Strong in Ourselves? Or Strong in the Lord? How many times have we told a suffering friend, "You're so strong. You'll be fine." We are very wrong. The Bible tells us that none of us are strong alone. Our pride sometimes wants to make us think that we can soldier through bad times all on our own. Our last resort often is prayer and God. Ephesians 6:10 says this, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Jesus had some plain words to speak on this topic. In John 15:5(b) He says, "for without Me you can do nothing." Nothing! We can't do anything truly good, we can't defeat evil, we can't overcome depression, we can't resist sin, whatever it is, without Him it can't be done. We must be strong int he Lord. What Our Weakness Teaches Us We learn something from this. Our weakness teaches us that we are truly totally dependent upon God. God is our hope, our life, and our strength. We learn to praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness. We learn to die to self. We Don't Fight Alone In Romans 8:31(b) Paul reminds us, "If God is for us, who can be against us." There is none like Him. Jesus refers to Satan as the "strongman" in Mark 3:27, but Jesus takes him down and binds him. God shows Himself strong against evil. We can't imagine being able to fight against the power of Satan alone. The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 is a physical representation of a spiritual truth. David knew the power he had when God was with him. He used this power to defeat Goliath. No armor, no sword, no army just a young man, and His firm belief that God would use him to defeat Goliath. As David says, "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s,". What Goliath's need slaying in your life? What are you up against that seems insurmountable? Whatever it is Jesus may not give you the answer you are looking for, it may not go the way you want, you may still die, you may still suffer, but in that weakness you will still know that it is the Lord who saves. The outcome, whatever it is, will be the right outcome, because you have relied on God's strength and not your own to face it. You will have peace. Jesus Needs To Be The Plan We see mottos and witty sayings like "You can do it!" or "You are stronger than you think!" all the time. A quote from Earl Nightingale says this, "All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination." If that plan places Jesus in control of your life and if the road map is the Word of God and your destination is Heaven, then his quote is correct. If he means the plan is all yours, the steps to get there are ones you alone have devised, and the destination is of your own choosing then he is wrong. Be Strong In The Lord God is with us wherever we go and in whatever circumstance we find ourself. We hear this all the time but do we believe it? Do we really believe that Jesus is our strength? What would we really fear if we knew this in our heart? We may go through terrible trials, frightening times, or be asked to do things we think impossible, but knowing absolutely that "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world" (1John 4:4) should give us the courage and strength to face anything. Because we have the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11)! So when Paul says, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10); what he is saying is that the power of Christ can accomplish His goals when we completely depend on Him for our strength. There is a home waiting for us. In the midst of sorrow is what strengthens us. We look for that home in our weakness and seek to be strong in the Lord. So please, don't tell me how strong I am! Tell me that even though I am weak it's through Christ that all things become possible. Don't tell me, "You got this!", remind me that it's Christ who has me. He is our strength and by His mighty right arm we, His people, are protected, delivered and defended. Most gracious Father, May we always remember your words in 2 Corinthians 4: 7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (NIV). Holy Spirit you are our treasure. All power is yours. We are here to show your power because we have none. We humble ourselves before you and ask for your strength to face the difficulties and trials of life. Help our desire to be strong in the Lord. In your Son, Jesus' name, Amen

Sleeping in Peace A lot of us are having trouble sleeping these days. We are struggling and see a future that perhaps will be full of many more struggles, many more sorrows. We know in our head that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, promises to be with us, to give us peace, but we just aren't feeling it. The Psalmist says this, "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4: 8 Worldly Peace The world tells us that we can only have peace when everything is calm. The world tells us we can only have peace when there are no struggles, no worries, no bad times. Jesus offers us a different peace. His peace is everlasting. His peace doesn't depend on emotion or events. Jesus says, in John 14: 27, that the peace He gives is not worldly peace. We should not be troubled or afraid when we rest in His peace. Prince Of Peace This peace comes to us through the Holy Spirit. He indwells us and makes us one with Christ. His peace truly becomes our peace. This is not the world's peace. Isaiah describes Jesus to us hundreds of years before He was born this way, "...His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9: 6 Why does Isaiah describe the Messiah as the "Prince of Peace"? Because through Jesus's death and resurrection He restored our broken relationship with God the Father. But there's more. The Holy Spirit allows us to have a peace, a joy and a love that is impossible in this world without Him. Galatians 5: 22-23 tells us that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. He whispers sweet peace to me, does He whisper to you? Fruit of the Spirit Our peace is a fruit of the work of Christ in us. One reason fruit trees don't produce enough fruit is "inadequate sun exposure". Are we like the trees? Do we have "inadequate Son exposure"? Peace is not something we manufacture by thinking the right thoughts or silencing every fear. It grows as we remain close to Christ. When we neglect prayer, Scripture, and quiet time with Him, anxiety fills the space that peace once occupied. But when we intentionally turn our hearts back to the Lord, even our restless nights become moments where He gently reminds us that we are not alone and never unguarded. In the old hymn, "It is Well" the writer pens these words, "For me it is Christ, it is Christ now to live! Though death's waters over me roll, No fear shall be mine, for in death as in life, You will whisper your peace to my soul." Claiming Peace So in all circumstances let us pray for that sweet peace that is offered to us and given so freely, but not cheaply. Our Lord bled and died to be our Lord of Peace. When we lay our heads down at night, we should claim that peace that indeed "passes understanding" because we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. As Psalm 91:2 reminds us, God is our refuge and we will trust in Him. Pray for Peace in Your Heart For me it is Christ, it is Christ now to live! Though death’s waters over me roll, no fear shall be mine, for in death as in life you will whisper your peace to my soul. For me it is Christ, it is Christ now to live! Though death’s waters over me roll, no fear shall be mine, for in death as in life you will whisper your peace to my soul. For me it is Christ, it is Christ now to live! Though death’s waters over me roll, no fear shall be mine, for in death as in life you will whisper your peace to my soul.

