February, 2008 Devotions
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Leviticus 25:23-34
The Old Testament Right of Redemption
KEY VERSE: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me,” Leviticus 25:23.
God always intended that the Promised Land would be a place of equal opportunity for all of His people-bond or free, rich or poor. The Creator had the right to remind them that they were strangers and sojourners on His land.
What if the land laws in America were like the land laws of the Old Testament concerning the jubilee year? Then every fifty years the old home place could be offered for sale back to its original owners at a fair price.
Recently, through an internet search and family history, my family learned more about our original family home place, a plantation, built by my great-great-great-grandfather in Newnan, Georgia. His son, a Methodist minister, started a church in the area and “after the emancipation he assisted the freedmen in construction of one of the most important vestiges of freedom, their own church.”1 Powell Chapel Church built circa 1879 also served as a school building for the African-American farmers and their children.
Although it may be impossible to go back and buy the home place, do not be discouraged, terra firma is not our final home-not even close. God made Heaven a place for all His children to dwell-a place that will truly be home sweet home.
REFLECTION: Did you know that the Liberty Bell has these words inscribed on it, “the land is mine, “ quoted from this Scripture? How we have forgotten.
Beverly Barnett
1 Reflection: A Program of the Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Volume III, No.3 June 2003.
Psalm 49:1-15
We Are Redeemed from the Power of Death
KEY VERSE: “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me,” Psalm 49:15.
When God does something He does it one hundred percent. We have read in this week’s devotionals that a believer is fully redeemed! From our spiritual body to our heavenly home, we are eternally redeemed. And even though sin has cursed this physical body resulting in death -- death, has no grasp on the believer. Praise be to God!
Paul knew this, and perhaps he was smiling as he recorded these words in 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Why has death lost its power over the believer? The answer is Jesus.
Jesus took the sting of death for every believer. He tasted (to feel, experience) it for every believer. Death is but a changing room for a believer.
David had no fear of death, and, in this Scripture reading, he warned the people not to trust in their riches. One cannot be bought out of hell neither can riches shorten the stay. Wealth only goes as far as the grave.
It is what a believer does on the earth to honor and glorify God and promotion of the kingdom’s work that precedes him to Heaven. Rewards are waiting, deposited in a heavenly bank and will be redeemed in the form of crowns to be cast at the Savior’s feet.
REFLECTION: God paid the ransom for all people, so that they might believe (John 3: 16).
Beverly Barnett
Luke 21:25-33
We Have an Eternal Redemption in Our Future
KEY VERSE: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh,” Luke 21 :28.
Jesus’ Jewish disciples, not wanting to be left out of any future notices of His second coming to the earth, stood by big-eyed, mouth open, heart thumping and breath quickening as they waited for an answer to their question, ‘’When shall these things be?” (verse 7, please read this entire chapter).
Jesus replied with an answer that should encourage all believers until the day we are raptured, and it will serve as a wake-up notice that His second coming is near. Please allow me to paraphrase His answer like this. The world will try to beat you down, and the humanist and the atheist may try to take away your joy and end your belief in the coming of Christ but do not give up. Look up!
If we permit our worldly-ordered life to affect our belief in our future destination, then we, too, might drop our heads and become a despondent believer. We must not doubt, but we must believe that God’s hand is in control and allows things to happen to bring salvation to all people and open the eyes of His chosen to believe that Messiah has come and will come again soon.
Jesus the encourager gave us the Scriptures so that we can be reminded of His promises. When all news is discouraging; “then look up, lift your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.”
REFLECTION: Have you done your rapture practice today?
Beverly Barnett
Genesis 2:18-25
The First Home
KEY VERSE: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh,” Genesis 2:24.
Marriage, the first institution created and standardized by God, is one that involves leaving and cleaving! And any young man about to enter the covenant of marriage (and his parents), should memorize this verse.
In the Bible the man is instructed to leave his father and mother and cleave (dabaq meaning: to adhere as glue)* to his wife. Marriage joins a man and a woman and forms a new family unit. In this unit the husband is to love his wife as himself (an unselfish task, easy to say, difficult to do) and the wife is to respect (love is easier to give than respect) her husband (Eph. 5:24-33).
