Psalm 103 God's Great Love For Us

Psalm 103:1-6. David’s praise focused on the good things God was doing for him. It is easy to complain about life, but David’s list gives us plenty for which to praise God. He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires, and gives righteousness and justice. We receive all of these without deserving any of them. No matter how difficult your life’s journey, you can always count your blessings, past, present and future. When you feel as though you have nothing for which to praise God, read David’s list !!
Psalm 103:7-11. God’s law was given first to Moses and the people of Israel. God’s law presents a clear picture of God’s character and his will for his people. It was God’s training manual to prepare his people to serve him and to follow his ways. Review the Ten Commandments and the history of how they were given, asking God to show you his will and his ways through them.
Psalm 103: 12,13. East and west can never meet. This is a symbolic portrait of God’s forgiveness, when he forgives our sin, he separates it from us and doesn’t even remember it. We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets. We tend to dredge up the ugly past, but God has wiped our record clean. If we are to follow God, we must model his forgiveness. When we forgive another, we must also forget the sin. Otherwise, we have not truly forgiven. God is like a father, tender and compassionate. Not every child has a tender and compassionate father. Too often, sadly, the cycles of abuse and dysfunction rob children of loving Fathers. If that is your situation, God offers himself to you to be the father you never had or perhaps felt you never needed. Of course, you can’t go fishing with God or be held physically by him, but you can receive his love in your heart by means of his Holy Spirit. God can tenderly heal your deep lose.
Psalm 103:14. We are fragile, but God’s care is eternal. Too often we focus on God as Judge and Lawgiver, ignoring his compassion and concern for us. When God examines our lives, he remembers our human condition. Our weakness should never be used as a justification for sin. His mercy takes everything into account. God will deal with you compassionately. Trust him.
Psalm 103:20-22. Everything everywhere is to praise the Lord, all angels, mighty ones and heavenly host, and all his works !!! Praising God means remembering all he has done for us, fearing him and obeying his commands and doing his will. Does your life Praise the Lord???

God doesn’t want your IQ, he wants you I WILL!!!!!


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Parents and Children

Ephesians 6:1,2,3. There is a difference between obeying and honoring. To obey means to do as one is told, to honor means to respect and love. Children are not commanded to disobey God in obeying their parents. Adult children are not asked to be subservient to domineering parents. Children are to obey while under their parents care, but the responsibility to honor parents is for life. Some societies honor their elders. They respect their wisdom, defer to their authority, and pay attention to their comfort and happiness. This is how Christians should act. Where elders are respected, long life is a blessing, not a burden to them.
Ephesians 6:4. If our Faith in Christ is real, it will usually prove itself at home, in our relationships with those who know us best. Children and parents have a responsibility to each other. Children should honor their parents, even if the parents are demanding and unfair. Parents should care gently for their children, even if the children are disobedient and unpleasant. Ideally, of course, Christian parents and Christian children will relate to each other with thoughtfulness and love. This will happen if both parents and children put the others’ interests above their own-that is , if they submit to one another.
The purpose of parental discipline is to help children grow, not to exasperate and provoke them to anger or discouragement. Parenting is not easy, it takes lots of patience to raise children in a loving, Christ honoring manner. But frustration and anger should not be causes for discipline. Instead, parents should act in love , treating their children as Jesus treats the people he loves. This is vital to children’s development and to their understanding of what Christ is like.
Ephesians 6:5. Slaves played a significant part in this society. There were several million of them in the Roman empire at this time. Because many slaves and owners had become Christians, the early church had to deal straightforwardly with the question of master/slave relations. Paul’s statement neither condemns nor condones slavery. Instead, it tells masters and slaves how to live together in Christian households. In Paul’s day, women, children, and slaves had few rights. In the church, however , they had freedoms that society denied them. Paul tells husbands, parents, and masters to be caring.
Ephesians 6: 6,8. Christians employees should do their jobs as if Jesus Christ were their supervisor. And Christian employers should treat their employees fairly and with respect. Can you be trusted to do your best, even when the boss is not around. Do you work hard and with enthusiasm? Do you treat your employees as people and not machines? Remember that no matter who you work for , and no matter who works for you, the One you ultimately should want to please is your Father in heaven.
Ephesians 6: 9. Although Christians may be at different levels in earthly society, we are all equal before God. He does not play favorites: no one is more important than anyone else. Paul’s letter to Philemon stresses the same point: Philemon, the master, and Onesimus, his slave, were brothers in Christ.

Only a friend can betray a friend, because a stranger has nothing to gain……….

