Hope Q&A

Hope

What can I do when things seem hopeless?

1 Samuel 1:1-28

In the midst of Hannah’s hopelessness, she prayed to God, knowing that if any hope was to be found, it would be found in him.

Acts 16:16-34

Paul and Silas were on death row for preaching about Jesus, yet in this hopeless situation they sang praises to God. Why? Because they had an eternal perspective.

Proverbs 10:28

No matter how hopeless things seem here on earth, in Christ we have ultimate, eternal hope. People who don’t know Christ have nothing but their own hopelessness to cling to.

Psalm 27:14

Hope is trusting God to act in his good timing.

Haggai 1:9

When we honor God, our hopes can be richly fulfilled.

How can I put my hope in God?

Psalm 71:5; Romans 8:24

Salvation comes through trust in Christ, believing he will do for us what he has promised. Hope is expecting that he will give us everlasting life and that we will live with him forever. We can’t see these things, but we can hope with assurance, for our hope is built on a trust in the most trustworthy one of all.

Hebrews 11:1

We have faith in God to do what he has promised, and we can be absolutely sure that he will. So our hopes are not idle hopes, but built on the solid foundation of his trustworthiness.

Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 3:13-14

God never plans evil or hopelessness for his people. And his ultimate plan is to give us eternal life with him in heaven, where pain, sorrow, and suffering are gone forever.

@Promise from God: Job 11:18

You will have courage because you will have hope. You will be protected and will rest in safety.

Hope-2

Hope

Hope
Hope is God's gift to us.  It is also a distinctively Christian resource for you to use in living.  Hope is one of the many qualities of a relationship put right with God through Christ Jesus.  It is therefore, the birth right of every Christian.
(Hebrews 6:11, 12)
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make you sure.  We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
Hope keeps the Christian from becoming lazy or feeling bored.  Like an athlete, train hard and run well, remembering the reward that lies ahead.
Hope can be a powerful force in people's lives.  Especially in this age, an age characterized as hopeless" and "full of despair," the hope you have to share with the world is a tragically neglected aspect of Christianity.  Lets use this course to remind ourselves of our distinctive hope, and seek ways we can effectively engender hope in our life and them lives of those we care for and touch.
Share an experience you had in which Hope played or could have played and important part.?
J.  Heightened Consciousness of God's Presence.
God's presence helps us handle change
(Nm 10:21)
:Then the Kohathites set out, carrying  the holy things.  The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived."
Those who travel, move, of face new challenges know what it is to be uprooted.  Life is full of changes, and few things remain stable.  The Israelites were constantly moving through the desert.  They were able to handle change only because God's presence in the tabernacle was always with them.  The portable tabernacles signified God and his people moving together.  For us, stability does not mean lack of change, but moving with God in every circumstance.
God desires fellowship with human beings.  That's a remarkable thought!  Some how he seems so complete and self-sufficient that it's incredible He would desire anything at all.  But God desires an intimate relationship with each of us.