Are You Nice? Have you ever met a really, really nice person? You know, someone who seems to always be thinking of others, someone who never loses their temper and always seems to be happy. That is a sure sign that they are a Christian, right? Wrong. Nice people aren't necessarily Christians. If your motivation is to love, and serve God, and others, you will know it by the fruit of the Spirit seen in your life. What's your motivation? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 What's Your Motivation to be Nice? The more important question is, "What is the motivation of that person?" That is a question that requires discernment from God. We should look inward to see what motivates us to be "nice" people. Do we have self-control because we want to appear to have it all together? Or does our self-control happen because the Holy Spirit is acting on us to see that there is a better way? God should be in control, not us. Are we kind to people because we know if we are that we will benefit somehow from that kindness? Or are we kind because we want to show Jesus to them, no matter who they are? Is our joy based on the knowledge that people like to be around happy people so we will have more friends? Or does it come from an inner knowledge that Christ has redeemed us and loves us? Do we love only those who are able to love us back, who see what we do? Or do we love the unlovable ones, the people who treat us with disrespect, who don't see our worth? Are we faithful in public but in the quiet of our homes do we question and doubt and wonder if it's all real? Should a Christian be a nice person? Of course, absolutely. But it must be for the right reasons. Only through discernment can we know if the reasons are to build ourselves up or to build up the Kingdom of God. Because someone talks the talk doesn't mean their heart is in the right place. People use manipulation, guilt and sometimes outright lying to make themselves appear to be "fruitful" people. There is also a difference between our natural personality and spiritual transformation. Some people are naturally pleasant, reserved, or agreeable, while others struggle more openly with anger or impatience. God can and does use personality, but personality is not fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is not about how we are wired; it is about how we are changed. Discernment helps us recognize the difference between what comes easily to us by nature and what is produced in us by the Spirit through surrender, repentance, and obedience. This discernment is not only meant for examining ourselves. Scripture also warns us to be careful about who we follow and trust. A person may appear loving, humble, or spiritually mature on the surface while hiding selfish ambition, pride, or false teaching underneath. That is why Christians are called to look beyond appearances and examine fruit carefully over time. Fruit Inspectors In Matthew 7:15-20 we are told to inspect fruit, don't just take it at face value. "Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." Sadly we can't always tell immediately. It takes fruit a while to produce. In the meantime, we may have questions. Discerning Truth Clearly not everyone shows their hand honestly. Many people pretend to be something they are not to get ahead or use others. Discernment comes from God. It requires knowledge and understanding of His word. In Ephesians 5:10-11 we are told to discern the things pleasing to God and discerning teachers is part of that. Paul says don't take part in the works of darkness, instead expose them. And in 1 John 4:1 we are told to "test the spirits" to see if they are of God. Why? Because there are many false prophets in the world. True Christian Fruit As Christians our fruit doesn't appear full grown and mature on day one. Our fruit must be nurtured, pruned, fertilized, and nourished to grow. We are nourished by the vine—Jesus. The fruit we produce is a work in progress. One thing is certain though, a true Christian is one who, slowly but surely, indeed does produce true fruit by God's grace. We might not have the quantity we want, or maybe the quality is a little lacking, but it will be there. What's your motivation? So let's be "nice", but make sure it comes from a place of humility and an eagerness to show the love of Christ to others. Make sure our fruit is real and not disguising something unpleasant on the inside. Real fruit does not come from pretending to be good. It comes from remaining close to Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. Bear Good Fruit to the Lord

When Worship Becomes Casual We say our God is holy, and in response to His holiness we are to be reverent. Have we forgotten reverence for God? We don't even use that word much anymore. I doubt many young church attendees even have an idea what it really means. To be reverent means to show great respect. There should be no greater respect than the respect for our Holy God. Jesus Himself had His prayers heard because of His reverence. "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence." Hebrews 5:7 How We Show Respect for Earthly Authority Let's pretend for a moment that we had an opportunity to meet with a President we admired, or an A list Hollywood actor, or maybe a king or queen from another country. What would we do differently from a meeting with a classmate we hadn't seen in a long time? Approaching God with Holy Fear Most people would say they would put on their nicest clothes. They would listen to what the other person said when they spoke. We would most likely respectfully shake hands or possibly even a small bow toward that person. We probably wouldn't be in conversation with them while at the same time texting on our phone. We wouldn't lean over to chat or appear indifferent while they spoke. So if this is how we approach another person we respect, how should we approach God? 1 Peter 1:17 tells us we should approach God with reverent fear. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom according to Proverbs 9:10. "Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear." 1Peter 1:17 Remember though, nice clothes don't necessarily imply reverence. The heart is where our reverence should come from. We can look very respectful on the outside and be anything but that on the inside. Sometimes we are simply dressing for other people to be seen instead of our dress indicating our reverence for God. God sees us for who we really are. The Lord looks at the heart. How we dress is just an outward symbol of what hopefully is in our hearts (Matthew 15:8). A Father’s Loving Discipline and Our Response We have been told that Jesus is our friend, our brother, and God is our Father and that is absolutely true. But there was a time when respect, or in this case, reverence was expected between a child and a Father. When a Father spoke, a child was expected to listen. When a Father told a child to do something, they would for the most part try to do it immediately. They knew there were consequences for misbehavior because their Father loved them and wanted what was best for them. Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds us, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" Everyday Ways to Show Reverence for God How do we show God reverence in our daily lives? By treating Him as the Holy God He is. We are obedient, we listen, we take correction and learn from it. We read the Word, His Words, that He has left for us. We trust the whole Bible has something we can learn from. We show gratitude. We love others because He loves us. We submit to others because we have reverence for Jesus. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ". Ephesians 5:21 We treat His creation with care and thoughtfulness. We dress our best, even if we have little, we make sure to be modest and clean. We respect His Holy Name as Jesus taught us. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." Matthew 6:9 Reverence in Worship and Church Life When we walk into our local church for Sunday Services, are our thoughts immediately about God? Or is it so noisy that we are distracted away from Him? Are our eyes drawn to the girl two rows down in the immodest clothing or the handsome young newcomer or are we focused on worship? When we assemble in church or even in our homes for worship, how do we show reverence to God? Do we come in His house and chit chat with our neighbor about going to the store or what we heard happened in our community this week? Reverence, a holy respect, is better shown by not talking to others while the service is ongoing, praying, thinking about our blessings, and being open to receive His Word. Our voices should only be raised in praise to Jesus. Our heart should be prepared for worship. Learning from Quietness and Song When the Bible is read and the sermon delivered, we should pay attention and really listen to what is being said. Think about it. How does the reading apply to us? Is there anything surprising or something we don't really understand that perhaps we might dig deeper into later at home? Reverence is shown through joining in with singing. We praise our Father through song. He doesn't say we have to sing well but singing is expected. Many of us who sing in the shower or in the car alone won't even attempt to sing at church out of fear we won't sound good enough. God is patient as we grow in reverence. He welcomes every heart that seeks to honor Him. Recovering Reverence in a Casual Age I remember attending church many years ago. Service was in the afternoon and many people attended straight from a day at the lake wearing whatever they wore that day. It was a moment that led our pastor to lovingly guide us toward greater reverence. He gently reminded us that, just as we might dress thoughtfully for a special occasion, choosing clothing that reflects care and modesty for worship helps us honor the sacredness of the moment. His words encouraged us to think about how we prepare our hearts and appearance for God, not out of judgment, but as an invitation to deepen our connection with Him. Do we ever find ourselves giving more care to our appearance for social events than for worship? Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This beautiful church was literally full of people, some were attending services. To keep the crowd noises down the church measures the noise level and when it goes above a certain level a sound is played. It is a very calming but noticeable, Shhhh. One could immediately feel the calmness. The visitors would quiet and the church would return to its feeling of reverence. Perhaps in our zeal to make Jesus our buddy, as it were, we have forgotten that He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We may have forgotten that we worship the Creator of the universe and the righteous Judge of all that lives. We are told in Leviticus 19:30, "You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord." And in Psalm 95:6 the Psalmist says, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." In reverent worship, we join the disciples in their testimony: “We beheld His glory, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14). In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 we see the seriousness of the Corinthians' lack of respect and reverence for the Lord's Supper or Communion. Paul goes into much detail explaining why this was so essential to their worship of God. He reminds us who we remember and why we do so in holy Communion. Bowing Our Hearts Before a Holy God When was the last time we knelt before God? When did we last bow down before our holy and righteous God? This is not to imply that we can't speak to God anywhere we are or that we must at all times bow or kneel or say the perfect prayer, but there is an expectation of God that our heart must be bowed before Him in reverence. In Proverbs 28:14, we are told that a happy man is always reverent but when our hearts are hard we fall into calamity. Each of us needs to check our hearts. Have we shown God the reverence and respect that is due Him? The next time we attend church services think about Him, worship Him, and let the cares of this life melt away as we adore our Savior. We can take comfort that when we draw near to Him in reverence, He draws near to us. Reverence restores our awe of who God is and reminds us that worship is holy ground.