God went through the process of showing Adam he needed a helpmeet. He first formed the animals and fowls from the ground. However, as nice as it was to have animal life around him, Adam did not find satisfaction in this type of companionship. Only when God created a flesh and bone mate to complete or complement Adam, did he find the true love of his life.
REFLECTION: Marriage, says Doctors Greg Smalley and Robert S. Paul in their book -- The DNA of Relationships for Couples -- is a means by which we can reflect God’s image and inspire people to draw closer to Him, including our children, spouse, those outside our family and ourself.
Beverly Barnett
*Strong’s 01692-Hebrew translation for cleave
Exodus 1:14-2:10
A Godly Home in a Bad Situation
KEY VERSE: “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive,” Exodus 1 :22.
Can you imagine the grief and tears of godly parents at the time Moses was born? Today, godly parents grieve but for a different reason. Your children are drowning in the dark, swift waters of media influence by the thousands. Here are a few suggestions from Focus on the Family website: www.focusonyourchild that will help them develop character --something the media does not think is important.
. List “golden” attitudes and actions that are important to you. Thinking of your children, what do you consider to be the most important and basic character traits?
. Develop a plan. Determine to teach your child the importance of character. Using terms that he or she can understand, describe or define in each trait.
. Model the traits in your everyday life. Look for ways to live the traits as a family. Reinforce the traits by planning relevant activities.
. Create a reward system. Children love to be encouraged with affirmation and blessings. To show your child how valuable character is in your home, develop a reward system.
. Start mining for gold. Explain to your children that you are looking for “golden” attitudes and actions. With God’s help, commit to learning a new trait each month. Be on the lookout for these glimpses of gold!
-- Renee Swope
REFLECTION: Pray for your child and put to use all the Christian resources that are available.
Beverly Barnett
Matthew 19:3-9
Jesus’ Teaching on Marriage
KEY VERSE: “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder,” Matthew 19:6.
In today’s world fifty percent of Christian marriages end in divorce. What has happened? Have we omitted parts of the Bible that do not agree with our thinking? Does Satan have couples blinded to God’s will for marriage? Yes, to both questions.
When marriages collapse, it weakens families and churches. Christian marriage therapists write that marriage is a place where Satan can easily target and concentrate his tactics because of the multiple stressors found in any marriage.
How can we stop this spiraling trend? Counseling, counseling, counseling. Pastors and church leaders should make marriage counseling an important part of their church’s ministries. Premarriage counseling is necessary, post-marriage seminars, retreats and counseling are a necessity, and even though it may seem contradictory, post-divorce care is needful.
Pastors should educate themselves in marriage counseling to know when to refer couples to a licensed Christian counselor, study the Bible for answers to a godly marriage, read material by Christian marriage counselors on this subject, have marriage seminars at your church, encourage couples to attend Christian marriage retreats. Ask older couples who have godly marriages to mentor newlyweds. Use all of the Christian resources available to you.
Strong families mean strong churches and strong churches have maximum impact in a world far from God -- lost in sin.
REFLECTION: We cannot turn away from this important issue-to do so would be neglecting the teachings of God.
Beverly Barnett
Proverbs 18:15-22
A Good Wife
KEY VERSE: “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD,” Proverbs 18:22.
Let’s look back to the Garden of Eden. . . Adam, stirring from God’s anesthesia, his sight, blurry at first, clears, and there before him stands the most beautiful creature he has ever seen. Adam breathlessly speaks his vows (my imagination), on this his wedding day, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23).
God declared, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18), so He created a “help meet for him” (verse 18). Adam had woman to share his joy and happiness, and to share the beauty and blessings of their home in Eden. She was called Eve in Genesis 3:20.
A good wife should not be an exception but, in our twenty-first century society, she may truly be more costly than rubies (Prov. 31:10). If she is wise as in Proverbs 14:1, she will build up her home not tear it down.
A priceless wife loves her husband and wants him to succeed. She is the heart of the home, the encourager. She is godly and intelligent, not lazy, but creative in using the family resources and in time management. Her family is mindful of God, and she teaches her children to be thankful for His blessings.
REFLECTION: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself (Eph. 5:28). A good man will love his good wife.
