November 1
“‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”” (Mark 10:7–9, NLT)
The above scripture is sometimes used in older versions of the marriage ceremony. It is a warning that when God unites a man and wife, their union is precious to God. Before God’s eyes, their marriage is a holy thing. Under the command of Jesus, no one is to “split apart what God has joined together” (Mark 10:9). Marriage under God is a protected union, meant to last a lifetime.
Despite the warning by Jesus that it goes against the will of God to damage or destroy a marriage, all too often that is precisely what many do. Centuries ago, people had greater reverence for God and marriage. In public areas, it was considered socially wrong for anyone to flirt with a married man or woman. Women would avoid even being alone with a married man. Men showed more respect for a married woman. Nowadays, marriage has been denigrated in many societies. Social media promotes unbiblical forms of marriage. Movies portray women and men who fool around as the norm. Divorce is commonplace. Some denominations even perform a rite of divorce, which is not only unbiblical but unholy. Our scripture for today holds the marriage vows as sacred. Jesus viewed marriage as a holy institution. Anything that would destroy a marriage was seen as going against the will of God.
Carla hated her mother-in-law, Christine. Christine didn’t want her son Joe to marry Carla. Christine doted on her son. She was over-protective and critical of anyone who dared say anything negative about her son. Before and after Carla and Joe got married, Christine would constantly insert her opinions and ideas into their relationship. If Carla got upset, Christine would defend Joe. If Carla complained about Joe not helping with the kids, Christine would call Carla lazy and a good-for-nothing. Carla felt like she could do nothing right when it came to Christine.
It might shock you to know that Christine, Carla, and Joe are all Christians. Carla and Joe were even married in Christine’s church. Contrary to the scripture reading for today, Christine believes she has an obligation to defend her son and denigrate her daughter-in-law. Carla has held a grudge against Christine for years. Joe refuses to do anything about the animosity between the women. His silence has made the women more apt to argue and fight. His passive attitude has actually fueled the anger between them.
According to the scripture for today, all three of these Christians are sinning before God. Each one has done things to cause strife in the marriage. Each one has damaged the love between Joe and Carla. Each one needs to confess their sin to God. Instead, these professing Christians see it as their obligation to say and do things that damage the relationships involved. Christine believes it is her right as a mother to protect her son. Carla sees it as her job to drive a wedge between Christine and Joe. Joe just wants to stay out of it. Sadly, all three have no clue as to their guilt before God.
Chances are, you have committed the same sin as Joe, Carla, or Christine. Chances are you have damaged your own or another marriage at some point. There are many ways to cause a marriage to have problems or end. Recently, I came across a list of the most common things people have done to damage a marriage. These were just some of the wrongs on that list…
Flirt with someone who is married.
Put down your spouse with a targeted insult.
Make fun of your spouse when with your friends.
As a child, side with one parent to manipulate his or her actions.
Urge a friend who is married to divorce instead of seek reconciliation.
Have an affair.
Have an affair of the heart.
Damage your spouse psychologically.
Call your spouse a denigrating name.
Swear at your spouse.
Pick a fight with your spouse.
Fail to do your fair share in the home.
Meddle in someone else’s marriage decisions.
Give unholy advice to a married person who needs help.
Be biased against an in-law.
Be biased against a step-child.
Choose to divorce instead of choosing to work through problems.
Push the buttons of those in the family.
Passive-aggressively offer up little barbs when you are upset.
Be overly critical of the abilities of your spouse.
Bring up your spouse’s past mistakes to use against him or her.
Hold a grudge against a family member.
Take financial advantage of a family member.
Be an enabler in the negative sense.
Abuse a child.
This is just a small portion of things that the author said constituted outright sin before God. How did you fare? Are you guilty of damaging any marriage ordained by God? Are you doing something to damage your own marriage? If you are guilty of this type of sin before God, confess it to God right now and move beyond it. Don’t wait to make changes. All your efforts to protect a holy marriage are blessed by God. Don’t you know that?
It might surprise you to know that some denominations now advocate that pastors no longer provide marriage counseling. If you ask me, I see this as a sin on the part of the church. Every church member has the obligation to protect and nurture the marriages around them. This goes doubly for pastors and church leaders!
Helping to heal the hurts between husbands and wives is a holy thing. It is a sign of true faith. Where the world sees marriage as something of a convenience, God sees marriage as a sign of commitment and promise and faith and hope and love.
Despite the warning by Jesus that it goes against the will of God to damage or destroy a marriage, all too often that is precisely what many do. Centuries ago, people had greater reverence for God and marriage. In public areas, it was considered socially wrong for anyone to flirt with a married man or woman. Women would avoid even being alone with a married man. Men showed more respect for a married woman. Nowadays, marriage has been denigrated in many societies. Social media promotes unbiblical forms of marriage. Movies portray women and men who fool around as the norm. Divorce is commonplace. Some denominations even perform a rite of divorce, which is not only unbiblical but unholy. Our scripture for today holds the marriage vows as sacred. Jesus viewed marriage as a holy institution. Anything that would destroy a marriage was seen as going against the will of God.
Carla hated her mother-in-law, Christine. Christine didn’t want her son Joe to marry Carla. Christine doted on her son. She was over-protective and critical of anyone who dared say anything negative about her son. Before and after Carla and Joe got married, Christine would constantly insert her opinions and ideas into their relationship. If Carla got upset, Christine would defend Joe. If Carla complained about Joe not helping with the kids, Christine would call Carla lazy and a good-for-nothing. Carla felt like she could do nothing right when it came to Christine.
It might shock you to know that Christine, Carla, and Joe are all Christians. Carla and Joe were even married in Christine’s church. Contrary to the scripture reading for today, Christine believes she has an obligation to defend her son and denigrate her daughter-in-law. Carla has held a grudge against Christine for years. Joe refuses to do anything about the animosity between the women. His silence has made the women more apt to argue and fight. His passive attitude has actually fueled the anger between them.
According to the scripture for today, all three of these Christians are sinning before God. Each one has done things to cause strife in the marriage. Each one has damaged the love between Joe and Carla. Each one needs to confess their sin to God. Instead, these professing Christians see it as their obligation to say and do things that damage the relationships involved. Christine believes it is her right as a mother to protect her son. Carla sees it as her job to drive a wedge between Christine and Joe. Joe just wants to stay out of it. Sadly, all three have no clue as to their guilt before God.
Chances are, you have committed the same sin as Joe, Carla, or Christine. Chances are you have damaged your own or another marriage at some point. There are many ways to cause a marriage to have problems or end. Recently, I came across a list of the most common things people have done to damage a marriage. These were just some of the wrongs on that list…
Flirt with someone who is married.
Put down your spouse with a targeted insult.
Make fun of your spouse when with your friends.
As a child, side with one parent to manipulate his or her actions.
Urge a friend who is married to divorce instead of seek reconciliation.
Have an affair.
Have an affair of the heart.
Damage your spouse psychologically.
Call your spouse a denigrating name.
Swear at your spouse.
Pick a fight with your spouse.
Fail to do your fair share in the home.
Meddle in someone else’s marriage decisions.
Give unholy advice to a married person who needs help.
Be biased against an in-law.
Be biased against a step-child.
Choose to divorce instead of choosing to work through problems.
Push the buttons of those in the family.
Passive-aggressively offer up little barbs when you are upset.
Be overly critical of the abilities of your spouse.
Bring up your spouse’s past mistakes to use against him or her.
Hold a grudge against a family member.
Take financial advantage of a family member.
Be an enabler in the negative sense.
Abuse a child.
This is just a small portion of things that the author said constituted outright sin before God. How did you fare? Are you guilty of damaging any marriage ordained by God? Are you doing something to damage your own marriage? If you are guilty of this type of sin before God, confess it to God right now and move beyond it. Don’t wait to make changes. All your efforts to protect a holy marriage are blessed by God. Don’t you know that?
It might surprise you to know that some denominations now advocate that pastors no longer provide marriage counseling. If you ask me, I see this as a sin on the part of the church. Every church member has the obligation to protect and nurture the marriages around them. This goes doubly for pastors and church leaders!
Helping to heal the hurts between husbands and wives is a holy thing. It is a sign of true faith. Where the world sees marriage as something of a convenience, God sees marriage as a sign of commitment and promise and faith and hope and love.
November 4
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15, ESV)
Over and over, I get this feeling that many Christians have the opinion that to be faithful you have to avoid conflict at all costs. I’ve heard conservative Christians mention that conflict is just the devil riling people up. Liberals have chimed in on the topic by saying that if people loved each other more, there would be no conflict. I could give you a thousand examples of Christians acting or speaking as if conflict is best avoided, conflict is bad, and differences of opinion are to be silenced over the need to appear in agreement. Not only does all this thinking go against what Jesus is saying in the scripture above, it actually makes conflicts worst, not better.
If people avoid conflict “to be nice” or quash dissent in order to appear more agreeable, it’s not a symptom of being more faithful. It is a sign of sinfulness. When sin is behind any conflict, it is best to address the sin, not to hide it or whitewash it over a facade of being religious. Sin is a form of evil. It is something that will cause damage not only to one’s relationship with God but to one’s entire being. As Christians, we are called to address sin. We are called to deal with one another over unfaithfulness. Covering up sinfulness to “play nice” is NOT being faithful. It is just another form of sinful behavior.
Misty and Mandy were the only two daughters of a pastor and his wife. The girls were very close. Every few years, the family was moved from one church to another. When this happened, the girls had to leave friends behind and try to make new friends. The pastoral lifestyle took its toll on the family. The moves were difficult for the girls. Throughout their childhood, Misty and Mandy adapted by leaning on each other in order to cope with the moves and living in a religious household. The girls were expected to attend church each Sunday. The girls were expected by church people to be “examples” of virtue. It’s a lot of pressure to put on two young girls. Still, the family was close, and their relationships were the epitome of loving.
In High School, Misty and Mandy stayed close but ended up being friends with different groups of people. Where Misty was outgoing, Mandy was more shy. Because of differences in their personalities, the girls gravitated toward different activities and had different mentors. Where Misty enjoyed the cheerleader lifestyle, Mandy enjoyed her more “bookish” friendships.
Before prom, their junior year of High School, the girls became very upset with one another. Misty did not like it that Mandy wasn’t going to the prom. Mandy didn’t like Misty’s date and thought him arrogant and rude. The differences in their choices gave rise to various conflicts between the girls, as one might imagine. Often, when the girls argued, their mother would say, “Stop fighting girls. How is this going to look to people in the church!” This statement by their mother made the girls feel like any disagreement was wrong, conflict was unchristian, and differences in opinion were to be silenced. Rather than bringing the girls together, this constant correction by their mother caused hostility between the girls to boil up inside them, to fester for long periods of time, and to come out later in huge blowouts where the girls wouldn’t talk to each other for weeks at a time.
Misty and Mandy’s mother was wrong. Her words were not only unbiblical but destructive. Their mother’s words displayed her hidden fear of conflict and her inner desire to keep up an appearance that she was a good mother to other people. All the while, the mother’s words were a constant irritant for the girls. As they grew older, the girls had serious problems talking about their failings, showing emotion, and dealing with conflict. These issues caused the girls to grow apart, become jealous of one another, and compete against each other in various ways. It took them years to discover the importance of dealing with their differences faithfully and dealing with their conflicts in a healthy way. If only they would have taken more seriously the words of Jesus found in the scripture for today. I know it would have changed their lives for the better. In the least, it would have helped them to see their differences from a more holy and much healthier perspective.
This is not to say that you should enjoy conflict or elaborate on every single difference of opinion. In the scripture for today, Jesus speaks about sin not disagreement. He urges followers to speak to one another when a sin is committed, when harm is done that goes against the will of God. If you love someone, a faithful attitude will make you want to help them overcome a sin. You can’t do that if you avoid talking about that sin or make believe that a sin isn’t occurring. On the other hand, as Ecclesiastes 3 states, there is “a time to speak and a time to be silent” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). You have to faithfully pick when and where to speak to someone who has sinned against you and God.
In the scripture for today, Jesus urges the faithful to deal with conflict in a holy and healthy way. When someone sins, Jesus doesn’t urge you in this scripture to go and air it in public. He doesn’t suggest you play passive aggressive games, telling others so that the word filters back to the person who wronged you. Instead, he urges you to “go and tell him about his fault between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). If that doesn’t work, Jesus gives further instructions in the ensuing verses of Matthew. Following Jesus’ words will help you deal with any conflict caused by the sin. It will help you deal with the sin and work out what to do. Yes, this may expose you to conflict. However, failing to follow Jesus’ words will only make the conflict worse, just as it did with Misty and Mandy.
Not everything is a sin. Not everything deserves confrontation. Your job as a faithful Christian is not to point out every “fault” made by another or done to you. Conflicts and confrontations are difficult to face and difficult to work through. That’s why so many people avoid them at all costs. Some people enjoy conflicts and confrontations. That isn’t healthy either. There is a fine line between using confrontation to work through sin and using confrontation to bully other people or get your way.
In an article at the site womenleaders.com, the following words were stated about faithful confrontation: “Jesus was never afraid to confront, but his confrontation was strategic and specific rather than generalized or nebulous. If anyone had the right to confront, it was he. He was perfect; the world then and now is not. Yet despite what we would think, He didn't waste time trying to right every wrong, nor did he whitewash over issues that needed attention. Amazingly, some of the things we would have addressed, he left unspoken and other things that we would never have noticed, he challenged head on.” In the end, these words are not only wise but challenging. Choosing when and how to confront others who have sinned against you is best handled with a lot of prayer, less emotion, much faithful deliberation, and wise judgment. Jesus’ words for today bring a lot of this into focus for you IF you are willing to obey them. Following the words of Jesus found in the scripture for today will, in the least, give a chance at real healing.
If people avoid conflict “to be nice” or quash dissent in order to appear more agreeable, it’s not a symptom of being more faithful. It is a sign of sinfulness. When sin is behind any conflict, it is best to address the sin, not to hide it or whitewash it over a facade of being religious. Sin is a form of evil. It is something that will cause damage not only to one’s relationship with God but to one’s entire being. As Christians, we are called to address sin. We are called to deal with one another over unfaithfulness. Covering up sinfulness to “play nice” is NOT being faithful. It is just another form of sinful behavior.
