expecting it to be heeded, imperatives in scripture are meant to be followed. 2 Corinthians 6:17 and 18 command that you “come out from unbelievers”, and “separate yourself” from their ways. It also requires you “not touch their filthy things”. These verses expect you to turn away from worldly living and evil choices. It demands you keep yourself away from sinful living and temptations. In just a few words, these verses command that you make a break with evil in this world, with worldly attitudes and beliefs, with sinful ways. Unlike the stock analyst from Wall Street and poor Steven in the illustrations above, you need to make a break with worldly living in order to walk with Jesus. And you need to do this before it’s too late.
A. W. Tozer was a world-renowned preacher. When he studied the scripture for today, he had these words to pass on to people like you..
“Break with This World. I dare to say that Christians who have genuinely come to love and trust Jesus Christ have also renounced this world and have chosen a new model after which to pattern their lives.
Further, we should say that this is the aspect of the Christian life that most people do not like. They want comfort. They want blessing. They want peace. But they recoil from this radical, revolutionary break with the world. To follow Christ in this rough and thorough-going way is too much for them!” (Mornings With Tozer).
Too many good people can’t get themselves to break away from a sin, a temptation, a worldly pursuit, or an unhealthy addiction. They just can’t stop going down the path that will inevitably lead to their destruction. The true disciple of Christ knows better. He or she will make a break with the world at some point. Each will decide to follow Jesus instead of going down that road that leads to ruin!
After all the imperatives in the scripture for today, we next read about promises from God. If you heed these imperatives of God, if you make that break with worldly sin and evil, God will “be your Father”, “welcome you”, and make you a “son or daughter” (2 Corinthians 6:18). However, that can never happen if you don’t make a break with worldly ideals in the first place!
In very tangible ways, the world is alluring. Worldly sins are tempting. Worldly ways are often celebrated in popular media. Worldly people are often promoted, given awards, and praised by the powers that be. It is so easy to be sucked in by the smooth talking of worldly operators. Riches and power can be so appealing to one’s baser instincts. Lusts and passions offer short-term pleasure at the expense of eternal life. Selfish ambitions entice your dreams but may dampen godly love while hardening your heart.
Sometimes, you need to make a break with this world. You need to just walk away from the world’s temptations.
The sentence above came from the mouth of a doctor. He gave this advice to a stock analyst who worked on Wall Street in New York. The analyst had been in his position for eight years. During that time, he made lots of money. By his early thirties, he was a millionaire. He was known among some powerful people as a guy who could predict trends in the stock market. Yet, only in his thirties, the analyst began to have heart palpitations at work. The stress of the job was eating him alive. The exciting work environment was taking its toll. After a bout of nausea at work, his blood pressure was found to be 180 over 110. He was liable to have a stroke with those numbers. The doctor grimly stated, “You need to walk away from it.” He didn’t. He died at forty-one.
Steven’s first job at a paper mill paid well. It was a good steady job. The job was physically taxing, but the pay and benefits were good. Five years after working at the mill, Steven was given a position on the line that included a bonus along with added responsibility. Seven years after working there, he received special commendation by the “higher ups” for his exemplary leadership of his team on the line. There had been no accidents in the entire time he led his team, and the line had few interruptions. Despite the success, Steven sometimes felt nervous about issues at work and home. When a new manager increased Steven’s workload, Steven found it easier to cope by savoring a beer or two after work. When Stephen was promoted again, he took his line workers out for beers at a local bar once a month. He also began drinking a little more at home. Steven knew his father and uncle were alcoholics, but he convinced himself that he could stop drinking at any time. What would be the harm in a few drinks after work every day or two? However, as the drinking increased, so did Steven’s problems at home. He was an angry drunk. His wife became upset with the drinking. His young children grew afraid when Steven drank too much. In the end, Steven was told by his wife that he needed to give up drinking and seek help, or else she would divorce him. Her words that day included, “You have to give it up, Steven. For me.. for the kids. Please just stop!” Steven stopped for a while but inevitably started again. This cycle of stops and starts to his drinking went on for several years until his wife divorced him. Today, Steven is an old, bitter drunk dying from liver failure. Nobody is around to care for him when nausea overtakes his body, or he is too fatigued to get out of bed in the morning.
The scripture for today from 2 Corinthians 6 contains several words called “imperatives”. Imperatives are verbs that often contain commands. Imperatives always demand a response. Like a sergeant in the army who gives a command to a corporal, expecting it to be heeded, imperatives in scripture are meant to be followed. 2 Corinthians 6:17 and 18 command that you “come out from unbelievers”, and “separate yourself” from their ways. It also requires you “not touch their filthy things”. These verses expect you to turn away from worldly living and evil choices. It demands you keep yourself away from sinful living and temptations. In just a few words, these verses command that you make a break with evil in this world, with worldly attitudes and beliefs, with sinful ways. Unlike the stock analyst from Wall Street and poor Steven in the illustrations above, you need to make a break with worldly living in order to walk with Jesus. And you need to do this before it’s too late.
A. W. Tozer was a world-renowned preacher. When he studied the scripture for today, he had these words to pass on to people like you..
“Break with This World. I dare to say that Christians who have genuinely come to love and trust Jesus Christ have also renounced this world and have chosen a new model after which to pattern their lives.
Further, we should say that this is the aspect of the Christian life that most people do not like. They want comfort. They want blessing. They want peace. But they recoil from this radical, revolutionary break with the world. To follow Christ in this rough and thorough-going way is too much for them!” (Mornings With Tozer).
Too many good people can’t get themselves to break away from a sin, a temptation, a worldly pursuit, or an unhealthy addiction. They just can’t stop going down the path that will inevitably lead to their destruction. The true disciple of Christ knows better. He or she will make a break with the world at some point. Each will decide to follow Jesus instead of going down that road that leads to ruin!
After all the imperatives in the scripture for today, we next read about promises from God. If you heed these imperatives of God, if you make that break with worldly sin and evil, God will “be your Father”, “welcome you”, and make you a “son or daughter” (2 Corinthians 6:18). However, that can never happen if you don’t make a break with worldly ideals in the first place!
In very tangible ways, the world is alluring. Worldly sins are tempting. Worldly ways are often celebrated in popular media. Worldly people are often promoted, given awards, and praised by the powers that be. It is so easy to be sucked in by the smooth talking of worldly operators. Riches and power can be so appealing to one’s baser instincts. Lusts and passions offer short-term pleasure at the expense of eternal life. Selfish ambitions entice your dreams but may dampen godly love while hardening your heart.
Sometimes, you need to make a break with this world. You need to just walk away from the world’s temptations.
April 19
“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”
(Revelation 2:10–11, NLT)
(Revelation 2:10–11, NLT)
While spreading the gospel message in Caesarea, Paul and his travel companions took a few days to stay with an evangelist named Philip (Acts 21:8). There, a man named Agabus, came to see Paul. Agabus was a prophet. Agabus warned Paul that the time was coming when Jewish leaders in Jerusalem would bind up Paul (arrest him) and turn him over to the Roman authorities for persecution. Most people who are given a warning like this from a prophet would stay away from Jerusalem! On the contrary, Paul knew in his heart that God was calling him to go preach in Jerusalem. There, Paul would face his destiny.
On the day that the prophet Agabus gave that ominous warning, Paul’s companions pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem. However, Paul knew Jerusalem was to be his destiny. God had planned that part of Paul’s life. Paul told his fellow companions that he was “ready to not only be imprisoned but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Not long after, Paul’s companions too understood that God wanted Paul in Jerusalem. Then, they also “got ready and went up to Jerusalem” with Paul (Acts 21:15).
