Alcohol and the Christian...

Eddie Van Halen, one of the most famous guitarists in the world and a former alcoholic, says his father encouraged him to drink early in his career, when he would "get so ... nervous" about performing in front of people.

"The funny this is, about the whole alcoholism thing - it wasn't really the partying," Eddie Van Halen told Esquire Magazine. "It was like - I don't mean to blame my dad, but when I started playing in front of people, I'd get so nervous. I asked him, 'Dad, how do you do it?' That's when he handed me the cigarette and the drink. And I go, 'This is good! It works!' For so long, it really did work."

"And I certainly didn't do it to party," he added. "I would do blow and I would drink and then I would go to my room and write music."

But now Van Halen has change his tune, "When they say, 'You can't say, I will never drink again,' I can honestly say I will never drink again," Eddie Van Halen told Esquire. "It's a whole new world. I'm 57 years old and I know I'm not going to live to be 114, so I can't say I'm halfway done. It's a sullen truth, but this is the first record I've made sober." -On the Red Carpet, April 19, 2012, Corinne Heller

A serious problem today involves the consumption of alcohol. More than thirty percent of Americans at some time in their lives has had an alcohol use disorder -Bridget Gant, National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism. Nearly 100,000 people die every year of alcohol-related causes -Dr. James C. Garbutt, medical director of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program (UNC at Chapel Hill).

Alcohol is more dangerous than some illegal drugs like marijuana or Ecstasy and should be classified as such in legal systems -Professor David Nutt, Bristol University. Alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms -ibid.

The Book of Proverbs warns against the dangers of alcohol...Whether in the form of wine or strong drink, or with the potential of leading one astray (Proverbs 20:1). What additional wisdom can be gathered from Proverbs concerning alcohol? Let's take a closer look...

First, we learn that alcohol can lead to poverty. There is a warning against those who love wine (Proverbs 21:17). And, a warning against spending time with winebibbers and drunkards (Proverbs 23:20-21). As an example, alcohol has been the downfall of many businessmen!

Next, we learn that alcohol can destroy lives! It can lead to woe and sorrow, contentions and complaints, wounds without cause and redness of eyes (Proverbs 23:29-30). It is seductive, and can destroy one just like the seductress (Proverbs 23:31-32; 5:3-5; 6:24-26). It can alter your senses, leading you to say things you'll later regret (e.g., "office parties") -Proverbs 23:33). It gives a false sense of security, exposing you to great danger (e.g., "driving drunk") -Proverbs 23:34-35).

As you can probably gather, alcohol has destroyed many lives, both those who drink and innocent ones who cross their paths.

Finally, alcohol impairs judgment. Which is why kings and princes were to abstain (Proverbs 31:4-5). It is better reserved for the dying and devastated (Proverbs 31:6-7). Alcohol is definitely not for those who would be wise!

Yes, "Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1). Because of such warnings, and with the serious problems with alcohol in our society, let's review what is said about...]

What additional information concerning alcohol can we learn from Proverbs? How about the effect of alcohol in the lives of Christians? Let's begin with what is condemned, drunkeness, and social drinking.

First, drunkeness is a work of darkness, not an element of the armor of light (Romans 13:11-14). It is conduct that not repented of will keeps one out of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21). It's also conduct suitable for church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).

In regards to social drinking, we are to dedicate ourselves to doing the will of God, not the lusts of men (1 Peter 4:1-2). Thus, we are to abstain, or stay away from drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties (1 Peter 4:3). Though we should expect others to think bad of us for abstaining, and believe me, it does happen (1 Peter 4:4)! In reality, the popular and common use of alcohol has no place in the life of the Christian!

Finally, let's take a look at what is commanded in Proverbs concerning alcohol. First there is concern for the weaknesses of others (Romans 14:14-18). Are we willing to destroy the one for whom Christ died? Or are we more interested in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit?

Then, there is willingness to forego wine if a stumbling block to others (Romans
14:19-21). Do we know someone who struggles with alcohol abuse and addiction? Do we love them more than any presumed right we may have to drink?

Evidently Timothy had chosen to forego wine for such reasons (cf. 1 Timothy 5:23). Paul prescribed that Timothy drink wine for medicinal purposes. Wine was often used to purify water, yet for some reason Timothy had abstained. That is why the Christian must prayerfully consider the role of influence regarding alcohol.

In closing, what is wisdom regarding the consumption of alcohol? In view of the warnings found in Proverbs...

1) It can lead to poverty
2) It can destroy lives
3) It impairs judgment

In view of the teachings found in the New Testament...

1) There are prohibitions concerning drunkenness
2) There are concerns regarding influence on weaker brethren

So, what is wisdom in light of the problems of alcohol abuse in our society today? Shall we flirt with the seducing effects of alcohol? Alcohol can be tempting and easily traps the unsuspecting. If one in three have succumbed, are we really that safe?

Shall we be insensitive to the weaknesses that many have regarding alcohol? Alcohol is the number one drug problem we face today. If one in three have problems with it, do we dare become stumbling blocks to them?

It shouldn't take the wisdom of Solomon to see that Christians should take the dangers of alcohol seriously and be proactive in helping themselves and others to remain free from its clutches!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, remain in our hearts,
And guide us in our love and service.
Help us to let our light shine before others
And lead them to the way of faith. Amen

May God's grace be upon you,

Patty

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Resolve to Renew Your Efforts to Serve God!

In 1986, a group of researchers published a study of Japanese mothers and mothers in Minneapolis. The mothers were asked to rank the most important things that a child needs to succeed academically. The answers tell a lot about the difference in our two cultures today. The mothers in Minneapolis chose "ability." The mothers in Japan said "effort."

There is an expression among those who exercise regularly, “No Pain, No Gain.” The expression basically means that if you are not willing to work hard and suffer a little for your efforts, then you are not going to accomplish very much. Just doing the easy and simple exercises that don’t challenge one’s body won’t lead to lasting results.

The same principle is true in life as well. In order for one to be productive in business, for example, one must be willing to make sacrifices of time and money; one must make an effort in order to do well. In our personal relationships also, we understand this to be true. The more we put into a relationship the better it is going to be.

The parent who makes an effort to spend time with his children is going to have a better relationship with his child than the parent that doesn’t. The husband who spends more time with his wife will have a better relationship than one that is always gone.

Should it cause us to wonder, when we come to the spiritual world, that if we don’t make an effort at serving the Lord that we’re not going to get anything out of our relationship with God? The same principle is true here as well. “No pain, no gain.” Sometimes I think that people expect church to be some kind of spiritual playground where we can just relax and have fun in the glow of God’s goodness.

While I certainly believe that coming to church can be rewarding, it doesn’t quite work like a playground. Our worship and service requires of us some effort, both mentally and physically. The more effort we put into our worship and service, the greater our relationship with God will become.

Our efforts must start with our attendance. If we don’t attend services or if our attendance is sporadic, then we’re not going to get very much out of it. Attendance to the worship services is where we get our encouragement to continue to live godly lives and be faithful to the Lord (Hebrews 10:25).

It is absolutely critical to our relationship with God. It is as important as families having dinner together on a regular basis. To miss such an appointment is to undermine one’s relationships.

We continue our efforts with how we worship. We must engage our minds to worship God (John 4:24, Matthew 22:37). That means we need to listen attentively to the prayers and the sermon (1 Corinthians 14:15). We need to sing with all of our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). We need to give with purpose and thanksgiving in our hearts (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). And we need to remember the death of Jesus as we partake of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19).

How many times do we catch ourselves thinking about what is for lunch or what we’re going to do later in the day instead of focusing on the worship. We cheat ourselves out of a relationship with God when we don’t engage our minds in worship.

When we leave the church building our efforts must continue. If we simply leave what we’ve done at the building behind, then we are going to limit our relationship with God. However, if we take what we’ve learned and tell others about it, we will not only help others but ourselves as well.

This may mean doing good to those who are in need (Galatians 6:10); it may means being a good example to our children (Ephesians 6:4); it may mean teaching someone about the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20); it may mean setting an example of model behavior for our coworkers (Ephesians 6:6). Regardless who we influence, there must be the effort of influence.