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Instructions To Timothy

Timothy 4:1,2. The ‘’later times’’ began with Christ’s resurrection and will continue until his return when he will set up his kingdom and judge all humanity. False teachers were and are still a threat to the church. Jesus and the apostles repeatedly warned against them. It is not enough that a teacher appears to know what he is talking about, is disciplined and moral, or says that he is speaking for God. If his words contradict the Bible, his teaching is false. Like Timothy, we must guard against any teaching that causes believers to dilute or reject any aspect of their faith. Such false teaching can be very direct or extremely subtle. Believers ought to respond quickly when they sense false teaching being promoted. The truth does not mind honest questions. Sometimes the source may prove to be ignorant of the error and appreciate the correction. But a firm warning may at least keep potential victims from the disastrous results of apostasy that Paul described.
1 Timothy 4: 4,5. Paul said the false teachers were hypocritical liars who encouraged people to follow deceiving spirits. The false teachers refused to believe that the God of creation was good, because his very contact with the physical world would have soiled him. Though these Greek- influenced church members honored Jesus, they could not believe he was truly human. Paul knew that their teachings, if left unchecked would greatly distort Christian truth. Satan deceives people by offering a clever imitation of the real thing. we must not be unduly impressed by a teacher’s style or credentials , we must look to his teachings about Jesus Christ. His conclusions about Christ show the source of his message. In opposition to the false teachers, Paul affirmed that everything God created is good. We should ask for God’s blessing on his created gifts that give us pleasure and thank him for them. This doesn’t mean that we should abuse what God has made. We should enjoy these gifts by using them to serve and honor God. Have you thanked God for the gifts he has given? Are you using the gifts in ways pleasing to you and God?
1 Timothy 4:7,10. Are you in shape both physically and spiritually? In our society, much emphasis is placed on physical fitness, but spiritual health is even more important. Our physical health is susceptible to disease and injury, but faith can sustain us through any tragedy. To train ourselves to be Godly, we must develop our faith by using our God-given abilities in the service of the church. Christ is the savior for all, but his salivation becomes effective only for those who trust him.,
1 Timothy 4:12. Timothy was a young pastor. It would have been easy for older Christians to look down on him because of his youth. He had to earn the respect of his elders by setting an example in his speech, life, love, faith and purity. Regardless of your age, God can use you. Everyday we have many opportunities to support and inspire family members, fellow workers and even total strangers. People need help and affirmation along the way.
1 Timothy 4: 14. Highly skilled and talented athletes lose their abilities if their muscles aren’t toned by constant use. Likewise, we will lose our spiritual gifts if we don’t put them to work. Our talents are improved by exercise, but failing to use them causes them to waste away from lack of practice.
1 Timothy 4:16. We must be on constant guard against falling into sin that can so easily destroy us. Yet we must watch what we believe just as closely. We must keep a close eye, staying true to faith.


It’s only an 18’’ journey from the mind to the heart.
So why do we struggle so much with the short trip?


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Jonah Flees From The Lord

Jonah 1:1,2. Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:15. He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, the king of Israel from 793-753 B.C. He may have been a member of the company of prophets mentioned in connection with Elisha’s ministry (2 Kings2:3). God told Jonah to preach to Nineveh, the most important city in Assyria, the rising world power of Jonah’s day. Within 50 years, Nineveh would become the capitol of the vast Assyrian empire. Jonah doesn’t say much about Nineveh’s wickedness, but the prophet Nahum gives us more insight. Nahum says that Nineveh was guilty of evil plots against God, exploitation of the helpless, cruelty in war, idolatry, prostitution and witchcraft. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, about 500 miles northeast of Israel, to warn of judgment and to declare that the people could receive mercy and forgiveness if they repented.
Jonah 1:3. Nineveh was a powerful and wicked city. Jonah had grown up hating the Assyrians and fearing their atrocities. His hatred was so strong that he didn’t want them to receive God’s mercy. Jonah was actually afraid the people would repent. Jonah’s attitude is representative of Israel’s rejuctance to share God’s love and mercy with others, even though this was their God given mission. They, like Jonah ,did not want non-Jews to obtain God’s favor. Jonah knew that God had a specific job for him, but he didn’t want to do it. Tarshish could be one on any number of Phoenicia’s western ports. Nineveh was toward the east. Jonah decided to go as far west as he could. When God gives us direction through his Word, sometimes we run in fear or in stubbornness, claiming that God is asking to much. It may have been fear, or anger at the wilderness of God’s mercy, that made Jonah run. But running got him into worse trouble. In the end Jonah understood that it is best to do what God asks in the first place. But by then he had paid a costly price for running. It is far better to obey from the start.
Jonah 1: 4,5. While the storm raged, Jonah was sound asleep below deck. Even as he ran from God, Jonah’s actions apparently didn’t bother his conscience. But the absence of guilt isn’t always a barometer of whether we are doing right. Because we can deny reality, we cannot measure obedience by our feelings. Instead , we must compare what we do with God’s standard's for living.
Jonah 1:7. The crew cast lots to find the guilty person, relying on their superstitions give them the answer. Their system worked but only because God intervened to let Jonah that he couldn’t run away.
Jonah 1:9,12. You cannot seek God’s love and run from him at the same time. Jonah soon realized that no matter where he went he couldn’t get away from God. But before Jonah could return to God , he first had to stop going in the opposite direction. What has God told you to do? If you want more of God’s love and power, you must be willing to carry out the responsibilities he gives you. Jonah knew that he had disobeyed and that the storm was his fault, but he didn’t say anything until the crew had cast lots and the lot fell on him. Then Jonah was willing to give his life to save the sailors, although he had refused to do the same for the people of Nineveh. Jonahs hatred for the Assyrians had affected his perspective.
Jonah 1: 13,16. By trying to save Jonah’s life the pagan sailors showed more compassion than Jonah, because Jonah did not want to warn the Ninevites of the coming judgment of God. Believers should be ashamed when unbelievers show more concern and compassion than they do. God wants us to be concerned for all of his people, lost and saved. Jonah has disobeyed God. While he was running away, he stopped and submitted to God. Then the ships crew began to worship God because they saw the storm quite down. God is able to use even our mistakes to help others come to know him.

