The Golden Rule
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Posted:Mar 12, 2014 5:53 am
Last Updated:Mar 12, 2014 6:15 pm 8268 Views
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Read: Matthew 7.7-12
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them. Matthew 7.12
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 17-19; Mark 13:1-20
The concept of The Golden Rule treat others as you would like to be treated appears in many religions. So what makes Jesus version of the saying so exceptional?
Its uniqueness lies in a single word, therefore, that signals the generosity of our heavenly Father. Here is what Jesus said: If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your , how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them (Matt. 7.11-12 italics added).
All of us fall short of what we know to be true: We do not love others the way God loves us. Jesus lived out that admirable ethic with perfect love by living and dying for all our sins.
We have a loving, giving Father who set aside His own self-interest to reveal the full measure of His love through His Jesus. God's generosity is the dynamic by which we treat others as we would like to be treated. We love and give to others because He first loved us
(1 John .:19).
patience and mercy and love. Please show
Your perfect love through me in some small
Our heavenly Father asks us to live up to His commands, but He also gives us His power and love to carry it out. We need only to ask Him for it.
Heavenly Father, I know that I lack Your
way today. In Your Jesus name I pray.
We have committed The Golden Rule to memory; now let us commit it to life.
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The Silent Pen
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Posted:Mar 11, 2014 8:09 am
Last Updated:Mar 11, 2014 8:10 am 9368 Views
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Read: James 3:1-12
The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. —James 3:18
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 14-16; Mark 12:28-44
Former US President Harry Truman had a rule: Any letters written in anger had to sit on his desk for 24 hours before they could be mailed. If at the end of that “cooling off” period, he still felt the same sentiments, he would send the letter. By the end of his life, Truman’s unmailed letters filled a large desk drawer.
How often in this age of immediate communication would even 24 minutes of wise restraint spare us embarrassment! In his epistle, James addressed a universal theme in human history when he wrote about the damage an uncontrolled tongue can bring. “No man can tame the tongue,” he wrote. “It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (3.8.
When we’re gossiping or speaking in anger, we find ourselves outside the lines of what God desires. Our tongues, our pens, and even our keyboards should more often fall silent with thanks in our hearts for the restraint God provides. All too often, when we speak we remind everyone of our brokenness as human beings.
When we want to surprise others with the difference Christ makes, we may need to look no further than restraining our tongue. Others can’t help but notice when we honor God with what we say—or don’t say.
Help me, Lord, to use my words not to
tear down others or build up my own reputation,
but to seek the good of others first, and in so doing
to serve You and Your kingdom.
Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. —Proverbs 21:23
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Make It Personal
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Posted:Mar 10, 2014 4:07 am
Last Updated:Mar 13, 2014 4:09 pm 9633 Views
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Read: 2 Chronicles 24:1-2,15-22
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12:1-27
During my days as a teacher and coach at a Christian high school, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with teenagers, trying to guide them to a purposeful, Christlike life characterized by love for God and love for others. My goal was to prepare them to live for God throughout life. That would happen only as they made their faith a vital part of life through the help of the Holy Spirit. Those who didn't follow Christ floundered after they left the influence of Christian teachers and parents.
This is demonstrated in the story of King Joash of Judah and his uncle Jehoiada. Jehoiada, a wise counselor, influenced Joash to live a God-honoring life (2 Chron. 24.11,14.
The problem was that Joash did not embrace an honorable life as his own. After Jehoiada died, King Joash left the house of the LORD v.18 and began to worship in a pagan way. He turned and became so evil that he had Jehoiadas murdered (vv.20.22).
Having someone in our lives to guide us toward faith and Christlikeness can be good and helpful. Even better is getting to know the Lord ourselves and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide (Gal. 5:16). That is making our faith personal.
Lord, thank You for the people in my life who
influence me toward following You. Help
me not to depend on them primarily but to
depend on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.
The faith of others encourages; a faith of our own transforms.
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Not Lost In Translation
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Posted:Mar 7, 2014 4:02 am
Last Updated:Mar 10, 2014 4:14 am 13756 Views
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Read: Romans 8:19-27
[The Spirit] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:27
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 3-4; Mark 10:32-52
Over the years, Ive had the opportunity to teach the Bible to many people around the world. Because I can speak only English, I often work with interpreters who can take the words of my heart and translate them into the language of the people. Effective communication is directly dependent upon the skill of these translators. Whether it is Inawaty in Indonesia, Annie in Malaysia, or Jean in Brazil, they ensure that the meaning of my words is clearly expressed.