What will happen if we engage ourselves in the work of God? We will grow as individuals. The church will also grow also; others will see the wonderful things working in our lives and they will want to be part of it. Our efforts will not go unnoticed, and we, as individuals Christians, will not be the only ones to benefit from our work.

“No pain, no gain” means that if we want more out of our relationship with God we need to work harder at it. Let us all resolve to renew our efforts to serve God in all things.

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

(Video) Lisa Bevere: The Confident Woman Fights Like a Girl (Part 6)

Enjoy the 6th excerpt from Lisa Bevere's series, "The Confident Woman Fights Like A Girl." ~Eve

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 8:1-25

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome to another presentation of Bible Study Snacks. I hope that everyone had a wonderful week! As always, I'd like to thank you for joining me again as we walk through the richness of God's spoken word and wisdom together. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, we continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Eight, Verses 1-25.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1) Note the spread of the gospel into Judea and Samaria, as foretold by Jesus (cf. Ac 1:8).

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts, Chapter 8:1-25...

Following the martyrdom of Stephen, the church in Jerusalem was severely persecuted. Prominent in leading the persecution was young Saul, going so far as to enter homes and dragging men and women off to prison.

This led to the dispersion of the church throughout Judea and Samaria, though the apostles remained in Jerusalem. Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word, including Philip (one of the seven men selected to help needy widows, cf. 6:5). Preaching Christ and performing miracles, many Samaritans believed and were baptized, including a sorcerer named Simon.

When the apostles heard that the Samaritans had received the Word, they sent Peter and John to impart the Spirit through the laying on of hands. When Simon tried to buy the ability to impart spiritual gifts, Peter strongly rebuked him and told him to repent and pray for forgiveness. Peter and John eventually made their way back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) Who consented to Stephen's death? (Acts 8:1)
2) What happened at that time? What was the result? (Acts 8:1)
3) What was Saul doing? (Acts 8:3)
4) What did those who were scattered do? (Acts 8:4)
5) Who went to Samaria and preached Christ to them? (Acts 8:5)
6) How did the multitudes respond? Why? (Acts 8:6)
7) What kind of miracles did Philip perform? (Acts 8:7)
8) Who had the Samaritans previously heeded? (Acts 8:9-11)
9) What things did Philip preach that the Samaritans believed? (Acts 8:12)
10) How did the Samaritans respond to Philip's preaching? (Acts 8:12)
11) Who else believed and was baptized? (Acts 8:13)
12) Who was sent to Samaria by the apostles? Why? (Acts 8:14-16)
13) How was the Holy Spirit imparted to the Samaritans? (Acts 8:17-18)
14) What did Simon try to do? (Acts 8:18-19)
15) Why did Peter refuse and then rebuke Simon for his offer? (Acts 8:20-23)
16) What did Peter tell Simon to do in order to be forgiven? What did Simon ask? (Acts 8:22)
17) As Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, what did they do? (Acts 8:25)

After completing this weeks' study, go back and read through it again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around.

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri

Greatness Is Not Found In Fame!

Many the roads they took, the plans they tried:
But all in vain. Who grasped at earthly fame,
Grasped wind: nay, worse, a serpent grasped, that through
His hand slid smoothly, and was gone; but left
A sting behind which wrought him endless pain. -Pollok

When I read Mark 2:1-2, I was instantly challenged with desires of fame. I stopped reading there, even though the real story of Jesus' healing had yet begun. The story I needed had already begun to unfold before me.

The thoughts of fame came in like an exploding bomb filling my mind. I have suspicion that these thoughts were inserted by the evil one, but it is very possible that down deep I seek that kind of recognition that Jesus got.

Once Jesus got back to Capernaum, the crowds began to gather around Jesus. There were so many people that no one else could even approach the house He was in. He was speaking the word to them. (Mark 2:1-2).

The image of people running to hear and see Jesus sounded so pleasant to me. But I wasn't thinking of this. I wasn't happy that people were running to Jesus. I wasn't thinking this at all. Nor was I thinking of the great words Jesus was speaking to the gathered crowd. Nor was I, at my great shame, thinking at the healing and peace that He would give to the needy people.

These were not my thoughts. My thoughts were totally devilish. I suppose I shared more in common with those attending scribes who were there seeking evidence to accuse Him. No, I was so self-absorbed with my self that I couldn't even see Jesus.

And yet, I was sure as I sat down to read the Word of God, I had intended to learn from Jesus. I sat down because I delighted in God's presence and teaching. I wanted Jesus to teach me. Maybe this was what He desired to teach me.

I'm glad I stopped reading when I did and grabbed hold of the real thoughts polluting my mind. For whether I am guilty of such thoughts or they were a mere plant by another, these thoughts are ones that Jesus dealt with on a regular basis and I needed to deal with them also.

What is wrong with seeking fame? We need to ask, "Why are we seeking fame?" People usually seek fame because they want to feel important. In its worse case, they want to feel more important than others. How many can stop with only the first condition?!

The evil of fame is in its total denial of the real facts. Greatness is not found in how many people gather around to listen to one, but on how much a person can humbly do God's will. Greatness is seeking and doing God's will. As long as we focus on attention for ourselves, our eyes are off the Lord.

We must come to realize that we have nothing but what is given to us. His call and gifts are differently distributed not on who we are but on what He wants to accomplish. The Lord Himself made each one of us. No one is inherently better. We can get better because by His grace we humbly make better decisions, but we are not worth more.

Why is it that we have this compulsion to feel important? Perhaps down deep we harbor ships filled with lies such as, "People like me," "People think I'm smart," or "People think I'm attractive." In our hearts we have a void that craves attention from others. We think that attention makes a person important and better.

Jesus rightly handled the temptation of fame. He was not conscious of Himself and how people liked Him. He did not act phony to gain or maintain a crowd. He no doubt was tempted with such thoughts, but He always refused them. He focused on what God called Him there to accomplish.

He was to carry out His Father's will in His Father's timing in the Father's manner. He would care for people rather than Himself. Just as Mark 12:30-31 says, He would love God first and then man. There was no room there for Him but to serve.

How do we know Jesus didn't think this way? We see in a general way that He was not preoccupied with Himself but more specifically, we see:

-He focused on doing what His Father said at any cost.He loved people.
-He would be willing to turn people and leaders away.
-He told people not to tell others of His miracles.
-He moved from place to place instead of building a personal kingdom.
-He refused to pile up material things to emphasize His importance.

He gave up all the attention, betrayed even by the closest, in order to embrace a cold, rough cross.

No doubt this is an important issue to deal with before one begins the ministry. I wonder how many have ever been challenged to confront this desire for popularity while in training? If the crowd comes first, then one will hardly ever be humble enough to rightly deal with this heart issue. I personally am late on this matter. By God's grace, He pointed it out to me today.

Let me appropriately respond.

-I confess that I often like the attention of others. I also confess that I am often more conscious of myself and people's perception of me than what God wants of me.
-I repent of this desire for fame and ask that the Lord God would come like a great storm and break this wall of pride in my life. I hereby reject the desire to have many people present to please me.
-I only want as many people to hear me speak as my Father desires and with this I will be pleased even if it means I never speak again.
-I will be content with His choice for me from eternity. Nothing can exceed the grace given to me than to be called His child.

I furthermore, ask You My Lord, for the determination to only seek my Father's will and the profit of those around me, whether it be one or ten thousand in number.

Prayer:

Our Father, we thank you for your love and for you many blessings, especially for the precious gift of each other. Help us to show our gratitude by loving each other as you love us. Make us understanding and patient with one another, quick to admit our failings and ask forgiveness, generous in sharing the joy and strength we can give each other. Amen

God bless you!

Donna

What is the Meaning, Importance, and Value of Becoming a Christian?

In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood. When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight. But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.

Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing. He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult. Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits--his behaviors--were still those of a blind man. Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. It is the interim, the limbo . . . that is so terrible."