Beverly Barnett
Proverbs 31:21-31
A Blessed Husband
KEY VERSE: “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land,” Proverbs 31:23.
It has been said that behind every successful man is a great wife, and, if you examine the life of a successful man, you will find that in most cases this is true. This principle is taught in Proverbs 12:4, ‘’A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.”
The verses in today’s reading give us examples of godly behavior that we as Christian women should try to emulate. Although we will never be perfect, it is no excuse not to try our best.
However, let’s not forget the role a husband plays in God’s plan. Sacrificial love, as taught in Ephesians 5:28, blesses the giver as well as the receiver. A husband must love his wife as he loves himself. He must nourish that love emotionally, spiritually and physically. And as a neglected body will become malnourished, sickly and eventually die so will a marriage. Self-starvation is a symptom of a mental deficit and selfishness in a marriage and is a symptom of sin sickness.
Husbands are not the only ones to benefit from a healthy relationship with their wives; their children also grow up secure, confident and feel loved.
REFLECTION: Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband (Eph. 5:33).
Beverly Barnett
Revelation 19:1-9
The Heavenly Marriage
KEY VERSE: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready,“ Revelation 19:7.
Here are some interesting statistics according to Hallmark research. The average cost of a wedding is between twenty and twenty-five thousand dollars. August followed by June is the most popular month for a wedding. Fifty-nine percent of adults in America are married and fifty percent of these marriages will end in divorce. From my own experience, though months of preparation and planning are done before the blessed event, something will go wrong.
However, one day there will be a wedding beyond earthly beauty and description. It will take place in Heaven and it will be absolutely perfect-the marriage of the Lamb and His bride. The bride will wear a linen bridal gown, washed pure white in the blood of Christ. The wedding music in this heavenly marriage will be unlike any that we have ever heard. A heavenly choir with one thunderous voice sings the words, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev. 19:6, 7).
REFLECTION: Jesus and His bride are perfect. Jesus who knew no sin and His bride whose sin is forgiven are a Heaven-made match. What a beautiful day for a wedding.
Beverly Barnett
Ruth 1:14-18
The Nature of True and Lasting Love
KEY VERSE: “Where thou diest, will die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me and more also, if ought but death part thee and me,” Ruth 1:17.
Here at the beginning of the month that most associate with love. It is, however, curious to some that we will begin this by studying the love between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law.
Western culture has taught us either through television or family notions that in-law relationships are not necessarily important. However, the story of Ruth and Naomi should change our minds.
At the deaths of Naomi’s husband and two sons, Ruth and Orpah were released from customary obligation to marry another family kinsman. Ruth chose to stay with the grieving Naomi. Not only did she choose to stay, but she chose to gather the barley left in the fields for food and to make Naomi’s God her God. Ruth saw something in Naomi’s worship that was real and different from the idolatrous worship of her homeland. It was love, God’s love and she wanted it too.
God’s love is true and lasting love. As Christians whether we are the daughter-in-law or mother-in-law, we should demonstrate the love of God so unselfishly that it will lead others to desire that same godly love.
REFLECTION: God blessed Ruth and Naomi for their unselfish acts of love. Their blessings were so well-known that the women of the community rehearsed it back to Naomi in the book of Ruth (Ruth 4:14, 15).
Beverly Barnett
John 1:11-13
We Are the Children of God
KEY VERSE: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name,” John 1:12.
Dwell on this thought a few minutes and let it sink into your finite mind. Although, mankind is without a Heavenly Father because of sin, every believer is adopted by God as His own child. This adoption is by the highest authority and cannot nor ever will be revoked. It is God’s authority and the Holy Spirit’s witness that validates the adoption. Additionally, as children of the King, a kingly inheritance is ours and awaits us in Heaven.
Believers are adopted the moment they trust Christ as Savior. They go from a nameless child to a son or daughter of God. Believers have, as Paul told us in Romans 8:15, received the Spirit of adoption, and now they can intimately call on God only as His child can. As one little orphan child explained adoption, “It’s like a big old quilt wrapped around you, you feel warm and protected.” May I add, God’s love feels better than a big, flannel, goose-down quilt pulled up to the neck.