This work of translation resembles one facet of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of God's people. In our times of prayer, we don't always know how we should pray (Rom. 8:26), and verse 27 encourages us, saying, Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. When we go to our heavenly Father in prayer, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid by translating our prayers according to God's good purposes for our lives.
What a provision! Not only does God desire for us to share our hearts with Him, He even provides us with the greatest interpreter to help us as we pray. We can be sure that our prayers will never get lost in translation.
Thank You, Father, for the provision of Your Spirit.
Im grateful that when I pray I can rest in Your help
to make my prayers what they need to be. Teach me
to lean on His perfect understanding of Your desires.
The participation of the Spirit assures that my prayers line up with God's purposes.
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Boo!
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Posted:Mar 6, 2014 5:14 am
Last Updated:Mar 6, 2014 5:15 am 13728 Views
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Read: Isaiah 30:1-5,18-19
[God] will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Isaiah 30.19
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 10:1-31
One of the early games that many parents play with their involves a fake scare. Dad hides his face behind his hands and suddenly reveals himself while saying, Boo! The giggles at this silliness.
Being frightened is a fun game until the day when the experiences a real scare. Then its no laughing matter. The first real scare often involves separation from a parent. The wanders away innocently, moving from one attraction to another. But as soon as she realizes she is lost, she panics and lets out a loud cry of alarm. The parent immediately comes running to reassure the that she is not alone.
As we get older, our fake scares become sophisticated scary books, movies, amusement park rides. Being scared is so invigorating that we may begin taking bigger risks for bigger thrills.
But when a real scare comes, we may realize that we, like the ancient Israelites (Isa. 30), have wandered from the One who loves and cares for us. Recognizing that we are in danger, we panic. Our call for help does not require sophisticated words or a well-reasoned defense, just a desperate cry.
Like a loving parent, God responds quickly for He longs to have us live in the protection of His love where we need never be afraid.
Trusting God's faithfulness helps dispel our fearfulness.
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Me And Dad
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Posted:Mar 5, 2014 9:23 am
Last Updated:Mar 5, 2014 9:25 am 13893 Views
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Read: Matthew 9:35,10:1
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Genesis 2:15
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 34-36; Mark 9:30-50
A friend once spent a day installing large stone steps in his backyard. When his 5-year-old begged to help, he suggested she just sing to encourage him in his work. She said no. She wanted to help. Carefully, when it would not endanger her, he let her place her hands on the rocks as he moved them.
He could have built the steps in less time without her. At the end of the day, though, he not only had new steps but also a bursting with pride. Me and Dad made steps, she announced at dinner that night.
From the beginning, God has relied on people to advance His work. After equipping Adam to cultivate the land and supervise the animals, God left the work of the garden in his hands (Gen. 2:15-20).
The pattern has continued. When God wanted a dwelling place on earth, a tabernacle and temple did not descend from the sky; thousands of artists and craftsmen worked to fashion them
(Ex. 35.38; 1 Kings 6). When Jesus proclaimed the new reign of God's kingdom on earth, He invited human beings to help. He told His disciples, Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matt. 9.38.
As a father does with his , so does God welcome us as His kingdom partners.
Heavenly Father, thank You that in Your love
and wisdom, You invite us to accomplish Your acts
of love, service, and kindness here on earth.
Thank You for the privilege of helping You.
God uses humble servants to accomplish His great work.
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No More Prejudice
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Posted:Mar 4, 2014 4:25 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2014 4:27 am 13984 Views
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Read: James 2:1-10
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. James 2:1
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 31-33; Mark 9.1-29
A 2010 survey by Newsweek contained some startling statistics:
57 percent of hiring managers believe an unattractive (but qualified) job candidate would have a harder time getting hired; 84 percent of managers said their bosses would hesitate before hiring a qualified older candidate; 64 percent of hiring managers said they believe companies should be allowed to hire people based on appearance. All are clear examples of unacceptable prejudice.
Prejudice is not new. It had crept into the early church, and James confronted it head-on. With prophetic grit and a pastorÂÂs heart, he wrote: My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality (James 2:1). James gave an example of this type of prejudice favoring the rich and ignoring the poor (vv.2-4). This was inconsistent with holding faith in Jesus without partiality (v.1), betrayed the grace of God (vv.5-7, violated the law of love (v.8, and was sinful (v.). The answer to partiality is following the example of Jesus: loving your neighbor as yourself.