Misty and Mandy were the only two daughters of a pastor and his wife. The girls were very close. Every few years, the family was moved from one church to another. When this happened, the girls had to leave friends behind and try to make new friends. The pastoral lifestyle took its toll on the family. The moves were difficult for the girls. Throughout their childhood, Misty and Mandy adapted by leaning on each other in order to cope with the moves and living in a religious household. The girls were expected to attend church each Sunday. The girls were expected by church people to be “examples” of virtue. It’s a lot of pressure to put on two young girls. Still, the family was close, and their relationships were the epitome of loving.
In High School, Misty and Mandy stayed close but ended up being friends with different groups of people. Where Misty was outgoing, Mandy was more shy. Because of differences in their personalities, the girls gravitated toward different activities and had different mentors. Where Misty enjoyed the cheerleader lifestyle, Mandy enjoyed her more “bookish” friendships.
Before prom, their junior year of High School, the girls became very upset with one another. Misty did not like it that Mandy wasn’t going to the prom. Mandy didn’t like Misty’s date and thought him arrogant and rude. The differences in their choices gave rise to various conflicts between the girls, as one might imagine. Often, when the girls argued, their mother would say, “Stop fighting girls. How is this going to look to people in the church!” This statement by their mother made the girls feel like any disagreement was wrong, conflict was unchristian, and differences in opinion were to be silenced. Rather than bringing the girls together, this constant correction by their mother caused hostility between the girls to boil up inside them, to fester for long periods of time, and to come out later in huge blowouts where the girls wouldn’t talk to each other for weeks at a time.
Misty and Mandy’s mother was wrong. Her words were not only unbiblical but destructive. Their mother’s words displayed her hidden fear of conflict and her inner desire to keep up an appearance that she was a good mother to other people. All the while, the mother’s words were a constant irritant for the girls. As they grew older, the girls had serious problems talking about their failings, showing emotion, and dealing with conflict. These issues caused the girls to grow apart, become jealous of one another, and compete against each other in various ways. It took them years to discover the importance of dealing with their differences faithfully and dealing with their conflicts in a healthy way. If only they would have taken more seriously the words of Jesus found in the scripture for today. I know it would have changed their lives for the better. In the least, it would have helped them to see their differences from a more holy and much healthier perspective.
This is not to say that you should enjoy conflict or elaborate on every single difference of opinion. In the scripture for today, Jesus speaks about sin not disagreement. He urges followers to speak to one another when a sin is committed, when harm is done that goes against the will of God. If you love someone, a faithful attitude will make you want to help them overcome a sin. You can’t do that if you avoid talking about that sin or make believe that a sin isn’t occurring. On the other hand, as Ecclesiastes 3 states, there is “a time to speak and a time to be silent” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). You have to faithfully pick when and where to speak to someone who has sinned against you and God.
In the scripture for today, Jesus urges the faithful to deal with conflict in a holy and healthy way. When someone sins, Jesus doesn’t urge you in this scripture to go and air it in public. He doesn’t suggest you play passive aggressive games, telling others so that the word filters back to the person who wronged you. Instead, he urges you to “go and tell him about his fault between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). If that doesn’t work, Jesus gives further instructions in the ensuing verses of Matthew. Following Jesus’ words will help you deal with any conflict caused by the sin. It will help you deal with the sin and work out what to do. Yes, this may expose you to conflict. However, failing to follow Jesus’ words will only make the conflict worse, just as it did with Misty and Mandy.
Not everything is a sin. Not everything deserves confrontation. Your job as a faithful Christian is not to point out every “fault” made by another or done to you. Conflicts and confrontations are difficult to face and difficult to work through. That’s why so many people avoid them at all costs. Some people enjoy conflicts and confrontations. That isn’t healthy either. There is a fine line between using confrontation to work through sin and using confrontation to bully other people or get your way.
In an article at the site womenleaders.com, the following words were stated about faithful confrontation: “Jesus was never afraid to confront, but his confrontation was strategic and specific rather than generalized or nebulous. If anyone had the right to confront, it was he. He was perfect; the world then and now is not. Yet despite what we would think, He didn't waste time trying to right every wrong, nor did he whitewash over issues that needed attention. Amazingly, some of the things we would have addressed, he left unspoken and other things that we would never have noticed, he challenged head on.” In the end, these words are not only wise but challenging. Choosing when and how to confront others who have sinned against you is best handled with a lot of prayer, less emotion, much faithful deliberation, and wise judgment. Jesus’ words for today bring a lot of this into focus for you IF you are willing to obey them. Following the words of Jesus found in the scripture for today will, in the least, give a chance at real healing.
November 6
“Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22–24, RSV)
When people honestly and truthfully give their life to Christ, it changes them. In point of fact, people often talk about those who are saved as being “changed men”. The gospel changed their values and perspective in life. It turned them away from sin and toward a holy life. The relationship with God made them promise-keepers rather than rule breakers. When God enters your life in a real way, it changes you all the way to your core being. If people can’t tell whether you are a “changed man” or a “changed woman”, you need to wonder if your relationship with God is truly relevant at all.
Charles Colson tells of a frustrated prison psychiatrist who exclaimed, “I can cure a person’s madness, but not his badness.” The only way to make bad people good is to expose them to the gospel. Even Charles Darwin, the man who contributed so much to evolutionistic thinking, admitted this. He wrote to a minister: “Your services have done more for our village in a few months than all our efforts for many years. We have never been able to reclaim a single drunkard, but through your services I do not know that there is a drunkard left in the village!”
“Later Darwin visited the island of Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America. What he found among the people was horrifying—savagery and bestiality almost beyond description. But when he returned after a missionary had worked among the people, he was amazed at the change in them. He acknowledged that the gospel does transform lives. If fact, he was so moved by what he saw that he contributed money to the mission until his death.” (Charles Colson, as quoted in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations).
The prison psychologist from the incident above, Chuck Colson, and even Charles Darwin himself saw how the gospel changed lives for the better. They all noted the great value to the world by a “changed man”. The scripture for today makes clear the origin of the person who is changed by a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul wrote the Ephesian Christians that when they came to believe in Jesus in a real way, they shedded (“put off”) their “old nature” which was addicted to sin and selfishness and unholiness (“deceitful lusts” --Ephesians 4:22). The true Christians then “put on” a whole “new nature”. Rather than being devoted to human deceits, these faithful took on a “likeness” of God. They lived lives of “true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). With these words, Paul confirmed that those who gave themselves in a real way to God became different from the inside out. They were indeed “changed men”. Others could visibly see the difference.
When Roy left for Boot Camp in the 1950’s, he was a scrawny eighteen year old young man. When he returned home for the first time, his body was so different that some people had a hard time even recognizing him. He had gained twenty-five pounds of pure muscle and so very much confidence. His head was clean shaven. Even his attitude was different. He was very respectful. Despite his youthful indiscretions during high school, people now admired and trusted him just because of the changes they could see in him.
Ten years later, Roy moved back to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother. On the day he moved in, people were shocked. He had lost more than thirty pounds. His cheeks were hollow. He was very quiet and often shied away from people. The Vietnam War had changed Roy visibly. The scars in his heart and mind caused by flashbacks and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder made his appearance so very different. His best friend even said he “looked like death warmed-over”.
How you think, how you live, what you believe, and who you are change your whole demeanor. These affect your physical appearance. They affect your attitude and abilities. Your outward appearance and interactions will be affected. True faith will change you in so many ways. It will mold you into a “new person”. If you are faithful enough to be a “changed man”, your whole appearance and attitude and core values will shift. Often, you will be motivated to be more honest and forthright, more trustworthy and worshipful. Others will take notice. Sin will also change you. It usually will age you prematurely. It will affect your interactions and relationships significantly. It may make you cynical or selfish, greedy or materialistic. Some people may not trust you in certain situations. Sinners will usually enjoy your company to a greater degree. Any way you look at it, what you believe in your soul molds you. Over time, it makes you into a different person.
In what ways has your soul molded your personality? How has it changed your values and commitments? Are you different because you know Jesus? I hope so. As Paul the Apostle saw with the faithful Ephesian Christians, true belief in Jesus molds you into a faithful kind of person with a different set of beliefs. Unfaithful Christians exhibit bad judgment for all to see and experience. On the contrary, true Christians represent God in a wonderful life-changing way.
Charles Colson tells of a frustrated prison psychiatrist who exclaimed, “I can cure a person’s madness, but not his badness.” The only way to make bad people good is to expose them to the gospel. Even Charles Darwin, the man who contributed so much to evolutionistic thinking, admitted this. He wrote to a minister: “Your services have done more for our village in a few months than all our efforts for many years. We have never been able to reclaim a single drunkard, but through your services I do not know that there is a drunkard left in the village!”
“Later Darwin visited the island of Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America. What he found among the people was horrifying—savagery and bestiality almost beyond description. But when he returned after a missionary had worked among the people, he was amazed at the change in them. He acknowledged that the gospel does transform lives. If fact, he was so moved by what he saw that he contributed money to the mission until his death.” (Charles Colson, as quoted in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations).
The prison psychologist from the incident above, Chuck Colson, and even Charles Darwin himself saw how the gospel changed lives for the better. They all noted the great value to the world by a “changed man”. The scripture for today makes clear the origin of the person who is changed by a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul wrote the Ephesian Christians that when they came to believe in Jesus in a real way, they shedded (“put off”) their “old nature” which was addicted to sin and selfishness and unholiness (“deceitful lusts” --Ephesians 4:22). The true Christians then “put on” a whole “new nature”. Rather than being devoted to human deceits, these faithful took on a “likeness” of God. They lived lives of “true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). With these words, Paul confirmed that those who gave themselves in a real way to God became different from the inside out. They were indeed “changed men”. Others could visibly see the difference.
When Roy left for Boot Camp in the 1950’s, he was a scrawny eighteen year old young man. When he returned home for the first time, his body was so different that some people had a hard time even recognizing him. He had gained twenty-five pounds of pure muscle and so very much confidence. His head was clean shaven. Even his attitude was different. He was very respectful. Despite his youthful indiscretions during high school, people now admired and trusted him just because of the changes they could see in him.
Ten years later, Roy moved back to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother. On the day he moved in, people were shocked. He had lost more than thirty pounds. His cheeks were hollow. He was very quiet and often shied away from people. The Vietnam War had changed Roy visibly. The scars in his heart and mind caused by flashbacks and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder made his appearance so very different. His best friend even said he “looked like death warmed-over”.
How you think, how you live, what you believe, and who you are change your whole demeanor. These affect your physical appearance. They affect your attitude and abilities. Your outward appearance and interactions will be affected. True faith will change you in so many ways. It will mold you into a “new person”. If you are faithful enough to be a “changed man”, your whole appearance and attitude and core values will shift. Often, you will be motivated to be more honest and forthright, more trustworthy and worshipful. Others will take notice. Sin will also change you. It usually will age you prematurely. It will affect your interactions and relationships significantly. It may make you cynical or selfish, greedy or materialistic. Some people may not trust you in certain situations. Sinners will usually enjoy your company to a greater degree. Any way you look at it, what you believe in your soul molds you. Over time, it makes you into a different person.
In what ways has your soul molded your personality? How has it changed your values and commitments? Are you different because you know Jesus? I hope so. As Paul the Apostle saw with the faithful Ephesian Christians, true belief in Jesus molds you into a faithful kind of person with a different set of beliefs. Unfaithful Christians exhibit bad judgment for all to see and experience. On the contrary, true Christians represent God in a wonderful life-changing way.
November 9
“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18, ESV)
In the midst of an argument, Darren turned to his wife and said, “ I don’t know why I married you!” At the time, his rash statement was tossed out there without a second of hesitation or forethought. In seconds, he realized his mistake. Krystal’s eyes blurred. Tears poured down her cheeks. Darren knew he had hurt his wife deeply. What he didn’t know is how deep.
Eight years later, Krystal came to me for counseling. While sharing her problems with depression, Krystal informed me of the entire argument with Darren word for word. His rash statement swam around and grew to epic proportions in Krystal’s mind. Truth be told, those words spoken in haste years before fueled Krystal’s depressive episodes. Whenever she was down, she would remind herself how much Darren regretted their marriage.
A week after my first counseling session with Krystal, I talked to Darren about his rash statement from years before. He had no recollection of the argument. He couldn’t remember what was yelled. Darren believed that his words spoken in haste were uttered out of frustration and anger and were not to be taken seriously. For Krystal, these words uttered in a critical moment were life damaging. Darren had no idea how that one small sentence spoken years before caused his wife hours and hours of anguish, anguish he never meant for her to suffer.
“What dangerous fires of hatred are kindled by words spoken in haste! That’s why taking time to think about what we should say is so important. Restraint can bring peace to many an ugly situation, as is illustrated by this story:
An old Englishman, known as Father Graham in his village, was greatly loved because of his positive influence. One day an angry young man who had just been badly insulted came to see Father Graham. As he explained the situation, he said he was on his way to demand an apology from the one who had wronged him. “My dear boy,” Father Graham said, “take a word of advice from an old man who loves peace. An insult is like mud; it will brush off better when it is dry. Wait a little, till he and you are both cool, and the problem will be easily solved. If you go now, you will only quarrel.” The young man heeded the wise advice, and soon he was able to go to the other person and resolve the issue.
How often the tongue pours fuel on a fire that would go out if left alone! Solomon said, “Do not be rash with your mouth,...let your words be few” (Eccl. 5:2). And hymnwriter William Longstaff put it well when he wrote, “Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul; each thought and each motive beneath His [ control.”
Perhaps you have a problem with someone and have decided to “tell him off.” Why not wait? It’s easier to brush off mud when it’s dry. And pray for the one who offended you. It may dry the mud a little faster.” (P.R.V., “Our Daily Bread”, September 12, 2000).