Hope

Hope

Hope
Hope is God's gift to us.  It is also a distinctively Christian resource for you to use in living.  Hope is one of the many qualities of a relationship put right with God through Christ Jesus.  It is therefore, the birth right of every Christian.
(Hebrews 6:11, 12)
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make you sure.  We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
Hope keeps the Christian from becoming lazy or feeling bored.  Like an athlete, train hard and run well, remembering the reward that lies ahead.
Hope can be a powerful force in people's lives.  Especially in this age, an age characterized as hopeless" and "full of despair," the hope you have to share with the world is a tragically neglected aspect of Christianity.  Lets use this course to remind ourselves of our distinctive hope, and seek ways we can effectively engender hope in our life and them lives of those we care for and touch.
Share an experience you had in which Hope played or could have played and important part.?
J.  Heightened Consciousness of God's Presence.
God's presence helps us handle change
(Nm 10:21)
:Then the Kohathites set out, carrying  the holy things.  The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived."
Those who travel, move, of face new challenges know what it is to be uprooted.  Life is full of changes, and few things remain stable.  The Israelites were constantly moving through the desert.  They were able to handle change only because God's presence in the tabernacle was always with them.  The portable tabernacles signified God and his people moving together.  For us, stability does not mean lack of change, but moving with God in every circumstance.
God desires fellowship with human beings.  That's a remarkable thought!  Some how he seems so complete and self-sufficient that it's incredible He would desire anything at all.  But God desires an intimate relationship with each of us.
Pride and God's presence are incompatible.
(Ps 10:11)
"He says to himself, "God has forgotten: he covers his face and never sees.".
There is an incompatibility between blind arrogance and the presence of God in our hearts.  The proud person depends on himself rather than on God.  This causes God's guiding influences to leave his life.  When God's presence is welcome, there is no room for pride because he makes us aware of our true selves.
Brother Lawrence a 17th-century monk, worked in the kitchen of a monastery in southern France.  In the midst of the simplest, most routine tasks he learned to "practice the presence of Good.."
Desire to be in God's presence
(Ps 27:4)
"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I May dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."
David may have used the word temple to mean "the presence of the Lord." His greatest desire was to live in God's presence each day of his life.  Sadly, this is not the greatest desire of many who claim to be believers.  But those who desire to live in God's presence each day will be able to enjoy that relationship forever.
God is present in your life, whether you take note of him or not, but a heightened consciousness of God's presence can cultivate in you, His child, and attitude of trust in God.
God's presence in problems
(Ps 34:18-19)
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;"
God delivers those who persevere in their faith.
You may have heard it said that a person does not really know who his friends are until the bottom drops out.  I think there is great truth to that.  All of us have experienced the pain of discovering that people we though would be faithful - no matter what - were simply "fair-weather friends."  You know, friends whose loyalty hinges upon the climate or circumstances.  As long as the relationship is enjoyable, they are with you all the way.  But when it begins to demand some sacrifice on their part, they are hard to find.  The ultimate measure of friends is not where they stand in times of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.  That being the case, apart from adversity of some kind, we would never know who our faithful friends really are.
In the same way, we will never know in a personal way the faithfulness of Christ apart from adversity.  As a result, our faith in Him would never increase.  It would remain static.  One of the primary reasons God allows us to face adversity is so that He can demonstrate His faithfulness and in turn increase our faith.  If you are a believer, you have made a decision to trust Christ with your eternal destiny.  But you will not experience His faithfulness in that particular area until you die.  God wants more from you and for you than simple intellectual acknowledgement of His faithfulness.  It is will that you experience it now.
If our lives are free from pain, turmoil, and sorrow, our knowledge of God will remain purely academic.  Our relationship with Him could be compared with that of a great-great-grandfather about whom we have heard stories, yet never met personally.  We would have great admiration, but no intimacy, no fellowship.  There would always be a sense of distance and mystery.
That is not the kind of relationship God wants with His children.  Through the death of Christ, God has opened the way for us to have direct access to Him.  he went to great lengths to clear the way so that nothing stands between Him and His children.  There is potential now for intimacy between us and our Creator....
God is in the process of engineering circumstances through which He can reveal Himself to each of us.  And both history as well as our personal testimonies bear witness to the fact that it is in times of adversity that we come to a greater realization of God's incredible faithfulness to us.
(From How to Handle Adversity by Charles Stanley)
Can you remember a time when you were in desperate circumstances?  What was the cry of your heart?  When you have the opportunity, do as David did - praise God.  Tell someone else what you learned.  Memorize verses 17-22.
We often wish we could escape troubles-the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, and failure; or even the small daily frustrations that constantly wear us down.  God promises to be "close to the brokenhearted," to be our source of power, courage, and wisdom, helping us through our problems.  When trouble strikes, don't get frustrated with God.  Instead, admit that you need God's help and thank him for being by your side.
Someone asked Karl Barth to sum up the message of his books on Christian theology.  He unhesitatingly replied; Jesus loves me - this I know, for the Bible tells me so."  Barths reply goes to the heart of the matter : Love of Children by a Father and the Love due to the Father by the children.  But if we love one another and love God, as God loves us, we will know God and become one with; "the Love that moves the sun and the other stars." the infinite self-renewing ultimate source and resource.
God never leaves us
(Ps. 140:12)
"I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."
To whom can the poor turn when they are persecuted?  They lack the money to get professional help; they bay be unable to defend themselves.  But there is always someone on their side-the Lord will stand by them and ultimately bring about justice.  This should be a comfort for us all.  No matter what our situation may be, the Lord is with us.  But this truth should also call us to responsibility.  As God's People, we are required to defend the rights of the powerless.
"The way to the love of God is foolishness to the world, but wisdom to god's children.  When the world sees such love-fire in God's children, it says they are foolish; but to the children of God, this is the greatest treasure, for no life can express, nor can mouth describe, the fire of the inflaming love of God that is whiter than the sun, sweeter than any honey, more powerful than any food or drink, and lovelier than all the joys of this world.  he who reaches this is richer than any king on earth, nobler than any emperor can be, and stronger than all might" (Jacob Boehme, The Way to Christ).