To truly see Jesus and his truth means more than observing what he did or said, it means a change of identity.

It is always exciting to see someone become a Christian. Even when an observer doesn't understand all that is involved, they often sense something meaningful is going on. This is especially so as time goes on, and changes begin to occur in the person's life. But often the significance of becoming a Christian appears to be lost. Sometimes even Christians fail to appreciate the significance of being a Christian.

When this happens, Christians often fail to grow as they should. It never hurts for a Christian to reflect, and ask such questions as...

a. What did I do?
b. What have I received?
c. What are the implications and consequences of what I've done?
d. What has happened to me?
e. What have I become?
f. What is different about me?

To summarize these questions...What is the meaning, importance, and value of becoming a Christian? What am I to supposed to do now?  To start with, we note that a Christian is a person reborn. That is because in Christ one has become a new creation.

A Christian rises out of the watery grave of baptism to newness of life (Romans 6:4-5). Old things have passed away, and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christians is a new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. A new birth produced by responding to the Word of God (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:22-23). A new birth produced by the working of the Spirit of God (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5-7).

This new creation embarks on a life of renewal. The inner man is to be renewed daily (2 Corinthian 4:16). This renewal is ongoing, involving the renewal of one's mind (Romans 12:2). Because of the new creation which has occurred, and the renewing which continues to take place, the Christian can be said to have a new life, having passed from death to life.s Jesus promised to those who hear His words (John 5:24-25).

Once dead in sin, we are now made alive to God (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:12-13). We now have the promise and prospect of life eternal, given through God's Son (1 John 5:11-13) having passed from darkness to light. Such is the objective of gospel preaching: to turn people from darkness to light. So Jesus told Paul (Acts 26:18). So Peter wrote to Christians (1 Peter 2:9-10). Though we once walked in darkness, we can now walk in the light as children of light (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5), for which we should ever be thankful (cf. Colossians 1:12-13).

What makes such a new creation and a new life a reality? It is more than a mere obedience to some new doctrine. It is possible only when such obedience is the result of a new loyalty. A Christian is a "converted" person as exemplified by the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Conversion inherently involves change, particularly a change of loyalties. Such as from serving sin to serving God (Romans 6:16-18), and from serving idols to serving God (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

When a Christian is converted to Jesus Christ. He or she acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 2:36; 1 Peter 3:15) above family, life, and self. In other words, the Christian chooses to follow Jesus (cf. Matthew 10:37-39). When one makes that choice, Christ will become the focus of that person's life (Galatians 2:20). Such loyalty to Christ results in a new life in which God blesses the individual through Jesus Christ (e.g., Philippians 4:6-7); and in which one finds strength to live the new life (e.g., Philippians 4:13).

In conclusion, a significant thing about a Christian, then, is that he or she experiences a new creation; enjoys a new life; and entertains a new loyalty. Such an individual is truly a person reborn! But not all professing Christians show evidence of this rebirth. Why is that? They may have not yet truly experienced the new creation. Obedience not rendered in faith will not produce the new birth (Mark 16:16).

For God's power to be at work, we must submit in faith (Colossians 2:12-13). Though they may have been reborn and entered the new life, they may have gone back into sin. Hardened by sin's deceitfulness, they have departed from God (cf. Hebrews 3:12-13), entangled once again by the pollutions of the world (cf. 2 Peter 2:20). In either case, their loyalty is certainly not where it ought to be!

Let's pray...

Dear Lord, You are Christ, my Holy Father, my Tender God, my Great King, my Good Shepherd, my Only Master, my Best Helper, my Most Beautiful and my Beloved, my Living Bread,  my True Light, my Holy Sweetness, my Straight Way, my Excellent Wisdom, my Pure Simplicity, my Peaceful Harmony, my Entire Protection, my Good Portion, my Everlasting Salvation. Amen

May God bless you,

Julianne

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Does The Root of Bitterness Infect Your Life?

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work.

You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness.

You have probably heard some people say that they can never forgive. Maybe you have said it too! For whatever reason they say this, the result is the same. Unforgivingness gets so wedged into their heart that the root of bitterness infects the different areas of their life.

A bitter person is the very opposite to a gracious persone. Or to approach it a bit differently, bitterness is the opposite of Jesus. In summary, if someone has offended you including yourself, then you have it within your power to forgive.

What does it mean not to be able to forgive? This common phrase 'not being able to forgive' means that we do not want to forgive rather than the implied 'we cannot forgive.' The bulk of the problem is having the offended humbly acknowledge this simple fact of their unforgiving heart.

It is a will problem. And though it seems like a radical statement, we must affirm that the problem in a real sense is not them but us. After all, God worked with the humble sinners rather than with the stubborn and prideful ones.

What happens when you do not forgive others? There are several consequences, which I have listed below. None of them are pleasant. Each brings the worse out of a situation...

An unforgiving spirit poisons ones own heart with bitterness. 'Can't forgive oneself ' implies a resistance to change and therefore makes reconciliation impossible. Without reconciliation, sour relationships will persist until death.

More than often, their hatred infects their descendants and they live bitter lives. Perhaps we should think of our will as a hate list. Great emotional pain and misery is associated with those who live bitter lives. This is partly due to no good friends. They cannot tolerate the bitter comments. Diseases follows this path of bitterness. Our bodies cannot handle this unforgiving heart.

A scary future. God will not forgive those who do not forgive others. Although they claim to be right, they in fact cause further wrong to be done because of their unforgiving heart. They can never bring proper revenge. All the joys in life meant to be theirs is dashed in some ashes of bitterness...

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 7:37-60

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome to another presentation of Bible Study Snacks. I hope that everyone had a wonderful week! As always, I'd like to thank you for joining me again as we walk through the richness of God's spoken word and wisdom together. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, we continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Seven, Verses 37-60.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1) Review Stephen's defense to the charge of blasphemy against the temple and the Law.

2) Note the remarkable manner in which the first martyr for Christ died.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts, Chapter 7:37-60...

Stephen describes how even though God used Moses to deliver them from Egyptian bondage, Israel rebelled against Moses, through whom God gave the Law. Not only in the incident involving the golden calf, but throughout their wilderness wanderings Israel continued to worship false gods.

Turning to the matter of God's dwelling place, Stephen acknowledges the role of the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon, but contends that God does not dwell in temples made with hands.

He concludes by charging the council of resisting the Holy Spirit just like their ancestors, for as their fathers persecuted and killed the prophets who foretold the coming of the Just One (Christ), so they became His betrayers and murderers. Indeed, they were the ones who have not kept the Law!

Cut to the heart, those in the council gnashed at Stephen with their teeth. Full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God with Jesus standing at His right hand. Upon telling the council what he saw, in rage they cast him out of city and began stoning him.

The witnesses who brought the false charges laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul (later known as Paul, the apostle). As Stephen was stoned, he called upon Jesus to receive his spirit, and to not charge his murderers with his death. In this way Stephen became the first martyr for Christ.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) Who did Moses tell the children of Israel would eventually come? (Acts 7:37)
2) What two examples does Stephen provide of Israel's disobedience? (Acts 7:38-43)
3) What two dwelling places did Israel have for God? (Acts 7:44-47)
4) Yet what did God say through the prophet Isaiah? (Acts 7:48-50)
5) How did Stephen describe the religious leaders of the council? (Acts 7:51)
6) What did he accuse them of doing? In what way? (Acts 7:51-52)
7) What final charge did Stephen accuse them of? (Acts 7:53)
8) How did those who heard this react? (Acts 7:54)
9) Filled with the Holy Spirit, what did Stephen see? (Acts 7:55-56)
10) How did the council then act? (Acts 7:57-58)
11) What did they then do? At whose feet did the witnesses lay their garments? (Acts 7:58)
12) As Stephen was stoned to death, what two things did he pray? (Acts 7:59-60)

After completing this weeks' study, go back and read through it again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around.

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri

The Key to a Healthy Spiritual Life is Growth!

In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies."

A frothy question brought a profound answer. There are no instant heroes--whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. Growth takes time, and as 1 Timothy 3:6 and 5:22 point out, even spiritual leadership must be earned.