REFLECTION: It is a blessing, when you get knocked around by the world, that anyone, even a big, burly, six foot man, can run to God and not feel ashamed. God wraps us in His blanket of love, comforts our broken hearts, dreams and hurting bodies and holds us as we fall asleep.
Beverly Barnett
Romans 8:14-17
God Leads His Children
KEY VERSE: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” Romans 8:14.
When taking a pet (dog) for a walk, one finds that the dog does not want to follow one’s lead. This is not comparing God’s children to dogs but sometimes our actions are similar, attempting to pull God along where we want to go instead of following God where He is working.
Paul wanted to go to Asia. He reasoned that lost people were there and surely God wanted him to tell them the gospel story, but God had other plans. The Holy Spirit stopped Paul and lead him to a different field. What did Paul do? He followed.
He went Macedonia, where Lydia, her household, a damsel freed from her spirit of divination and a Philippian jailer and his household were all saved. It was also where he upset the religious leaders and ended up imprisoned for preaching the truth according to God’s Word (Acts 16:6-40).
When we follow God’s leadership, sometimes it upsets the religious leaders. According to their standards, things are good enough. Their standards are usually based on their preference, not on a doctrine. Sadly, many times this personal preference results in troubled churches and dwindling membership.
REFLECTION: God is the perfect leader, and He would never lead in the wrong direction; He leads to His truth. Are you following the way God leads or standing in the way of God’s leaders?
Beverly Barnett
1 John 3:1-3
God Loves His Children
KEY VERSE: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not,” 1 John 3:1.
Perhaps, we will never fully understand the magnitude and expanse of this manner of love until we respectfully bow before God in Heaven. God loves children, imperfect such as we are, He loves us as only a devoted father can.
The Bible gives us an example of this love in the prodigal son parable. The wayward son wasted his inheritance, came to his senses and returned to his father’s house to be hired as a servant.
Have you ever been hurt by the actions of your own child? Feelings of failure and thoughts of doubt may race through your mind but in the end, love patiently waits and hopes for his return.
The prodigal’s dad ran to meet him as soon as he saw him coming down the same road that he often stared down with tear-stained eyes, waiting for a glimpse of his sin-sick son. One day he did. The loving, forgiving father had a celebration and put the family colors across the prodigal’s shoulders. The father’s love kept him from making him a servant.
God loves His children more than this. His love is gracious and enduring and never diminishes. He will never make us less than His child.
REFLECTION: Father, thank You for loving us, though we don’t always act so clean.
Beverly Barnett
Luke 12:31-37
Blessed Servants
KEY VERSE: “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them,” Luke 12:37.
The New Testament meaning of servant is a person, foreigner or national, who serves his/her master, and should be offered freedom every seventh year or year of jubilee and could be redeemed or bought out of slavery with money.
There are many servants/slaves throughout the Old Testament-Hagar, Sarah’s servant, who birthed Ishmael and the servant sent to find Isaac a wife as well as numerous others.
In the New Testament we find examples of both good and bad servants, but, most importantly, Christ taught that Christ-followers are to be faithful servants.
Today, we are called to be happily watching for the Master’s return -- to be ready to serve at a moment’s notice -- to serve with heart, soul and mind. What good can we do for the King and the kingdom’s sake if we are lazy? “To claim the status of servants without a commitment to serve is an utter and intolerable contradiction,” says Christ Seminary Professor of the Old Testament: Ralph Klein, in his paper: Liberated Lifestyle: Slaves and Servants in Biblical Perspective.
REFLECTION: Truly, we are liberated from sin to serve our liberator, Christ Jesus. Servants are blessed, who serve without bitterness or complaint for the Master, and are blessed by the Master, who blesses them on the earth and rewards them in Heaven.
Beverly Barnett
Luke 12:45-48
Cursed Servants
KEY VERSE: “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes,” Luke 12:47.
In yesterday’s reading we read Jesus’ example of the blessed servants. Today we will study His example of the cursed servants. We hope you see yourself in the former instead of the later group.
A cursed servant’s heart will not be on the Lord’s return or doing the Lord’s will until He returns. Instead he thinks in his heart, “My lord delayeth His coming.” The Bible teaches that we must serve Him with all our heart, mind and strength (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). Clearly, one’s heart cannot be on Christ the Lord and on selfish indulgences and mayhem. A servant cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13).