If you read closely the scripture for today, it is plain to see that Paul was ready to go to Jerusalem. Though going there was dangerous for Paul as it was for Jesus, Paul was “ready”. So too, Paul’s fellow missionary companions made themselves "ready" to go with him. Part of being faithful to the will of God means you need to make yourself “ready” to follow God’s will. You need to “be ready” when the call of God comes.
Are you ready?
There have been many times that I have felt God was planning something important for me to do. In the hours, days, weeks, or even years before I was called to this task, I felt God preparing me for that day. God wanted me to be ready for that moment. Just as Jesus readied himself for His arrest while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, you and I will need to ready ourselves for those important moments when God will require faith and devotion.
In special, holy moments, you need to be ready to fulfill God’s will for you. “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:14)
For months, a friend of mine felt ill at ease. She confided to me that God was “up to something important”. She prayed many hours seeking God’s will. Then, just when another person might lapse back into “normalcy”, my friend felt a lump on her breast. Over a week, she felt it grow. She knew in her heart of hearts she needed to go to a doctor. When she did, she found out it was cancer.
Most people who find out they have cancer go into shock. Not my friend! She knew this was part of what God had been planning for months. She followed through with surgery and radiation with chemotherapy, all the while knowing that it was God’s will that she be healed. She had prepared herself well. She was convinced when she prayed that she would be healed.
Today, my friend is cancer free. She has been for two decades. However, overcoming breast cancer gave her a very important perspective. Now, she meets and comforts women who are going through breast cancer. She prays with them and encourages them in their fight to survive. My friend could not be the wonderful mission worker to women with breast cancer without going through all the difficulties herself. As she looks back on her ordeal, she realizes today that when the cancer came, she was ready for it. God had prepared her for that fight long before. God had also prepared her for a beautiful ministry to others.
I have NEVER met another truly faithful person who was not being “readied” for their next work in Jesus’ name! God is constantly preparing us for what is coming. Even before you die, don’t be surprised if God begins to make ready your soul for eternal life! It is all part of HIS plan to have you with HIM forever.
God made sure Abraham was ready for what was to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. Elijah was made ready to teach Elisha, a future prophet. Mary and Joseph made ready to travel to Egypt to save Jesus’ life. Paul was made ready to travel to Jerusalem. Paul’s companions got ready for their own travel to Jerusalem. Jesus made ready for His crucifixion and resurrection long beforehand. Make sure you are ready for your next mission, ready for the Day of the Lord, ready to forgive, ready to listen, ready for eternal life. What is God preparing you for right now?
On the day that the prophet Agabus gave that ominous warning, Paul’s companions pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem. However, Paul knew Jerusalem was to be his destiny. God had planned that part of Paul’s life. Paul told his fellow companions that he was “ready to not only be imprisoned but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Not long after, Paul’s companions too understood that God wanted Paul in Jerusalem. Then, they also “got ready and went up to Jerusalem” with Paul (Acts 21:15).
If you read closely the scripture for today, it is plain to see that Paul was ready to go to Jerusalem. Though going there was dangerous for Paul as it was for Jesus, Paul was “ready”. So too, Paul’s fellow missionary companions made themselves "ready" to go with him. Part of being faithful to the will of God means you need to make yourself “ready” to follow God’s will. You need to “be ready” when the call of God comes.
Are you ready?
There have been many times that I have felt God was planning something important for me to do. In the hours, days, weeks, or even years before I was called to this task, I felt God preparing me for that day. God wanted me to be ready for that moment. Just as Jesus readied himself for His arrest while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, you and I will need to ready ourselves for those important moments when God will require faith and devotion.
In special, holy moments, you need to be ready to fulfill God’s will for you. “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:14)
For months, a friend of mine felt ill at ease. She confided to me that God was “up to something important”. She prayed many hours seeking God’s will. Then, just when another person might lapse back into “normalcy”, my friend felt a lump on her breast. Over a week, she felt it grow. She knew in her heart of hearts she needed to go to a doctor. When she did, she found out it was cancer.
Most people who find out they have cancer go into shock. Not my friend! She knew this was part of what God had been planning for months. She followed through with surgery and radiation with chemotherapy, all the while knowing that it was God’s will that she be healed. She had prepared herself well. She was convinced when she prayed that she would be healed.
Today, my friend is cancer free. She has been for two decades. However, overcoming breast cancer gave her a very important perspective. Now, she meets and comforts women who are going through breast cancer. She prays with them and encourages them in their fight to survive. My friend could not be the wonderful mission worker to women with breast cancer without going through all the difficulties herself. As she looks back on her ordeal, she realizes today that when the cancer came, she was ready for it. God had prepared her for that fight long before. God had also prepared her for a beautiful ministry to others.
I have NEVER met another truly faithful person who was not being “readied” for their next work in Jesus’ name! God is constantly preparing us for what is coming. Even before you die, don’t be surprised if God begins to make ready your soul for eternal life! It is all part of HIS plan to have you with HIM forever.
God made sure Abraham was ready for what was to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. Elijah was made ready to teach Elisha, a future prophet. Mary and Joseph made ready to travel to Egypt to save Jesus’ life. Paul was made ready to travel to Jerusalem. Paul’s companions got ready for their own travel to Jerusalem. Jesus made ready for His crucifixion and resurrection long beforehand. Make sure you are ready for your next mission, ready for the Day of the Lord, ready to forgive, ready to listen, ready for eternal life. What is God preparing you for right now?
April 21
“Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the LORD. You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the LORD will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.” (Isaiah 52:11–12, NLT)
There was a very difficult period in the history of Israel and Judah when the people of God had suffered from exile. Years before, sin had caused the downfall of the people of God, and the great city of Jerusalem was destroyed by invading Babylonian armies. The Temple was destroyed. Great numbers of Jews were taken into exile to be slaves in Babylon. Sin caused this calamity to befall God’s people.
After several decades, the prophets began to predict that God was going to free those held in bondage in Babylon. Then, in the days of Cyrus of Persia, the Jewish slaves held in bondage were freed. God kept true to HIS promise to free them. When that day came, Isaiah the prophet had a message for God’s people. They should not stay in the area around Babylon and Persia. Instead, they were to “get out” and “leave their captivity” in that foreign land “where everything you touch is unclean” (Isaiah 52:11). They were not to settle there. They were not to get comfortable in their freedom. They were being called back to rebuild Jerusalem, back to rebuild the Temple, back to the worship of Almighty God.
Upon leaving that foreign land, the prophet told the people of God that one of the first things they should do is “purify themselves”. They should cleanse body, heart, soul, and mind of sin and impurity. They should walk away from foreign gods and the land where other gods are worshipped. After purification, they needed to “carry home” to Jerusalem all the “sacred objects of the Lord” that they had taken with them from Jerusalem.
Now, with all this history in mind, let us focus on the second verse for today, Isaiah 52:12. As the exiles journeyed back to Jerusalem, the Lord God was going to go “ahead of them” AND “protect them from behind”. God would surround the returning exiles on their journey back to Jerusalem. God would watch over their long and arduous and dangerous trek. God would indeed lead from the front and have their backs all the while.
I want you to notice the chain of events in these two verses. After Israel made their commitment to journey back to Jerusalem. After they made things right with the Lord God and purified themselves from any influence by foreign idols, they were specially protected by holy decree. God would lead the way AND protect their backs. There is a progression in these verses. First comes a willingness of the people to follow the Lord back to Jerusalem. Then, came purification and making things right with God. Finally, God would respond by protecting the holy ones on their journey back to Jerusalem. This same progression happens in your relationship with God. When you decide to follow the Lord, and purify your life while making things right, our Lord will protect you on your journeys as you follow the will of the Lord your God!