"Hope, in the world's phrase, refers only to an uncertain good, for all worldly hopes are tottering, built upon sand..." Matthew Henry Where is Job's Hope? When Job answers one of his so-called friends who is making unjust accusations against him in Job 17:13-16, he says, "If I wait for the grave as my house, If I make my bed in the darkness, If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’ Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it? Will they go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we have rest together in the dust?” In the midst of Job's suffering he can see only death looming before him. He has lost hope and his "friends" are not helping. Job Abounds in Hope And yet in Job 19: 25-27, Job remembers again where his hope lies. He remembers why he has hope when he says that he knows that his Redeemer lives. We have all had those moments when our faith wavers, when hope seems lost to us. Tragedy does things to a person. In James 5:11, James tells us that Job is an example of perseverance during trials. We are reminded of Jesus's mercy and compassion towards him. We know that Job is counted as blessed because he endured. Perseverance of Hope In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul talks about the, "perseverance of hope". Hope in the Bible does not mean some "uncertain good" as Matthew Henry put it. The Hebrew word for hope is qawa. This can be translated as trust. We trust our God is good, that He is just, that He is love, and that He is full of compassion and lovingkindness. The Hebrew word also often carries with it a sense of expectancy, of waiting for suffering and injustice to end and God's grace to abound. We should have a faith that trusts God. Hope for the Messiah The Old Testament looks with hope, trust and expectancy towards the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament fulfills that hope and teaches us to continue to hope for His return. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:1, "Christ Jesus our Hope." Without Him and His sacrifice on the cross there would be no hope. Hope for Eternal Life Faith, hope and love we are told in 1 Corinthians 13:13 abide. All three are part of living a life abiding in Christ. In Colossians, Paul tells us that the reason we have faith and love is , "because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven" (Colossians 1: 5). What is the hope he refers to? It is salvation and eternal life purchased for us by the Cross. Biblical hope is not merely about the future after death. It also sustains believers in the present. Hope reminds us that our suffering is not meaningless, that God is still working even when we cannot see it, and that darkness will not last forever. It keeps us praying when answers seem delayed and keeps us trusting when emotions fail us. Without hope, suffering can harden the heart. But with hope fixed on Christ, even painful trials can draw us closer to Him. A Defense Against Falling Away In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul commends the church saying that he is always mindful of ,"your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope". When we can keep hold of our hope, even in dark times, it will be a defense against falling away. What a blessing we would have, and be to others, if the same things could be said of each of us. Hope Fills Us With Joy and Peace Paul tells us in Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The hope of God fills us with joy and peace. These are the fruits of the Spirit given to us by His power in our lives. These are gifts of God that we may use to show others His love. When the world sees us rejoicing in times of darkness, when the world sees us at peace when tragedy abounds, they see the difference that the Holy Spirit makes in our lives. We don't face the world alone and with no hope. As the old hymn says, "My hope is nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness" Abound in Hope

Should We Rely on Ourselves? Our culture teaches us that one of the most important virtues a person can have is self- reliance. A self-reliant person depends on no one and nothing for their happiness and success. They are viewed as strong people who face life head-on. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a famous essay called "Self Reliance". One of the well-known lines in it says, "Trust thyself". But should we? Trust implies confidence and faith in someone's character, while to rely means to depend on someone to do something. As Christians, we can trust that God will do what He says, and we can rely on God because He has promised to supply our needs. Don't Trust In Man What does the Bible have to say about trusting yourself? Jeremiah tells us what God says in Jeremiah 17:5-9, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord." But God says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord." He warns that man's heart is sick and deceitful above all things. And in Psalm 118:8 David tells us, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." Contrast this to what Paul tells us in Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." We can rely on God's promise to supply all of our needs. Those needs can be emotional, physical or spiritual. We can trust God. Self-Reliance Stems From Pride Believing we can handle everything ourselves makes it more difficult for us to see our need for God. Ultimately, self-reliance stems from pride. We may boast, "I don't need anyone else." Maybe you feel that God has let you down somehow. This can make you doubt God's love and care for you. Because of this, we shove God aside and basically tell Him, "No thanks. I don't need your help. I will do it myself." These feelings are the lies of Satan. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter tells us to give our worries to God because He cares for us. Trust God, seek His will, and don't depend on your own limited understanding. If we do this, He will show us the right paths to take (Proverbs 3: 5-6). Rely On God, Not Yourself In 2 Corinthians 1: 8-9, Paul explains that the trials that he and his fellow workers faced in Asia were so great that they "despaired of their life". So why did this happen, Paul asks? So that they wouldn't rely on themselves, but on God! Sometimes we need to be reminded that we have to rely on God. Nothing Fruitful Can Happen Without God In John 15:5, Jesus tells us we can do nothing without God. To produce the kind of fruit in our lives that God wants us to, we are required to be attached to the proper vine - that vine is Jesus. Our fruit should be love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). If we only rely on ourselves we won't produce good fruit. Self-Reliance That Failed Look at the failed examples of self-reliance in the Bible. God promised Abraham to make a great nation out of him, but after waiting for years he and Sarah still had no children. Sarah, deciding to be self-reliant, presents Abraham with her handmaid. A child, Ishmael, is born that sews discord between Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 16:5). In God's time, Abraham and Sarah had Isaac that fulfilled God's promise of a son (Genesis 21). We see failed self-reliance in the New Testament as well. Matthew 26:31-35 says Peter boldly said that he would never leave or abandon Jesus. Within hours Peter and all the rest of the disciples have done the opposite - they denied