A cursed servant knows but does not do his Lord’s will. God’s will is explained to all believers in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20). The responsibility falls on believers, and it is an honor instead of a dutiful job to serve God and do His will. There is work for us to do, and, because we have His instructions, we will stand before God without excuse.
REFLECTION: Our Lord is coming back (Heb. 10:37). We do not know the day or hour but He is coming back. We are serving in the midnight hour.
Beverly Barnett
John 13:13-20
Our Position in Christ’s Kingdom
KEY VERSE: “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him,” John 13:16.
Here is the scene before us. The disciples had completed their upper room graduation. They had graduated from followers to leaders and Jesus illustrated (nothing like a visual example) their role as servant-leaders. They were to lead by example not just through sermons.
In this arid and dry country, the custom of the time was to wash the feet of any guest that entered the home either by the servant or the host, assuring the person he was truly a welcomed guest.
It is refreshing after a long walk to have the dust and sweat washed away from the feet. Ask anyone who has ever had a therapeutic Thai massage. The masseur washes his feet in a cool bowl of rose petal scented water or with a cool cloth. It is utterly refreshing.
However, it was not the act of bathing the feet that Jesus was teaching but the position of the bather. A leader must have the humility of a servant; otherwise, he will be elevated with pride and filled with selfishness. God can only use an empty vessel.
REFLECTION: Every believer from the pulpit to the pew, either as a pastor-teacher or as a lay person in a New Testament church, has the same position as a servant-leader in the eyes of Christ the King.
Beverly Barnett
Romans 12:1-8
Proving the Will of God in Our Daily Lives
KEY VERSE: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God,” Romans 12:2.
People are watching you and how you respond to the events of your life. They are looking to see whether your God is worth having. It is up to you to live a life that proves that He is.
Honestly, everybody is looking at everybody. The people in the pews are looking at the man in the pulpit to see if he will stumble when life is difficult or when life is great. Nonbelievers are observing how believers respond to trials and tribulations to see if they fall out of church and become angry with God during these times. As we go about our daily lives, we should keep in mind that what our neighbors, acquaintances, or others see in our Christian lives is what influences their thinking about God. You know that your steps are ordered by God and that nothing happens by chance in the life of a believer (Psalm 37:23). God’s will is perfect and He desires for your life only the best. Sometimes to get to that best, He must burn, trim and sometimes drastically prune out what is hindering your walk together.
REFLECTION: We prove that the will of God is perfect when we continue to follow Him in spite of changing worldviews or conflicts.
Beverly Barnett
Matthew 6:5-15
The Power of Prayer
KEY VERSE: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly,” Matthew 6:6.
In one region of Africa, the first converts to Christianity were very diligent about praying. In fact, the believers each had their own special place outside the village where they went to pray in solitude. The villagers reached these “prayer rooms” by using their own private footpaths through the brush. When grass began to grow over one of these trails, it was evident that the person to whom it belonged was not praying very much.
Because these new Christians were concerned for each other’s spiritual welfare, a unique custom sprang up. Whenever anyone noticed an overgrown prayer path, he or she would go to the person and lovingly warn, ‘Friend, there’s grass on your path!’ borrowed from RWD; “Our Daily Bread,” November 18, 1996.
The disciples believed and practiced prayer (Acts 10:9). Peter went on the rooftop to be alone to pray. He cleared the room when he prayed for Tabitha to be healed (Acts 9:40).
Communication to Heaven’s throne by prayer is vital to our life as a believer. We learn dependence on God and to be submissive to His will. When God’s children pray, He listens and answers our prayers according to His good will.
REFLECTION: Prayers alone are not powerful. The power of prayer is not in the person praying but in the Father who hears each prayer.
Beverly Barnett
Matthew 21:12-16
The House of Prayer
KEY VERSE: “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves,” Matthew 21 :13.