Christian Hope
Christian hope is both in the present and for the future.  The source of Christian hope is the knowledge that Jesus is with each Christian training might display deep-hearted trust in Christ's continuing presence and his return by positive attitudes and expectations.
God-Centered Stability
When you base your life as a Child of God, you have a firmer foundation than any other.  As a favorite hymn declares, "on Christ the solid rock I stand.  All other ground is sinking sand," God alone is the foundation for holistic stability in your life.
God Centered Self-Image
When the person with whom you are joined in Christian training truly believes that he or she is a child of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit, that person is going to have a much healthier ego and a realistic self-image.  This is not haughtiness or conceit;  it is a good feeling about oneself because Jesus Christ is alive and well within.
Peace
As a result of Christian training, a person might come to experience peace.  Such peace is not merely the absence of hostility or a state of inner contentment; rather, it is the peace connoted by the Hebrew word shalom.  As people experience Christian peace, their relationships become whole and complete - with others, with God, and with themselves.
Perspective on Results
This list certainly does not include every distinctively Christian result.  Nor does it include all those results of training that are important, but are not specifically Christian in character - for example, the ability to express one's feelings, greater honesty with oneself and others, overcoming depression, or reducing one's anxiety level.
Another result of Christian training accrues to you the trainer, and it has to do with the strengthening of your own training, and it has to do with the strengthening of your own personal faith and Christian life.  The more you use the tools of your trade, the better you get, especially when you consider that use implies keeping them in good repair.
Results are great, but they belong to God, who chooses to let you share is the pleasure of them.  Don't stalk them; let God send them to you.  Desire them, but don't lust after them.  Expect results, but don't concentrate on them.  Evaluate them, but don't count on them.  Be glad when they come, but don't spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to make them come.  Count on the certainty that the Lord's sense of timing and purpose is better than yours and better than that of the training receiver.  Rely on the promise of the Lord in Rev. 21:5 "I make all things new."  Now that's what I call results!

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. --1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Despite what our culture tells us, worldly success is temporary...and it will never bring about complete satisfaction. The number of people who have come to ruin after experiencing the world's idea of fame and fortune is astonishing. Here are just a few:

• Multimillionaire George Vanderbilt killed himself by jumping from a hotel window.  
• Lester Hunt, two-time governor of Wyoming and soon-to-be U.S. Senator, ended his own life.  
• Actress Marilyn Monroe, writer Ernest Hemingway, and athlete Tony Lazzeri represent a group of popular people who were dissatisfied and took their own lives.  

Solomon warned those who strived for success without God: "The hopes of the wicked come to nothing" (Proverbs 10:28). According to biblical accounts, God didn't generally use successful and popular people to accomplish His work. Instead, he used everyday people like Paul, Nehemiah, Rahab, Mary, Jonah, Joshua...and the list goes on. 

What's wonderful is God doesn't require us to be "big shots" to make an impact for Him. The fact is He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom even today. And the greatest success you'll ever achieve will come one day when you meet Him in heaven!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Submit yourself to the will of the Lord and ask Him to use you for the work of His kingdom

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another." --Zechariah 7:9  

In 1935, Fiorello LaGuardia, the mayor of New York, arrived at night court in the poorest ward of the city. He dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench. Brought before him was a disheveled older woman charged with stealing a loaf of bread.  

She defended herself saying, "My daughter's husband has left her. She is sick, and her children are starving."  

The shopkeeper from which she stole refused to drop the charges saying, "It's a bad neighborhood, your honor, and she's got to be punished to teach other people a lesson."  

LaGuardia pronounced to the woman, "I've got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions. Your sentence is a ten-dollar fine or ten days in jail."  

However, he immediately pulled from his pocket a ten dollar bill, threw it into his hat, and said, "Here's payment for the ten-dollar fine. Furthermore, I'm going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."  

The following day, a newspaper reported that $47.50 had been collected from a red-faced storekeeper, 70 petty criminals, and a few New York policemen!  

As Christians, it should always be our goal to show mercy to those in need. Jesus once said that those who show mercy to the others will receive mercy in return (see Matt. 5:7).  

It may be that you can visit a lonely friend, take baked goods to someone less fortunate, or pick up groceries for a neighbor in need. God was once merciful to you (Eph. 2:4-5), so begin showing the same compassion to others (1 Pet. 2:10).  

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would give you a merciful heart, so that you can minister to those who are in need of compassion.

Benefits

Benefits

Goodness

As a lover of God you will receive power and blessings from your lover God. You will be a better person. One who has many good qualities, everything from being a Peacemaker, to one who is kinder and gentler. You will receive the blessing/power of the Holy Spirit to guide you in making good decisions about living your life in some special way, like: Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, language, and more. All of these will help you reach out and help others.