or abandoned Him. After Jesus's death and resurrection the disciples cowered in fear. Relying on themselves, they could do nothing. It wasn't until the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2 that the disciples became bold to share their faith. How Do We Rely On God? So when we lose our home, spouse, child, health, job, or our money, do we pride ourselves on being self reliant and pulling ourselves together with no one's help. Or do we kneel before God in humility asking for the strength only He can give to us? But how do we rely on God? How do we "let go and let God" as the expression goes? God Wants What Is Best First, we trust that God will do what is best for us. Even when we don't understand why something has happened, we know that if we belong to Him, good, in some way, will come from it (Romans 8:28). We should seek His will in prayer and in His word. Admitting to the Lord every day in prayer that we truly do need Him to direct our paths helps us to keep our focus on Him. When our hearts are directed toward Him daily it is easier to rely on Him. Jesus says in John 14:1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Lack Of Prayer Says We Aren't Relying On God What is the greatest proof that we are relying on self instead of God? It is lack of prayer. Why pray if we have everything under control? Why pray if we have everything figured out? Prayer shows dependency on God. Prayer says, "God, I need you in every aspect of my life." What do you pray about? What do you not pray about? Think about it: those things we aren't praying about are most likely the things we think we have under control. We have become self-reliant in those things. Study The Word Studying God's words of life and getting to know Him helps us to fight against depression and anxiety. The Holy Spirit has promised to bring to mind the scriptures (John 14:25-26). How can we do this if we have never read them? By study, I don't just mean reading a verse for the day, although there can be good in that. Study means digging deeper into His word by joining a small group Bible study, taking notes during sermons, or reading online Bible studies like this one, for example. The Bible tells us that God's word is useful for teaching, rebuking or pointing out sin, correcting or offering a solution to sin, and training in righteousness, which means training in how to apply God's principles to our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Timothy says we study so that we can be equipped to do "every good work". God's word helps us understand our need to rely only on Him, not on ourselves to do good. Serving Others When we are overwhelmed with life, with the bad news of the day, think about serving someone else. We can rely on God and trust Him to give us opportunities to serve if we look for them. Serving others takes the focus off of us and places it on those who need God's love shown to them. We serve because He served. Just as Deborah describes how she "arose to be a mother to Israel"(Judges 5:7) and cared for her nation as a judge, so we can in, however small a way, show care and love to others by relying on the will of God. The Family Of God We are the family of God (I John 3: 1-2) and because of this we need to spend time with other Christians. We are to build each other up (I Thessalonians 5:11). We come to rely on God when we see Him in those we call our brothers and sisters. They are there for us in time of need just like our Father is. We are there for them because this is God's will. Even the non-Christian world knows that going it alone often leads to more depression and anxiety. When we help each other as Christian brothers and sisters, we begin to see how God intended us to live. There is no need for a self-reliance that excludes others or excludes God. We have no need to go it alone. We are a family and will continue to be one throughout eternity. We are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). We Need A Savior Ultimately, the idea of self-reliance leads to people believing they can save themselves. They can be good enough, kind enough, smart enough, to live with God eternally and this without ever repenting and believing in Jesus as their Savior. Rely on God, not yourself for salvation. In Andy Davis's sermon, "Sinful Self Reliance, Predicted, Exposed and Cured", he says this, "Our culture sells us this line again and again: you can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be, if you just believe in yourself. This is the message of self-esteem, of self-confidence, of self-assurance, of self-salvation. It’s part of the American myth, and it is a myth because the Bible is diametrically opposed to all of this. The message of the Bible is that we need a Savior."

Christians Should Trust the Whole Bible Do you treat the Bible like a buffet, picking only what you like? Many of us approach God's word like this. When God talks of love, forgiveness, and peace we're all in, but when the tone changes to judgment, hell, and being different from the world, then not so much. As Christians, one of the important characteristics we should have is the ability to trust God. But how can we say we really trust Him if we don't trust the Scriptures that He lived by. Jesus taught, in part by using Scripture, to always trust in God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and love for His people. He never treated any Scripture as unimportant. Jesus teaches us to trust the whole Bible because every word matters when we decide what to believe. How Jesus Viewed Scripture: Authority and Messianic Fulfillment What was Jesus' attitude towards the Scriptures? Jesus quoted directly from the Old Testament 78 times and alluded to it hundreds of times, as noted by various scholars. He not only knew the Scriptures; from childhood He even taught in the temple. This lifelong familiarity shaped how He read, applied, and challenged Scripture throughout his ministry. Jesus' view of Scripture was in most ways just like the people around Him. He believed that the events of the Old Testament were a true historical record of His people and their interactions with God. He speaks of Cain and Abel, Moses, Elijah, Jonah and others as historical figures who really existed. He looked to future events related in prophecy as real events that had not yet taken place. Jesus both affirmed Scripture’s authority and taught a deeper, Christ-centered reading of it. Differences only arose around His interpretation of Scripture concerning Himself. He frequently challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees around Him of basically "missing the point" or not understanding the deeper meaning of certain passages. He explained how He was the prophetic fulfillment of Scriptures that predicted a coming Messiah. The best example of Jesus' understanding of the importance of Scripture is in Matthew 4:4 where he quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 to Satan who is tempting Him. He says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." According to this Scripture, the word contained in the Old Testament "proceeds from the mouth of God." Paul continues in Jesus' footsteps by consistently emphasizing that all Scripture is the inspired Word of God. Paul’s Teaching on All Scripture: Inspired and Profitable (2 Timothy 3:16) Paul, as a Jewish scholar, was also extremely familiar with Old Testament Scripture. Again the exact numbers are arguable but some sources say that as many as about 183 Old Testament Scriptures are quoted or paraphrased by Paul. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Paul explains, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Scripture Paul is referring to is the Old Testament, because the New Testament at this time did not exist in its present form. While there were some Apostolic writings being circulated, a formal New Testament was not available to him. When he says that Scripture is all given by "inspiration of God" he is literally saying that it is God breathed. Paul means Scripture is divinely inspired, carrying God’s authority in every word. While Paul referred to the Old Testament, the early church recognized the apostles’ writings as equally inspired, forming the New Testament we trust today. He emphasized the usefulness of God's word for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction so that you and I can have the tools we need to do good work. Why the Old Testament Is Essential for Christians Today The New Testament did not replace the need for studying the Bible as a whole. To understand Jesus and His mission it is necessary to look at the circumstances that caused God to send Him to the world. We learn from the mistakes made by the Jews of the Old Testament, we learn about God's faithfulness to them in spite of themselves, and we see prophecy, some fulfilled and some still waiting to be. While the Old Testament is essential, its challenging passages can sometimes test our trust in God’s Word. How to Understand Difficult Old Testament Passages The Old Testament covers many topics that are uncomfortable to people, such as Leviticus 20. Some people find passages regarding the treatment of women hard to accept. Some see God's harsh punishment of some groups of people and find it difficult to reconcile with the loving God presented in the New Testament. Subjects like incest, slavery, rape, and infanticide are difficult to understand without intense study, prayer, and reflection on their purpose in God's story. Some suggestions on how to understand these passages would be: pray, know the genre, in other words, what type of passage is it: the law, the prophets, poetry like Psalms, narrative, the letters, or wisdom. Context is always important. Don't just read one verse and expect to understand a difficult text. Read what proceeds and follows the section your are studying. Also look up hard to understand words in the original language. You can do this online or with the help of study books. These suggestions will help to keep you from jumping to hasty conclusions about meaning. Trusting God’s Sovereignty: Lessons from Job’s Suffering Again, it really comes down to trust. This lesson was learned fully by Job. When Job questions God as to the reason for suffering, God's response was that Job had to trust Him. God attempts to show Job the depth of knowledge He possesses that Job can only guess at. God rules a universe which includes our imperfect world, we simply cannot know what God knows. It is impossible. Can we accept that God is wiser than we are? Can we truly believe that "His ways are higher than our ways" (Isaiah 55:9)? When we recognize that God knows more than we do and that He is not required in anyway to explain Himself to His creation, then we won't pick and choose what we believe is true about Holy Scripture. We will believe it and even though it may be very difficult, we will accept that things in Scripture happen because God is sovereign over all. Balancing Love and Justice: Understanding Hell in Scripture One example, is the idea of Hell. So many people find this concept impossible to accept. Hell is a hard reality. They often say, "How can a just God send someone to Hell for eternity simply for not believing in Him?" Yet, they have no problem believing that He could send that same sinful person to a perfect Heaven for all eternity, even if they don't believe in God at all. Love and justice have become all mixed up and swirled together in our modern world. To many, love means sweetness, kindness, and acceptance of any and all behavior. Motives don't matter. The only thing that matters is appearance. But God sees past appearance. For God, perfect love and perfect justice are intertwined. God's justice is one way He expresses His love. As 1 John 4:10 explains, “Herein is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us.” His love was such that He sent His Son to die for us "while we were yet sinners." We didn't have to become perfect for Him to love us, because God knew we couldn't by ourselves. God doesn't love like we do. God's justice was satisfied at the Cross. What an incredible gift our holy Father has given us. All of the Bible is a story of love. Maybe it is played out in ways we can't always fully comprehend, but God has given us His Word, His prophets, and His very Son to show us the way to reconciliation. But there must still be justice. Those who reject what He has offered, who reject Scripture as His very words to us, have forsaken His free gift of love. Accepting responsibility can be tough. It is we who are responsible for the evil, fallen world we live in because of our sin. The world was never meant to be this way. There was not supposed to be death and suffering or rape and incest or any other manner of evil, but it exists because of us, because of our choices. So when we want to determine what we believe about the Bible, when we want to say, "Oh no, no God didn't mean that!" or "That couldn't possibly have really happened." Stop and realize what you are really saying. You're saying that you would make a better god than our Father. Your ways are more knowledgeable and more learned than His. Really? Do you really believe that is possible? Your honest response must be, no! The Power of God’s Word: What Scripture Accomplishes What can God's word accomplish? It can discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). It will accomplish God's purpose (Isaiah 55:11). It is a lamp and light that guides our lives (Psalm 119:105). It blesses those who hear and obey it (Luke 11:28). It endures forever (Isaiah 40:8). All of these points apply to us because God's word is ALIVE according to Hebrews 4:12. It is truly alive in Christ who is according to John 1:14 the "word made flesh." Jesus is everything that God wants to communicate to man. Because the prophets had been ignored, God's Word, Jesus, came into the world. This is explained in the Parable of the Vineyard (Luke 20:9-16). In Jesus we see the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. The story that began in Genesis and ends with Revelation is the profound story of humanity and our relationship with our Creator. We can no more discard parts of it that we disagree with than cast aside a body part we don't like and still expect to function. Our place in the story is always in relationship to our Savior. If He felt it necessary and important to study the Word and believe and trust in it, surely you and I must do the same. So when God's word is spread before you like a buffet, remember to take it all in, don't pick and choose. Today, try to begin reading even the hard parts prayerfully and trust the whole Bible to teach and shape you with the help of the Holy Spirit. You may be surprised how blessed and strengthened you become when you begin trusting Scripture.