The scripture for today, found in the pages of the book of Proverbs, attacks rash words spoken without adequate reflection. Wise Solomon wrote this scripture. He learned how important it was to control his tongue, especially when emotions grow thick. Solomon wrote: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…”. As a sword can easily kill an enemy, rash words can kill a soul, a relationship, a future. Like sword thrusts are meant to attack and maim, rash words can attack and maim those in earshot. You may do it intentionally. You may do it unintentionally. No matter your motivation, rash words are dangerous. They are often regretted later. Wise people know to refrain from rash judgments and rash words. They take the time to think and reflect before speaking. They even make sure to listen carefully, not form a quick defense even before the person has finished speaking! A wise person is careful with his or her speech. That’s why “the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).
Did you notice that this verse forms two opposites? Rash words maim, damage, and kill. Wise words bring healing. Wise words are seldom, if ever, spoken in haste. Wise words are usually pondered carefully and lovingly offered. Rash words, on the other hand, are usually blurted out in the heat of an argument, in the most dangerous moments, when a person is tired or stressed, or in the wrong time or place.
How well do you keep watch over your words? Out of love for God, do you carefully choose what to say? Are you quick to attack or get defensive? Do you let your emotions get carried away when you speak? The scripture for today contains Solomon’s advice. Rash words almost never heal. They usually bring about conflict. Only wise words, spoken in the right moment, bring healing.
This week, listen carefully to your words, especially in the heat of the moment. Self-examine what comes out of your mouth. Do your words bring hurt or healing?
Eight years later, Krystal came to me for counseling. While sharing her problems with depression, Krystal informed me of the entire argument with Darren word for word. His rash statement swam around and grew to epic proportions in Krystal’s mind. Truth be told, those words spoken in haste years before fueled Krystal’s depressive episodes. Whenever she was down, she would remind herself how much Darren regretted their marriage.
A week after my first counseling session with Krystal, I talked to Darren about his rash statement from years before. He had no recollection of the argument. He couldn’t remember what was yelled. Darren believed that his words spoken in haste were uttered out of frustration and anger and were not to be taken seriously. For Krystal, these words uttered in a critical moment were life damaging. Darren had no idea how that one small sentence spoken years before caused his wife hours and hours of anguish, anguish he never meant for her to suffer.
“What dangerous fires of hatred are kindled by words spoken in haste! That’s why taking time to think about what we should say is so important. Restraint can bring peace to many an ugly situation, as is illustrated by this story:
An old Englishman, known as Father Graham in his village, was greatly loved because of his positive influence. One day an angry young man who had just been badly insulted came to see Father Graham. As he explained the situation, he said he was on his way to demand an apology from the one who had wronged him. “My dear boy,” Father Graham said, “take a word of advice from an old man who loves peace. An insult is like mud; it will brush off better when it is dry. Wait a little, till he and you are both cool, and the problem will be easily solved. If you go now, you will only quarrel.” The young man heeded the wise advice, and soon he was able to go to the other person and resolve the issue.
How often the tongue pours fuel on a fire that would go out if left alone! Solomon said, “Do not be rash with your mouth,...let your words be few” (Eccl. 5:2). And hymnwriter William Longstaff put it well when he wrote, “Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul; each thought and each motive beneath His [ control.”
Perhaps you have a problem with someone and have decided to “tell him off.” Why not wait? It’s easier to brush off mud when it’s dry. And pray for the one who offended you. It may dry the mud a little faster.” (P.R.V., “Our Daily Bread”, September 12, 2000).
The scripture for today, found in the pages of the book of Proverbs, attacks rash words spoken without adequate reflection. Wise Solomon wrote this scripture. He learned how important it was to control his tongue, especially when emotions grow thick. Solomon wrote: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…”. As a sword can easily kill an enemy, rash words can kill a soul, a relationship, a future. Like sword thrusts are meant to attack and maim, rash words can attack and maim those in earshot. You may do it intentionally. You may do it unintentionally. No matter your motivation, rash words are dangerous. They are often regretted later. Wise people know to refrain from rash judgments and rash words. They take the time to think and reflect before speaking. They even make sure to listen carefully, not form a quick defense even before the person has finished speaking! A wise person is careful with his or her speech. That’s why “the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).
Did you notice that this verse forms two opposites? Rash words maim, damage, and kill. Wise words bring healing. Wise words are seldom, if ever, spoken in haste. Wise words are usually pondered carefully and lovingly offered. Rash words, on the other hand, are usually blurted out in the heat of an argument, in the most dangerous moments, when a person is tired or stressed, or in the wrong time or place.
How well do you keep watch over your words? Out of love for God, do you carefully choose what to say? Are you quick to attack or get defensive? Do you let your emotions get carried away when you speak? The scripture for today contains Solomon’s advice. Rash words almost never heal. They usually bring about conflict. Only wise words, spoken in the right moment, bring healing.
This week, listen carefully to your words, especially in the heat of the moment. Self-examine what comes out of your mouth. Do your words bring hurt or healing?
November 11
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3, ESV)
In the beginning of the Bible, as recorded in the book of Genesis, God created Adam and Eve. They were considered the first humans. God created the two in HIS image. God placed them in the Garden of Eden. There, they had everything they required for a long, healthy life. But God didn’t just leave them in the garden by themselves. We are told in scripture that God “visited” the garden, walked in the garden, and spent time with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8-9). So, from the beginning of time, it was God’s plan to not only create human beings but to spend time with them.
If you visit various churches, you will often find places of worship named “Emmanuel” or “Immanuel”. The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us” as Matthew 1:23 teaches. This word is another reminder that God desires to “be with us”. God desires to be active in your life. God cares about what happens in your day-to-day world. Our God is not some far off deity who created life and then moved on to watch from afar. No! God enjoys being active not only in HIS creation but watches closely the lives of those who are in it. To that end, God even keeps a record of the actions of every human being and has it written down in Heaven (Revelation 20:12-13).
Did you know that God visits this world often? Did you know that God keeps a record of your actions and decisions and plans? Don’t doubt for a moment that God has a great compassion for you. On the contrary, God cares deeply about your life! Jesus even died for you!
When Carrie was nineteen, she was raped. A man slipped a drug into her Ginger Ale at a party and then took advantage of her when the drug put her to sleep. Carrie was a lifelong Christian. She had been brought up in a loving Christian family. She was active in her church and a leader in the Christian youth organization at her college. After her rape, she pulled away from her friends and family. Reeling from the assault, it took her years to feel comfortable around men and at public gatherings. The whole ordeal took a terrible toll on her psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.
After several years of inner suffering and depression because of the incident, Carrie spoke to her best friend about her inner turmoil. The best friend introduced Carrie to her pastor. For some reason, Carrie felt comfortable with the pastor almost immediately. She decided to talk to the pastor about what had happened to see if he could help with her depressive episodes and lingering spiritual pain.
In the second session of counseling together, Carrie told the pastor that she was hurt that God abandoned her to the rapist that night of the assault. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she asked the pastor, “Where was God when I needed HIM? Why wasn’t he there for me? Why didn’t he protect me?” After holding her hand, the pastor replied, “He was there with you. No doubt HE hated the whole thing. Surely, HE not only marked your rapist for punishment, HE also has been looking out for you ever since. He wants to heal you. He has always loved you! Haven’t you seen any signs of HIS presence?”
Over the next few months, Carrie and the pastor worked through the pain and suffering. They looked for signs of God’s presence in Carrie’s life. They talked about so many helpful things. But the one thing that Carrie most cherished from those counseling sessions was the discovery that God really did love her and no doubt had sent the pastor in her life to bring comfort and healing.
It surprises me how often people believe God is absent from their lives or even elusive. Even if God remains silent, that doesn’t mean God is absent! Even if your prayers aren’t answered immediately, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about your situation! Over and over in scripture we are told how God was present and active in the lives of the faithful. Even when the faithful suffered, God was already planning on how to comfort them.
When Joseph was suffering because of the jealousy of his brothers and then was subsequently sold into slavery, scripture records how God watched over Joseph and planned for his future salvation (Genesis 45:4-8). When Israel was suffering under the yoke of slavery in Egypt, God was already making arrangements for their deliverance (Exodus 3). As the people of Judah were suffering exile in Babylon, God was already telling the prophet Isaiah how the people would soon be freed (Isaiah 41:10-13). When a man born blind from birth was wondering what his fate would be, the Heavenly Father had already planned for Jesus to heal him (John 9). God is consistently and actively watching out for the faithful.
In the scripture reading for today from Revelation 21, the author explains God’s future plans. At some point in the future, God is planning to build a new heaven and new earth. There, the faithful will be cared for directly by God. There will be no tears or suffering any longer. Those things will have “passed away” (Revelation 21:4). God will “dwell” with the saved in that new Heaven (Revelation 21:3). God will again walk among HIS people as HE did in the Garden of Eden!
Until you reach Heaven, don’t doubt that God is “with you”! Being a part of your life is an important piece of God’s plan. God’s eye is always on your situation. God is consistently active in and around you. Yes, you will have your hard days. Life on earth carries risks. There will be illnesses and accidents. There will be unforeseen complications and trials. Through it all, God will be working on your behalf. God will be aware of your challenges. Pray to HIM! Seek HIS guidance! Ask for healing! Trust HIS word! God keeps HIS promises. One of HIS promises is to watch over the faithful… over you! That is, until HE brings you to live with HIM in Heaven!
If you visit various churches, you will often find places of worship named “Emmanuel” or “Immanuel”. The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us” as Matthew 1:23 teaches. This word is another reminder that God desires to “be with us”. God desires to be active in your life. God cares about what happens in your day-to-day world. Our God is not some far off deity who created life and then moved on to watch from afar. No! God enjoys being active not only in HIS creation but watches closely the lives of those who are in it. To that end, God even keeps a record of the actions of every human being and has it written down in Heaven (Revelation 20:12-13).
Did you know that God visits this world often? Did you know that God keeps a record of your actions and decisions and plans? Don’t doubt for a moment that God has a great compassion for you. On the contrary, God cares deeply about your life! Jesus even died for you!
When Carrie was nineteen, she was raped. A man slipped a drug into her Ginger Ale at a party and then took advantage of her when the drug put her to sleep. Carrie was a lifelong Christian. She had been brought up in a loving Christian family. She was active in her church and a leader in the Christian youth organization at her college. After her rape, she pulled away from her friends and family. Reeling from the assault, it took her years to feel comfortable around men and at public gatherings. The whole ordeal took a terrible toll on her psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.
After several years of inner suffering and depression because of the incident, Carrie spoke to her best friend about her inner turmoil. The best friend introduced Carrie to her pastor. For some reason, Carrie felt comfortable with the pastor almost immediately. She decided to talk to the pastor about what had happened to see if he could help with her depressive episodes and lingering spiritual pain.
In the second session of counseling together, Carrie told the pastor that she was hurt that God abandoned her to the rapist that night of the assault. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she asked the pastor, “Where was God when I needed HIM? Why wasn’t he there for me? Why didn’t he protect me?” After holding her hand, the pastor replied, “He was there with you. No doubt HE hated the whole thing. Surely, HE not only marked your rapist for punishment, HE also has been looking out for you ever since. He wants to heal you. He has always loved you! Haven’t you seen any signs of HIS presence?”
Over the next few months, Carrie and the pastor worked through the pain and suffering. They looked for signs of God’s presence in Carrie’s life. They talked about so many helpful things. But the one thing that Carrie most cherished from those counseling sessions was the discovery that God really did love her and no doubt had sent the pastor in her life to bring comfort and healing.
It surprises me how often people believe God is absent from their lives or even elusive. Even if God remains silent, that doesn’t mean God is absent! Even if your prayers aren’t answered immediately, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about your situation! Over and over in scripture we are told how God was present and active in the lives of the faithful. Even when the faithful suffered, God was already planning on how to comfort them.
When Joseph was suffering because of the jealousy of his brothers and then was subsequently sold into slavery, scripture records how God watched over Joseph and planned for his future salvation (Genesis 45:4-8). When Israel was suffering under the yoke of slavery in Egypt, God was already making arrangements for their deliverance (Exodus 3). As the people of Judah were suffering exile in Babylon, God was already telling the prophet Isaiah how the people would soon be freed (Isaiah 41:10-13). When a man born blind from birth was wondering what his fate would be, the Heavenly Father had already planned for Jesus to heal him (John 9). God is consistently and actively watching out for the faithful.
In the scripture reading for today from Revelation 21, the author explains God’s future plans. At some point in the future, God is planning to build a new heaven and new earth. There, the faithful will be cared for directly by God. There will be no tears or suffering any longer. Those things will have “passed away” (Revelation 21:4). God will “dwell” with the saved in that new Heaven (Revelation 21:3). God will again walk among HIS people as HE did in the Garden of Eden!
Until you reach Heaven, don’t doubt that God is “with you”! Being a part of your life is an important piece of God’s plan. God’s eye is always on your situation. God is consistently active in and around you. Yes, you will have your hard days. Life on earth carries risks. There will be illnesses and accidents. There will be unforeseen complications and trials. Through it all, God will be working on your behalf. God will be aware of your challenges. Pray to HIM! Seek HIS guidance! Ask for healing! Trust HIS word! God keeps HIS promises. One of HIS promises is to watch over the faithful… over you! That is, until HE brings you to live with HIM in Heaven!
November 13
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3–5, NRSV)
I want you to be aware of a very important distinction found in this scripture above. MANY Christians interpret this scripture wrongly! Even pastors have been known to make mistakes in their interpretations and sermons based on this scripture. Today, I want you to see more deeply into these very important verses from the book of Romans written by the Apostle Paul.
It is believed that when Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans found in our Bible, he was already imprisoned for his belief in Jesus. Some say this was the last letter Paul wrote to any church, written a short time before he was executed in Rome. Though all Christian groups can’t agree on an exact date for the writing of Romans, we can agree that Paul was writing to Christians in Rome who were also experiencing suffering and persecution for the faith. The scripture for today has important words for the faithful going through suffering. Paul reminds all the faithful that “our sufferings” produce “endurance”, help mold a better personal “character”, and inevitably give us “a hope that doesn’t disappoint us” (Romans 5:3-5). With these words, Paul made it clear to the suffering Christians in Rome that suffering brings about an outpouring of God’s love. If we endure the suffering, God’s love will bring about great blessings.