We fight the sin of prejudice when we let God's love for us find full expression in the way we love and treat each other.
Thinking It Over
Who helped you determine what is the right way to
treat people? Was it based on external things?
What are some ways you can love people as Jesus did?
Looking up to Jesus prevents us from looking down on others.
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No More Prejudice
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Posted:Mar 4, 2014 4:24 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2024 2:47 am 14025 Views
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Read: James 2:1-10
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. âÂÂJames 2:1
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 31-33; Mark 9.1-29
A 2010 survey by Newsweek contained some startling statistics:
57 percent of hiring managers believe an unattractive (but qualified) job candidate would have a harder time getting hired; 84 percent of managers said their bosses would hesitate before hiring a qualified older candidate; 64 percent of hiring managers said they believe companies should be allowed to hire people based on appearance. All are clear examples of unacceptable prejudice.
Prejudice is not new. It had crept into the early church, and James confronted it head-on. With prophetic grit and a pastorÂÂs heart, he wrote: ÂÂMy brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality (James 2:1). James gave an example of this type of prejudiceâÂÂfavoring the rich and ignoring the poor (vv.2-4). This was inconsistent with holding faith in Jesus without partiality (v.1), betrayed the grace of God (vv.5-7, violated the law of love (v.8, and was sinful (v.). The answer to partiality is following the example of Jesus: loving your neighbor as yourself.
We fight the sin of prejudice when we let GodâÂÂs love for us find full expression in the way we love and treat each other.
Thinking It Over
Who helped you determine what is the right way to
treat people? Was it based on external things?
What are some ways you can love people as Jesus did?
Looking up to Jesus prevents us from looking down on others.
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Instant Gratification
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Posted:Mar 3, 2014 5:04 am
Last Updated:Mar 3, 2014 5:06 am 13871 Views
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Read: Psalm 27:4-14
Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Psalm 27:14
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 28-30; Mark 8:22-38
When the Polaroid SX-70 camera was introduced in 1972, it revolutionized photography. An article by Owen Edward in Smithsonian magazine described the camera as âa miracle of physics, optics and electronics.â When a photo was snapped, blank square would emerge from the front of the camera and develop before our eyes. People were sold on speedy, immediate results.
Oswald Chambers saw a strong connection between our desire for the immediate and lust: âLust simply means, I must have this at once; it may be a bodily appetite or a spiritual possession. . . . I cannot wait for Godâs time, God is too indifferent; that is the way lust works.
In Psalm 27, David wrote of his waiting on God during a time of great trouble when there was no solution in sight. Instead of giving in to despair, he maintained his confidence that he would âsee the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (v.13).
We live in a world that worships the immediate. When it seems there is no sign of our deepest longings being fulfilled, the psalmist urges us to cling to the eternal God. âWait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! (v.14).
Help me, O Lord, to be content! My lips to seal,
To every vain desire, each whim instead to kneel,
Acknowledging Thee, Lord and King, and in that place
To kneel, to pray, to wait until I see Thy face!
The answer to our craving for the immediate is to focus on the eternal.
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Instand Gratification
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Posted:Mar 3, 2014 5:02 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2024 2:47 am 13761 Views
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Read: Psalm 27:4-14
Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. âPsalm 27:14
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 28-30; Mark 8:22-38
When the Polaroid SX-70 camera was introduced in 1972, it revolutionized photography. An article by Owen Edward in Smithsonian magazine described the camera as âa miracle of physics, optics and electronics.â When a photo was snapped, âa blank square would emerge from the front of the camera and develop before our eyes.â People were sold on speedy, immediate results.
Oswald Chambers saw a strong connection between our desire for the immediate and lust: âLust simply means, âI must have this at onceâ; it may be a bodily appetite or a spiritual possession. . . . I cannot wait for Godâs time, God is too indifferent; that is the way lust works.â
In Psalm 27, David wrote of his waiting on God during a time of great trouble when there was no solution in sight. Instead of giving in to despair, he maintained his confidence that he would âsee the goodness of the Lord in the land of the livingâ (v.13).
We live in a world that worships the immediate. When it seems there is no sign of our deepest longings being fulfilled, the psalmist urges us to cling to the eternal God. âWait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!â (v.14).
Help me, O Lord, to be content! My lips to seal,
To every vain desire, each whimâinstead to kneel,
Acknowledging Thee, Lord and King, and in that place
To kneel, to pray, to wait until I see Thy face!
The answer to our craving for the immediate is to focus on the eternal.
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