The blessings enjoyed in Christ include not only redemption, but renewal. In baptism, we undergo a "washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). From baptism, we rise to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

The renewal we find in Christ involves the concept of spiritual growth. Just as a healthy physical life is one of growth, so a healthy spiritual life is a process of growth.

Sadly, not all Christians grow spiritually. Many have been Christians for years, with little change or improvement. They are no more, often less, useful to the Lord than when they first became Christians. Failing to grow, they become stagnant, like a pool of water.

That is because spiritual growth is a choice! It doesn't happen by default (unlike physical growth). Spiritual growth (like emotional maturity) occurs only when we choose to grow. If we do not make that choice, and stick to it, there will be no spiritual growth!

To encourage us to make the right choice regarding spiritual growth, consider that spiritual growth is a choice commanded by God. It is implicitly stated in Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). It was here that Jesus commanded His apostles to make disciples by baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things He commanded. Implicit in the command to teach, is that disciples would be obedient learners, i.e., constantly growing as they learned and obeyed their Lord.

Additionally, that spiritual growth is a choice commanded by God is explicitly stated in the apostolic epistles. For example, Peter ends his second epistle with a command to grow (2 Peter 3:18). Peter begins his second epistle describing how we are to grow (2 Peter 1:5-8). Christians who did not grow, were sternly rebuked (e.g., Hebrews 5:12-6:1).

Spiritual growth is a not an option, reserved for a few select Christians. The Word of God commands us to grow! We should also remember that spiritual growth is a choice that requires diligent effort.

Spiritual growth is unlike physical growth. People grow physically by default (unless there is some disorder). Here, no effort is required on our part; we mature physically whether we want to or not. However, don't think that just because you grow older, you are growing spiritually!

Spiritual growth requires concentrated effort! Jesus said it requires labor (cf. John 6:27). Paul wrote that it requires work, pressing on (cf. Philippians 2:12; 3:13-14). Peter wrote that it requires diligence (cf. 2 Peter 1:5,10). Like physical health, spiritual growth requires regular exercise (cf. 1 Titus 4:7-8).

Spiritual growth is not easy! We must work at it. Today. Tomorrow. Always. But we can take comfort in knowing that spiritual growth is a choice which is assisted by God.

Dear friends, we are not alone in our efforts. For while we work out our salvation, God is at work in us (Philemon 2:12-13). Just as He was with us in producing our new birth (cf. Titus 3:5). God desires to complete the work He started when He saved us (cf. Philippians 1:6).

In spiritual growth, we are strengthened by God in our efforts. He strengthens us by His Spirit in our inner man (cf. Ephesians 3:16). He empowers us with unimaginable power that is in us (cf. Ephesians 3:20). He provides the armor to stand strong in the power of His might (cf. Ephesians 6:10-11). There is no excuse not to grow, for Christ strengthens us! (cf. Philippians 4:13).

With God as our aid, spiritual growth is possible. And not mediocre growth, but spiritual growth beyond what limits we might think hinder us! Finally, let's remember that spiritual growth is a choice that is blessed by God!

The blessings begin in this life as we grow in grace (cf. 2 Peter 3:18). We experience the blessings of the grace in which we stand, such as peace with God, and rejoicing in hope (cf. Romans 5:1-2) as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Peter 3:18).

We also experience the blessings of adding virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. to our faith. This might include a victorious life, in which we do not stumble so as to fall (cf. 2 Peter 1:10). Therefore, it is spiritual growth that ensure the "abundant life" now that Jesus promised! (cf. John 10:10).

But it doesn't stop here! The blessing continue into the life to come. We will experience an "abundant entrance" into the everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:11). In some way, our works do follow us (cf. Revelation 14:13). At the very least, we know that our labors will not be in vain! (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58).

In summary, we have been talking about growth; but not just any growth, for not all growth is good...

a. The hearts of some grow dull (cf. Matthew 13:15).
b. The love of many grow cold (cf. Matthew 24:12).
c. There is the danger of growing weary in doing good (cf. Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).
d. There is possibility of growing corrupt according to deceitful lusts (cf. Ephesians 4:22).
e. There is danger of growing wanton against Christ (cf. 1 Timothy 5:11).
f. There are those who grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (cf. 2 Timothy 3:13).

Just like the growth of cancerous cells, the wrong growth can be deadly!

We have been talking about spiritual growth, the kind of growth that is...

a. Commanded by God
b. Requires diligent effort
c. Assisted by God
d. Blessed by God

It is this kind of growth that Peter commanded as he closed his epistle (2 Peter 3:18).

So, I ask the following question, "What kind of growth is taking place in our spiritual lives?" Is it a deadly kind of growth, creating dull hearts, love that is cold, weariness in doing good, even moral corruption?

Or is it a vibrant kind of growth in which we are abounding in love, joy, and peace, being faithful and fruitful in our service to Jesus Christ? The one kind of growth is often the result of neglect, the other kind of growth comes only when we make the right choice!

If we desire to experience the blessings of the right kind of growth, then never forget that spiritual growth is a choice! Are you making the right choice today and every day...?

Prayer:

Lord comfort my heart and establish me in every good work;
Establish me in every good word.
God of peace, sanctify me wholly in the name of Jesus;
Father Lord let my body, soul and spirit be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the name of Jesus;
Let me be filled with the knowledge of His will in Jesus name;
And let me be filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding in the name of Jesus.
Amen

God bless you!

Vivianne

Trust in His Providence

The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters. He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus's last words were, "What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood."

The Old Testament is filled with examples worthy of our study and emulation. Such as Joseph, with his stand for God in the house of Potiphar, and Joshua, a great man of faith and conviction in his service to God.

Another example that ought to inspire us all is that of Daniel. As a young man, his faith gave him the courage to remain true to his convictions. And, as an old man, his faith sustained him the threat of persecution.

We first read of Daniel and his great faith, in the first chapter of the book of Daniel. Here we learn about Daniel's faith as a fifteen year old. Things were looking pretty bleak for Israel. It was the beginning of Babylonian domination (Daniel 1:1-2). In the third year of Jehoiakim (ca. 605 B.C.), Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar. He was taken into captivity, and precious items were taken from the temple. This was the first of three times that Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem (605, 597, 586 B.C.)

It was at this time that Daniel and others were selected for special training. Young men were taken to serve Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:3-7). They were truly the "cream of the crop" among the captives. These young men were good looking without blemish; and gifted with wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to learn quickly.

It was there duty to serve in the king's palace, and be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans (Babylonians). They were given special provisions of the king's food and drink along with three years of special training. Among those selected, four are named, and apparently renamed to honor Babylonian gods:

1) Daniel (God is my judge) - Belteshazzar (a servant of Bel)
2) Hananiah (the Lord is gracious) - Shadrach (inspired by the sun god)
3) Mishael (who is what God is?) - Meshach (who is what the moon god is?)
4) Azariah (the Lord helps) - Abed-Nego (servant of Nebo)

So, how would these young men respond? Would they submit to the temptations placed before them? Would they give in, excusing themselves due to youth and inexperience? How would you have reacted if you were in their place?

It was at this time that Daniel made a decision. In other words, he "purposed in his heart" or made a committment(Daniel 1:8). Which is something too rarely heard of today. His commitment was to "not defile himself" with the king's food. Why? It may have possibly been unclean food according to Levitical restrictions, or food used in idol worship which would cause one to be a participant with such worship (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20-22).

How did Daniel remain true to his comittment?

1. He did it with politeness (Daniel 1:8b). Note that "he requested" and not simply "demanded" permission. For Daniel respected the authority of those over him.

2. He did it with God's help (Daniel 1:9). God gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of eunuchs. This was similar to how Joseph found favor in prison (cf. Genesis 39:21).

3. He did it through persistence (Daniel 1:10-11). He didn't give up after the refusal by the chief of the eunuchs. Daniel tried something else, going to the steward directly over them.