Right now, you might be saying to yourself, “Yeah, Pastor Dave, this is obvious! How can anybody get this wrong?” There, you would be incorrect. Many forget that Paul wrote these words TO CHRISTIANS in Rome. He didn’t write them to all the people in Rome. He didn’t write them to all human beings. He wrote these words to Christians filled with the love of God and the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:5). Faithful people are the ones who find a deeper love of God through suffering. The truly faithful, who are filled with God’s Spirit and love, are those who will find godly hope in the midst of suffering. They are the ones whom God will bless during troubled times. Secular people won’t get these blessings. Fake Christians, not filled with the Holy Spirit, will lack God’s kind of hope in the midst of suffering. ONLY true Christians will see their lives blessed despite their suffering.
I have heard many Pastors expound on the secular virtues of suffering. They tried to link suffering with personal growth and connect suffering with humility and grace. However, those who are not faithful will not find such blessings during suffering. Why not? They will not have the same endurance and character and spiritual growth that accompanies a faithful person facing suffering. ONLY truly faithful people grow and develop a godly, graceful character in times of suffering. Those who are not faithful often grow cynical with pain, harsher with difficulties, and resentful during suffering. Thus, suffering affects faithful people differently than unfaithful people.
Years ago, I remember reading an article about two towns that were each ripped up by a devastating tornado. Counselors were sent to help the citizens of both towns to cope with their many losses. Over time, the counselors perceived that the first town bounced back more quickly and in more healthy ways. The people in the first town helped each other more, worked side-by-side graciously, and didn’t seem to suffer the same levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders or Depression as the people in the second town. The people in the second town had more issues, lingering depressions, more physical symptoms, and worsening long-term effects. Upon a closer examination, the counselors discovered that the first town that bounced back more quickly had higher levels of active churchgoers. The first town was also the home for a Christian college. Asked about the differences in outcomes, the counselors agreed that the greater presence of faithful people found in that first town helped them to overcome their suffering and burdens much more effectively.
I have seen this confirmed over and over in my own ministry. People who have a strong faith fare better during suffering than those with a shallow faith. True Christians also heal better than atheists, physically and emotionally and psychologically. A close relationship with God makes all the difference in the world! In the scripture for today, the Apostle Paul makes this clear. A real and active belief in God helps the faithful to overcome adversity at so many different levels. Faithful communities and faithful families fare even better when their faith is combined! Faith multiplies the healing effects among the faithful gathered!
When you suffer, look to your God for help. Lean on the faith of others. Trust in the combined prayers of other faithful people. Your loyal faith in Jesus will bring many blessings! Even suffering cannot stop your spiritual growth. Because of your love of Jesus, suffering will cause your relationship with God to grow deeper, not fade away. You will develop a deeper character with extra doses of grace and hope. Your true faith in God will mold you into a more capable and loving example of Jesus. The beautiful healing will come from the love poured into you by God and through the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:5). You can be sure of that!
It is believed that when Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans found in our Bible, he was already imprisoned for his belief in Jesus. Some say this was the last letter Paul wrote to any church, written a short time before he was executed in Rome. Though all Christian groups can’t agree on an exact date for the writing of Romans, we can agree that Paul was writing to Christians in Rome who were also experiencing suffering and persecution for the faith. The scripture for today has important words for the faithful going through suffering. Paul reminds all the faithful that “our sufferings” produce “endurance”, help mold a better personal “character”, and inevitably give us “a hope that doesn’t disappoint us” (Romans 5:3-5). With these words, Paul made it clear to the suffering Christians in Rome that suffering brings about an outpouring of God’s love. If we endure the suffering, God’s love will bring about great blessings.
Right now, you might be saying to yourself, “Yeah, Pastor Dave, this is obvious! How can anybody get this wrong?” There, you would be incorrect. Many forget that Paul wrote these words TO CHRISTIANS in Rome. He didn’t write them to all the people in Rome. He didn’t write them to all human beings. He wrote these words to Christians filled with the love of God and the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:5). Faithful people are the ones who find a deeper love of God through suffering. The truly faithful, who are filled with God’s Spirit and love, are those who will find godly hope in the midst of suffering. They are the ones whom God will bless during troubled times. Secular people won’t get these blessings. Fake Christians, not filled with the Holy Spirit, will lack God’s kind of hope in the midst of suffering. ONLY true Christians will see their lives blessed despite their suffering.
I have heard many Pastors expound on the secular virtues of suffering. They tried to link suffering with personal growth and connect suffering with humility and grace. However, those who are not faithful will not find such blessings during suffering. Why not? They will not have the same endurance and character and spiritual growth that accompanies a faithful person facing suffering. ONLY truly faithful people grow and develop a godly, graceful character in times of suffering. Those who are not faithful often grow cynical with pain, harsher with difficulties, and resentful during suffering. Thus, suffering affects faithful people differently than unfaithful people.
Years ago, I remember reading an article about two towns that were each ripped up by a devastating tornado. Counselors were sent to help the citizens of both towns to cope with their many losses. Over time, the counselors perceived that the first town bounced back more quickly and in more healthy ways. The people in the first town helped each other more, worked side-by-side graciously, and didn’t seem to suffer the same levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders or Depression as the people in the second town. The people in the second town had more issues, lingering depressions, more physical symptoms, and worsening long-term effects. Upon a closer examination, the counselors discovered that the first town that bounced back more quickly had higher levels of active churchgoers. The first town was also the home for a Christian college. Asked about the differences in outcomes, the counselors agreed that the greater presence of faithful people found in that first town helped them to overcome their suffering and burdens much more effectively.
I have seen this confirmed over and over in my own ministry. People who have a strong faith fare better during suffering than those with a shallow faith. True Christians also heal better than atheists, physically and emotionally and psychologically. A close relationship with God makes all the difference in the world! In the scripture for today, the Apostle Paul makes this clear. A real and active belief in God helps the faithful to overcome adversity at so many different levels. Faithful communities and faithful families fare even better when their faith is combined! Faith multiplies the healing effects among the faithful gathered!
When you suffer, look to your God for help. Lean on the faith of others. Trust in the combined prayers of other faithful people. Your loyal faith in Jesus will bring many blessings! Even suffering cannot stop your spiritual growth. Because of your love of Jesus, suffering will cause your relationship with God to grow deeper, not fade away. You will develop a deeper character with extra doses of grace and hope. Your true faith in God will mold you into a more capable and loving example of Jesus. The beautiful healing will come from the love poured into you by God and through the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:5). You can be sure of that!
November 17
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
(1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)
(1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)
The following story was relayed to the editors of “Our Daily Bread”…
“As a schoolboy, I worked with my father during the summer months. Each morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of the newspaper at a small grocery store.
One morning when we got to work, my father found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one. He first thought of paying the man the extra price the next morning, but then after a moment’s consideration he said, “I had better go back with this paper. I don’t want the man at the store to think I’m dishonest.” He got in his car, drove back to the store, and returned the paper.
About a week later, someone stole money from the grocery store. When police pinpointed the time it occurred, the grocer remembered only two people being in the store at the time—and one was my father. The grocer immediately dismissed my father as a suspect, saying, “That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake.” The police then focused their investigation on the other man, who soon made a full confession. My father’s honesty made a big impression on that non-Christian storeowner, and on me.
Does your Christian walk square with your Christian talk? Is your honesty above question?”
(March-May 1998, April 15 reading)
If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, your faith will shine through. It will make an impression upon others. They will notice your faith. Some might perceive that you are trustworthy. Others might discern your honesty. A few might recognize your spiritual strength or moral compass. There are many ways that a person’s faith can influence others.
In the scripture reading for today, the Apostle Paul taught Timothy (a new, young pastor) that he should “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul believed that Timothy’s examples of faith would speak volumes to those who needed to know Jesus. It wasn’t just Timothy’s words that mattered. Paul wanted Timothy to understand that examples of faith were just as important (and at times more important!) than the content of his sermons.
While teaching his disciples various aspects of the faith, Jesus made the following analogy using lights: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16, ESV). For Jesus, true faithfulness was meant to shine. It would inevitably affect the world. It was to bring light into darkness and hope into places of hopelessness. Your faith should make that kind of impression upon those around you.
You don’t need to go out of your way to display your faith to others. Don’t feel you have to brag about your faith or shove it down the throats of those nearby. If you have true faith in Jesus, your faith will become evident. People will see your sincerity. They will sense that you can be trusted. Your moral character will come through. Your faith will stand out. Why? Because true faith is all too rare in our world. There are many compromisers. There are so many shallow believers and religious fakes. When real faith comes along, it shines brightly. It makes an obvious difference wherever it is employed.
Adolf Hitler made sure Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was jailed. Bonhoeffer knew of a plot against Hitler’s life and did nothing to stop it. When the plot failed, Bonhoeffer and many others were jailed or executed, whether or not they knew about the plot to kill Hitler. Though Bonhoeffer was a pacifist, he believed Hitler was the embodiment of evil and was causing millions to die each year. Like many in Germany during 1944, Bonhoeffer hoped that ending Hitler’s life might bring an earlier close to the war.
When Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was jailed in 1944, there were many who believed that the pastor would fall apart under the suffering of prison life. When imprisoned, Bonhoeffer was torn away from family and friends, half starved, and treated with disdain by many German elites. Despite all the suffering, Bonhoeffer often prayed and sang with other prisoners, treated his guards with respect, and helped wherever he could. Bonhoeffer’s prison guards were so impressed with his faith and moral values that they smuggled out letters from Bonhoeffer to church friends and leaders. Today, Bonhoeffer’s “Letters from Prison” share not only Bonhoeffer’s thoughts during that terrible time but his love for Jesus and willingness to care for others no matter the circumstances.
Bonhoeffer’s faith shone brightly in that prison long ago and still shines today. His letters continue to be read in seminaries by those who want to know what it is like to be a faithful pastor. Bonhoeffer was executed by Hitler through hanging on April 9, 1945. Hitler had vowed that Bonhoeffer would never be allowed to live after the war.
Jesus’ faithful life is still shared in sermons and churches to this day. Timothy's faith have made a great difference in the churches in Asia Minor for centuries. Bonhoeffer’s faith is remembered among pastors and seminarians. Impressive acts of faith continue to be remembered for many years. A faith that makes an impression endures. Your own examples of faith will live on long after you have breathed your last breath.
How many people have been influenced by your faithful acts? Will the impressions of your faith live on after you are long dead? If your faith is a shining light in this world, it will continue to affect this world for generations after you are gone. That’s Jesus’ hope, anyway!
“As a schoolboy, I worked with my father during the summer months. Each morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of the newspaper at a small grocery store.
One morning when we got to work, my father found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one. He first thought of paying the man the extra price the next morning, but then after a moment’s consideration he said, “I had better go back with this paper. I don’t want the man at the store to think I’m dishonest.” He got in his car, drove back to the store, and returned the paper.
About a week later, someone stole money from the grocery store. When police pinpointed the time it occurred, the grocer remembered only two people being in the store at the time—and one was my father. The grocer immediately dismissed my father as a suspect, saying, “That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake.” The police then focused their investigation on the other man, who soon made a full confession. My father’s honesty made a big impression on that non-Christian storeowner, and on me.
Does your Christian walk square with your Christian talk? Is your honesty above question?”
(March-May 1998, April 15 reading)
If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, your faith will shine through. It will make an impression upon others. They will notice your faith. Some might perceive that you are trustworthy. Others might discern your honesty. A few might recognize your spiritual strength or moral compass. There are many ways that a person’s faith can influence others.
In the scripture reading for today, the Apostle Paul taught Timothy (a new, young pastor) that he should “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul believed that Timothy’s examples of faith would speak volumes to those who needed to know Jesus. It wasn’t just Timothy’s words that mattered. Paul wanted Timothy to understand that examples of faith were just as important (and at times more important!) than the content of his sermons.
While teaching his disciples various aspects of the faith, Jesus made the following analogy using lights: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16, ESV). For Jesus, true faithfulness was meant to shine. It would inevitably affect the world. It was to bring light into darkness and hope into places of hopelessness. Your faith should make that kind of impression upon those around you.
You don’t need to go out of your way to display your faith to others. Don’t feel you have to brag about your faith or shove it down the throats of those nearby. If you have true faith in Jesus, your faith will become evident. People will see your sincerity. They will sense that you can be trusted. Your moral character will come through. Your faith will stand out. Why? Because true faith is all too rare in our world. There are many compromisers. There are so many shallow believers and religious fakes. When real faith comes along, it shines brightly. It makes an obvious difference wherever it is employed.
Adolf Hitler made sure Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was jailed. Bonhoeffer knew of a plot against Hitler’s life and did nothing to stop it. When the plot failed, Bonhoeffer and many others were jailed or executed, whether or not they knew about the plot to kill Hitler. Though Bonhoeffer was a pacifist, he believed Hitler was the embodiment of evil and was causing millions to die each year. Like many in Germany during 1944, Bonhoeffer hoped that ending Hitler’s life might bring an earlier close to the war.
When Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was jailed in 1944, there were many who believed that the pastor would fall apart under the suffering of prison life. When imprisoned, Bonhoeffer was torn away from family and friends, half starved, and treated with disdain by many German elites. Despite all the suffering, Bonhoeffer often prayed and sang with other prisoners, treated his guards with respect, and helped wherever he could. Bonhoeffer’s prison guards were so impressed with his faith and moral values that they smuggled out letters from Bonhoeffer to church friends and leaders. Today, Bonhoeffer’s “Letters from Prison” share not only Bonhoeffer’s thoughts during that terrible time but his love for Jesus and willingness to care for others no matter the circumstances.
Bonhoeffer’s faith shone brightly in that prison long ago and still shines today. His letters continue to be read in seminaries by those who want to know what it is like to be a faithful pastor. Bonhoeffer was executed by Hitler through hanging on April 9, 1945. Hitler had vowed that Bonhoeffer would never be allowed to live after the war.
Jesus’ faithful life is still shared in sermons and churches to this day. Timothy's faith have made a great difference in the churches in Asia Minor for centuries. Bonhoeffer’s faith is remembered among pastors and seminarians. Impressive acts of faith continue to be remembered for many years. A faith that makes an impression endures. Your own examples of faith will live on long after you have breathed your last breath.