Aaliyah was a beautiful little girl. She was named after the Rhythm and Blues singer Aaliyah. Little Aaliyah’s home life was difficult. Her mother was addicted to cocaine. She never knew her father. Aaliyah’s mother tried desperately to give her little girl a decent life, but the drugs always seemed wreck their home life. The men that Aaliyah’s mother dated were not trustworthy. Several sexually assaulted young Aaliyah. At fifteen, Aaliyah ran away from home. She lived with her best friend for a while. When her mother caused that family much grief, Aaliyah fled to a women’s shelter one hundred miles away.
While living at the women’s shelter, Aaliyah fell in love. She saw Marcus, her boyfriend, as a way out of her life at the women’s shelter. Though only seventeen at the time, she wanted to marry Marcus. When she was barely two days past her eighteenth birthday, she ran away with Marcus, planning to get married. Little did Aaliyah know that Marcus was no savior. Once Marcus got Aaliyah to move in with him, he encouraged her to use drugs. When Aaliyah became hooked on cocaine herself, Marcus changed. In a terrible twist of fate, he began to pimp her out to his friends for money. Aaliyah’s life went from bad to worse.
By the time Aaliyah was twenty, she felt her life was not worth living. Looking for a way to end her misery, she took an overdose of pain medication. Luckily, she was discovered. The man she was with that night dropped her off at the hospital before her heart stopped beating. When Aaliyah woke up in the hospital, she was admitted to the psychiatric ward. There, Aaliyah met Tiffany. Tiffany came to speak to Aaliyah about getting away from life on the streets. Tiffany was a reformed prostitute. She got training as a counselor and now helps women like Aaliyah to leave the street life. For the first time in years, Aaliyah began to see hope that this might be her one chance to make things right.
Tiffany met with Aaliyah at the hospital several times. Then, Tiffany helped Aaliyah get into a women’s shelter. There, Tiffany met with Aaliyah for weeks, helping her to detox both her body and her mind. Over the course of a year, Aaliyah was changed. She actually enrolled in a local community college and two years later earned a degree. Today, none of her coworkers has any idea that Aaliyah came from a life on the streets.
Now, let me clue you in to the rest of the story. As Isaiah helped the people to purify themselves and return to Jerusalem, Tiffany helped Aaliyah to purify her body and soul from her shameful past. Through a strict program of drug-free living, Aaliyah dedicated herself to a life without addictions. She began to worship and trust in God at that shelter. She committed her life to Christ. She did all these things to “purify” heart and soul and mind and body to the will of God in the same way that the people of Israel had done in the lands of Babylon and Persia. AND, Aaliyah had help. Tiffany and other reformed prostitutes were one phone call away. Aaliyah could call them anytime. Aaliyah’s pastor knew of her past and watched over her like a father. People at Aaliyah’s church gave her furnishings for her first apartment. They helped her find her first job. They prayed with her. Because Aaliyah had purified her life from her past sins, God had surrounded her with people she could trust. Through these people, God both “went ahead of her” and “protected her from behind”. God watched over what was coming for Aaliyah and had her back as well!
If you find yourself ever lost or hurting or in pain or feeling alone or abandoned, don’t give up! If you are willing to dedicate yourself to following the will of God, AND if you purify your heart and soul and body and mind in the name of Jesus, God will surround you and protect you! God will watch over you in ways you can only imagine. You can bank on it! It’s a promise not only to the people of Israel, but it is also a promise to you!
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (from Psalm 121, ESV)
After several decades, the prophets began to predict that God was going to free those held in bondage in Babylon. Then, in the days of Cyrus of Persia, the Jewish slaves held in bondage were freed. God kept true to HIS promise to free them. When that day came, Isaiah the prophet had a message for God’s people. They should not stay in the area around Babylon and Persia. Instead, they were to “get out” and “leave their captivity” in that foreign land “where everything you touch is unclean” (Isaiah 52:11). They were not to settle there. They were not to get comfortable in their freedom. They were being called back to rebuild Jerusalem, back to rebuild the Temple, back to the worship of Almighty God.
Upon leaving that foreign land, the prophet told the people of God that one of the first things they should do is “purify themselves”. They should cleanse body, heart, soul, and mind of sin and impurity. They should walk away from foreign gods and the land where other gods are worshipped. After purification, they needed to “carry home” to Jerusalem all the “sacred objects of the Lord” that they had taken with them from Jerusalem.
Now, with all this history in mind, let us focus on the second verse for today, Isaiah 52:12. As the exiles journeyed back to Jerusalem, the Lord God was going to go “ahead of them” AND “protect them from behind”. God would surround the returning exiles on their journey back to Jerusalem. God would watch over their long and arduous and dangerous trek. God would indeed lead from the front and have their backs all the while.
I want you to notice the chain of events in these two verses. After Israel made their commitment to journey back to Jerusalem. After they made things right with the Lord God and purified themselves from any influence by foreign idols, they were specially protected by holy decree. God would lead the way AND protect their backs. There is a progression in these verses. First comes a willingness of the people to follow the Lord back to Jerusalem. Then, came purification and making things right with God. Finally, God would respond by protecting the holy ones on their journey back to Jerusalem. This same progression happens in your relationship with God. When you decide to follow the Lord, and purify your life while making things right, our Lord will protect you on your journeys as you follow the will of the Lord your God!
Aaliyah was a beautiful little girl. She was named after the Rhythm and Blues singer Aaliyah. Little Aaliyah’s home life was difficult. Her mother was addicted to cocaine. She never knew her father. Aaliyah’s mother tried desperately to give her little girl a decent life, but the drugs always seemed wreck their home life. The men that Aaliyah’s mother dated were not trustworthy. Several sexually assaulted young Aaliyah. At fifteen, Aaliyah ran away from home. She lived with her best friend for a while. When her mother caused that family much grief, Aaliyah fled to a women’s shelter one hundred miles away.
While living at the women’s shelter, Aaliyah fell in love. She saw Marcus, her boyfriend, as a way out of her life at the women’s shelter. Though only seventeen at the time, she wanted to marry Marcus. When she was barely two days past her eighteenth birthday, she ran away with Marcus, planning to get married. Little did Aaliyah know that Marcus was no savior. Once Marcus got Aaliyah to move in with him, he encouraged her to use drugs. When Aaliyah became hooked on cocaine herself, Marcus changed. In a terrible twist of fate, he began to pimp her out to his friends for money. Aaliyah’s life went from bad to worse.
By the time Aaliyah was twenty, she felt her life was not worth living. Looking for a way to end her misery, she took an overdose of pain medication. Luckily, she was discovered. The man she was with that night dropped her off at the hospital before her heart stopped beating. When Aaliyah woke up in the hospital, she was admitted to the psychiatric ward. There, Aaliyah met Tiffany. Tiffany came to speak to Aaliyah about getting away from life on the streets. Tiffany was a reformed prostitute. She got training as a counselor and now helps women like Aaliyah to leave the street life. For the first time in years, Aaliyah began to see hope that this might be her one chance to make things right.
Tiffany met with Aaliyah at the hospital several times. Then, Tiffany helped Aaliyah get into a women’s shelter. There, Tiffany met with Aaliyah for weeks, helping her to detox both her body and her mind. Over the course of a year, Aaliyah was changed. She actually enrolled in a local community college and two years later earned a degree. Today, none of her coworkers has any idea that Aaliyah came from a life on the streets.
