Monday Message From God's Word

Pray Continually

The Apostle Paul gives us a simple instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-"Pray without ceasing." or to put it another way, "Pray Continually" Job made it a practice to get up early and to sanctify his sons every morning. His mind was not occupied with a business deal or controlled by the monetary system. Instead, Job did what we must do. That is, when we arise each morning, we are to praise and worship Jesus Christ, and take in Bible doctrine. Oh, for the discipline of patience. Job said, "I do not know that my children have sinned, but maybe they have. Just in case, I am going to intercede for them early in the morning." So, he interceded for his seven sons and three daughters. He knew what was best in bringing up his children. He knew that in Mark 9:42, "Whosoever offends one of these little ones," offended the Lord. He knew, "the way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble (Proverbs 4:19). He said to God, "Maybe they will stumble today... if we do not help." He did not allow his life to be a stumbling block to his children. It is easy to wait until we have a need to pray, but we need to learn to have dedication to praying even before we see a need. It should be a part of our life.

Teaching Our Children

As concerned and loving parents, we prepare our children for the cruelty of the outside world. For once our little ones step outside the comfort and safety of the home, it is a scary reality that they may come face to face with drugs, alcohol, sexual situations and violence. We teach them how to recognize dangerous situations, offer strategies in case such a situation may occur, and provide wise council. Even our schools and communities try to lend a hand by sponsoring various programs and classes. While our youth are certainly in need of such worldly wisdom, God's word (the Bible) states that spiritual wisdom is much more important. "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." (Proverbs 4:13) You see, without God, we do not have life. Sure, we may go about our daily lives, but spiritually we are dead without Him. Just as we lovingly desire what is best for our children--health, safety, happiness--we must not forget to guide and nurture them in the way of the Lord. And as we would teach our children to say no to things like alcohol and drugs, we must use the wisdom God has provided so that our kids may be able to recognize evil, and not give in to temptation. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

God's Word for Today

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12)

A Funny Message for Gossips

The Ripple Effect

As a boy, I can recall a few occasions where I came upon a perfectly still pond or lake. In a scrambling moment, I had to find a rock or something to skip or toss into the middle of the water. It was almost a compulsion. Splash! And suddenly the perfection of the reflection would be shattered as the stone penetrated the image. Ripples would course outward in an ever-growing set of concentric circles from the point of impact. These ripples would warp the remaining image as they passed through it. It would take minutes or an hour for the surface to return to the original quiet state. Likewise, a word spoken in anger or ignorance of the situation, or without grace and mercy, can be a spiritual knife that causes grievous wounds. James 3:4-6 says, "Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell." (NAS). When this happens, ripples appear on the surface again, either for good or for ill. A life touched in either direction will ripple outward to the people they know. "Do you know what a wonderful thing that church did for us?" Or, "Did you hear what awful thing happened to?" Call it gossip, call it whatever you like. But the word will get around in either case. How many lives are affected there? Far more than one life is affected, and the ripples go out from there to others. The Bible says in Psalm 126:2-“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." (NAS) and the Bible also says in Proverbs 15:4-“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.” (NAS) A tongue filled with laughter and praise is a reflection of a heart filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord. What a joy it is just to be with someone whose heart is full. A soothing tongue, a tongue that can say "I accept you where you are," or "I appreciate your questions" without offense or bitterness, is a secure place someone can go for help without fear of judgment, condemnation or censure. The ripples that flow from this place reach far, and heal families and towns. And once those people learn to live in that security, the ripples of the love of Jesus start all over again

Nothing But Jesus

”You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” Exodus 20:4 NIV

This is the second of the Ten Commandments and shows that we are to worship only God. God forbids us to worship or use created things or even creation itself as an approach to him. The only correct image of God to worship is his son, Jesus Christ. Not trees or flowers or land. Not statues or monuments or traditions. Only Jesus. We should have no God-substitutes. When we look to anyone or anything other than Christ as our primary source of meaning, self-worth, comfort or fulfillment, we are in danger of having an idol in our lives. An idol is anything that we depend on for solutions that only God can provide. Three common types of idols are substances, behaviors and relationships that control our lives. Consider this…God doesn’t want us to serve idols because he loves us and knows what is best for us. Let us come before him daily, seeking his will and his plan for our lives. Let us worship Jesus.