How many people have been influenced by your faithful acts? Will the impressions of your faith live on after you are long dead? If your faith is a shining light in this world, it will continue to affect this world for generations after you are gone. That’s Jesus’ hope, anyway!
November 19
“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3–4, NLT)
I met a man who was saved from death by the heroic act of a friend. To this day, that man remembers fondly the day his life was saved. He can recall his desperation while drowning in fast-flowing water. Memories flood his mind, reminding him what it was like to black out from the lack of oxygen. Tears fill his eyes as he speaks of the powerlessness he experienced as the wall of water pinned his body to an underwater embankment. Joy shines on his face as he recalls feeling the hands of his friend pulling him to safety. When you are saved, you always have a special place in your heart for your savior.
Dana Keeton told this story in The Democratic Union of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee:
“The sun had just risen on a hot August day in 1944 in the small village of Plelo, in German-occupied France. The 15-year-old boy did not know why he and the other citizens of Plelo had been lined up before a firing squad in the middle of the town square. Perhaps they were being punished for harboring a unit of Marquisards, the French underground freedom fighters. Perhaps they were merely to satisfy the blood lust of the German commanding officer who, the evening before, had routed the small group of Marquisard scouts. All the boy knew was that he was about to die.
As he stood before the firing squad, he remembered the carefree days of his early childhood, before the war, spent roaming the green of the French countryside. He thought about all he would miss by never growing up. Most of all he was terrified of dying. How will the bullets feel ripping through my body? he wondered. He hoped no one could hear the whimperings coming from deep in his throat every time he exhaled.
Suddenly, the boy heard the sound of exploding mortar shells beyond the limits of his little village. Quickly rolling tanks could also be heard. The Germans were forced to abandon the firing squad and face a small unit of U.S. tanks with twenty GI’s led by Bob Hamsley, a corporal in Patton’s Third Army. A Marquisard captain had asked Hamsley for help. After three hours, fifty Nazis were dead, and the other fifty were taken prisoner.
In 1990 the town of Plelo honored Bob Hamsley on the very spot where dozens of the town’s citizens would have died if not for him. The man who initiated the search for Hamsley and the ceremony honoring him was the former mayor of Plelo, that same 15-year-old boy. He had determined to find the man who saved his life and honor him.
It’s hard to forget your savior.”
(Tim Stafford, Florence, Alabama, quoted in “Leadership”, Winter Quarter 2001, p. 49)
In the scripture for today, Paul mentions how Jesus was sent to redeem you. Jesus wants “everyone to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus knows that God’s truth will set you free. To this end, Jesus put His life on the line; preaching the gospel to those who would harm Him, teaching those who might arrest Him. Though constantly in danger for preaching and teaching the gospel, Jesus dedicated His life to exposing the truth of faith, the lies of Satan, and God’s hope for your eternal life. Ultimately, Jesus’ goal is to save your soul and redeem your life for all eternity. To that end, He defeated evil on the cross and defeated death through resurrection. Jesus is your Savior. How will you respond to His sacrifice on your behalf?
Some may find it easy to overlook what Jesus accomplished. Many ignore His offer of redemption. Too many deny His sacrifice. Some even deny His existence. What will you do because Jesus saved you? Will you forget your savior? Do you have a place in your heart full of love for His saving grace?
Dana Keeton told this story in The Democratic Union of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee:
“The sun had just risen on a hot August day in 1944 in the small village of Plelo, in German-occupied France. The 15-year-old boy did not know why he and the other citizens of Plelo had been lined up before a firing squad in the middle of the town square. Perhaps they were being punished for harboring a unit of Marquisards, the French underground freedom fighters. Perhaps they were merely to satisfy the blood lust of the German commanding officer who, the evening before, had routed the small group of Marquisard scouts. All the boy knew was that he was about to die.
As he stood before the firing squad, he remembered the carefree days of his early childhood, before the war, spent roaming the green of the French countryside. He thought about all he would miss by never growing up. Most of all he was terrified of dying. How will the bullets feel ripping through my body? he wondered. He hoped no one could hear the whimperings coming from deep in his throat every time he exhaled.
Suddenly, the boy heard the sound of exploding mortar shells beyond the limits of his little village. Quickly rolling tanks could also be heard. The Germans were forced to abandon the firing squad and face a small unit of U.S. tanks with twenty GI’s led by Bob Hamsley, a corporal in Patton’s Third Army. A Marquisard captain had asked Hamsley for help. After three hours, fifty Nazis were dead, and the other fifty were taken prisoner.
In 1990 the town of Plelo honored Bob Hamsley on the very spot where dozens of the town’s citizens would have died if not for him. The man who initiated the search for Hamsley and the ceremony honoring him was the former mayor of Plelo, that same 15-year-old boy. He had determined to find the man who saved his life and honor him.
It’s hard to forget your savior.”
(Tim Stafford, Florence, Alabama, quoted in “Leadership”, Winter Quarter 2001, p. 49)
In the scripture for today, Paul mentions how Jesus was sent to redeem you. Jesus wants “everyone to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus knows that God’s truth will set you free. To this end, Jesus put His life on the line; preaching the gospel to those who would harm Him, teaching those who might arrest Him. Though constantly in danger for preaching and teaching the gospel, Jesus dedicated His life to exposing the truth of faith, the lies of Satan, and God’s hope for your eternal life. Ultimately, Jesus’ goal is to save your soul and redeem your life for all eternity. To that end, He defeated evil on the cross and defeated death through resurrection. Jesus is your Savior. How will you respond to His sacrifice on your behalf?
Some may find it easy to overlook what Jesus accomplished. Many ignore His offer of redemption. Too many deny His sacrifice. Some even deny His existence. What will you do because Jesus saved you? Will you forget your savior? Do you have a place in your heart full of love for His saving grace?
November 21
“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.” (Romans 1:20–22, NLT)
“It is gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night, until his death in 1973, he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old man, and he would feed them from his bucket.
Many years before, in October 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. But there was an unexpected detour which would hurl Captain Eddie into the most harrowing adventure of his life. Somewhere over the South Pacific the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean. for nearly a month Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. The largest raft was nine by five. The biggest shark...ten feet long. But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And a miracle occurred. In Captain Eddie’s own words, “Cherry,” that was the B-17 pilot, Captain William Cherry, “read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off.”
Now this is still Captain Rickenbacker talking...”Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don’t know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew too. No one said a word, but peering out from under my hat brim without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it.”
And the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. You know that Captain Eddie made it.
And now you also know...that he never forgot. Because every Friday evening, about sunset...on a lonely stretch along the eastern Florida seacoast...you could see an old man walking...white-haired, bushy-eyebrowed, slightly bent. His bucket filled with shrimp was to feed the gulls...to remember that one which, on a day long past, gave itself without a struggle...like manna in the wilderness.”
(“The Old Man and the Gulls” from Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story by Paul Aurandt, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, pp. 79-80)
Eddie Rickenbacker knew what it was like to be desperate, to be hungry and thirsty, to be in need, to be in doubt, to be lost. When he found himself in an almost hopeless situation, he turned to God. He prayed. He reached out for help and was saved. In response, Rickenbacker was filled with gratitude to God and to the seagulls. He never forgot the gifts he was given when his situation was so desperate. Sadly, many people do not give thanks when God comes through. They do not realize the many ways God has blessed their life and situation. Does it take a desperate life-or-death moment for people to realize how much God is doing and how much God cares? Does it take a near-death experience for a person to be grateful?
Apparently so.
The apostle Paul saw this among people in his day. In the first century AD, Paul wrote that “since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky” (Romans 1:20). They have witnessed God’s wondrous creation. Despite being able to “see clearly God’s power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20), many people have decided not to “worship God or give Him thanks” (Romans 1:21). People just took blessings for granted.
You are of a different caliber of person. You have seen God’s wondrous works. You have felt God’s presence in your life. Hopefully, your heart and soul and mind are filled with thanks for God’s great gifts. Hopefully, your being is full of gratitude for God’s mercy, grace, and love. Your prayers are filled with thanks, aren’t they? Your soul feels gladness at the reminder of Jesus’ love. Does your heart ever bubble-over with affection for the God who saved you?
In the past twenty years or so, I’ve noticed that fewer and fewer people actually give thanks around the time of Thanksgiving. Among some liberals, there is even a hatred for the history of the pilgrims and Indians gathering before their first winter together. The liberals talk about racism and the hatred of indigenous peoples. Their view of the past is jaded and full of resentment. Sadly, like those in the days when Paul wrote Romans, many do not give thanks for God’s provision. They can’t find a reason to be grateful for God’s love. Some schools no longer spend any time during November understanding Thanksgiving traditions. Because of this, some students grow up with no traditions involving giving thanks, let along giving thanks to God.
As I sat in a restaurant booth, a man sat with his teenage son in the booth across the way. I figured it was the young man’s birthday, because there was a small present in the corner of their table. After the meal, the young man opened the present. Inside was an old, worn pocketknife. As the boy looked at the knife, his father said, “This belonged to your grandfather. Before he died, he gave it to me. Now, I want to give it to you. You mean a lot to me, and I want you to have it.” The boy said, “Ok, I guess.” Then, he put the knife in his pocket and looked out the window. There was no “Thank you!” from the boy. There was no real, visible understanding of the importance of the gift that the father was bestowing upon his son. It was such a sad moment for me to witness. Without gratitude in the son’s attitude, the moment was only filled with a sad appreciation for what had just happened.
Over the next few days, find things to be thankful for. Take time to say “Thank you” to others and to God. Others may forget to give thanks. You won’t forget, will you?
Many years before, in October 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. But there was an unexpected detour which would hurl Captain Eddie into the most harrowing adventure of his life. Somewhere over the South Pacific the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean. for nearly a month Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. The largest raft was nine by five. The biggest shark...ten feet long. But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And a miracle occurred. In Captain Eddie’s own words, “Cherry,” that was the B-17 pilot, Captain William Cherry, “read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off.”
Now this is still Captain Rickenbacker talking...”Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don’t know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew too. No one said a word, but peering out from under my hat brim without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it.”
And the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. You know that Captain Eddie made it.
And now you also know...that he never forgot. Because every Friday evening, about sunset...on a lonely stretch along the eastern Florida seacoast...you could see an old man walking...white-haired, bushy-eyebrowed, slightly bent. His bucket filled with shrimp was to feed the gulls...to remember that one which, on a day long past, gave itself without a struggle...like manna in the wilderness.”
(“The Old Man and the Gulls” from Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story by Paul Aurandt, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, pp. 79-80)
Eddie Rickenbacker knew what it was like to be desperate, to be hungry and thirsty, to be in need, to be in doubt, to be lost. When he found himself in an almost hopeless situation, he turned to God. He prayed. He reached out for help and was saved. In response, Rickenbacker was filled with gratitude to God and to the seagulls. He never forgot the gifts he was given when his situation was so desperate. Sadly, many people do not give thanks when God comes through. They do not realize the many ways God has blessed their life and situation. Does it take a desperate life-or-death moment for people to realize how much God is doing and how much God cares? Does it take a near-death experience for a person to be grateful?
Apparently so.
The apostle Paul saw this among people in his day. In the first century AD, Paul wrote that “since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky” (Romans 1:20). They have witnessed God’s wondrous creation. Despite being able to “see clearly God’s power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20), many people have decided not to “worship God or give Him thanks” (Romans 1:21). People just took blessings for granted.
You are of a different caliber of person. You have seen God’s wondrous works. You have felt God’s presence in your life. Hopefully, your heart and soul and mind are filled with thanks for God’s great gifts. Hopefully, your being is full of gratitude for God’s mercy, grace, and love. Your prayers are filled with thanks, aren’t they? Your soul feels gladness at the reminder of Jesus’ love. Does your heart ever bubble-over with affection for the God who saved you?
In the past twenty years or so, I’ve noticed that fewer and fewer people actually give thanks around the time of Thanksgiving. Among some liberals, there is even a hatred for the history of the pilgrims and Indians gathering before their first winter together. The liberals talk about racism and the hatred of indigenous peoples. Their view of the past is jaded and full of resentment. Sadly, like those in the days when Paul wrote Romans, many do not give thanks for God’s provision. They can’t find a reason to be grateful for God’s love. Some schools no longer spend any time during November understanding Thanksgiving traditions. Because of this, some students grow up with no traditions involving giving thanks, let along giving thanks to God.
As I sat in a restaurant booth, a man sat with his teenage son in the booth across the way. I figured it was the young man’s birthday, because there was a small present in the corner of their table. After the meal, the young man opened the present. Inside was an old, worn pocketknife. As the boy looked at the knife, his father said, “This belonged to your grandfather. Before he died, he gave it to me. Now, I want to give it to you. You mean a lot to me, and I want you to have it.” The boy said, “Ok, I guess.” Then, he put the knife in his pocket and looked out the window. There was no “Thank you!” from the boy. There was no real, visible understanding of the importance of the gift that the father was bestowing upon his son. It was such a sad moment for me to witness. Without gratitude in the son’s attitude, the moment was only filled with a sad appreciation for what had just happened.
Over the next few days, find things to be thankful for. Take time to say “Thank you” to others and to God. Others may forget to give thanks. You won’t forget, will you?
October 22
“[Jesus said:] “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.””
(Luke 13:30, NASB95)
(Luke 13:30, NASB95)
When I was in elementary school, we had lots of holidays to celebrate. One tradition for each holiday was a special class party sponsored by parents who would bring in cookies, candies, or cakes for us to share. I still remember the teacher calling us to line up, so that we could get our place in line for the goodies. On several occasions, the class wasn't ready for the teacher to line us up. In one instance when the teacher yelled, "Line up!", we all jumped up and ran to get our spot in the line. Big kids ran into little kids in their rush to get to the front of the line. Smaller children got knocked over, knocked down, or pushed out of the way. Everybody wanted to get first crack at the sweets! The teacher, noting the rough handling and maneuvering, promptly started giving the treats to those in the back of the line! It was certainly smart of her to do so. On that day, the first in line was the last to get the treats. I still remember how unfair it seemed. I was usually near the front of the line (and one of the biggest kids!)! Today, I'm glad I was knocked down a few pegs. Being in such a rush to be first in line no matter who is hurt is no attitude to espouse with Christ as your Lord.