Now, let me clue you in to the rest of the story. As Isaiah helped the people to purify themselves and return to Jerusalem, Tiffany helped Aaliyah to purify her body and soul from her shameful past. Through a strict program of drug-free living, Aaliyah dedicated herself to a life without addictions. She began to worship and trust in God at that shelter. She committed her life to Christ. She did all these things to “purify” heart and soul and mind and body to the will of God in the same way that the people of Israel had done in the lands of Babylon and Persia. AND, Aaliyah had help. Tiffany and other reformed prostitutes were one phone call away. Aaliyah could call them anytime. Aaliyah’s pastor knew of her past and watched over her like a father. People at Aaliyah’s church gave her furnishings for her first apartment. They helped her find her first job. They prayed with her. Because Aaliyah had purified her life from her past sins, God had surrounded her with people she could trust. Through these people, God both “went ahead of her” and “protected her from behind”. God watched over what was coming for Aaliyah and had her back as well!
If you find yourself ever lost or hurting or in pain or feeling alone or abandoned, don’t give up! If you are willing to dedicate yourself to following the will of God, AND if you purify your heart and soul and body and mind in the name of Jesus, God will surround you and protect you! God will watch over you in ways you can only imagine. You can bank on it! It’s a promise not only to the people of Israel, but it is also a promise to you!
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (from Psalm 121, ESV)
April 23
“Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them….. Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.” (Nehemiah 9:32–34,38; ESV)
Following the destruction of Jerusalem by the invading Babylonian armies in the eighth century B.C., the Israelites ended up in bondage. Their soldiers were killed in battle. The Temple was destroyed. The walls of the city of Jerusalem were torn down. Many fled the country. Thousands were taken as slaves to Babylon. Thus began the period known as “The Exile”.
The Exile was the result of sin of Israel. This was recorded in the scripture above from the prophet Nehemiah, “our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and warnings that you gave them” (Nehemiah 9:34). This sin of the people of Israel caused The Exile to occur. God was faithful to the covenant with Israel. The people of Israel were not faithful to the covenant, nor to God. This fact was made crystal clear in Nehemiah 9:34 with the words: “you [God] have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). Despite the sin of Israel, God reached out in love and reaffirmed the covenant. God freed the Israelites from bondage in the days of Cyrus of Persia (Isaiah 45:1). Now what was to happen to Israel?
In the days when The Exile ended, God called for the people of Israel to return to Judah and Jerusalem. Prophets like Nehemiah and priests like Ezra encouraged the people to begin to rebuild the Temple and reaffirm their faith. Nehemiah, following the will of God, then went one step further. In today’s scripture, Nehemiah demanded that the people of Israel returning from the exile “make a firm covenant in writing” and sign it with their names as a promise to return to the covenant with God. Nehemiah 10 actually lists the names of the prominent leaders of Israel who put their names to a written document promising a return to faithfulness. Many princes, priests, and holy men signed the document, thus rededicating themselves to the covenant with God. They gave their word. They signed their names.
Some of the most important things in your life will involve you signing your name upon making a promise. Many schools require parents and/or doctors to sign documents verifying the acquisition of vaccinations for the children. When you are married, you will sign a marriage license. When you buy a house, you will be required to sign the deed documents and/or loan documents. When you join a church, you will “sign on” to membership requirements. Putting your name on a formal document implies a contractual obligation and should not be taken lightly.
When Nehemiah asked the leaders of Israel to sign a document reaffirming the covenant between God and Israel, those leaders were making a promise to be in a relationship with God. It’s one thing to say you’ll keep a promise. By signing your name, it’s a whole other level.
When George and Linda went to their pastor for marriage counseling, their relationship was strained. George thought Linda was being unreasonable in her demands. Linda thought George was being unloving and unkind. Both gave examples for their reasoning to the pastor. After three counseling sessions, the pastor asked both George and Linda what they needed from each other. He wrote these “needs” (not wants!) down on a piece of paper. He showed the paper to the couple and said, “So these are things that you need from each other? These are things you believe God wants as well?” Both nodded their heads. Then, the pastor turned the document around to face George and Linda. He said, “I want you to go home and do these things for each other for the next month to honor each other and God. Then, come back and see me for our next session. As a sign of your faithfulness in keeping this promise to God and each other, I want you to sign this list. And I will make a copy for you to stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere where you’ll see it every day. In one month, we’ll regather and see how well you keep your promises to each other and to God.”
George’s eyes grew large, and he said, “You mean we both really have to sign this?”
“Yes, for each other and for God,” replied the pastor.
With some amount of trepidation, the two signed the document. They took a copy home and did as the pastor said.
A month later, the pastor met with George and Linda. They seemed different. They actually were smiling! The pastor found out that the two kept their word. They not only kept an eye on the document but followed every word. During that month, their arguments slowed and then ceased. They felt more love coming from each other. While keeping that “covenant” on the refrigerator, they found a renewed commitment to love each other.
There are times when you might need to write up a document and make a new or special “covenant” with God. Then, you will need to sign it. That document might list something special you promise to do for God. It might be a short-term covenant meant to bring you closer to God. It might be a long-term covenant in which you promise to do something for God for the rest of your life. Nehemiah knew the power of having the leaders sign the document to renew the covenant with God. Sometimes, it takes the seriousness of a written and signed promise to fulfill one’s obligation to Jesus.
Is there some area of your life that might benefit from you signing a covenantal promise to God? Will you keep a promise to Jesus? Are you willing to go so far as to sign your name to a document fulfilling the will of God? What might that look like?
A friend of mine drank alcohol to excess for years. When he finally went to get help from an Alcoholics Anonymous group at his church, the leader asked him to memorize the ten steps of recovery known to the group. Then, after three months sober, the leader gave a small copy of the ten steps to my friend. It was on a small piece of paper. It had a line at the bottom. There, my friend signed and dated his willingness to follow the ten steps. He carries that piece of paper in his wallet to this day as a reminder of a promise to keep sober that he made to himself, to the group, and to God. I am thankful for his faithfulness! I am glad he has kept covenant with Jesus!
Have you kept your covenants with Jesus? Might a signed copy of a promise to God help you to renew your love for your Lord? Would you sign on the dotted line a commitment to your Savior?
The Exile was the result of sin of Israel. This was recorded in the scripture above from the prophet Nehemiah, “our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and warnings that you gave them” (Nehemiah 9:34). This sin of the people of Israel caused The Exile to occur. God was faithful to the covenant with Israel. The people of Israel were not faithful to the covenant, nor to God. This fact was made crystal clear in Nehemiah 9:34 with the words: “you [God] have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). Despite the sin of Israel, God reached out in love and reaffirmed the covenant. God freed the Israelites from bondage in the days of Cyrus of Persia (Isaiah 45:1). Now what was to happen to Israel?
In the days when The Exile ended, God called for the people of Israel to return to Judah and Jerusalem. Prophets like Nehemiah and priests like Ezra encouraged the people to begin to rebuild the Temple and reaffirm their faith. Nehemiah, following the will of God, then went one step further. In today’s scripture, Nehemiah demanded that the people of Israel returning from the exile “make a firm covenant in writing” and sign it with their names as a promise to return to the covenant with God. Nehemiah 10 actually lists the names of the prominent leaders of Israel who put their names to a written document promising a return to faithfulness. Many princes, priests, and holy men signed the document, thus rededicating themselves to the covenant with God. They gave their word. They signed their names.
Some of the most important things in your life will involve you signing your name upon making a promise. Many schools require parents and/or doctors to sign documents verifying the acquisition of vaccinations for the children. When you are married, you will sign a marriage license. When you buy a house, you will be required to sign the deed documents and/or loan documents. When you join a church, you will “sign on” to membership requirements. Putting your name on a formal document implies a contractual obligation and should not be taken lightly.