If you don’t believe it , you will never achieve it.

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The Birth of Moses

Exodus 2:1,2. Although a name is not mentioned yet, the baby in the story was Moses. Moses’ mother and father were named Jochebed and Amram. His brother was Aaron and his sister, Miriam.
Exodus 2:3. This tiny boat made of papyrus reeds was fashioned by a women who knew what she was doing. Egyptian river boats were made with the same reeds and waterproofed with tar. The reeds, which grew as tall as sixteen feet, could be gathered in swampy areas along the Nile. Thus a small basket hidden among the reeds would be well insulated from the weather and difficult to see. Moses’ mother knew how wrong it would be to destroy her child. But there was little she could do to change Pharaoh’s new law. Her only alternative was to hide the child and later place him in a tiny papyrus basket on the river. God used her courageous act to place her son, the Hebrew of his choice, in the house of Pharaoh. Do you sometimes feel surrounded by evil and frustrated by how little you can do about it? When faced when evil, look for ways to act against it. Then trust God to use your effort, however small it seems, in his war against evil.
Exodus 2:5. Who was Pharaoh’s daughter? There are two popular explanations, 1. Some think that Hatshepsut was the woman who pulled Moses from the river. Her husband was Pharaoh Thutmose apparently Hatshepsut could not have children, so Thutmose had a son by another woman, and this son became heir to the throne. Hatshepsut would have considered Moses a gift from the Gods because now she hade her own son who would be the legal heir to the throne. 2. Some think the princess who rescued the baby Moses was the daughter of Rameses II, an especially cruel Pharaoh who would have made life miserable for the Hebrew slaves.
Exodus 2:7,8. Miriam , the baby’s sister, saw that Pharaoh’s daughter had discovered Moses. Quickly she took the initiative to suggest a nurse who might care for the baby. The Bible doesn’t say if Miriam was afraid to approach the Egyptian princess, or if the princess was suspicious of the Hebrew girl. But Miriam did approach her, and the princess bought the services of Miriam and her Mother. Their family was reunited. Special opportunities may come our way unexpectedly. Don’t let the fear of what might happen cause you to miss an opportunity. Be alert for the opportunities God gives you, and take full advantage of them.
Exodus 2:9. Moses’ mother was reunited with her baby!! God used her courageous act of saving and hiding her baby to begin his plan to rescue his people from Egypt. God doesn’t need much from us to accomplish his plan for our lives. Focusing on our human predicament may paralyze us because the situation may appear humanely impossible. But concentrating on God and his power will help us see the way out. Right now you may feel unable to see through your troubles. Focus instead on God, and trust him for the way out. That is all he needs to begin his work in you.
Exodus 2:12-14. Moses tried to make sure no one was watching before he killed the Egyptian. But as it turned out , someone did see, and Moses had to flee the country. Sometimes we mistakenly think we can get away with doing wrong if no one sees or catches us. Sooner or later , however, doing wrong will catch up with us as it did with Moses. Even if we are not caught in this life, we will still have to face God and his evaluation of our actions.
Exodus 2: 15. To escape punishment for killing the Egyptian , Moses ran to Midian. He became a stranger in a strange land, separated from his home and family. It took many years after this incident for Moses to be ready to serve God. But he trusted God instead of fearing the king. We may feel abandoned or isolated because of something we have done. But though we feel afraid and separated, we should not give up. Moses didn’t. He trusted God to deliver him, no matter how dark his past or bleak his future.
Exodus 2:23-25. God’s rescue doesn’t always come the moment we want it. God had promised to bring the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. The people had waited a long time for that promise to be kept, but God rescued them when he knew the right time had come. God knows the best time to act. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, remember that God has a time schedule we can’t see.

Giving in to temptation is like drinking muddy water from the Nile.

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Taming The Tongue

James 3:1. Teaching was a highly valued and respected profession in Jewish culture, and many Jews who embraced Christianity wanted to become teachers. James warned that although it is good to aspire to teach, the teachers” responsibility is great because their words and example affect others” spiritual lives. If you are in a teaching or leadership role, how are you affecting those you lead?
James 3: 2,3. What you say and what you don’t say are both important. Proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time, but it is also controlling your desire to say what you shouldn’t. Examples of an untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, false teachings, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying. Before you speak, ask ,’’ Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?
James 3:6 James compares the damage the tongue can do to a raging fire- the tongue’s wickedness has its source in hell itself. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible damage. Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. Before you speak, remember that words are like fire, you can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do.
James 3: 8. If no human being can control the tongue, why bother trying? Even if we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage our words can do. It is better to fight a fire than go around setting new ones. Remember that we are not fighting the tongues fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended, the Spirit will remind us of God’s love , and we won’t react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt, and we won't lash out.
James 3: 9,12. Our contradictory speech often puzzles us. At times our words are right and pleasing to God, but at other times they are violent and destructive. Which of these two speech patterns reflects our true identity? The tongue gives us a picture of our basic human sin. God works to change us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, he gives self-control so that the person will speak words that please God.
James 3:13-18. Have you ever known anyone who claimed to be wise but who acted foolishly? True wisdom can be measured by the depth of a person’s character. Just as you can identify a tree by the type of fruit it produces, you can evaluate your wisdom by the way you act. Foolishness leads to disorder , but wisdom leads to peace and goodness.
James 3:14,15. Bitter envy and selfish ambition are inspired by the devil. It is easy for us to be drawn into wrong desires by the pressures of society and sometimes and even sometimes even by well –meaning Christians. By listening to the advice; Assert yourself, go for it, set high goals, we can be drawn into greed and destructive competitiveness. Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from the need to compare ourselves to others and to want what they have.

When you pray and your problems get smaller and smaller, it means that God is getting bigger and bigger.

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Life Through The Spirit

Romans 8: 1. ‘’Not guilty, let him go free’’. What would those words mean to you if you were on death row? The fact is that the whole human race is on death row, justly condemned for repeatedly breaking God’s law. Without Jesus we would have no hope at all. But thank God !!! He has declared us not guilty and has offered us freedom from sin and power to do his will.
Romans 8:2. This spirit of life is the Holy Spirit. He was present at the creation of the world, and he is the power of the rebirth of every Christian. He gives us the power we need to live the Christian life.
Romans 8:3. Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins. In old testament times, animal sacrifices were continually offered at the temple. The sacrifices showed the Israelites the seriousness of sin, blood had to be shed before sins could be pardoned. But animal blood could not really remove sins. The sacrifices could only point to Jesus’ sacrifice, which paid the penalty for all sins.
Romans 8:5,6. Paul divides people into two categories, those who are dominated by their sinful nature, and those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit. All of us would be in the first category if Jesus hadn’t offered us a way out. Once we have said yes to Jesus, we will want to continue following him, because his way brings life and peace.
Romans 8:9 Have you ever worried whether or not you really are a Christian? A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him or her. If you have sincerely trusted Christ for your salvation and acknowledged him as Lord, then the Holy Spirit has come into your life,and you are a Christian.
Romans 8:11. The Holy Spirit is God’s promise or guarantee of eternal life for those who believe in him. The spirit is in us now by Faith, and by Faith we are certain to live in Christ forever.
Romans 8:13. ‘’Put to death the misdeeds of the body’’ means to regard as dead the power of sin in your body. When we regard sin’s appeal as dead and lifeless, we can ignore temptation when it comes.
Romans 8:17. We are no longer cringing and fearful slaves, instead , we are the masters children. What a privilege!! Because we are God’s children, we share in great treasures as coheirs. God has already given us his best gifts: his son, his Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and eternal life, and he encourages us to ask him for whatever we need. There is a price to be paid for being identified with Jesus. Along with being ‘’heirs of God’’, Paul also mentions the suffering that Christians must face. What kinds of suffering are we to endure? For first century believers, there was economic and social persecution, and some even faced death. We too must pay a price for following Jesus. In many parts of today’s world, Christians face pressures just as severe as those faced by Christ’s first followers. Even in countries where Christianity is tolerated or encouraged, Christians must not become complacent. To live as Jesus did, serving others, giving up one’s own right’s , resisting pressures to conform to the world, always exacts a price. Nothing we suffer, however, can compare to the great price that Jesus paid to save us.

I don’t want to hang out in the barn yard with the turkeys, when God has called me to soar with the Eagles.


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