Jesus taught his disciples about the danger of wanting to be "first" in life. In Luke 13, Jesus spoke about the End Times and Judgement Day. He wanted the disciples to know that there would be a judgment of each person by God before entrance into Heaven. Jesus' final words on the subject made clear to the disciples that some who are "first" in life would be "last" to gain entrance into Heaven. Some who are "last" in seeming importance in life would be "first" in line to meet God. In essence, earthly performance often has no bearing on who gets into heaven or who does well in their earthly walk for God. Rich people might look pretty poor in Jesus' presence. Powerful bankers might not have much power if they even reach heaven. The "movers and shakers" of this world who are often in first place, first in line, or first to get headlines may not even be found in the Kingdom of God. This scripture is a warning by Jesus that earthly success has nothing whatsoever to do with Heavenly placement. Luke 13 even makes clear that those who are saved will be "few", not many (Luke 13:23,24).
People can be in such a rush to look good, be first in line, be noticed, or be rewarded that they can mess up in life as well as in Heaven. When you are consumed by your own goals and being number one or looking good, it can bite you. This kind of prideful arrogance can even cause great destruction. "In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late." (Closer Walk, December 1991).
In your life, don't get all caught up in being number one. Walking over others on your way to fame or fortune will not look good come Judgment Day. If you are so determined to succeed that you overlook the cost of that victory to others, you just might find yourself at a loss on the Day of Judgment. Will God be embarrassed at how you walked over others to get to the head of some line? Money, power, wealth, comforts, and many other amenities come to winners in this life. God has different ideas for who are winners! Don't let your greatest success be the source of your greatest shame.
Jesus taught his disciples about the danger of wanting to be "first" in life. In Luke 13, Jesus spoke about the End Times and Judgement Day. He wanted the disciples to know that there would be a judgment of each person by God before entrance into Heaven. Jesus' final words on the subject made clear to the disciples that some who are "first" in life would be "last" to gain entrance into Heaven. Some who are "last" in seeming importance in life would be "first" in line to meet God. In essence, earthly performance often has no bearing on who gets into heaven or who does well in their earthly walk for God. Rich people might look pretty poor in Jesus' presence. Powerful bankers might not have much power if they even reach heaven. The "movers and shakers" of this world who are often in first place, first in line, or first to get headlines may not even be found in the Kingdom of God. This scripture is a warning by Jesus that earthly success has nothing whatsoever to do with Heavenly placement. Luke 13 even makes clear that those who are saved will be "few", not many (Luke 13:23,24).
People can be in such a rush to look good, be first in line, be noticed, or be rewarded that they can mess up in life as well as in Heaven. When you are consumed by your own goals and being number one or looking good, it can bite you. This kind of prideful arrogance can even cause great destruction. "In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late." (Closer Walk, December 1991).
In your life, don't get all caught up in being number one. Walking over others on your way to fame or fortune will not look good come Judgment Day. If you are so determined to succeed that you overlook the cost of that victory to others, you just might find yourself at a loss on the Day of Judgment. Will God be embarrassed at how you walked over others to get to the head of some line? Money, power, wealth, comforts, and many other amenities come to winners in this life. God has different ideas for who are winners! Don't let your greatest success be the source of your greatest shame.
October 23
“Mortal, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; speak, and say, Thus says the Lord God: I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon sprawling in the midst of its channels, saying, “My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.”” (Ezekiel 29:2–3, NRSV)
In the scripture above, the prophet Ezekiel is commanded to prophesy against Pharaoh of Egypt. God was upset at his arrogance and meanness. Pharaoh was commanding his people to believe that he had created the Nile River, "making it for himself" (Ezekiel 29:3). He thought himself such a "god" that he could create things like the Nile at will, causing it to come into existence, causing its channels to sprawl throughout Egypt! In his arrogance, Pharaoh set himself up against God. His actions and words challenged God to compete for who was really creator of the earth and its environs. Pharaoh earned God's wrath, God even calling him a "great dragon".
In literature and folk lore, dragons were known to cause havoc. They were very powerful creatures who commanded respect of both the sky and the earth. With their wings, a dragon could jet down from the sky to cause destruction. With a blast of fire from its mouth, it could damage and kill. God saw Pharaoh as one such beast. With a word, Pharaoh could send his armies to bring destruction to a land. With his command, the fires of war could blast and destroy, damage and kill. In the days of Ezekiel, God was determined to end Pharaoh's destructive reign.
In the book, Well Intentioned Dragons, author Marshall Shelley describes people like Pharaoh who exist in the church. They are strong-willed people who cause destruction in their wake. From their mouths often come words that kill the enthusiasm in a church or destroy the confidence of a leader. They are often in places of power in the church due to their generous giving or their pushy demands. People walk on eggshells around them, fearing their wrath. Shelley dedicated his book to "those who kept their humanity in the face of their beastliness". He wrote the book especially for Pastors, to help them deal with these impossible people, these dragons.
You may have one of these "dragons" in your life. Maybe it’s the co-worker who never fails to find your mistakes and expose them. It might be the boss who is sure she can find fault with your work. You might have an in-law who causes havoc wherever she goes. The dragon might even live with you in the form of a husband or teenager. Whoever this "dragon" is, he or she will cause fires to burn wherever they go. Their mouths cause hurts and pains, their attitudes condemn, their fault-finding is notorious. Like God dealing with "the great dragon" Pharaoh, your wrath might be well-intentioned against that person. However, you are not God. No matter how much you like, you can't destroy them with a word or bring the whirlwind upon them. In fact, to stand against a "dragon" might cause you to lose your job or suffer public humiliation. They are known to destroy even the best.
I have found "dragons" in every church I have served. Living with their barbs, I find them prickly at best. These people are often insecure, despite their blustering. They are often judgmental and vengeful. Try as you might, I find only God can change them. To attempt to stop their foolishness will only earn you "fire" from their mouths. They will curse you and talk about you behind your back. They can play passive aggressive games or openly manipulate people. They are often painfully arrogant, just like Pharaoh in our scripture for today. If I can give you any advice, please never let them control you. Don't bow down to them, but instead follow God's leaning. Pray to God for them ("love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" - Matthew 5:44). Let their words and judgments roll off your back. They are small, pitiful people. God will take care of them in due time.
I once knew a woman who was quite the "dragon". Cross her and she would breathe forth "fire". Her words would cut like a knife. She would use mistakes in your past to drown your voice out in a public debate. If she felt threatened, she would gather up her forces to destroy you. I found that most people never told her the truth. They didn't like her, they put up with her. Even her friends didn't enjoy her company. They kept her close in order to watch for her wrath or keep it at bay. When her husband died, her friends were not warm. They were absent. When she was depressed, she suffered alone. In time, she grew bitter and resentful. When she died, people were thankful to see her gone.
Don't pity any "dragon" in your life. Don't bow to their moods. Let everything they say roll off your shoulders. Don't heed their advice. Definitely treat them wisely, but don't fret for one minute over their destructive attempts. You answer to God. God gives grace where they do not. In the end, realize that their destruction will inevitably come. Not only will this earth be better for their passing, but they will fear to meet God. In this life, God will not protect them. In the next life, God will banish them to hell. Their fate will be awful. Don't share in that fate.
I do not know of any "dragon" that I've ever met who is a true and faithful child of God, no matter what they think. Unless they repent, they will suffer the same fate as Pharaoh in the days of Ezekiel. Don't become a dragon. Deal wisely with any you know. They are liable to burn you. Thank God that you are not to suffer their fate.
In literature and folk lore, dragons were known to cause havoc. They were very powerful creatures who commanded respect of both the sky and the earth. With their wings, a dragon could jet down from the sky to cause destruction. With a blast of fire from its mouth, it could damage and kill. God saw Pharaoh as one such beast. With a word, Pharaoh could send his armies to bring destruction to a land. With his command, the fires of war could blast and destroy, damage and kill. In the days of Ezekiel, God was determined to end Pharaoh's destructive reign.
In the book, Well Intentioned Dragons, author Marshall Shelley describes people like Pharaoh who exist in the church. They are strong-willed people who cause destruction in their wake. From their mouths often come words that kill the enthusiasm in a church or destroy the confidence of a leader. They are often in places of power in the church due to their generous giving or their pushy demands. People walk on eggshells around them, fearing their wrath. Shelley dedicated his book to "those who kept their humanity in the face of their beastliness". He wrote the book especially for Pastors, to help them deal with these impossible people, these dragons.
You may have one of these "dragons" in your life. Maybe it’s the co-worker who never fails to find your mistakes and expose them. It might be the boss who is sure she can find fault with your work. You might have an in-law who causes havoc wherever she goes. The dragon might even live with you in the form of a husband or teenager. Whoever this "dragon" is, he or she will cause fires to burn wherever they go. Their mouths cause hurts and pains, their attitudes condemn, their fault-finding is notorious. Like God dealing with "the great dragon" Pharaoh, your wrath might be well-intentioned against that person. However, you are not God. No matter how much you like, you can't destroy them with a word or bring the whirlwind upon them. In fact, to stand against a "dragon" might cause you to lose your job or suffer public humiliation. They are known to destroy even the best.
I have found "dragons" in every church I have served. Living with their barbs, I find them prickly at best. These people are often insecure, despite their blustering. They are often judgmental and vengeful. Try as you might, I find only God can change them. To attempt to stop their foolishness will only earn you "fire" from their mouths. They will curse you and talk about you behind your back. They can play passive aggressive games or openly manipulate people. They are often painfully arrogant, just like Pharaoh in our scripture for today. If I can give you any advice, please never let them control you. Don't bow down to them, but instead follow God's leaning. Pray to God for them ("love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" - Matthew 5:44). Let their words and judgments roll off your back. They are small, pitiful people. God will take care of them in due time.
I once knew a woman who was quite the "dragon". Cross her and she would breathe forth "fire". Her words would cut like a knife. She would use mistakes in your past to drown your voice out in a public debate. If she felt threatened, she would gather up her forces to destroy you. I found that most people never told her the truth. They didn't like her, they put up with her. Even her friends didn't enjoy her company. They kept her close in order to watch for her wrath or keep it at bay. When her husband died, her friends were not warm. They were absent. When she was depressed, she suffered alone. In time, she grew bitter and resentful. When she died, people were thankful to see her gone.
Don't pity any "dragon" in your life. Don't bow to their moods. Let everything they say roll off your shoulders. Don't heed their advice. Definitely treat them wisely, but don't fret for one minute over their destructive attempts. You answer to God. God gives grace where they do not. In the end, realize that their destruction will inevitably come. Not only will this earth be better for their passing, but they will fear to meet God. In this life, God will not protect them. In the next life, God will banish them to hell. Their fate will be awful. Don't share in that fate.
I do not know of any "dragon" that I've ever met who is a true and faithful child of God, no matter what they think. Unless they repent, they will suffer the same fate as Pharaoh in the days of Ezekiel. Don't become a dragon. Deal wisely with any you know. They are liable to burn you. Thank God that you are not to suffer their fate.
October 24
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:16–17, ESV)
(2 Thessalonians 2:16–17, ESV)
A young woman was hurting. Her heart ached. As she stood there, her best friend came up and threw his arms around her in a great bear hug. The tears let loose only then.
In the next town over, a man was asleep on the couch. It was a long day of work. His body was so worn out, he just fell into a deep sleep with his head in his wife's lap. She smiled down upon him and softly rubbed his cheek.
Far across the ocean, in the same minute, a young lady waited at the train station for her boyfriend. They had been absent for months. Video chats just couldn't replace their empty arms when they missed each other. But this moment was not to be filled with loneliness. As he got off the train, she spied his frame. As he walked to the station, he saw her smile. The embrace was memorable, beautiful. It felt so good to be in each other's arms.
Each of these people above found comfort in the arms or presence of another. They felt cared for, loved, at peace. The hugs brought reassurance and hope, love and warmth. The comfort they felt in each other's presence made life seem that much better. There is something to be said for the comfort of someone you care deeply about. That kind of comfort can't be replaced easily. It is rare and wonderful. It makes life worth living!
In the scripture for today, the Apostle Paul wrote about God's love. He wrote the Thessalonians about the "eternal comfort" God gives along with "good hope through grace" (2 Thessalonians 2:16). He repeated the word "comfort" in both verses, writing about how God will "comfort the hearts" of the faithful, encouraging them toward "good work and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:17). In scripture, we read about the many sides of God. God is Judge and Lord, Redeemer and Savior. God is associated with lightning and thunder, plagues and death. But this scripture reaffirms that God is also intimately associated with comfort, even "eternal comfort". God's arms will one day wrap around you to show that comfort and love.
It's sometimes hard to wrap our minds around the fact that the same God who created the universe also desires to comfort you! The Lord of all the Earth will bring comfort in the midst of your pain and hurting. Like those in my first three paragraphs, God wishes to be the one you run to when lonely and the one you need to hold onto when hurting. Are you going to let him bring comfort to you?
I am sometimes surprised by those who find no comfort in life. Some are never satisfied. Some harbor resentment or regret and do not allow themselves to feel love. Due to past sins, there are many who will not feel real joy or peace or comfort in life. They won't even let God enclose them with eternal arms. They have chosen hurt over comfort, regret and depression over God. Many have not repented. Some have not let go of bitterness. Don't be one of those who can't feel comfort and love, even from God.
Decades ago, I was talking with a young lady on a dark night. It was at a church camp. She expressed to me her agony at being abused. We talked. We prayed. She cried. After many tense moments, she finally let it go. She gave me a genuine hug in the end. After the hug, I knew for certain. She would now let God comfort her. In the next weeks, I saw a real smile appear on her lips and a genuine laugh come to voice. She hugged others, some for the first time ever. Her friends could see she was different. God's grace and comfort found a home in her heart.
You can physically see it when a person is willing to be comforted by another or by God. The ease with which they open their arms, smile, or listen makes all the difference in the world. Are you one with whom others can feel the comfort and love of God? I bet so. I hope so. Our world is desperately in need of you to bring God's comfort and assurance and love. Our world is desperately in need of the faith so rare in your heart. Share that comfort where you can …. in honor of the God who loves you. It makes live worth living.