As Jesus entered for a second time into the court of the Gentiles, He again found a bazaar-like atmosphere. The noise of bleating sheep, bellowing oxen, chirping birds and the smell of animal excrement had replaced the quiet solace and smell of the incense. Money changers were cheating and extorting people and exchanging Roman coins for Temple coins. Instead of bringing their own animal sacrifice (that they had kept up for seven days to assure it was not sick or diseased), they were conveniently buying them at the Temple (Ex. 12:1-6). All this buying and selling had taken up the space to be used for Gentile prayers. The Temple had become far from the place one was to meet with God in confession, repentance and prayer.
Do not confuse this house of prayer with the building where we meet together to worship God. Children of God can go to Him in prayer at any time and at any place. However, unconfessed and unrepented sin interferes with our prayers and weakens our prayer life. Sin steals the urgency of communion with God through prayer so that our prayers become few and faithless.
REFLECTION: As you rush through life, it is easy to neglect prayer, but you can be in an attitude of prayer, knowing God is near enough to hear a whispered prayer.
Beverly Barnett
Matthew 21:17-22
The Power of Prayer Part 2
KEY VERSE: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive,” Matthew 21:22.
In these passages of Scripture, Jesus taught His disbelieving disciples that no mountain was beyond moving by faith-filled prayer. God wants you to depend on His strength to move the mountain that interferes with your faith in or fellowship with Him. Impossible mountains should strengthen our faith in God, so much that we are confident in His abilities.
One morning, George Mueller, stood with the children at the table of his first orphanage. The plates, cups and bowls were empty, and there was no food in the pantry. Mueller said to the children, “Children, you know you must be in time for school.” Lifting his hands he prayed. “Dear Father, we thank Thee for what thou art going to give us to eat.“ Shortly, a knock at the door revealed the nearby baker with fresh loaves of bread. No sooner had the baker left then a second knock; it was the milkman whose cart had broken down near the home. He needed to empty the cart of all the fresh cans of milk to repair it. The children never went hungry.
Believing that God can do the impossible centers on faith (one of the most important doctrines of the Bible) in His abilities. Hebrews 11:6 says it is impossible to please God without it.
REFLECTION: Prayers about the impossible are our opportunities to test God’s mountain-moving abilities.
Beverly Barnett
(The Life and Ministry of George Mueller: by Ed Reese in the Christian Hall of Fame Series. Reese Publications, P. O. Box 5625, Lansing, IL 60438 resourced from the web.
1 John 5:13-18
The Limits of Prayer
KEY VERSE: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us,” 1 John 5:14.
Prayer is limited by willful sin and lack of faith. The answer, however, is according to God’s will and what will do us good for His glory.
David said; “If I regard iniquity [sin] in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). Unconfessed and unrepented sin(s) are a hindrance to God’s hearing your prayers.
God wants you to exercise faith in Him. Jesus taught His disciples to ask for the mountain to be moved and He said it would be moved, if they had faith as a grain of mustard seed (Matt. 17:20) When you pray for something that seems impossible and believe that God can do what He says He can do, then you will glorify and praise God regardless of the answer.
Hezekiah, on his death bed, prayed for God to extend his life. God gave him fifteen additional years to live and answered his request for a sign, causing the sun to retreat ten degrees (2 Kings 20:1-11).
Our prayers are answered in a way that is aligned with God’s will. He knows what is best for each circumstance although that sometimes means He must take one of His children home to Heaven to accomplish His will.
REFLECTION: God’s heart and ears have yet to be filled to capacity with prayers from His children; He will always have room for yours. (Beth Moore, Quote from Believing God, Life Way Press, Nashville, TN, pg. 49.)
Beverly Barnett
James 5:16-19
The Prayer of a Prophet
KEY VERSE: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,” James 5:16.
How many of us can honestly say that we pray for the people on the prayer list at church? Let’s change that number. Praying for one another is a Christian duty as well as a privilege. People who request prayer trust that you will pray for them. It is an unselfish act of caring and time for you to take their needs to God in prayer.
Elijah prayed that God would withhold rain on the wayward worship of Baal and bring the people of Israel back to God. It did not rain for three years and six months. Now the answer also put Elijah in a difficult situation, but to prove God was more powerful than Baal, he was willing to suffer with them.