When Nehemiah asked the leaders of Israel to sign a document reaffirming the covenant between God and Israel, those leaders were making a promise to be in a relationship with God. It’s one thing to say you’ll keep a promise. By signing your name, it’s a whole other level.
When George and Linda went to their pastor for marriage counseling, their relationship was strained. George thought Linda was being unreasonable in her demands. Linda thought George was being unloving and unkind. Both gave examples for their reasoning to the pastor. After three counseling sessions, the pastor asked both George and Linda what they needed from each other. He wrote these “needs” (not wants!) down on a piece of paper. He showed the paper to the couple and said, “So these are things that you need from each other? These are things you believe God wants as well?” Both nodded their heads. Then, the pastor turned the document around to face George and Linda. He said, “I want you to go home and do these things for each other for the next month to honor each other and God. Then, come back and see me for our next session. As a sign of your faithfulness in keeping this promise to God and each other, I want you to sign this list. And I will make a copy for you to stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere where you’ll see it every day. In one month, we’ll regather and see how well you keep your promises to each other and to God.”
George’s eyes grew large, and he said, “You mean we both really have to sign this?”
“Yes, for each other and for God,” replied the pastor.
With some amount of trepidation, the two signed the document. They took a copy home and did as the pastor said.
A month later, the pastor met with George and Linda. They seemed different. They actually were smiling! The pastor found out that the two kept their word. They not only kept an eye on the document but followed every word. During that month, their arguments slowed and then ceased. They felt more love coming from each other. While keeping that “covenant” on the refrigerator, they found a renewed commitment to love each other.
There are times when you might need to write up a document and make a new or special “covenant” with God. Then, you will need to sign it. That document might list something special you promise to do for God. It might be a short-term covenant meant to bring you closer to God. It might be a long-term covenant in which you promise to do something for God for the rest of your life. Nehemiah knew the power of having the leaders sign the document to renew the covenant with God. Sometimes, it takes the seriousness of a written and signed promise to fulfill one’s obligation to Jesus.
Is there some area of your life that might benefit from you signing a covenantal promise to God? Will you keep a promise to Jesus? Are you willing to go so far as to sign your name to a document fulfilling the will of God? What might that look like?
A friend of mine drank alcohol to excess for years. When he finally went to get help from an Alcoholics Anonymous group at his church, the leader asked him to memorize the ten steps of recovery known to the group. Then, after three months sober, the leader gave a small copy of the ten steps to my friend. It was on a small piece of paper. It had a line at the bottom. There, my friend signed and dated his willingness to follow the ten steps. He carries that piece of paper in his wallet to this day as a reminder of a promise to keep sober that he made to himself, to the group, and to God. I am thankful for his faithfulness! I am glad he has kept covenant with Jesus!
Have you kept your covenants with Jesus? Might a signed copy of a promise to God help you to renew your love for your Lord? Would you sign on the dotted line a commitment to your Savior?
April 25
“Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 45:5, NLT)
Baruch attained a special place in ancient Jewish history. He was the scribe for the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 36:18 explains that part of Baruch’s work was to write down the words “in ink” that Jeremiah dictated to him. Often, these words were directed against sinful Israel by Almighty God. Baruch got to see first-hand how God’s messages, sent to the prophet Jeremiah, came to perfect fruition.
What is not well known among Christians or Jews who read the Bible is that Baruch was also acknowledged by the historian Josephus. Josephus wrote that Baruch “was of a very distinguished family and thoroughly educated” (Begg and Spilsbury, Flavius Josephus, 258). Because of this and other statements, it is believed that Baruch came from wealth, had a top-notch education, could read and write, and was highly respected. But even though Baruch had so much going for him, and though he had first-hand access to Jeremiah and to God’s messages, he had one fault. He was a little too self-centered. The scripture for today from Jeremiah 45:5 contains one of God’s messages through the prophet Jeremiah. This one was directed to Baruch. God asked Baruch directly, “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!” (Jeremiah 45:5). God was about to bring destruction upon the people of Israel for their sin. Baruch should not consider himself special just because he had an insider’s access to God through Jeremiah. Baruch needed to be humble and obedient, not consider himself an elite and “holier than thou”.
One of the greatest dangers that can occur in your life is spiritual pride. We are told in Proverbs that pride comes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). We are told in Isaiah 14:12-14 that prideful ambition led to the downfall of Satan. Spiritual pride is not seen by many today as a real danger. However, if these two passages don’t make you rethink that premise, you may be blind to pride’s effects. Based on our scripture for today from Jeremiah 45:5, it seems that Baruch was flirting dangerously with spiritual pride and selfish ambition. God’s warning to Baruch was meant to bring him back into a right relationship with heaven.
Pride has a way of damaging one’s spiritual connection with God. It can cause you to be blind to God’s mercies and overlook God’s bounteous blessings. Pride can cause you to question God’s actions or place your needs above the needs of others. Pride surely goeth before a fall!
Often, pride will not only affect your view of the world, but it will also seep into other areas of your life. There it will cause all kinds of emotional and spiritual turmoil. One good way to know if pride is snaking its way into your spiritual life is to look at your prayers. When you pray, do your words sound like a laundry-list of things you want or desire? Do you spend more time inn prayer asking for things than giving praise and thanks and confessions to God? Do you pray most often when you have a want or need? Do you ever ask God to do things your way?
The apostle James spoke of prayers that are stuffed with selfish wants and personal reward. In truth, James discovered that too many Christians “do not receive” things from God because they “ask wrongly, to spend it on their own passions” (James 4:3). Based on this conversation in the letter of James, it is clear that when you “seek great things for yourself” (like Baruch!), you “do not receive” God’s blessings.
Even when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing his own mortality, he did not pray selfishly. He prayed for “God’s will to be done” (Luke 22:42). Are you content to pray the same?
A man came to his priest and asked for a few moments. The priest gladly offered him a seat in the rectory living room. There, the man broke down in tears saying, “Father, my twin brother has cancer of the lung. I know he smoked a lot. I know he drank a lot. But he’s a good guy! He means a lot to me! I give a lot of money and time to this parish. I want you to say special prayers for his healing!” Throughout the conversation, the priest was surprised at the man’s insistence. He was more concerned with his brother’s being cured from cancer than the fact that his brother cared nothing about God! And, the man had the belief that his offerings to the parish gave him special access to the priest and to God. The man had convinced himself that his offerings meant God would hear his prayers over the voices of others! The man also was convinced that the priest owed it to him to pray for the health of his brother. In so many ways, this man was clueless to the fact that he was being very spiritually prideful. Based on James 4:3, he even risked God NOT hearing the prayers on his brother’s behalf because he “asked wrongly”! This man had no understanding how spiritual pride and selfish ambition were keeping him from seeing and experiencing real blessing!
Because of Jeremiah 45:5, I ask you today the same question God asked Baruch long ago, “Are you seeking great things for yourself?” Don’t do it! Prideful ambition goes a long way to stifling blessing and grace and salvation and so much more!
What is not well known among Christians or Jews who read the Bible is that Baruch was also acknowledged by the historian Josephus. Josephus wrote that Baruch “was of a very distinguished family and thoroughly educated” (Begg and Spilsbury, Flavius Josephus, 258). Because of this and other statements, it is believed that Baruch came from wealth, had a top-notch education, could read and write, and was highly respected. But even though Baruch had so much going for him, and though he had first-hand access to Jeremiah and to God’s messages, he had one fault. He was a little too self-centered. The scripture for today from Jeremiah 45:5 contains one of God’s messages through the prophet Jeremiah. This one was directed to Baruch. God asked Baruch directly, “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!” (Jeremiah 45:5). God was about to bring destruction upon the people of Israel for their sin. Baruch should not consider himself special just because he had an insider’s access to God through Jeremiah. Baruch needed to be humble and obedient, not consider himself an elite and “holier than thou”.