In the next town over, a man was asleep on the couch. It was a long day of work. His body was so worn out, he just fell into a deep sleep with his head in his wife's lap. She smiled down upon him and softly rubbed his cheek.
Far across the ocean, in the same minute, a young lady waited at the train station for her boyfriend. They had been absent for months. Video chats just couldn't replace their empty arms when they missed each other. But this moment was not to be filled with loneliness. As he got off the train, she spied his frame. As he walked to the station, he saw her smile. The embrace was memorable, beautiful. It felt so good to be in each other's arms.
Each of these people above found comfort in the arms or presence of another. They felt cared for, loved, at peace. The hugs brought reassurance and hope, love and warmth. The comfort they felt in each other's presence made life seem that much better. There is something to be said for the comfort of someone you care deeply about. That kind of comfort can't be replaced easily. It is rare and wonderful. It makes life worth living!
In the scripture for today, the Apostle Paul wrote about God's love. He wrote the Thessalonians about the "eternal comfort" God gives along with "good hope through grace" (2 Thessalonians 2:16). He repeated the word "comfort" in both verses, writing about how God will "comfort the hearts" of the faithful, encouraging them toward "good work and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:17). In scripture, we read about the many sides of God. God is Judge and Lord, Redeemer and Savior. God is associated with lightning and thunder, plagues and death. But this scripture reaffirms that God is also intimately associated with comfort, even "eternal comfort". God's arms will one day wrap around you to show that comfort and love.
It's sometimes hard to wrap our minds around the fact that the same God who created the universe also desires to comfort you! The Lord of all the Earth will bring comfort in the midst of your pain and hurting. Like those in my first three paragraphs, God wishes to be the one you run to when lonely and the one you need to hold onto when hurting. Are you going to let him bring comfort to you?
I am sometimes surprised by those who find no comfort in life. Some are never satisfied. Some harbor resentment or regret and do not allow themselves to feel love. Due to past sins, there are many who will not feel real joy or peace or comfort in life. They won't even let God enclose them with eternal arms. They have chosen hurt over comfort, regret and depression over God. Many have not repented. Some have not let go of bitterness. Don't be one of those who can't feel comfort and love, even from God.
Decades ago, I was talking with a young lady on a dark night. It was at a church camp. She expressed to me her agony at being abused. We talked. We prayed. She cried. After many tense moments, she finally let it go. She gave me a genuine hug in the end. After the hug, I knew for certain. She would now let God comfort her. In the next weeks, I saw a real smile appear on her lips and a genuine laugh come to voice. She hugged others, some for the first time ever. Her friends could see she was different. God's grace and comfort found a home in her heart.
You can physically see it when a person is willing to be comforted by another or by God. The ease with which they open their arms, smile, or listen makes all the difference in the world. Are you one with whom others can feel the comfort and love of God? I bet so. I hope so. Our world is desperately in need of you to bring God's comfort and assurance and love. Our world is desperately in need of the faith so rare in your heart. Share that comfort where you can …. in honor of the God who loves you. It makes live worth living.
October 25
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
(2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)
(2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)
It has become popular in many areas of life to do "makeovers". Interior decorators promote changing the décor in your home to keep with the times. A hair stylist might suggest a change in hair style, tint, or cut. Home remodelers suggest that homeowners update their kitchens and bathrooms before selling a home. That remodel usually will make the home more valuable. Personal trainers often suggest new training regimens in order to keep the workouts fresh and the body growing strong. Makeovers are usually seen as a positive change in one's life or environment. Even painting a room or putting up new drapes can change the feeling of a room during a makeover.
A makeover of the spiritual life isn't quite what the scripture for today is suggesting. A makeover usually involves putting new paint over old, replacing the look of a room or a person, updating a living environment to keep up with new styles. But, you can't just paint over a hurting heart. Changing the look of a Christian on the outside won't affect their relationship with God. Where makeovers all involve a change of appearance, the scripture for today speaks to a change of heart.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul was writing to the controversial Corinthian Church. That church had problems. The people fought and were divisive (1 Corinthians 11:18). They took sides over pastors (1 Corinthians 1:12). They even argued about how to take communion (1 Corinthians 11:20)! Paul was very upset with the church and its leaders. He wrote two long letters (some say three) to the church in order to quell fights in the church and return a Biblical order to their worship and life. Sadly, what Paul found most troubling was that the worshipers in Corinth didn't commit themselves fully to God in Christ Jesus. Instead, they brought Greek customs and beliefs into their church life. Greek religious practices tainted their understanding. These conflicted with faithfulness. You can't worship God as a new Christian by holding on to old past sinful ways! In the scripture above, Paul made clear that by committing to Christ, one's "old life" will die off while the "new life"in Christ grows.
When Peter began attending church with his new girlfriend, he found the people a little standoffish. He sometimes felt like a fifth wheel. The churchgoers knew his girlfriend, but didn't know him. After a while, he began to feel more comfortable with a few of the members. He began to pray with some guys in the Men's Group and study the Bible with an Adult Sunday School group. A few months after Peter began attending church, he ran into an old friend. His friend Josh openly expressed that he missed partying and drinking with Peter after their Saturday baseball games in a local league. Peter tried to invite Josh to join his church Men's Group. Josh responded: "I guess I'm not good enough as I am! You want to make me into a religious nut? What has your girlfriend done to my old friend?!!!" Josh liked the "old Peter", who partied, drank, and caroused. He didn't like the "new Peter" who attended worship, prayed, and was serious about his faith. While Peter could look at this as a terrible loss of an old friend, he should find comfort in one thing. Even his friend could see Peter's lifestyle changes, Peter's newfound faith, Peter's relationship with God.
If you can't see a difference in your life from before you knew God until now, something is terribly wrong. There should be an "old you" and a "new you". Faith in God changes a person. That relationship adds a new depth and dimension to your life. Your new values should be different from your old ones. Your new life should have different emphases. Usually, it will involve new friendships. Some old friends may not feel comfortable with a new faithful you.
Every now and then in your relationship with God, you will need to shed some of the "old you" to become more as God intended. You will have to give up old habits, old fights, old sins, and sometimes old friends who won't accept your faithfulness. You will have to take up new habits like praying and repenting. God will push you to new understandings or into new areas of leadership in a church. God might even push you to a new church home or find you a new job that is better suited to the new you.
Don't fight the changes. You can miss the "old days" or reminisce about the "old you", but the "new you" is probably much better suited to God's plans. Just don't fall back into old sins or old habits that will cause you to lose your passion for Christ. Pretty soon those old ways could bring you back again to a place you don't want to be. Understand?
A makeover of the spiritual life isn't quite what the scripture for today is suggesting. A makeover usually involves putting new paint over old, replacing the look of a room or a person, updating a living environment to keep up with new styles. But, you can't just paint over a hurting heart. Changing the look of a Christian on the outside won't affect their relationship with God. Where makeovers all involve a change of appearance, the scripture for today speaks to a change of heart.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul was writing to the controversial Corinthian Church. That church had problems. The people fought and were divisive (1 Corinthians 11:18). They took sides over pastors (1 Corinthians 1:12). They even argued about how to take communion (1 Corinthians 11:20)! Paul was very upset with the church and its leaders. He wrote two long letters (some say three) to the church in order to quell fights in the church and return a Biblical order to their worship and life. Sadly, what Paul found most troubling was that the worshipers in Corinth didn't commit themselves fully to God in Christ Jesus. Instead, they brought Greek customs and beliefs into their church life. Greek religious practices tainted their understanding. These conflicted with faithfulness. You can't worship God as a new Christian by holding on to old past sinful ways! In the scripture above, Paul made clear that by committing to Christ, one's "old life" will die off while the "new life"in Christ grows.
When Peter began attending church with his new girlfriend, he found the people a little standoffish. He sometimes felt like a fifth wheel. The churchgoers knew his girlfriend, but didn't know him. After a while, he began to feel more comfortable with a few of the members. He began to pray with some guys in the Men's Group and study the Bible with an Adult Sunday School group. A few months after Peter began attending church, he ran into an old friend. His friend Josh openly expressed that he missed partying and drinking with Peter after their Saturday baseball games in a local league. Peter tried to invite Josh to join his church Men's Group. Josh responded: "I guess I'm not good enough as I am! You want to make me into a religious nut? What has your girlfriend done to my old friend?!!!" Josh liked the "old Peter", who partied, drank, and caroused. He didn't like the "new Peter" who attended worship, prayed, and was serious about his faith. While Peter could look at this as a terrible loss of an old friend, he should find comfort in one thing. Even his friend could see Peter's lifestyle changes, Peter's newfound faith, Peter's relationship with God.
If you can't see a difference in your life from before you knew God until now, something is terribly wrong. There should be an "old you" and a "new you". Faith in God changes a person. That relationship adds a new depth and dimension to your life. Your new values should be different from your old ones. Your new life should have different emphases. Usually, it will involve new friendships. Some old friends may not feel comfortable with a new faithful you.
Every now and then in your relationship with God, you will need to shed some of the "old you" to become more as God intended. You will have to give up old habits, old fights, old sins, and sometimes old friends who won't accept your faithfulness. You will have to take up new habits like praying and repenting. God will push you to new understandings or into new areas of leadership in a church. God might even push you to a new church home or find you a new job that is better suited to the new you.
Don't fight the changes. You can miss the "old days" or reminisce about the "old you", but the "new you" is probably much better suited to God's plans. Just don't fall back into old sins or old habits that will cause you to lose your passion for Christ. Pretty soon those old ways could bring you back again to a place you don't want to be. Understand?
October 26
“The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.” (Proverbs 28:22, NIV)
One of America’s most miserly millionaires was John G. Wendel, who died in 1915 at his home in New York City. Seeking to keep their inherited fortune in the family, Wendel and five of his six sisters remained unmarried. He instilled such frugality in his sisters that when the last one died in 1931, it was found that although her estate amounted to more than $100 million, she never had a telephone, electricity, or an automobile. Her only dress was one she had made herself and worn for nearly 25 years. (Today in the Word, December 17, 1992)
I have seen the consequences of miserliness. One miser known to me kept a wad of twenties in his pocket at all times, only to convince his wife she really wasn't hungry and didn't need to eat so much! She weighed 80 lbs when she died, bedridden. Another miser I know denied his employees raises and a health plan all the while convincing himself what a wonderful Christian servant he was. When an employee or family member got very ill, he'd say how sorry he was, but never offered him or her health insurance or a day off. He is hated by everyone in his company and many in his hometown. One other miser, known to many for putting strings on every gift to her church, is so disliked that I'd be surprised if anyone but family desiring inheritance money shows up for her funeral. Money is so corruptible that Jesus warned that those who were rich were unlikely to get to heaven. He compared their chances as equivalent to a camel passing through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24).
In the book of Proverbs in our Old Testament, the wisdom written above continues this warning against the lure of riches, speaking poorly of misers. Proverbs 28:22 taught that the "stingy" (other versions of the Bible say "misers") are eager to "get rich". Their goals in life revolve around money, even choosing money as their "god". This verse makes clear that stingy persons will find only "poverty" in life. The Wendel family mentioned in the opening paragraph lived like paupers in many ways. Though loaded with millions of dollars in wealth, the last surviving sister couldn't bear to buy a new dress in over 25 years. But, there are other kinds of poverty that the stingy will find in life. A common consequence of stinginess is the loss of a deep spiritual life. Burdened by overseeing their financial empire, the wealthy will often have only a shallow (if any) relationship with God. Few and far between are the wealthy whose money has not corrupted them.
I have found that misers are often unloved in life. Oh, there are those who will love their money, but many are not really loved by anyone. They are afraid to marry, for fear they will lose their fortune in a divorce. Their children often wreck their lives. Their families often squabble over any inheritance. It's a sad and lonely life, absent from grace, love, joy, and many other things that the faithful find abundant in life. Ecclesiastes 5:12 adds a further spin on the poverty of the miserly. They will often lack sleep. Worries and fears of losing their wealth robs them of a good night's rest.
As you go through life, be careful how you view money. It exposes your weaknesses. It can easily threaten your relationships, even with God. Longing to win the lottery is a sign of a person who lacks the realization of the corruption money brings. A true Christian never lives for a big payday or a lottery check of millions.
Misers will call this Bible meditation naive and backward. The rich might call scripture's warnings against wealth as unrealistic or pitiful. If you value your spiritual life, watch out for money's allure and wealth's trappings. Better people than you and me have lost all joy in life following that rabbit hole. There's a reason God made wealth something that you leave behind when you die. Still, the effects of your wealth will follow you all the way to Judgment Day.
I have seen the consequences of miserliness. One miser known to me kept a wad of twenties in his pocket at all times, only to convince his wife she really wasn't hungry and didn't need to eat so much! She weighed 80 lbs when she died, bedridden. Another miser I know denied his employees raises and a health plan all the while convincing himself what a wonderful Christian servant he was. When an employee or family member got very ill, he'd say how sorry he was, but never offered him or her health insurance or a day off. He is hated by everyone in his company and many in his hometown. One other miser, known to many for putting strings on every gift to her church, is so disliked that I'd be surprised if anyone but family desiring inheritance money shows up for her funeral. Money is so corruptible that Jesus warned that those who were rich were unlikely to get to heaven. He compared their chances as equivalent to a camel passing through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24).
In the book of Proverbs in our Old Testament, the wisdom written above continues this warning against the lure of riches, speaking poorly of misers. Proverbs 28:22 taught that the "stingy" (other versions of the Bible say "misers") are eager to "get rich". Their goals in life revolve around money, even choosing money as their "god". This verse makes clear that stingy persons will find only "poverty" in life. The Wendel family mentioned in the opening paragraph lived like paupers in many ways. Though loaded with millions of dollars in wealth, the last surviving sister couldn't bear to buy a new dress in over 25 years. But, there are other kinds of poverty that the stingy will find in life. A common consequence of stinginess is the loss of a deep spiritual life. Burdened by overseeing their financial empire, the wealthy will often have only a shallow (if any) relationship with God. Few and far between are the wealthy whose money has not corrupted them.