4. He did it through willingness to test his faith (Daniel 1:12-15). Daniel was confident that God's way was the right way, and was willing to demonstrate the superiority of God's way. That is why he asked the steward to give him and his three friends just water and vegetables for ten days!

We can see the value of such faith in its results. It affected the lives of others! (Daniel 1:15-16); it had blessed the countenance of Daniel and his friends; and it then blessed the rest of the young men under the care of the steward.

God blessed Daniel and his three friends even more! (Daniel 1:17-20) He gave them knowledge, skill, and wisdom, and to Daniel He gave understanding in visions and dreams. They became the best of the young men who had been trained, and served in the presence of Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, the king found them better than all his magicians and astrologers!

Daniel continued in the court of Babylon nearly seventy years! (Daniel 1:21). Eventually he became provincial ruler and chief administrator over all others (Daniel 2:48). What a wonderful example of faith and commitment, and of God's providence to care for His people!

In conclusion, many other applications could be made, but what have we learned from the faith of a fifteen year old like Daniel? We have seen that even those who are young need to make a personal commitment to serve the Lord. One can be steadfast in their purpose to serve the Lord without arrogance.

We should look to the Lord for help, and be willing to trust in His providence God will bless and provide for those who put their trust in Him and His will!

Let's pray...

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. For it is your business, not mine. You will know every shade of my suffering; You will care for me with your perfect fatherhood. Amen

May God bless you always,

Brandi

All Is Well in Jesus Name

I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much. -C.H. Spurgeon

Paul the apostle wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The law of rationality states that we ought to justify our conclusion by adequate evidence.

Christianity is a religion that isn’t afraid of evaluation. In fact, Christianity invites public evaluation and examination because Christians believe the evidence holds up under public scrutiny (e.g. Acts 17:11). One can see this in even a casual reading of the New Testament. Advocates of Christianity were publicly tried on multiple occasions without complaint of the trial.

In contrast to that kind of thinking, many “religions” in the world today are woefully lacking. These “religions” don’t see truth as propositional and thus subject to criticism. They want “truth” in religion to be merely a matter of personal subjective conclusion and nothing else.

When asked whether what they believe is “right” or “wrong” the individuals involved in the discussion will not be so quick to claim to be right. They may say things like, “I don’t know” or “you may be right.” Such answers appear “humble.” After all, how could a person be arrogant if they aren’t claiming to know anything?

What is deceiving is that these individuals want you to believe what they believe. They wouldn’t be having a conversation with you if they did not. If an individual truly does not know something or believes that someone else is right, then they are not going to comment at all; that is the truly humble action in such a situation, namely, when you don’t know, to say, “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

On the contrary, when an individual doesn’t know what he or she has, it is the height of arrogance to offer it up as a solution. The humble thing to do in that situation is to keep quiet and let someone who has solutions to answer. On the other hand, it is not arrogant to say, “I have the solution,” present the evidence to support it, and invite criticism.

The truth is that these religions simply don’t want to defend their beliefs under criticism. To justify themselves, they castigate individuals who want to “debate.” This, they say, is the problem. It’s curious to note that they don’t seem to have a problem knowing what the problem is. In a system that claims to know nothing, they know an awful lot when it comes to evaluating the beliefs of others.

Consider the following illustration: suppose you were stranded in the desert without water and you came across two people. One person said, “I have water and here is the evidence that proves it to be clean and healthy. Test it for yourself.”

The second person said, “Don’t listen to that combative fellow who wants to test everything. Do I have water? I don’t know if I do or not. It could be poison. I’m not going to allow you to test it, but let’s drink it together and see what happens.” Who is humble and who is arrogant?

Is there such a thing as false humility? There is. Paul wrote in Colossians 2:23 that some had a “show” of humility, but were not truly being humble. These were humble in appearance only, but not actually. So also those who today “don’t claim to have the answer” are only being apparently humble.

The truth is that they want you to believe what they are putting forth, but they want you to believe it without setting forth any evidence or allowing you to subject their beliefs to criticism. Such is truly the height of arrogance.

They are also hypocrites. They are hypocritical because while they verbally deny any claim to knowledge, they certainly don’t live like that. If they lived consistently with their claim to not know the answer, they would give up their unknowable beliefs.

The fact is that they live their lives based upon the things that they are teaching to others; their claim “not to know” what they believe and practice is inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst.

What do you do when someone says to you, “You may be right and I may be wrong”? You ask questions like, “Then why are you living the way that you are living?” “If you may be wrong, then why don’t you give up what you are doing?” “If you don’t know, then why are you teaching others the things that you believe?”

The truth is that their comment “You may be right” is simply a ploy for them to escape criticism of their beliefs. It is simply a way to not have to defend what they are teaching to be true. It is intellectually dishonest, arrogant, and hypocritical.

Like the church at Colossae, we’ve allowed individuals who use such ploys to redefine humility. We need to come back to the true standard of humility. Humility isn’t shrugging your shoulders and saying, “I don’t know” but I want you to believe what I’m saying anyway.

Humility is offering up what you have, defending it, and allowing others to either accept or reject it based upon rigorous evaluation of the evidence. As a Christian, I have no fear of that process. On the contrary, those who reject rigorous examinations of their beliefs have everything to fear.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
I come to you as a Humble Child,
You know what I seek before I say,
You what I need before I could even ask,
I ask you Dear Father to be with me in these hard times.

When all my hope, faith and strength are fading
Father lift me up. Make me see your light

Make me believe in you again dear god.

Make me strong, give me your power to survive the
Great storm, you are the only father we trust.
Father I love you, I worship you and I praise you
I know all is well in Jesus name. Amen

Bless you,

Shannon

Abide In Him Always!

How would you feel? If God gave us the same amount of time and attention that we devote to Him? If God put as many things ahead of us as we put ahead of Him? If God of­fered as many excuses as we do and if the excuses were no more justifiable than ours? If God's promises were no more certain than ours? If God withheld His blessings from us as we withhold our offerings from Him?

We can so easily stress reading the Bible, studying the Bible, memorizing the Bible, that we forget the real intent is to get caught up in the truths of the scripture so that we adore our Lord. I remember I used to ask people whether they had devotions or not. By devotions I meant that they had a great time with the Lord in His Word and prayer. But now I realize that many people thought that I was asking whether they had read or prayed.

They had not connected 'having devotions' with meeting our Lord. The real importance is not the activities but the actual meeting with the Lord. This doesn't mean we can do without prayer and meditation. God has ordained the use of these things in meeting Him. However, the means is not the end.

Mark 14:1-9 is a story of a person named Mary who beautifully showed the importance of devotion over mere religious duties.

Mary was so appreciative of Jesus that she took a most precious, if not the most precious item that she possessed and poured it over Jesus. The event signaled an overwhelming spirit of thankfulness and joy in Mary's heart to know Jesus' blessings in her life. I am sure she thought of her brother Lazarus' resurrection, but we know from another account (Luke 10:38-42) that her vibrant devotion and love for Him was evident even before that epochal event.

Years ago, after reading this story, my heart was moved to give my Lord whatever He wanted in my life. I was thinking of the most valuable treasure I had. My money - not much. My car? My house? My family? My heart? Actually, I had in my past life given these things one by one to the Lord.

All that I have and am, including my life, reputation, husband, children, grandchildren, wealth, possessions, – I have given them all to Him. In a quiet sense of joy, I again dedicated the most precious thing to Him again – my heart. He is my all in all. I have nothing that is mine. All is His.

Abiding means to spend time with Jesus. He wants to be alone with me. I want to be alone with Him. I need to be deliberate about this. Mary and the others were just loving the quiet time with Jesus enjoying His presence. Only those loving His presence were there. Not long afterwards, He would be heading down the valley and ascending Jerusalem to die on the cross rejected by all.

Abiding with Jesus will cost us our most treasured items. For Mary, this was her costly perfume. For me, it meant my life and loved ones. Abiding in Christ is costly. Love is costly. Love means a willingness to use all that we have to pursue the needs of another. The vial of perfume seemed like a strange demand, but it stood for what was most supreme in her heart.