One of the greatest dangers that can occur in your life is spiritual pride. We are told in Proverbs that pride comes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). We are told in Isaiah 14:12-14 that prideful ambition led to the downfall of Satan. Spiritual pride is not seen by many today as a real danger. However, if these two passages don’t make you rethink that premise, you may be blind to pride’s effects. Based on our scripture for today from Jeremiah 45:5, it seems that Baruch was flirting dangerously with spiritual pride and selfish ambition. God’s warning to Baruch was meant to bring him back into a right relationship with heaven.
Pride has a way of damaging one’s spiritual connection with God. It can cause you to be blind to God’s mercies and overlook God’s bounteous blessings. Pride can cause you to question God’s actions or place your needs above the needs of others. Pride surely goeth before a fall!
Often, pride will not only affect your view of the world, but it will also seep into other areas of your life. There it will cause all kinds of emotional and spiritual turmoil. One good way to know if pride is snaking its way into your spiritual life is to look at your prayers. When you pray, do your words sound like a laundry-list of things you want or desire? Do you spend more time inn prayer asking for things than giving praise and thanks and confessions to God? Do you pray most often when you have a want or need? Do you ever ask God to do things your way?
The apostle James spoke of prayers that are stuffed with selfish wants and personal reward. In truth, James discovered that too many Christians “do not receive” things from God because they “ask wrongly, to spend it on their own passions” (James 4:3). Based on this conversation in the letter of James, it is clear that when you “seek great things for yourself” (like Baruch!), you “do not receive” God’s blessings.
Even when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing his own mortality, he did not pray selfishly. He prayed for “God’s will to be done” (Luke 22:42). Are you content to pray the same?
A man came to his priest and asked for a few moments. The priest gladly offered him a seat in the rectory living room. There, the man broke down in tears saying, “Father, my twin brother has cancer of the lung. I know he smoked a lot. I know he drank a lot. But he’s a good guy! He means a lot to me! I give a lot of money and time to this parish. I want you to say special prayers for his healing!” Throughout the conversation, the priest was surprised at the man’s insistence. He was more concerned with his brother’s being cured from cancer than the fact that his brother cared nothing about God! And, the man had the belief that his offerings to the parish gave him special access to the priest and to God. The man had convinced himself that his offerings meant God would hear his prayers over the voices of others! The man also was convinced that the priest owed it to him to pray for the health of his brother. In so many ways, this man was clueless to the fact that he was being very spiritually prideful. Based on James 4:3, he even risked God NOT hearing the prayers on his brother’s behalf because he “asked wrongly”! This man had no understanding how spiritual pride and selfish ambition were keeping him from seeing and experiencing real blessing!
Because of Jeremiah 45:5, I ask you today the same question God asked Baruch long ago, “Are you seeking great things for yourself?” Don’t do it! Prideful ambition goes a long way to stifling blessing and grace and salvation and so much more!
April 27
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14, NIV)
Did you know that your conscience needs to be cleansed if you want to be right with God?
The scripture for today from Hebrews 9 gives clear indication that until certain things happen in your spiritual life, you will not be in a right relationship with Almighty God. The first half of Hebrews 9:14 shows what is required for the faithful. The “blood of Christ”, offered on your behalf as a sacrifice to the Father, needs to “cleanse your conscience from acts that lead to death”. Only then can you “serve the living God” faithfully. Did you even know that you need Jesus’ blood sacrifice to cleanse your conscience?
Other than Jesus, every person born into this world is tainted by sin in some way. From the time of Adam and Eve, Satan wormed his evil way into the thoughts and actions of humanity. Sinning comes naturally for humans, because we have been corrupted by the views and temptations of this world. When Jesus died on the cross, He became a special sacrifice for you and me. His blood covers our sins. However, His blood also purifies heart and soul. When you are baptized, your soul is set apart for God’s work. Your conscience is also affected. It is “cleansed”. As it says in Hebrews 10:22, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” When you take communion, the body and blood of Jesus can remove the stain of sin and reorient your direction in life toward godliness, IF you take communion faithfully. Through holy acts like communion, your soul is also ‘cleansed” as noted in our scripture for today. Each time you make things right with God, such as through baptism, communion, confession and absolution, the forgiveness of sins, and following the will of God, your conscience is cleansed. This is necessary to keep it free from the corruption of this evil world.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 teaches that the time will come when “some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared (burned)“. Based on this verse, you can see that when a person begins to allow evil and lies into his or her life, the conscience becomes “seared” or burned. When you burn skin, the nerve endings are damaged. They can become numb for a while or even die. In the same way, when you allow sin and evil into your life, even a little, it sears your conscience. It causes you to be numb to the terrible consequences. It becomes easier and easier to sin again. The only antidote to the seared conscience is a conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ.
A serial killer was interviewed before his execution. He declared that after his first murder, he was filled with remorse and regret. However, by the fifth or sixth murder, he recalled having little remorse. It became almost natural. His conscience became seared.
A woman having an affair felt very guilty after the first dalliance. She regretted it so much that she even threw up when back at home. However, as the affair went on for months, she began to find reasons to sneak away. She fantasized about the next illicit sexual act. Her heart would beat with excitement at the thought of the next forbidden getaway. Thus, her conscience became seared. Is it any wonder that within months, she stopped going to church because she didn’t want to feel any guilt or shame? Should you be surprised that she found excuses for why it wasn’t wrong to sneak away?
The first time that Peter lied to his mother about taking a few dollars out of her purse, he promised himself he would repay her. A month later, he stole more money from her purse when it was left out. Then, more and more, Peter took a few dollars here and a few dollars there from her purse. He figured she wouldn’t notice the small amounts missing. He was right. After a while, Peter convinced himself that his mother had more than enough money and so his stealing didn’t hurt her. However, the money he took was fueling his alcoholism. AND it was searing his conscience.
In my years of counseling, I’ve noticed a few common traits of a person with a seared conscience…
Lying to oneself and others to cover up or hide a wrong.
Justifying wrong behavior in order to make it seem “less wrong”.
Less guilt over time when doing something wrong.
The relationship with God will grow cold.
Worship will carry less meaning.
Guilt will go away with time, even though one is not forgiven.
It becomes easier and easier to commit a wrong behavior, while it becomes harder and harder to justify that wrong behavior.
You will become stressed over the wrong but yet not commit to change your ways.
The more that you notice any of the traits above, the more chance your conscience is seared. The only remedy for you is confession of the sin to Almighty God, a changing of your ways, and an atoning for that sin. Also, you must seek the “blood of Christ” to cleanse your conscience and purify your soul.
The blood of Christ poured from the wounds of Christ on the cross. His sacrifice is enough to correct any sin or error or evil of your ways. If your conscience is seared or burned, you may not realize how much you need Jesus to cleanse your body, heart, and soul. You may not realize how tainted your conscience has become. Mark my words…. at various points in your life, temptations and worldly lies will corrupt your thinking. There is only one remedy: the blood of Christ needs to cleanse your conscience. Will you reach out to Jesus or continue in your self-destruction? Will you ask for forgiveness while changing your ways or continue to be mired in some habitual sin that “leads to death” (Hebrews 9:14b)?