I have found that misers are often unloved in life. Oh, there are those who will love their money, but many are not really loved by anyone. They are afraid to marry, for fear they will lose their fortune in a divorce. Their children often wreck their lives. Their families often squabble over any inheritance. It's a sad and lonely life, absent from grace, love, joy, and many other things that the faithful find abundant in life. Ecclesiastes 5:12 adds a further spin on the poverty of the miserly. They will often lack sleep. Worries and fears of losing their wealth robs them of a good night's rest.
As you go through life, be careful how you view money. It exposes your weaknesses. It can easily threaten your relationships, even with God. Longing to win the lottery is a sign of a person who lacks the realization of the corruption money brings. A true Christian never lives for a big payday or a lottery check of millions.
Misers will call this Bible meditation naive and backward. The rich might call scripture's warnings against wealth as unrealistic or pitiful. If you value your spiritual life, watch out for money's allure and wealth's trappings. Better people than you and me have lost all joy in life following that rabbit hole. There's a reason God made wealth something that you leave behind when you die. Still, the effects of your wealth will follow you all the way to Judgment Day.
October 27
““This will happen because these evil prophets deceive my people by saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash! Tell these whitewashers that their wall will soon fall down. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down. And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, ‘What happened to your whitewash?’ “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will sweep away your whitewashed wall with a storm of indignation, with a great flood of anger, and with hailstones of fury. I will break down your wall right to its foundation, and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 13:10–14, NLT)
In the weeks preceding fall elections in the United States, there are always political fights pouring forth from those who seek office. One party slams the other. One tries to drag up all sorts of bad things against the other. Then come the many campaign promises. One promises this to one group and promises something opposite to another group. The politicians repeat what they believe the constituents want to hear. Do you think all those campaign promises will be fulfilled faithfully? Too much of politics is for show; they say what you want to hear. They try to woo you with flattering words. They cover up the truth with fine words and phrases and slogans. They make their platforms look pleasing and sensible. Deceptions are aplenty.
In the days of the prophet Ezekiel, the same things were happening. But the political leaders weren't the ones covering up their lies and making them look like the truth. The political powers weren't the ones shouting what everyone wanted to hear to look good. Believe it or not, some of the prophets were the ones making lies look good, covering up the bad, telling people what they wanted to hear. And it made God very angry. The prophet Ezekiel was told by God to condemn the prophets who shouted that God was happy with them "saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all!" (Ezekiel 13:10). God was accusing these false prophets of "whitewashing" their lies. (Ezekiel 13:11)
Whitewash is like diluted white paint. Until recent times, people would paint something with whitewash to make it look good or new or better, even rotting wood! A house could be falling apart, but a person who wanted to deceive buyers might paint it with whitewash to sell it before it was condemned. Some put whitewash on old fences that were falling apart from rain exposure. From a distance, they looked fine, but up close you'd see the rot. Upon closer inspection, any good buyer would see that someone who used whitewash over rotting wood or a poorly built fence to hide the flaws,meant to deceive. What kind of person would use whitewash to cover up mistakes or rot on a building or fence or wall? Someone who is trying to cover up the truth.
That's just what Ezekiel was talking about in our scripture for today. The religious leaders of Ezekiel's time were covering up the truth. They were making things appear better than they were. In fact, some of the religious leaders were telling the king what to do politically, knowing God was against it. They were telling the king what he wanted to hear, just to get ahead. But God was against this. God wanted HIS prophets to tell the truth, not cover up lies. God rejected the falseness and manipulations that went along with the whitewash.
A woman was married to a controlling man. She had to fight for everything she got. One day, she told him she was going window shopping. He said, "Look, but don't buy."
A few hours later she came home with a new dress. "What is this?" her husband fumed. "I thought I told you to look but not buy!"
"Well," she explained, "I saw this lovely dress and thought I'd try it on, and when I did the devil said, 'It sure looks good on you."'
"Right then you should have told him, 'Get thee behind me, Satan,"' her husband exclaimed.
"I did," she answered, "but when he got behind me he said, 'It sure looks good from the back, too."'
(Bernard Brunsting, The Lord's Laughter, The Joyful Noiseletter, March 1992)
The devil will always manipulate you by telling you what you want to hear. He's good at whitewashing the truth.
The boss walks in the door. An employee sees him and says, "Good to see you, George. Nice tie." But in his mind he's thinking, "I hate this guy. He probably spent $100 on that tie and laid off an employee to afford it." It's whitewash, all whitewash.
From marriage to relationships to everyday life, it is so easy to cover up the truth, to whitewash your words. It is so easy to sin, but then tell yourself it wasn't a big sin, or to lie to yourself and think everybody's doing it. God doesn't want you to cover up things, to whitewash the problems in your life, to tell yourself things are better than they are. God wants you to confess your sins, be faithful in your dealings with others, and to be honest to with HIM.
The scripture for today ends with God promising a storm to wash off the whitewash, to expose the truth (Ezekiel 13:13,14). When God exposes the truth and lies in your life, how will you look? Will others see a different "you"? Will others be proud you told the God's-honest truth? Can others trust your words? You also might want to ask yourself, "Is someone whitewashing the truth with me?" This is a wise question for anyone who knows the scripture for today.
In the days of the prophet Ezekiel, the same things were happening. But the political leaders weren't the ones covering up their lies and making them look like the truth. The political powers weren't the ones shouting what everyone wanted to hear to look good. Believe it or not, some of the prophets were the ones making lies look good, covering up the bad, telling people what they wanted to hear. And it made God very angry. The prophet Ezekiel was told by God to condemn the prophets who shouted that God was happy with them "saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all!" (Ezekiel 13:10). God was accusing these false prophets of "whitewashing" their lies. (Ezekiel 13:11)
Whitewash is like diluted white paint. Until recent times, people would paint something with whitewash to make it look good or new or better, even rotting wood! A house could be falling apart, but a person who wanted to deceive buyers might paint it with whitewash to sell it before it was condemned. Some put whitewash on old fences that were falling apart from rain exposure. From a distance, they looked fine, but up close you'd see the rot. Upon closer inspection, any good buyer would see that someone who used whitewash over rotting wood or a poorly built fence to hide the flaws,meant to deceive. What kind of person would use whitewash to cover up mistakes or rot on a building or fence or wall? Someone who is trying to cover up the truth.
That's just what Ezekiel was talking about in our scripture for today. The religious leaders of Ezekiel's time were covering up the truth. They were making things appear better than they were. In fact, some of the religious leaders were telling the king what to do politically, knowing God was against it. They were telling the king what he wanted to hear, just to get ahead. But God was against this. God wanted HIS prophets to tell the truth, not cover up lies. God rejected the falseness and manipulations that went along with the whitewash.
A woman was married to a controlling man. She had to fight for everything she got. One day, she told him she was going window shopping. He said, "Look, but don't buy."
A few hours later she came home with a new dress. "What is this?" her husband fumed. "I thought I told you to look but not buy!"
"Well," she explained, "I saw this lovely dress and thought I'd try it on, and when I did the devil said, 'It sure looks good on you."'
"Right then you should have told him, 'Get thee behind me, Satan,"' her husband exclaimed.
"I did," she answered, "but when he got behind me he said, 'It sure looks good from the back, too."'
(Bernard Brunsting, The Lord's Laughter, The Joyful Noiseletter, March 1992)
The devil will always manipulate you by telling you what you want to hear. He's good at whitewashing the truth.
The boss walks in the door. An employee sees him and says, "Good to see you, George. Nice tie." But in his mind he's thinking, "I hate this guy. He probably spent $100 on that tie and laid off an employee to afford it." It's whitewash, all whitewash.
From marriage to relationships to everyday life, it is so easy to cover up the truth, to whitewash your words. It is so easy to sin, but then tell yourself it wasn't a big sin, or to lie to yourself and think everybody's doing it. God doesn't want you to cover up things, to whitewash the problems in your life, to tell yourself things are better than they are. God wants you to confess your sins, be faithful in your dealings with others, and to be honest to with HIM.
The scripture for today ends with God promising a storm to wash off the whitewash, to expose the truth (Ezekiel 13:13,14). When God exposes the truth and lies in your life, how will you look? Will others see a different "you"? Will others be proud you told the God's-honest truth? Can others trust your words? You also might want to ask yourself, "Is someone whitewashing the truth with me?" This is a wise question for anyone who knows the scripture for today.
October 28
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, ESV)
A family had become fed up with the noise and traffic of the city and decided to move to the country and try life in the wide open spaces. Intending to raise cattle, they bought a western ranch. Some friends came to visit a month later and asked them what they had named the ranch. The father said, "Well, I wanted to call it the Flying-W and my wife wanted to call it the Suzy-Q. But one of our sons liked the Bar-J and the other preferred the Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it the Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-Y Ranch." Their friend asked, "Well, where are your cattle?" The man replied, "We don't have any. None of them survived the branding." (John C. Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You, p.33 Thomas Nelson Publ. Nashville 1993)
While humorous, the story about the family above reminds us of the danger of trying to please everyone. If you are so caught up in pleasing someone, you will often make the mistakes of throwing caution, reason, or faith aside in order to look good to another person. You will jump through hoops in order to bring joy to another. You might even find yourself neglecting what you should do or what God wants in order to get another person to like you.
Dorothy was not very popular in High School. She was intelligent and witty, but lacked an appeal to the boys. After being teased by some of her friends, she decided to show them. A month later, she spent days flirting with a boy in order to seduce him at a school party. The boy was well liked and popular. She was thrilled. Within just a few dates, they had sex. Her friends were amazed that she "landed such a catch". To keep her boyfriend happy and continue her streak to popularity among her friends, she continued to have sex with her boyfriend. Six months later, she was pregnant and then had an abortion. Seven months later, her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. It was only then that Dorothy realized that she was got into the relationship because of the hassle of her friends. She had sex because that's what she thought would keep her boyfriend happy. She had the abortion to hide everything from her parents and keep them happy. Throughout the entire time, she wasn't even happy! She was doing everything to look good, be popular, be a good girl…. but she regretted it the whole while. To this day, she feels horrible that a child had to suffer and die just so she could learn her lesson.
In the scripture above from Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote about the danger of seeking the "approval of man" (Galatians 1:10). For Paul, "pleasing man" was antithetical to pleasing God. You can't please everyone all the time. You have to choose whom to please. If you are seeking the approval of a person, you can't be spending your time seeking God's approval. It’s a matter a priorities. This is made clear when Paul wrote toward the end of the verse that in "trying to please man, you CAN'T be a servant of Christ". Have you figured this out yet?
I am often surprised by those who try to please others in life. They think it will make them look good, when it often makes them look the opposite to God. Being subject to the "approval" of others makes you subject to them and their moods. Their happiness becomes your delight. Their disappointment becomes your shame. You will suffer at the whim of another. In the end, isn't it all about whom is manipulating whom? Reread this last sentence again!
Don't get caught up in the merry-go-round of people-pleasing. It won't go well. Christ doesn't look kindly upon it either. In the end, you become a stooge, and Christ is made to "play second fiddle" while you learn your lesson. Both you and your Lord deserve better.
While humorous, the story about the family above reminds us of the danger of trying to please everyone. If you are so caught up in pleasing someone, you will often make the mistakes of throwing caution, reason, or faith aside in order to look good to another person. You will jump through hoops in order to bring joy to another. You might even find yourself neglecting what you should do or what God wants in order to get another person to like you.
Dorothy was not very popular in High School. She was intelligent and witty, but lacked an appeal to the boys. After being teased by some of her friends, she decided to show them. A month later, she spent days flirting with a boy in order to seduce him at a school party. The boy was well liked and popular. She was thrilled. Within just a few dates, they had sex. Her friends were amazed that she "landed such a catch". To keep her boyfriend happy and continue her streak to popularity among her friends, she continued to have sex with her boyfriend. Six months later, she was pregnant and then had an abortion. Seven months later, her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. It was only then that Dorothy realized that she was got into the relationship because of the hassle of her friends. She had sex because that's what she thought would keep her boyfriend happy. She had the abortion to hide everything from her parents and keep them happy. Throughout the entire time, she wasn't even happy! She was doing everything to look good, be popular, be a good girl…. but she regretted it the whole while. To this day, she feels horrible that a child had to suffer and die just so she could learn her lesson.
In the scripture above from Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote about the danger of seeking the "approval of man" (Galatians 1:10). For Paul, "pleasing man" was antithetical to pleasing God. You can't please everyone all the time. You have to choose whom to please. If you are seeking the approval of a person, you can't be spending your time seeking God's approval. It’s a matter a priorities. This is made clear when Paul wrote toward the end of the verse that in "trying to please man, you CAN'T be a servant of Christ". Have you figured this out yet?
I am often surprised by those who try to please others in life. They think it will make them look good, when it often makes them look the opposite to God. Being subject to the "approval" of others makes you subject to them and their moods. Their happiness becomes your delight. Their disappointment becomes your shame. You will suffer at the whim of another. In the end, isn't it all about whom is manipulating whom? Reread this last sentence again!
Don't get caught up in the merry-go-round of people-pleasing. It won't go well. Christ doesn't look kindly upon it either. In the end, you become a stooge, and Christ is made to "play second fiddle" while you learn your lesson. Both you and your Lord deserve better.
October 29
“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.” (Proverbs 31:10–11, NKJV)
I have always been a strong advocate for equal rights for all people. I feel that equal work deserves equal pay, no matter who does the work. However, in the last decade or two, I've seen equality slip, not because a lot of people don't believe in equal rights and equal pay. It's slipped because people who don't deserve equal pay demand it. Instead of equal rights, we've ended up with "anti-oriented" groups and "pro-me" groups. Feminists of today often advocate for women's rights instead of human rights. I've seen and heard women advocate that men are the problem of everything bad in the world. Our world is filled with a "victimization attitude", where everyone else is at fault for me not getting what I think I deserve. We've moved away from a selfless love and concern for others to a demand to be heard. We've moved away from unselfish servant-hood to the mantra that people have a right to do what "they want" and to "live their life however they please". Of all the groups of people on this earth, modern worldly attitudes and beliefs have affected women more negatively than any other group.
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
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!