With the perfume in hand, she could at anytime sell it and find sufficient funds to help her in any emergency. With the bottle emptied, though, her safety net was gone. The grandeur of having a powerful and mystic scent in her possession no longer enchanted her. Jesus was hers. He was real. He belonged to her, and she belonged to Him.

Prayer:

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.
-St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)

God loves you!

Jerri

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: The Virtues of a Godly Woman

Hello, and welcome to Saturday Scripture Gold. Thank you for taking time out of your busy weekend to drop by!

~An interview with Actress Jodie Foster from Women.com~

Women.com: Back to the topic of leadership, what else can we be doing to promote leadership in women?

Foster: Well, I have this really outdated philosophy about success in a corporate structure, and you're going to think I'm really romantic and a fool, but here it goes. I think that if you are moral and you're right and you have the right ethics, that eventually somewhere down the line you're going to end up being successful.

In our business, anyway, you're always going up and down, and at some point you're going to find yourself down. You're going to need somebody to say, "Hey, I remember you. You're the one that treated me right, and I'm going to lend a hand out to you ..." It's your responsibility to conduct yourself ethically throughout the process — always ethics first — so that somewhere down the line, somebody's going to let you live up to your own potential.

Women.com: Do you live your life that way as well?

Foster: Yeah, I really do. I mean, I think I try to be the best person I can. Lord knows I make big mistakes. I make big mistakes all the time. But I try to be as honest and direct as I can.
-A conversation with Jodie Foster about being a single mom in the glare of celebrity, By Tamar Laddy, Women.com, May 2000.

The prophecy that King Lemuel’s mother taught him over twenty-seven hundred years ago concerning the virtues of a godly woman in Proverbs 31 is just as true today as it was then.

The subjective, submissive role of women in the home and church has never lent itself to public accolades or front-page recognition. It is unfortunate that we forget the many references Paul makes to our equality of value in Christ where “there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

The very nature of a woman’s glory is in her quiet spirit, so that their husbands “may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold her chaste conversation coupled with fear” (1 Peter 3:1-2).

During the creation process, God stated that everything created was “good” (Genesis 1:10,12,18,21,25) with one exception. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). In the creation of the woman, God placed His divine stamp on her value, and no sleight of hand by mindless men will ever diminish anything from its reality.

The contributions of godly women so often go unheralded, yet the church rarely lacks for them. Their commitment to Christ and His church is conspicuous in their constant attendance, often in spite of a non-supportive husband.

Their dedication is demonstrated in their preparations for fellowship meals; meals for members of bereaved families; meals for members who are sick at home; visits to the sick; sending cards to the sick of the congregation; and other selfless acts of kindness.

God has employed women throughout the history of mankind to benefit the race, beginning with Eve. Sarah called Abraham “lord” (1 Peter 3:6). Deborah shamed Barak into action (Judges 4:9) while Ruth brightened the dark ages of Israel’s history (Ruth 1:1ff). Jochebed bravely hid Moses (Exodus 2:2) and Hannah dedicated Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11). Jehosheba saved a king of Israel (2 Kings 11:2) and Esther saved Israel from a king (Esther 4:16).

Aged Elizabeth was blessed in her patience (Luke 1:25) and Mary “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). Joanna and Susanna walked with our Lord (Luke 8:2-3) and Mary Magdalene was the first to proclaim the risen Savior (Mark 16:9). Without Lois and Eunice, there would have been no promising young evangelist named Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5).

With godly women, it was never an issue of “who leads” or “who gets the glory”. In fact, many godly women remain nameless to this day but heaven’s record lists them each one beside their wonderful godly works (Note the godly women listed in Romans 16:1-15).

There is truly no replacement for a godly woman and wife, and though “her price is far above rubies,” she rarely receives any recognition for her efforts.

The wise husband “praiseth her” (Proverbs 31:28). The godly wife is an essential element to a successful marriage. There is no substitute for the godly mother who “giveth meat to her household … for all her household are clothed with scarlet … she looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children arise up, and call her blessed … (and) her own works praise her in the gate” (Proverbs 31:15,21,27-28,31). “Honour thy … mother” is part of “the first commandment with promise” (Ephesians 6:2) and should be perpetually practiced.

There is no alternative to godly women in the church. Their place of submissive service is critical to the church and invaluable to its growth. They have been blessed with the responsibility of continuing “in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” (1 Timothy 2:15).

In conclusion, I believe that we should always give our support, understanding and praise that is due (and overdue) to such godly women in “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38) for “her price is far above rubies.” (Proverbs 31:10).

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 7:1-36

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome to another presentation of Bible Study Snacks. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! As always, I'd like to thank you for joining me again as we walk through the richness of God's spoken word and wisdom together. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, we continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Seven, Verses 1-36.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1. Review Stephen's defense to the charge of blasphemy against the
temple and the Law.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts, Chapter 7:1-36...

The previous chapter ended with Stephen before the Sanhedrin council facing accusations that he spoke blasphemy against the temple and the Law (cf. 6:13-14). Chapter seven contains Stephen's defense to these charges, and the account of his martyrdom.

Stephen responded by reviewing the call of Abraham and God's promise to him and the nation of Israel. He then described how God used Moses to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) When did God first appear to Abraham? (Acts 7:2)
2) What did God tell Abraham to do? (Acts 7:3)
3) Where did Abraham finally settle? (Acts 7:4)
4) Who did God promise to give the land to? When? (Acts 7:5-7)
5) What covenant did God give Abraham? (Acts 7:8)
6) What was the lineage of Abraham leading to the formation of the nation of Israel? (Acts 7:8)
7) What bad and good thing happened to Joseph? (Acts 7:9-10)
8) What resulted in the rest of Jacob's family moving to Egypt? How many? (Acts 7:11-15)
9) Where was Jacob and his sons eventually buried? (Acts 7:16)
10) Who eventually led Israel out of Egyptian bondage? (Acts 7:17-36)

After completing this weeks' study, go back and read through it again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around.

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri

(Video) Sheila Walsh: Nothing Can Separate Us

Sheila Walsh shares how a daily relationship with Jesus Christ changes lives.

Don't Confuse Pleasure With Happiness

It's been said that Happiness consists of three things...i. something to love; ii. something to do; iii. something to hope for.

For the believer, Christ is the One he loves; His service is the something he has to do: and His approval and eternal companionship the what he hopes for.

Have you ever finished a good book wishing there were more to the story? Have you ever watched a movie leaving the theater unsatisfied? Perhaps after a good meal you’ve wished there were more to come.

Such things clearly provide us with momentary pleasure, but our desire for more belies our unhappiness. Why are we so unhappy in our society today? We are the most prosperous nation on the earth yet one out of every four individuals in our nation has some kind of depression. What are we doing wrong?

Are we confusing pleasure with happiness? Many feel that their personal happiness rests upon having one pleasurable moment after another. They reason that they simply aren’t happy unless each moment is filled with pleasure. We need to stop thinking this way and look at happiness from a differently.

Happiness does not depend merely upon having pleasurable moments, but rather, upon whether or not we are content or satisfied with the moments that come our way. In other words, I don’t have to feel pleasure from something in order to be happy. Is this a strange concept to you?

The word “pleasure” connotes the idea of enjoyment due to momentary gratification. The word “happiness,” however, contains the idea of a prolonged state of satisfaction and contentment associated with one’s overall circumstances.

We ask, “Are you happy?” and we mean by that question to know about one’s general conditions in life. We ask, “Are you pleased?” and mean whether one is satisfied with a particular item.

Happiness is a state of mind. We can be happy regardless the situation we are in. Paul said in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice.” We can control our state of mind by focusing upon happy things. Pleasure, however, is a feeling experienced in the body.

The Proverbs writer said, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich” (Proverbs 21:17). The Hebrew parallel here indicates that loving pleasure is the same as loving “wine and oil,” things associated with bodily pleasure. As Christians we are to focus upon the spiritual, not the physical (Colossians 3:2).

Happiness rests upon contentment. Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” One blessing that comes from contentment is an indescribable happiness which cannot be easily subverted. On the other hand, pleasure is often driven by boredom or being malcontent.