A cleansed conscience takes the weight and burden of your sin off your shoulders. It makes you feel light and free and hopeful and joyful. Why wait? Pray today if there is anything clouding or burning your conscience.
The scripture for today from Hebrews 9 gives clear indication that until certain things happen in your spiritual life, you will not be in a right relationship with Almighty God. The first half of Hebrews 9:14 shows what is required for the faithful. The “blood of Christ”, offered on your behalf as a sacrifice to the Father, needs to “cleanse your conscience from acts that lead to death”. Only then can you “serve the living God” faithfully. Did you even know that you need Jesus’ blood sacrifice to cleanse your conscience?
Other than Jesus, every person born into this world is tainted by sin in some way. From the time of Adam and Eve, Satan wormed his evil way into the thoughts and actions of humanity. Sinning comes naturally for humans, because we have been corrupted by the views and temptations of this world. When Jesus died on the cross, He became a special sacrifice for you and me. His blood covers our sins. However, His blood also purifies heart and soul. When you are baptized, your soul is set apart for God’s work. Your conscience is also affected. It is “cleansed”. As it says in Hebrews 10:22, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” When you take communion, the body and blood of Jesus can remove the stain of sin and reorient your direction in life toward godliness, IF you take communion faithfully. Through holy acts like communion, your soul is also ‘cleansed” as noted in our scripture for today. Each time you make things right with God, such as through baptism, communion, confession and absolution, the forgiveness of sins, and following the will of God, your conscience is cleansed. This is necessary to keep it free from the corruption of this evil world.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 teaches that the time will come when “some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared (burned)“. Based on this verse, you can see that when a person begins to allow evil and lies into his or her life, the conscience becomes “seared” or burned. When you burn skin, the nerve endings are damaged. They can become numb for a while or even die. In the same way, when you allow sin and evil into your life, even a little, it sears your conscience. It causes you to be numb to the terrible consequences. It becomes easier and easier to sin again. The only antidote to the seared conscience is a conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ.
A serial killer was interviewed before his execution. He declared that after his first murder, he was filled with remorse and regret. However, by the fifth or sixth murder, he recalled having little remorse. It became almost natural. His conscience became seared.
A woman having an affair felt very guilty after the first dalliance. She regretted it so much that she even threw up when back at home. However, as the affair went on for months, she began to find reasons to sneak away. She fantasized about the next illicit sexual act. Her heart would beat with excitement at the thought of the next forbidden getaway. Thus, her conscience became seared. Is it any wonder that within months, she stopped going to church because she didn’t want to feel any guilt or shame? Should you be surprised that she found excuses for why it wasn’t wrong to sneak away?
The first time that Peter lied to his mother about taking a few dollars out of her purse, he promised himself he would repay her. A month later, he stole more money from her purse when it was left out. Then, more and more, Peter took a few dollars here and a few dollars there from her purse. He figured she wouldn’t notice the small amounts missing. He was right. After a while, Peter convinced himself that his mother had more than enough money and so his stealing didn’t hurt her. However, the money he took was fueling his alcoholism. AND it was searing his conscience.
In my years of counseling, I’ve noticed a few common traits of a person with a seared conscience…
Lying to oneself and others to cover up or hide a wrong.
Justifying wrong behavior in order to make it seem “less wrong”.
Less guilt over time when doing something wrong.
The relationship with God will grow cold.
Worship will carry less meaning.
Guilt will go away with time, even though one is not forgiven.
It becomes easier and easier to commit a wrong behavior, while it becomes harder and harder to justify that wrong behavior.
You will become stressed over the wrong but yet not commit to change your ways.
The more that you notice any of the traits above, the more chance your conscience is seared. The only remedy for you is confession of the sin to Almighty God, a changing of your ways, and an atoning for that sin. Also, you must seek the “blood of Christ” to cleanse your conscience and purify your soul.
The blood of Christ poured from the wounds of Christ on the cross. His sacrifice is enough to correct any sin or error or evil of your ways. If your conscience is seared or burned, you may not realize how much you need Jesus to cleanse your body, heart, and soul. You may not realize how tainted your conscience has become. Mark my words…. at various points in your life, temptations and worldly lies will corrupt your thinking. There is only one remedy: the blood of Christ needs to cleanse your conscience. Will you reach out to Jesus or continue in your self-destruction? Will you ask for forgiveness while changing your ways or continue to be mired in some habitual sin that “leads to death” (Hebrews 9:14b)?
A cleansed conscience takes the weight and burden of your sin off your shoulders. It makes you feel light and free and hopeful and joyful. Why wait? Pray today if there is anything clouding or burning your conscience.
April 29
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19, ESV)
“Sophia’s husband John, an ardent soul-winner, spent his short life preaching on the streets, in the parks, in halls and theaters, wherever he could. But at age 27, he contracted typhoid and quickly died, leaving Sophia Ironside with two small boys and no income.
One of the boys, Harry (later the world-famous pastor of Moody Memorial Church), watched his mother closely. On one occasion, he recalled company coming for supper. Sophia’s cupboard was nearly bare, but she scraped together a meal with the little that remained. After the visitors left, she found under one of their plates a ten-dollar bill—a vast sum in those days. With eyes full of tears, she offered thanks to God.
Some time later, the cupboard was again empty. Sophia gathered her two sons to the table for breakfast, but their plates were empty, and there was only water to drink. “We will give thanks, boys,” she said. Closing her eyes, she prayed, “Father, Thou hast promised in Thy Word, ‘Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.’ We have the water, and we thank Thee for it. And now, we trust Thee for the bread, or for that which will take its place.”
Just as she finished praying, the doorbell rang, and the boys ran to the door to find a man there. “Mrs. Ironside,” he said, “I feel very bad. We have been owing you for months for that dress you made for my wife. We’ve had no money to pay you. But just now we’re harvesting our potatoes, and we wondered if you would take a bushel or two on account of the old bill.”
“Indeed, I’ll be glad to,” replied Sophia.
In a few minutes, the potatoes were sizzling in the frying pan, and the boys had answered prayer for breakfast.” (Robert J. Morgan, From This Verse)
Like Sophia Ironside, I have seen God supply my needs over and over. When I ran out of money for pre-seminary classes, a scholarship was awarded to me. I had just enough money to continue my work. The crazy thing is, I never applied for that scholarship! And, it came at the perfect moment!
When in seminary, we didn’t have money to come home for Christmas. I was saddened by this but left it in the Lord’s hands. I told my wife, Laura, that I was praying about it. She too has learned to just trust God. A week before Christmas, I received a Christmas card with a check in the mail from a wealthy woman who was from my home congregation. She had no idea of our situation nor of our prayer. It was for the perfect amount I needed for the trip home!
Two years ago, I was given a gift by an individual who supports this ministry. The day after receiving the gift, I found out about a pastor who was put on leave during the COVID epidemic. His family was receiving no compensation whatsoever. With no worship services being held, the small church couldn’t make its payments. With no care for their pastor, they stopped payment of his salary. After four months, the pastor, his wife, and two children were running out of money to pay their utility bills and food to stock the cupboards. Laura found out about the family THE DAY AFTER I RECEIVED THE MONEY FROM THE DONOR! I immediately saw it as a sign from God and sent a check of $1000 over to the family to help them get over their present crisis. The pastor and his wife ended up losing their jobs because of COVID and that money was their cushion until they could find other work. God supplied my needs and their needs all in two days and with one gift!
I could go on and on for hours telling you of a thousand stories from my own life and the lives of others. In each of those stories, God supplied a need that was crucial in that moment. Often, what God supplied came through the generosity or love of another. Most times, the giver had no idea of the prayers that had been sent to God for that need. The giver had no idea that he or she was part of God’s plan to supply the need of another.