What to Wear to the Wedding? Going to a wedding can be a stressful event for people. What to wear? Maybe you don't own a lot of dressy clothes so what do you do? Wear what you have and look out of place or go buy new clothes. In Matthew there is a story of someone who came to a wedding feast without the proper clothing. He was not clothed with Christ. The Parable Of The Wedding Feast In Matthew 22:1-14 we read the parable of the wedding feast. To summarize it, the king invited people to the wedding of his son but they didn't want to come. He angrily punished them and told his servants to go out and invite basically anyone who would come, till the hall was filled with guests. To the king's surprise when he looked around there was a man without a wedding garment on. The king addressed him as 'friend'. He asks why are you dressed this way? The man seems surprised, especially when he is bound and cast out of the wedding feast. Then the Lord makes this statement, "For many are called, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14 Symbolism Of The Parable The symbolism of this parable is pretty understandable. The Jews were the guests who were invited and ignored the invitation. They rejected Jesus when He was here, so the call of salvation went out to everyone. The gentiles (the rest of the world) would be those who were asked to come and fill the hall. But what about the man without proper clothing? Proper Attire First, we need a background on Jewish weddings of the time period. The host of the wedding feast would provide his guests with proper attire. They didn't have to worry about what they would wear because it was provided for them. The man who was thrown out would have had access to such a garment. Why did he not have it on? It would have been quite insulting to the king to have a guest refuse to put on the white robe. The man apparently believed that his old clothes were adequate to attend the wedding. Maybe he was just careless, thoughtless about what he was doing. He may have been excited to be at the feast but not aware that a change of clothes was necessary. Clothed With Christ The symbolism of the wedding garment is this, as Romans 13:14 says, we are to be "clothed with Christ". In Revelation 19:8 the clothing required for the marriage supper of the Lamb, the joining of Christ with His church, is clearly stated. " It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." In Zechariah chapter 3, Zechariah has a vision of Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy garments. The angel of the Lord tells those around him to remove his filthy garments, because his sin has been taken away, and put fine clothes on him. Christ's Righteousness Clothes Us It is the righteousness of Christ that clothes us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that Jesus became sin, who knew no sin. The reason He did this is so that we might become the "righteousness of God". Galatians 3:27 says if we have been baptized in Christ, then we have clothed ourselves with Christ. This righteousness is a gift God freely gives us, not because we deserve it, but out of His grace. Isaiah 64:6 explains that our righteousness is like "filthy rags". This is why we need the robe of righteousness that Christ offers us. Conversion Means Change When someone accepts the call of Christ it can't be done without realizing that you must be converted. Conversion is change. Conversion is transformation. I can't continue to wear my filthy rags. I have to put on Christ. I have to change, to grow in obedience and the way of truth. We read in Luke 15:7 that there is joy in Heaven over just one sinner who repents. Repentance is turning from sin. Simple belief is not enough. The Bible reminds us that even the devil believes (James 2:19). The man at the wedding feast did not have to buy his new clothes, he just had to accept them. He had to put them on. He had to realize his filthy clothes weren't acceptable to the King. The King had invited everyone to His feast. He had invited the good and the bad. The man came thinking that he didn't have to change, that he could come as he was without the proper attire. There was a price to pay for that thinking. An eternal price will be paid if we believe that we have no need for new garments, for Christ's righteousness. Yes, we can come to Christ as we are. The mistake some people make is that they think they can stay that way. They see no real need to change their lives. Some people say they are Christians but their lives show no evidence of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). Their lives tells us they aren't what they say they are. Imagine the surprise of the man in the parable. He thought he was fine. He thought what he had on was good enough. As Matthew 22:14 said, the King has invited as many guests as his servants could find to His Son's wedding but few will be chosen. Few will wear the robe of righteousness provided by our King.

Futility v The Renewal of our Mind The Bible explains to us in Ephesians 4:17 that while we were lost and in the world (Gentiles), we operated in the "futility of our minds". What is a mind without God? Someone who looks for answers but never finds any. It is someone who seeks joy in things or people but can't find anything that lasts. It is a mind without focus on what's really important. It is a mind that often feels hopeless and adrift in the world. Hope only comes when we "put on the new man," renewed by the Holy Spirit. But what does futility mean? Futility means that you are striving for something that you can't find, seeking something that always seems out of reach. A mind without God is concerned only with itself. The opposite of futility is wisdom, sanity, judgment. This is what God wants for us. He wants our minds to be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 10:16 says that God will write His covenant in our minds. The Old Man And The New Man In Ephesians 4:22 Paul says that we must put off the old man with its sinful desires and lusts and in verse 24 he says we must put on the new man. The new man is renewed in the spirit of your mind. Our mind needs to be daily refocused on God. This new man is created in righteousness and holiness. He picks up this idea in Romans 8:5 where he says we should live according to the Holy Spirit of God and that our minds should be set on those things that come from the Spirit. Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Our goal as Christians is to have a renewed mind. But how? I Corinthians 2:16 says that we "have been given the mind of Christ." How do we go about renewing our mind with the help of the Holy Spirit? By reading and studying the word of God. By reading the word we grow in faith and knowledge day by day. Hosea 4:6 says that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. We steadily grow and mature by learning more and more what the mind of Christ really is. Sanctified When Jesus prayed for us to God in John 17:17 He said "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." To become more like Christ, to be sanctified, we need to know the truth and that truth is found in His Word. When we go to church and hear the Word read, we often feel like we have enough. But do we understand what we have heard, really? Have we prayed over it? Have we meditated on it? Have we read the entire chapter it is from, not just the one verse or two that we heard? What Is The Difference? The new man that Paul talks about in Ephesians is one who grows more and more to be like Christ. Colossians 3:10 says that the new man is renewed in knowledge. Knowledge of what? Knowledge of Him who created us. Paul describes the differences between the Old Man and the New Man. Old Man New Man lies speaks truth steals works so he can share with others speaks "corrupt words" edifies (builds up) people with their words angry kind holds grudges forgives holds on to hatred loves greedy generous lewd (lust, fornication, adultery) sexually pure Put On The New Man Paul continues in Ephesians 4:18 to say that the old man was blinded by his sin and alienated from God because of his ignorance of the love of Christ and his mercy. Now that we have "put on" the new man, quite literally clothed ourselves with Christ, we should grow in holiness daily to become more like Him. Our new man, our new clothes, should be obvious to those around us. Study The Word Reading our Bible every day should be as normal as eating breakfast or watching the news. It should be part of our routine, but it should be the most important part. I want to quote Jenny Hawkins about reading the Word daily. She said, " When I was so tired I couldn't remember what I'd read; when I was mad and couldn't feel what I read; when I was sad and could not hear God's voice in what I read; I still read - and that saved me through difficult times." We should dedicate ourselves to being obedient and learning about God even when we don't feel like it. Do You Really Want To Know Him? To grow in Christ, to grow in love, we need to write His words on our hearts and in our minds. We need to want to know Him. We have the Holy Spirit of God within us. Let us put on the new man and be renewed! Rejoice in Him!