When we are dissatisfied we seek for something to stimulate our senses so as to create bodily pleasure. We simply end up unsatisfied after the experience has ended, or craving more in an addictive like behavior.

Solomon experienced this as recorded in Ecclesiastes 2:1 “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.” Proverbs 14:13 states, “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.” Let us learn contentment if we desire to be happy.

Happiness is satisfied with “clean fun.” It is interesting that the word “fun” is not in the Bible. We do find, however, that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). In that regard, God’s gifts are pure and unadulterated. James 1:17 states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

On the other hand, pleasure often delves into sinfulness. Paul spoke to Timothy of a time when men would be “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4) and the Hebrew writer spoke of Moses who chose not to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25). Sinful activities may produce pleasure but ultimately provide no lasting happiness.

In closing, let’s resolve to seek happiness regardless of our circumstances, to base our happiness upon contentment, and to enjoy the good things God has given while shunning sin in our lives. By so doing, we can avoid confusing pleasure with happiness.

Prayer:

May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, and to bask in the sun.
It is there for each and every one of you.
-Mother Theresa

Have a blessed day!

Julia

Bitterness: A Marriage Killer! (Part 1)

A rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is--a biting of oneself. We think that we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves.

Just recently I heard about a marriage in which the bitterness had grown so bad that the wife couldn’t sleep at night. This was only one of the many symptoms of a marriage infected by bitterness. There are many others. Again and again we see couples devastated by bitterness. It is a pity that couples wait until their marriage is on the verge of breakdown before they deal with the bitterness in their lives.

Bitterness, I believe, is the number one killer of our marriages. Many would object and say it is differences on money or incompatibility, but these people do not understand how bitterness is a root problem to these and many other marital difficulties. It is this bitterness which step by step separates the couple from each other and lessening their commitment to each other.

God wants to bring healing to your marriages. He wants to eliminate all resentment!

Part of our problem is that we don’t understand how He has already given us the tools to snap the intimidating influence of bitterness in our marriages through the wonderful power of the Gospel.

That little stone that God used in David’s hand is much like a special tool that God has given to His children to take down the threatening giant of bitterness. When we in our simple faith and obedience respond, we see God’s powerful love bring down all the walls of resentment.

If you could exchange a marriage where you merely tolerate each other for one in which you can't wait to be with each other, would you? There is no doubt that God created marriage to be a blessing for mankind. Both the husband and wife are to find great fulfillment in marriage.

The scriptures reveal many things about bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 states three things about bitterness:

1) Short of God’s grace (The mark of bitterness)
2) Root of bitterness (The nature of bitterness)
3) Being defiled (The result of bitterness)

In today's message, let's examine the first thing about bitterness, Short of God’s grace (The Mark of Bitterness). The second and third things will be discussed in subsequent blog entries, so stay tuned!

People can claim to be God’s and yet not have God’s blessing upon their lives. This is true with bitter people. Hebrews 12:15 says that some people come ‘short of the grace of God.’ Bitter people have withheld grace and therefore, God withholds His grace and mercy from them. Jesus clearly stated this in the Sermon on the Mount in the Lord’s prayer and afterwards emphasized it (Matthew 6:14-15).

Jesus talked a lot about forgiveness for it lies at the heart of the gospel. Jesus tells us of the man who refused to forgive one who owed him so little even when the king had already forgiven his much larger debt (Matthew 18:23-35). When we withhold grace, it will be withheld from us.

Those people who are caught in the net of bitterness think that they have the right to carry out their vindictive spirit. When in fact, Jesus clearly states that these people who refuse to forgive others are in great danger. We know these passages raise all sorts of questions about what does “comes short of the grace of God” mean.

Does it mean that a Christian can loose his salvation? Jesus describes their judgment in a very vivid way. We will leave it as Jesus did. He leaves us no doubt as to the cost of an unforgiving heart. The point is simply that in no case is anyone right to carry bitterness in his soul. We must always forgive everyone even our mate.

In closing, God’s grace will be held back from us as long as we hold it back from another. An unforgiving spirit is like withdrawing life and allowing death to set into our bodies. No wonder bitter people have the saddest marriages and lives on earth.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, there is anger in my heart and I cannot root it out. I know that I should calm down and offer the hurt and disappointment to You but my emotion is running away with me. Help me to overcome this weakness and give me peace of heart as well as mind. Let me learn from this experience and grow into a better human being. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

Sharon

Who Is YOUR Example?

A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only Dad, 55% remain faithful. If only Mom, 15%. If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful. The statistics speak for themselves--the example of parents and adults is more important than all the efforts of the church and Sunday School.

The Bible also speaks of of examples. First, there is imitating those who are good examples (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17; Hebrews 13:7), and being a good example to others (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12). The former will be the subject of our discussion today.

Such scriptures should cause one to ask, "Who is my example, my role model as a Christian?" So, let's take a closer look at this question. Who is YOUR example?" Is it the Lord Jesus Christ? He definitely was for the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1). He should be our example as well! Without a doubt, Jesus should be our example...

a. On how to please one another (Romans 15:1-3);
b. On how to love one another (Ephesians 5:1-2);
c. On how to look out for one another (Philippians 2:4-5);
d. On how to suffer patiently when mistreated (1 Peter 2:20-23);

Yes, Jesus certainly serves as our prime example!

Who is YOUR example? Is it the apostle Paul? After all, he urged the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:6; 11:1) to give no offense (1 Corinthians 10:32); and to seek the benefit of others (1 Corinthians 10:33).

Paul did this as he urged the Philippians (Philippians 3:17)...

a. To not consider themselves as having attained perfection (Philippians 3:12a);
b. To press on to maturity (Philippians 3:12b-15);
c. To live according to the level they have learned (Philippians 3:16);
d. To enjoy a close relationship with the God of peace (Philippians 4:9)

Paul did this as he praised and encouraged the Thessalonians for receiving the Word despite affliction (1 Thessalonians 1:6), and to avoid being a burden to others (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10). This Bible shows us that Paul and other New Testament Christians provide wonderful examples!

Who is YOUR example? Is it other faithful Christians? As Paul advised the Philippians (Philippians 3:17) to note those walking like Paul, and to consider them a pattern to follow. Or, as advised by the writer to the Hebrews to imitate the faith and patience of those who inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12), and to follow the faith of those who rule over us (Hebrews 13:7). We can say that many Christians today provide examples worthy of emulation.

So I ask you again, "Whose example are you following?" You are imitating either Christ or some other Christian (either living or dead). Does your life suggest that the example you are following is less than honorable (e.g., the
Laodiceans - Revelation 3:14-16)?

In closing, I sincerely hope these questions have prompted serious introspection on your part as to who is your example or role model as a Christian.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, may everything I do begin with You,
continue with Your help,
and be done under Your guidance.
Amen

God bless you,

Jenelle

The Spiritual Privilege of Prayer

There is a motto which reads: "You can do more than pray AFTER you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray UNTIL you have prayed."
-The King's Business

Prayer is a vital part of our spiritual life. It should be as natural as the urge to breathe, but its use is often neglected. God wants his children to talk to him in prayer. There are at least 650 definite prayers in the Bible. 450 of these have recorded answers. We can rest assured that God answers prayer.

What should our prayers express? How about the following...

1) Praise (Exodus 15).
2) Help in time of peril (Exodus 17).
3) Our needs (Exodus 22:22-24).
4) Mercy (Exodus 32).
5) Intercession on behalf of others (Exodus 32:7-14).
6) Benediction (Numbers 6:24-27).
7) Dispelling discouragement (Numbers 11:10-35).
8) Thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
9) Patience (James 5:10-11; cf. Job 2:10; Job 13:15; Job 42:10; Matthew 10:22; cf. Revelation 2:10). God’s answer can be yes, no, or wait.
10) A spirit of repentance (Luke 15:18-21).
11) A spirit of obedience. God answers prayers of those who know, obey, and keep his commands. “…. If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:14-15; cf. John 15:10; 1 John 3:22). Christ, himself, is an example of this (John 8:29).
12) Our faith (Mark 11:22-24; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6).