Praying passionately for the needs of others and/or for God to bring them back from sin is a distinguishing mark of Christian love. This type of prayer echoes through halls of Heaven, landing in the heart of God. Now, take that Sunday bulletin and read through the list, pause and pray to God on their behalf, trusting His power.
“Lord, I crawled across the barrenness to you with my empty cup
Uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known you better
I’d have come running with a bucket.”
(Nancy Spiegelberg)
REFLECTION: Difficulties in life are only opportunities for God to show out!
Beverly Barnett
Luke 22:39-45
The Real Lord’s Prayer
KEY VERSE: “Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done,” Luke 22:42.
Imagine we have a bird’s view of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on that cool quiet evening. Christ went a stone throws away to pray and asked the disciples to watch and pray with him. . .
The meal and fellowship filled them with joy, but the news of His soon departure left them unnerved. Soon eyes that closed in prayer closed in sleep.
In the distance, Christ prayed to the Father, here in the garden among the olive trees, Jesus relinquished His life for all mankind; it was the will of God. Sweat drops from Jesus fell on the ground as great drops of blood. He agonized. He bore the sins of all mankind-sin which the Father couldn’t look upon.
They could not see the coming dark days of temptation they are sleeping. If they had only believed His words, they would have prayed more earnestly, asking for power to resist the doubt and depression in the days to follow.
If they had only stayed awake, they would have seen the angel encouraging Jesus. Seeing them on their knees would have also encouraged Him as the cup of discouragement passed His lips. Yet, it is He who awakened them and prepared them for the betrayal of Judas. . . . in the distance the rhythmic sound of legions of marching men get closer and closer.
REFLECTION: The Model Prayer centered on doing the Father’s will.
Beverly Barnett
1 Samuel 17:32-40
The Wrong Armor
KEY VERSE: “And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail,” 1 Samuel 17:38.
Have you ever tried to wear something that did not fit? This is especially true for David and Saul’s suit of armor. Saul’s armor was made and fitted for him, not young David.
David the shepherd did not rely on metal armor, only his sword, staff and sling and most importantly the power of God. David was confident in God’s power, not in heavy cumbersome armor. Through God, he had power over the Philistine giant, killing him with a stone, hitting him in the only vulnerable part of his head.
Today, the New Testament tells us to put on the whole armor of God so that we might stand against the attacks of the devil. If we look closely at these terms, we can see the importance of putting on this armor daily (Eph. 6:1020).
First, put on in the Greek denotes a sense of urgency. In today’s world the attacks of the devil come from every direction. We cannot hide from Satan. We must meet him head on, but not before we put on the armor of God.
Next, we must stand against, a Greek military term that denotes holding a critical position. If we retreat in the tough battles, Satan gains a stronger hold on our lives. Rely on God’s strength, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in you to resist him. Don’t move an inch.
REFLECTION: The armor of God is a perfect fit for every believer.
Beverly Barnett
Titus 1:10-16
Professors—Not Possessors
Key Verse: “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate,” Titus 1:16.
A certain man life’s ambition was to play in a symphony orchestra. There was one problem. He did not play a musical instrument. He sent in an audition tape of another person playing the flute. Based on this fraud, he was given a seat in the orchestra. He would put his instrument in the correct position and pretend to play the flute. His scam was discovered when he was called on to play a solo. He pretended to be something he was not.
Many people who claim to follow Christ tell a much different story by their actions. Their true identity is found in their actions. They do not follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit or heed the instructions of God’s Word. They serve the flesh instead of God. While they may fool certain people, they do not fool God.
It requires more than professing Christ to be His disciple. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Discipleship begins with salvation. A person cannot follow the Lord without knowing Him as Savior. Discipleship also requires obedience to the Lord. Obedience requires self-denial. Christians must forsake their own selfish desires and ambitions and follow the Lord. The believer’s focus must be on God instead of self.
Just A Thought: In Christian discipleship, actions speak louder than words.
Marc Shultz
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Paul’s Testimony of Grace
Key Verse: “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting,” 1 Timothy 1:16.
Tom made a public profession of faith in Christ as Savior while attending revival services at a country church. What made Tom’s situation unique was that he was over eighty years of age. He first felt his need of being saved as a teenager. Over the years he refused to confess the Lord as Savior. During the years he was not a child of God, Tom was involved in an automobile accident and had been through three major surgeries, any of which could have claimed his life. Tom testified that he was grateful that God had allowed him to live long enough to become His child.
The apostle Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus before his conversion. He persecuted Christians and made havoc upon churches (Acts 8:3). This all changed after a spiritual experience on the road to Damascus. Saul accepted the Lord as Savior, and his life changed dramatically. This persecutor of Christians not only became a child of God but also a preacher of the gospel and an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many Christians do not seek to win souls to Christ because they do not know what to say to the lost person. One way to begin the soul-winning process is to give a personal testimony of grace.
Just A Thought: Christians must never be fearful to tell others of God’s grace.
Marc Shultz
Galatians 3:19-25
The Purpose of the Law
Key Verse: “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator,” Galatians 3:19.
The first time an alleged lawbreaker appears in a court of law is for an arraignment. At this hearing the charges against him are read, and he is asked to plead guilty or not guilty. If he pleads not guilty, a trial date is set. He can only be charged with a crime when he has broken a law.
The Bible defines every person as a sinner (Rom. 3:23). The penalty of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Sin is the transgression of God’s Law (1 John 3:4). God’s Law was never meant to be a means of salvation but to show man’s need of salvation. Man’s transgression defines him as a sinner in need of salvation. The Law is God’s indictment against humanity.
Every person charged with a crime has the right to have an attorney to represent him during the legal proceedings. Sinners have an advocate to represent them in the court of Heaven. Jesus Christ is the Mediator between the child of God and the Heavenly Father. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures reconciles sinners in the sight of God. The sinner’s debt has been paid by Christ so that he can be judged righteous in the sight of the Father. The Law defines the need for divine grace.
Just A Thought: Where sin abounds, divine grace much more abounds (Rom. 5:20).
Marc Shultz
1 Thessalonians 2:4-7
The Sacred Trust
Key Verse: “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts,”
1 Thessalonians 2:4.Predominately displayed in my house is a one hundred twenty-five year old clock. It was first purchased by my great grandmother. It was then inherited by my grandmother and then my uncle. It is in need of repair, but it is priceless to me because of its family heritage. One day my son will inherit the clock.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a sacred trust given to every child of God. It is a priceless trust which was paid for by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. This trust is available to everyone who will confess the Lord as Savior. It is a trust that will endure through all ages. It is a priceless trust because it is impossible to place a value on a soul (Matt. 16:26).
How should Christians guard this sacred trust? The gospel should be a vital part of our lives (1 Cor. 15:4). The gospel must be proclaimed to the lost (Rom. 10:14). The gospel must be believed over false gospels (Gal. 1:6, 7). The message of the gospel should only be entrusted to those who will faithfully hold to it and teach it (2 Tim. 2:2).
We do not need a new gospel, but we need to make the gospel available to all people. The gospel of Jesus Christ still gets results.
Just A Thought: People must conform to the gospel instead of expecting the gospel to conform to them.
Marc Shultz
Psalm 71:15, 16
Show the Lord’s Salvation
Key Verse: “My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof,” Psalm 71:15.
Elmer was known by everyone in his community as a Christian man. He treated everyone kindly and never hesitated to share his faith with others. Because of Elmer’s testimony and godly life-style, a friend accepted the Lord as Savior. Believers should show evidence of salvation by their actions and words.
Christians are on the clock for the Lord twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. It is never proper for Christians to act and sound like the world instead of Christ. Every child of God is under the world’s microscope. Their profession of Christ as Savior is scrutinized by the places they go, the company they keep, the words they speak and the things they do. When their walk does not back up their talk, their testimony is brought into rebuke. When their actions and words reflect the standard of God, they show the blessings of salvation.
Christians have two types of testimony for Christ, living and verbal. Their verbal testimony will likely fall on deaf ears if their living testimony does not back up their verbal testimony. A lost person has no reason to listen to the testimony of a saved person who is not living to the standard of God. It is important for believers to live righteously before the world, so as not to bring the gospel of Christ into question.
Just A Thought: Keeping a godly life-style will bring opportunities for Christians to share the gospel with the lost.
Marc Shultz