You Died in Christ Paul says something rather startling in Colossians 3:3. He says "you died." Have you died? Have you died to sin? And when we belong to Christ this is true. The old you, the one before you became a Christ follower is dead. This death is not the end of something, but the beginning of a new life in Christ—one that is held together by what Paul later calls our “bond of perfection.” Paul explains that we should put to death the parts of us that remain from the old life. Paul does not leave this idea of death to the old life undefined. He tells us exactly what must be put to death. He says, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5 The Desires of the Old Man Paul begins with sins that deal largely with sexual immorality and inward desire. He speaks of fornication, sexual sin outside of marriage, but he does not stop there. He includes uncleanness, a broader moral impurity that affects thought, word, and action. He then moves deeper to passion, an uncontrolled craving that drives a person towards immoral behavior, and evil desire, a greedy longing for what is not rightfully ours. Even covetousness, which may not appear outwardly sinful at first, is called idolatry because it places our desire above God. God's wrath is coming for those who live like this. These are the actions of the old man, not the New that we have become. He then turns from these desires to the attitudes that flow from them. From Inner Attitudes to Outward Words Colossians 3:8 turns from outward acts to attitudes that rise from the heart and are often expressed through our words. There is anger, that settled, inward resentment people carry. This can erupt into wrath, sudden outbursts of rage. Malice goes even further, revealing a desire to see others harmed. These inner conditions eventually make their way out through blasphemy and filthy language, showing that what is within cannot remain hidden. Have you ever used God's holy name carelessly or as a curse word? That is blasphemy. Have you cursed, used obscene language, or told a dirty joke? Then you have used filthy language. Scripture warns about the danger of idle words. Where our old self thought lying was not a serious problem, in Colossians 3:9 Paul calls out lying. Don't do it, he says plainly. So many today routinely lie and think nothing of it. It makes their life easier, so they do it. That person is dead, the new one that is in Christ recognizes the damage lying does and how much God hates it. How do you determine what is right and wrong? According to recent surveys many people just go by how they feel. If it feels right for them, they will do it. This is why so many of these sins no longer seem serious. They don't ask what does Scripture say. They don't read to find out what Jesus says. This list shows us that God does not measure sin by how we feel about it. It starts with internal issues and continues to external sins that hurt others and to language that is hurtful and inappropriate to the Christian life. We should strive to remove these behaviors when we become Christians. We are called to die to sin. All of these sins are common in the world now as they were then. If we participate in them then we are just like the world. We have to remember we are to be holy people—a set apart people. But the Christian life is not only about putting sin to death. Putting on the New Man in Christ Paul says in Colossians 3:10, "and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him," This new man is renewed not once, but daily in knowledge. The knowledge Paul is talking about is not just a head knowledge, although he acknowledges the importance of that as well. It is not necessarily how many Scriptures we can recite perfectly by heart. This knowledge is experience. The experience we have with understanding who God is that comes from spending time with Him. This is the knowledge of transformation. It helps us put on the new man and become who we say we are. Christ Above All: The New Identity of Believers In Colossians 3:11 Paul informs us that it doesn't matter who we are, what ethnicity we have, or what position we hold because "Christ is all and in all." If people today could just have this fact in their hearts what a better world we would live in. So once these worldly behaviors have been removed what behavior should we see? Our new self should put on, "tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another," (Colossians 3:12). Are we merciful, kind, humble, meek, patient and forgiving? This is our goal to be like Christ. Since Christ forgave us we should forgive others. Love, the Bond of Perfection The key to all of this change or transformation is found in Colossians 3:14. Paul says there is a "bond of perfection", a glue that holds all these traits together and allows us to be this kind of person. What is this bond? Love. These sinful behaviors all happen because of a lack of love for God or others. These people love, but they love only themselves. What Paul teaches here is not new. Jesus Himself made this same point even more directly. Jesus Reveals the Heart of Sin (Mark 7) In Mark 7:20-23 Jesus talks about what defiles a man. He says it is what comes from the inside of the man, from his heart. A man who is defiled is unfit to be in the presence of God. They are unholy. The list reminds us of Paul's list. Jesus says it is: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. Some of these sins are obvious to us. But others are often excused, even defended, in our culture today. We all agree we should not steal and kill people, but greed? If some is good, then even more must be better is many people's unspoken motto. Adultery? In today's world if you are in an unhappy marriage and your spouse "doesn't understand you" it may be viewed as just getting the happiness you deserve. Have you ever said things about people without knowing if it was true or not? Slander is often related to gossip. And pride? Well aren't we taught to be the best and tell everyone we know how good we are at what we do? Jesus mentions foolishness, not in the way we usually think of it, but the foolishness of poor judgment or unbelief. Foolishness shows itself as prideful arrogance that leads to ruin. These are not small sins. They are signs of a heart that has turned inward, placing self above God and others. This is not just a list to understand, but a battle we live every day. Every day we wake up we face temptation to put our old clothes back on, to turn away from Jesus to that old, easier life where we could be like everyone else. Thank God His Holy Spirit lives in us empowering us to live this new life. We can do things that make it easier to be obedient: pray more, study Scripture, and meet together for encouragement and teaching. When we fail, and we all fail sometimes, we are blessed to be able to call on Jesus with a repentant heart and turn back to Him. Becoming like Him is a lifetime process. Our transformation is the fruit of our bond of perfection we have in Jesus. Living Out the Sacrificial Love of Christ The new commandment that Jesus gives us is to love others as He has loved us. That is with a sacrificial love. This kind of love seeks nothing in return. This kind of love shows itself in the face of hate. Self-sacrificing love isn't seen much today. Our self help gurus all tell us to make sure we come first and if something is left over then we can give some love to others, but only if our needs are met first. Jesus' love is upside down from what the world calls love. This love isn't done out of obligation and duty. We love others not just because we are obeying Jesus' command. We love because it pours forth from a transformed heart. We can't help but love because our gratitude and thankfulness for His love makes His desires our desires. Because we love Him we will keep His commandments. Our love isn't just words but actions. We do things to show love. We don't pat someone on the head and tell them we love them. We make efforts to change their lives by our love when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned. Even our enemies and those who hate us will experience God's love through us. We are called to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and do good to those who hate us. There is no place for pride here. There is no place for "proving we are right." So Jesus' countercultural love is our "bond of perfection." It is the very thing that makes all of this possible. It is not a love given without sacrifice. As Jesus sacrificed Himself for us, so we sacrifice ourselves for the world that does not know us or understand us. In this way we reach the lost with the thing they need the most: love and forgiveness. The same love and forgiveness that was given at Calvary for each of us.