What about our attitudes in prayer? An unforgiving spirit can erase the power of prayer (Matthew 6:14-15). Though not commanded as essential, fasting is often associated with prayer (Psalm 35:13; Daniel 9:3; Matthew 9:15; Acts 10:30; Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23; I Corinthians 7:5). Jesus told us to be persistent in prayer (Luke 11:5-10). The same thought is in the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). Perseverence in prayer is also needed (Ephesians 6:18). We must pray on and on, wrestling like Jacob, panting like David, hoping like Elijah, persistent like Bartemaeus, crying with tears like Jesus.

We should never pray selfishly (James 4:3). Again, we are taught to put the Lord’s business first in prayer (Matthew 9:37-38). Lack of unity can hinder prayer (1 Peter 3:7). We should pray one for another. Paul often speaks of mentioning names in prayer (Romans 1:9; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:3; Philemon 1:4). Paul had a very long prayer list!

What should our prayers consist of? Privacy is an advantage for our individual prayers (Matthew 6:6). Showing off with prayer is condemned (Matthew 6:5). Vain repetitions or mechanical praying is strongly denounced (Matthew 6:7; Mark 12:40). What is commonly called the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is never so called in the Bible.

This was a model prayer given by Jesus for his disciples to pray. Christ never prayed this prayer for himself, as is shown by the words, “forgive us our debts (sins)” (Matthew 6:12; cf. Matthew 18:21) – Jesus was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21). Also, the words “thy kingdom come” were given in a setting that preceded the coming of the church or the kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19). The kingdom for which they were taught to pray did come in their lifetime (Mark 9:1).

How should we pray? We must always pray in accordance with God’s revealed will (1 John 5:14-15). We must live in union with him (John 15:7). The entire godhead is involved in our prayers. Our petitions are to the Father (Matthew 6:9), through the name of Christ, who is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15), and with the help of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).

Just as baptism is in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so expressing in Jesus name would indicate unity of godhead (Matthew 28:19; Acts 4:12; Acts 22:16 cf. Acts 2:21; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:2; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 17:14). Prayer should never take the place of our spiritual efforts to get things done. We should pray as if all depended on God and “work” as if all depended on us. The emphasis is on work and pray, or watch and pray.

In conclusion, the prayer of all prayers is found in John 17, the Lord’s prayer, when he prayed for his disciples that they might all be “one” (cf. John 17:21-23). This is the real Lord’s prayer. Jesus is our great high priest who intercedes for us (Romans 8:34; (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1).

This great spiritual privilege of prayer makes Christians the salt of the earth, as they pray for civil leaders (Matthew 5:13; 1 Timothy 2:1-2). We as God’s prayer warriors are to be at our posts constantly as a great deterrent to evil in this present world (Matthew 26:41; Luke 18:1; Romans 1:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer:

Guide me lord, you are my heart
you are my strength, you are my hope.
Teach me Lord, and guide my way
I love you more each passing day.

May the Lord be with you always!

Phoebe

(Video) Easter Video (from a child's point of view)

Enjoy this creative video about the Easter story told from a child's point of view! ~Eve

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: The Significance of the Resurrection

Hello, and welcome to Saturday Scripture Gold. Thank you for taking time out of your busy weekend to drop by!

Dr. Seamands tells of a Muslim who became a Christian in Africa. "Some of his friends asked him, 'Why have you become a Christian?' He answered, 'Well, its like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn't know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one dead and one alive--which one would you ask which way to go?'"
-Warren Webster, April, 1980, HIS, p. 13.

"Easter Sunday" is an annual holiday celebrated by many. Millions of people commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on this day. Many consider it as "the most holy" of religious holidays. For some, it marks the only time they attend church services (Christmas runs a close second!)

Christians in the first century did not have an annual observance of this event. The word "Easter" is found only once in the KJV Bible (cf. Acts 12:4). The word in the Greek is actually "Passover", and so translated elsewhere in the KJV. "It is reasonably certain that the NT contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ" (ISBE). The annual observance is a human tradition, introduced in the second and third centuries.

Churches today who follow the New Testament pattern do not celebrate "Easter" per se. Like the church in Jerusalem, they are content to abide in the apostles' doctrine (Acts 2:42). They note Paul's teaching regarding religious holidays (cf. Galatians 4:9-11). And, they also value Jesus' warning regarding the traditions of men (cf. Matthew 15:9).

This does not in any way demean the importance of the resurrection of Christ. It has great significance to the Christian. It is something we should think about often (certainly more than once a year!). And, it is an appropriate subject even on "Easter Sunday", just as sermons on thankfulness are around Thanksgiving, and mothers are on Mother's Day. Even though churches may not celebrate such holidays per se.

With that thought in mind, allow me to use this opportunity to review the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for the Christian. It's significance can first be seen by considering the following...

What if Christ was not raised? If this was so, then gospel preaching is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). The preaching of the apostles is empty, meaningless because they proclaimed nothing more than a fairy tale, a story of fiction.

We would also have to say our faith is vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). Our belief in Christ would also be empty, and meaningless. For our faith would be on a lie, a story of make believe, not truth.

We would have to conclude that the apostles were false witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:15). They swore that God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32). They also claimed to spend 40 days with Him after the resurrection, eating and drinking with Him (Acts 10:39-41). There is no way they could have been deceived or mistaken; either they told the truth or they were deliberate liars, deceivers, and frauds!

We would have to say that we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). It would have been a liar or lunatic that died on the cross. No such person could have provided a sacrifice that was holy and without blemish.

We would have to say that believers have perished at death.(1 Corinthians 15:18). Their faith would have been in a false Messiah. They would have had no atonement for their sins. Dying in their sins, there would be no hope.

Lastly, we would have to say that Christians are to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19) for the following reasons:

1. Because we believe in a false Messiah;
2. Because our faith in Him leads us to refrain from much worldly pleasure;
3. Because we are often ridiculed or persecuted for our faith.

As Paul makes it clear, the resurrection of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith. If Jesus is not raised, then we should not be Christians! Now let's examine the significance from another angle.

What if Christ has been raised? In that case, it verifies our justification (Romans 4:24-25). Jesus claimed His blood would be adequate (Matthew 26:28). By raising Jesus from the dead, God demonstrated His acceptance of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins! (Romans 8:33-34).

His resurrection demonstrates the power available to the Christian (Ephesians 1:18-20); the power available at our conversion (Colossians 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:21); and the power available to live the Christian life (Romans 8:11-13; Philippians 2:12-13; 4:13; Ephesians 3:20; 6:10).

It also gives us hope concerning our own resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). Simply put, His resurrection gives us a living hope! (1 Peter 1:21). Especially concerning the resurrection of believers! (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

Finally, His resurrections demands our complete loyalty (Romans 14:9). He was raised and then exalted to become our Lord (Acts 2:32-36; Ephesians 1:20-23). Thus, our lives and service belong to Him (Romans 14:7-8; 2 Colossians 5:15).

In conclusion, the impact of the resurrection of Jesus should not go unfelt in our lives. As a historical event it has everlasting implications for both the believer and the unbeliever. The believer must never lose sight of the significance of the
resurrection. Do our lives demonstrate that we serve a risen Lord and Savior? Do we possess the hope, peace, and strength that the reality and power of His resurrection gives to the Christian?

The unbeliever also needs to examine the significance of the resurrection carefully. It verifies the deity of Jesus, that He has all authority (Romans 1:4; Matthew 28:19; Act 2:36). It verifies the truthfulness of what He taught, such as...

1) No one can come to the Father but through Him (John 14:6)
2) His blood was shed for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28)
3) He came to offer abundant life (John 10:10)
4) He went to prepare a place for us (John 14:2)
5) He shall come again (John 14:3)
6) There will be a resurrection of the dead and ensuing judgment (John 5:28-29; 12:48)

If Jesus rose from the dead, then one must believe in Him! (cf. John 8:24). May we never forget "the significance of the Resurrection of Christ" in our lives!

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi