If you think about it, many of your own family customs, practices, rituals and traditions have been passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth only. Treasured old recipes are learned not written down, precious oral histories are handed down from oldest to youngest, as children are taught by their elders the family stories of old. And just like that, the Apostle Paul was encouraging the people here to hold fast to the Gospel Message he had preached to them…to remember what he had instructed them, so that they could continue to stand firm in the faith without faltering.
Month: July 2021
Psalm 41:1 ” Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble.”
What is the way we should follow in regards to the weak among us? Psalm 68:5 tell us that “God is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows.” This is repeated in Psalm 146:9 when we read, “The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.” The way of the wicked is that of greed, exploitation, and oppression towards those who are marginalized and forgotten by society. But God wants us uphold and give voice to the widow, orphan and poor among us. Let us then be constantly reminded…”Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me.” (Psalm 25:4-5)
Isaiah 44:9 ” All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant to their own shame.”
It starts when we are very young. We see something that someone else has…and we want it. And if it’s between two toddlers, there’s usually a fight over who gets the lollipop, popsicle or toy. But as we get older and see something we just can’t live without, we’ll do whatever it takes to obtain it. But instead of cutting, casting, carving, or creating our idol, we’ll go deeply into debt, max out every credit card, lie, cheat, steal…anything to fill that selfish desire, envy, and greed for that “coveted thing”. While all along we’re not even recognizing how far we’ve wandered or how off-track our moral compass has become.
Philippians 1:3-5 ” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.”
The Church is a Community for the world to see. A fellowship of diverse people from different experiences, customs, languages, and ethnic backgrounds. But we have one thing in common and that’s Jesus Christ and the Gospel Message. And because we have that connection, our relationships and alliances are based on the love of Christ, one for another, as we partnership in the Gospel together. And be sure of one thing… the world will take notice of this uncommon Community of oneness.
John 3:21 ” But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
Your actions and conduct as a Believer speaks volumes to the world around you…and sometimes you don’t even have to say a word. For when you take God’s Truth and implement it as a way of life, the Gospel Message becomes the essence of who you are…and you can’t help but manifest openly God’s absolute and transcendent Truth to others. One of my favorite quotes that illustrate this is from Charles Spurgeon, “If a crooked stick is before you, you need not explain how crooked it is. Lay a straight one down by the side of it, and the work is well done. Preach the truth, and error will stand abashed in its presence.”
Proverbs 14:15 ” A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.”
The old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, could be the, basis of this Proverb today. The FTC reported that last year there was 2.1 million fraudulent reports of scammers, swindling the USA public out of some 19.7 Billion dollars. When someone calls you out of the blue promising something or asking for personal information it should be a giant red flag. That’s when this verse says we need to stop…give thought to the validity of the call…and ask the Lord for discernment between good and evil. And then hang up!
Acts 5:18-20 ” They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ‘ Go, stand in the Temple Courts,’ he said, ‘and tell the people the full Message of this new life.’ “
The angel could of told them to flee and hide out…but instead he instructed them to go back to the Temple Courts. To be conspicuous…attracting attention and being very obvious to the same people who had seen them arrested the day before. The angel’s message was clear and concise…”Go preach the Gospel Message of eternal life through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And for many of the same people who had saw them arrested the day before, they might had thought, “The authorities must have released them without cause and given their blessing for them to be back here…let’s listen to them!”
I Thessalonians 4:1 ” Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.”
Living to please God is a intentional and deliberate way of conducting our life. It’s made up of continuous daily choices…whether we do things that are within the Will of God or not…whether we make choices that He would recognize as well-pleasing…or not. And as children of light, Ephesians 5:10 tells us to find out what pleases the Lord…and we need to then make it our goal to please Him. (II Corinthians 5:9) It tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6)… this faith only coming from putting your trust in Jesus Christ and the Gospel Message.
Obadiah 11 ” On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.”
Even though there was no love lost between the Edomites and the Israelites, they were still in the Community of Believers together, not separate…and should have been looking out for each other. But instead, the Edomites gloated when the Babylonians captured the city of Jerusalem. The prophecy of God’s vengeance against Edom for their total lack of compassion towards their brothers can be found in Ezekiel 25:12-14. And you can almost hear God’s contempt for their despicable actions in Job 6:27, “You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.” When our brother or sister in the Lord is going through a rough time, we need to be right beside them encouraging…not standing afar with a smile of malicious delight on our face.
Luke 12:51 “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
Jesus made it very clear…He did not come spreading a feel-good, wishy-washy Gospel. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) So when we choose to follow Him, there may be rejection…even from our immediate family. And that’s when we must decide where our priories and dedication lies. For, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37) Now, Jesus is not asking you to abandon your family…only that we can’t place them ahead of our service for Christ.
Safetypinlove 