We Need our Savior The faith heroes of the Bible have one thing in common. They were obedient to God. But even these great heroes were still mere men. When they became too full of themselves, or too afraid, or took their eyes off of their God, then they stumbled. What does this teach us? We all fail sometimes. Does it teach us that it's not that big a deal that I sin because, goodness, look at the great examples in the Bible who also sinned. No certainly not. It teaches us we must at all times be aware of our need for our Savior, for our God, to navigate our walk with Him. We All Fail Sometimes Do we have heroes? Are their people who we look up to that we think have all the answers or seem to lead the perfect life? Perhaps you know a famous preacher or a politician or even your parents or family members who always seem to be walking close to God. But no matter who they are, they can and will fail at times. Maybe we won't see it but it will happen. We all fail sometimes, we all have sinned. Noah was called "blameless in his generation" (Genesis 6:9) and yet after the flood he got drunk and lay naked in his tent. His son Ham saw his father naked and disrespected him. (We aren't told exactly how.) When Noah awoke and learned what Ham had done, he pronounced a curse on Ham’s son Canaan. Many centuries later when Joshua entered the Promised Land the Canaanites were destroyed for their idolatry. If Noah had never gotten drunk this whole episode wouldn't have happened. The consequences of his actions were far reaching. Abraham obeyed God by leaving his home and traveling to a new land that God promised him. God promised him descendants like stars in the sky. But in Abraham, the father of all who believe (Romans 4:16), we see moments where he showed a lack of trust in God. He lied about his wife, Sarai saying she was his sister to the Pharoah and he took his handmaiden Hagar as his wife, thinking that he should hurry up God's promise as he and Sarai were getting too old to have children. The animosity between the descendants of Hagar's son, Ishmael and Sarah's son, Isaac continues to this day. Moses was called the humblest man on earth (Numbers 12:3). Raised in Pharaoh's household he murdered an Egyptian man and fled to Midian. Forty years later God called him to set His people free from slavery in Egypt. Years after that he brought water from a rock by striking it in anger (Numbers 20:7-11). This was not how God had instructed. That burst of anger cost him. God forbade him from entering the Promised Land. Sadly, Moses would die within sight of that land. Aaron, Moses' brother, helped make the golden calf that the Israelites worshipped in the desert. Aaron's life was very troubled after this. He would not enter the promised land and two of his four sons were destroyed when they disobeyed God. David was described as a man after God's own heart ( I Samuel 13:14). A mighty warrior and a great king, he began to believe that he could have anything he wanted, including another man's wife, Bathsheba, even if it meant having her husband killed. God told him that because of this sin he and Bathsheba's first-born son would die. He was also told that the sword would never depart from his house. Which indeed it sadly never did. Jonah, one of the earliest prophets of God, thought the Ninevites, to whom God wanted him to share the message of repentance, weren't worthy enough; so Jonah attempted to run from God. Jonah ended up in the belly of a fish, contrite and willing to go where God wanted him to go. Where is our Nineveh? Where is the place we are running from that God is sending us? Elijah, after his great victory defeating the prophets of Baal, ran and hid when he found out Queen Jezebel wanted him dead. He forgot for a moment who he served and who was always faithful. He had a moment of doubt that God would protect him. Poor Elijah thought he alone served God, but God informed him that there were 7,000 others who had also not bent the knee to Baal. Do we sometimes run and hide in fear? The Temptations of Men These men who had been so obedient to God and had had some of the most amazing experiences with God, who had seen God's miracles, still made sinful choices. We may have have seen God work in our lives in marvelous ways, we may have done mighty deeds for God but that does not keep us from being a mortal human. A human who when tempted can't let their focus off of whom they serve. Ecclesiastes 7:20 reminds us, "Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins." These sins are recorded so that we have a warning. Our prayer should be to become more aware of the pride that lies within us and the great need we have for humility. We need a servant's heart. Where is our strength? In God alone. Without Him we can do nothing. We should be more understanding of the failures of others and more prayerful for our brothers and sisters in Christ who need strengthening. Lessons to Learn These men had failings but they repented of their sins. They were not habitual sinners. They did not continue in their sin. If we continue in sin our repentance isn't real. Sometimes their sins were punished almost immediately and sometimes there were long term consequences. There are lessons for each of us. Has Someone Failed You? Has someone you know and looked up to failed? Have they failed you? Don't be too harsh. All of us can be tempted and all of us sin. We may have been faithful followers of Christ for many years but that doesn't keep us from the temptation to do wrong, to make sinful decisions, to forget who it is we serve. If it can happen to these great examples of faith in the Bible certainly it could happen to us. We all fail sometimes. Have You Failed? And if it is you that has failed, never forget we serve the One who is perfect, sinless, and without spot or blemish. We serve Jesus who loves us and forgives us when we repent and turn from our sin. We serve a risen Savior! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. All Have Failed

Loving Friends or Friendly Enemies I heard a pastor say recently that we have confused love for people with being friends with our enemies. I thought about this a lot. Can we love someone and not be friends with them? The Bible says yes. James 4:4(b) says this, "Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James acknowledges in chapter 2 verse 8 that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. So James knows the requirement for love of others. What the Bible doesn't say is that we have to like them, or for that matter, even respect them except to acknowledge they are made in the image of God, as are we. Jesus Speaks Truth Jesus spent much time with worldly people. He didn't "hang out" with them like a buddy. What He did do was speak truth to them out of love. Sometimes it was a harsh truth, sometimes not, but always it was the truth they needed to hear that only someone who truly loved them would speak. The World Will Hate You In John 15:19 Jesus says that because we are not of this world, because we belong to Him, the world will hate us. But are we different? That doesn't sound very much like we can become friends with the lost. In fact, Paul tells us that when we try to become friends with the world that "bad company ruins good morals." (I Corinthians 15:33). When we are in Christ we will be strangers in the world. One of the lies of the Devil is that we need the love of this world. In the churches today this lie is rampant. The Devil tells God's children if we truly loved others, we would be accepting of their choices. Satan would have us believe their behavior is "just how they are". We would forget about the necessity of repentance; the necessity to turn from sin and seek the holiness of God. But why are we so tempted to seek the friendship of the world in the first place? Whose Praises Are More Important? Sometimes we desire the love of the world, because as John 12:43 says, the praises of men are more important to us than the praises of God. When we become friends with the world we get praised. We are praised for being non-judgmental, because we no longer speak truth. We no longer talk of repentance. What is your motivation for loving others? The Gift Of Discernment The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of discernment for a reason. We are to discern, to understand, the true motives of people. Is this person really as they appear or are they working against us in very subtle ways to undermine our relationship with God? As we deepen our relationship with God, we are better able to extend sacrificial love to others without granting the closeness or affection reserved for true friendship. Sacrificial Love When Jesus speaks of loving others the Greek word, agapao, was often used. This word has a meaning that includes self-sacrifice, not affection or even emotion. This love puts others before yourself even when you have no 'loving' feeling toward them. This word means a totally unselfish kind of love. Think of the worst kind of sin you can imagine, murder or child molestation. Now imagine loving that person, sacrificially. God commands us to have sacrificial love because this is how He loves. He doesn't command us to be friends or be accepting of their behavior. We confuse love with acceptance. The clearest example of this kind of love is found in how God loves us. At One Time We Were Enemies Of God God's sacrificial love for us is that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8). Or as Paul tells us in Romans 5:10, God reconciled us to Himself through Jesus while we were God's enemies. Therefore, God loved us while we were still sinners, but we were not His friend, we were His enemy! The word used for reconciled here means to "change completely". In this case to change from enemies to beloved friends. Thank you gracious Father for calling us to repent and reconciling us to you. Amen Enjoy the beautiful hymn, "Blessed Redeemer", by Casting Crowns here.