Paul wrote to the Philippian church that “God would supply every need” they had. God would do this out of “the riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). I don’t know how God does it. I don’t understand how perfect are HIS ways. What I do know is that I have learned to rely on God’s grace and gifts. I have learned to lean on God when a need crops up. I have learned that God works in and around me to supply the needs of the faithful. God may not supply one’s wants but God will always supply one’s needs.
In today’s world, people often don’t see how and when God supplies needs because they often don’t ask God when they need something crucial. When hungry, a person might ask a relative. When low on funds for schooling, a young man might get a loan from the bank. Even Christian organizations have failed to trust in God’s providence. When they need operating funds, they might look to wealthy donors or seek the help of a local church. What they often fail to do is pray to God for help. Even though needs are supplied to the faithful, it is good to recognize that God not only supplies one’s needs but knows the perfect way for you to get them. But would it hurt you to recognize the hand of God in getting what you need?
I have seen and heard of faithful people who praised the generosity of a donor or had a special recognition of a generous donation. When was the last time you heard of a faithful person or a church or a Christian organization that organized a gathering to just give thanks to God for a need that was supplied? It does happen… but never enough! Would it hurt to give God more of the credit for coming through?
Today’s scripture is a promise that God supplies the needs of the faithful. Today’s meditation is proof that God does do that A LOT. However, today’s meditation is also a challenge for you to recognize and give thanks for all those blessings that God supplies all along your way! It is a call for you to praise God’s providence and celebrate the wonderful gifts the come from the “riches in glory in Christ Jesus”! Those gifts may be financial. They may be spiritual. The gift may include forgiveness, grace, or healing. There are so many ways that God “supplies every need of yours”. Isn’t it time you include more thanks and praise in your prayers and from your mouth for God’s bountiful gifts and grace?
One of the boys, Harry (later the world-famous pastor of Moody Memorial Church), watched his mother closely. On one occasion, he recalled company coming for supper. Sophia’s cupboard was nearly bare, but she scraped together a meal with the little that remained. After the visitors left, she found under one of their plates a ten-dollar bill—a vast sum in those days. With eyes full of tears, she offered thanks to God.
Some time later, the cupboard was again empty. Sophia gathered her two sons to the table for breakfast, but their plates were empty, and there was only water to drink. “We will give thanks, boys,” she said. Closing her eyes, she prayed, “Father, Thou hast promised in Thy Word, ‘Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.’ We have the water, and we thank Thee for it. And now, we trust Thee for the bread, or for that which will take its place.”
Just as she finished praying, the doorbell rang, and the boys ran to the door to find a man there. “Mrs. Ironside,” he said, “I feel very bad. We have been owing you for months for that dress you made for my wife. We’ve had no money to pay you. But just now we’re harvesting our potatoes, and we wondered if you would take a bushel or two on account of the old bill.”
“Indeed, I’ll be glad to,” replied Sophia.
In a few minutes, the potatoes were sizzling in the frying pan, and the boys had answered prayer for breakfast.” (Robert J. Morgan, From This Verse)
Like Sophia Ironside, I have seen God supply my needs over and over. When I ran out of money for pre-seminary classes, a scholarship was awarded to me. I had just enough money to continue my work. The crazy thing is, I never applied for that scholarship! And, it came at the perfect moment!
When in seminary, we didn’t have money to come home for Christmas. I was saddened by this but left it in the Lord’s hands. I told my wife, Laura, that I was praying about it. She too has learned to just trust God. A week before Christmas, I received a Christmas card with a check in the mail from a wealthy woman who was from my home congregation. She had no idea of our situation nor of our prayer. It was for the perfect amount I needed for the trip home!
Two years ago, I was given a gift by an individual who supports this ministry. The day after receiving the gift, I found out about a pastor who was put on leave during the COVID epidemic. His family was receiving no compensation whatsoever. With no worship services being held, the small church couldn’t make its payments. With no care for their pastor, they stopped payment of his salary. After four months, the pastor, his wife, and two children were running out of money to pay their utility bills and food to stock the cupboards. Laura found out about the family THE DAY AFTER I RECEIVED THE MONEY FROM THE DONOR! I immediately saw it as a sign from God and sent a check of $1000 over to the family to help them get over their present crisis. The pastor and his wife ended up losing their jobs because of COVID and that money was their cushion until they could find other work. God supplied my needs and their needs all in two days and with one gift!
I could go on and on for hours telling you of a thousand stories from my own life and the lives of others. In each of those stories, God supplied a need that was crucial in that moment. Often, what God supplied came through the generosity or love of another. Most times, the giver had no idea of the prayers that had been sent to God for that need. The giver had no idea that he or she was part of God’s plan to supply the need of another.
Paul wrote to the Philippian church that “God would supply every need” they had. God would do this out of “the riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). I don’t know how God does it. I don’t understand how perfect are HIS ways. What I do know is that I have learned to rely on God’s grace and gifts. I have learned to lean on God when a need crops up. I have learned that God works in and around me to supply the needs of the faithful. God may not supply one’s wants but God will always supply one’s needs.
In today’s world, people often don’t see how and when God supplies needs because they often don’t ask God when they need something crucial. When hungry, a person might ask a relative. When low on funds for schooling, a young man might get a loan from the bank. Even Christian organizations have failed to trust in God’s providence. When they need operating funds, they might look to wealthy donors or seek the help of a local church. What they often fail to do is pray to God for help. Even though needs are supplied to the faithful, it is good to recognize that God not only supplies one’s needs but knows the perfect way for you to get them. But would it hurt you to recognize the hand of God in getting what you need?
I have seen and heard of faithful people who praised the generosity of a donor or had a special recognition of a generous donation. When was the last time you heard of a faithful person or a church or a Christian organization that organized a gathering to just give thanks to God for a need that was supplied? It does happen… but never enough! Would it hurt to give God more of the credit for coming through?
Today’s scripture is a promise that God supplies the needs of the faithful. Today’s meditation is proof that God does do that A LOT. However, today’s meditation is also a challenge for you to recognize and give thanks for all those blessings that God supplies all along your way! It is a call for you to praise God’s providence and celebrate the wonderful gifts the come from the “riches in glory in Christ Jesus”! Those gifts may be financial. They may be spiritual. The gift may include forgiveness, grace, or healing. There are so many ways that God “supplies every need of yours”. Isn’t it time you include more thanks and praise in your prayers and from your mouth for God’s bountiful gifts and grace?
October 30
“And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9–10, RSV)
Some things in life are related. If you affect one, it will affect the other. If you change one, you will change the other. There are millions of examples of this. If you change out dead batteries in a toy for new ones, the toy will come to life again. If you move the thermostat setting up two degrees, the house will warm as the furnace kicks in. When you take the fall leaves out of a blocked gutter, the water should be able to flow through it again. In your spiritual life, there are also related elements that affect one another. Our scripture for today shows some of these elements and how they work together to mold a person into a more effective and beloved child of God.
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
October 31
“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
When you make a commitment to God through Jesus Christ, you become a Christian. As you live out the promises and obedience given that relationship, you become a faithful and true Christian. The basis for the word "Christian" is Christ, the Messiah. Thus, when you live for Jesus' sake, you become a "Christian" through that relationship with Jesus. An "Serbian" owes a commitment to Serbia. A "Mohammedan" is an ancient term for one who follows Mohammed. A "Christian" owes his or her life to Christ. That relationship should be the center of one's life and form the crux of who you are.
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!