Goodness is the action you take to want to do everything within your power to please your lover God. And as a result you usually please your family members in God and thereby receive a return of love by God and others. This frequently provides you with the results of the goodness that God and others do for you. Also by developing goodness you also usually are doing the good things that please the other levels of authority above you (country/employer, etc.) and below you (e.g. like children). The benefits there, are very helpful in your life. And as a result of all these and previously covered attributes of the Godly love affair is Joy.

Gentleness

Gentleness is a trait where you love a brother or sister in God's family so much that you do not want to hurt them in any way that is not required for a higher benefit. This is much like when a parent takes a child to a doctor for necessary shots but also does everything in their power to help the child get through the difficult situation sharing as much LOVE as possible. This helps the other party get through the difficult challenge as easy as possible and with as much help that you can offer. Gentleness is also displayed in your tenderness. As a result of these actions you get to share other benefits like Goodness.

Humility

One of the most important and the most difficult actions is to develop the trait of humility (letting the other party in a love affair into and have control of your life). Humility is putting into action the requirement of love that the needs and requirements of the other party is more important than yours and accepting that you must let the other party into your life so that they can do the same. But one big difference in the love affair with God is that God also created other humans as your brothers and sisters. And as a result of that, He expects us to have a love affair with His other children. One of the benefits out of this is kindness.

Kindness

"When you fully put in to practice the love of your human brothers and sisters, you develop the trait of kindness (wanting to please your Father/Lover God) by showing how you are sharing your common love through doing things that will satisfy the needs and requirements of your brothers and sisters in God's love affair). And one of the other benefits that you will receive is the kindness of your brothers and sisters. in God's family. Note that kindness does not require that you like the other party, only to love them by doing what you can to satisfy their needs and requirements if they also meet your lover God's needs. This will develop gentleness also.

Joy

Joy is the pleasure you get from doing everything within your power to please your lover God and the result of all the benefits you receive from sharing that love. These benefits that have been covered in this book already and those to come, provide you with the joy of completion of the purpose you have been given by being given life. It is the equivalent of all the joy of all the other successes (graduations, etc.) rolled into one. And then you add what will happen in the future - the eternal love fest. With this joy you can deal with any other challenges you will face. This greatly impacts the quality of your life.

Patience

One of the greatest virtues you will acquire, by turning control of your life over to God is Patience. This is the ability to put the control of circumstances out of your control - much like when you were a student in a class or a member of a team. You just do what the next action you have to do, the best way you can and leave the results to the higher authority (e.g. teacher/coach). Life becomes something that you do the best you can and then move on to the next action. You are trusting your lover God to take care of you. You rest in His shared love, much as young lovers on their honeymoon. But Patience does require humility.

Requirements

Requirements

Many of the love affair requirements are spelled out in a book called the Bible, which provides guidance on what these love affair requirements are along with the benefits. But the main requirement is to show our love by placing God's requirements first and accepting that He is in charge of our life. He requires that we follow his guidance. In exchange for following these requirements we receive, love, guidance, hope, an eternal love fest, gentleness, and love affairs with other God lovers and much more.

Christian Media

There are many resources that you can utilize to help you build the love affair to the level that offers you the best benefits. Beside the Bible there is Christian TV networks (Up) / Programs, Music groups, Books, Videos, Christian Internet sites, Christian organizations, and a lot more. But the most important guidance you will receive will be what God's guidance and plans for helping you make the decision to make the choice to commit the control of your life to His control and to share love here on earth and in the eternal love fest. But as a result of the changes in your life, you will find that your relations with other humans will improve.

Deception

When we focus on our needs and desires, we have no problem with using deception to improve our life. In God's family, deception does not please Him or others and therefore it is not considered a good thing. Lying only benefits us and therefore not God and others. To deal with truth, places us in harmony with our God and others and is called being pure of heart. And following this approach leads us to a more joyful and peace-full life with a higher quality of life. When we practice deception, we set as a goal, happiness at any cost.

Other Humans

One of the most effective ways to deepen your love relationship is to join Christian Small Groups within a Christian church. These small groups will help you greatly. They will allow you to ask questions you may have. See how others are coping with the challenges of life. You will also acquire opportunities to learn about your lover God and how others deal with Him. These small groups will provide you with friends who can be a mentor for you. And all of these will deepen your relationship with your lover God.

You will find that if you follow God's plans for control of your life and sharing love; that the same principles will work well with having relationships with others. You will better understand how to have a love affair, and how to deal with the control within relationships. Other factors like the gentleness you will develop. Also you will learn how to deal with forgiveness, one of the most difficult emotions to deal with. You will learn as part of God's control of your life, you will learn how to avoid such bad emotions as envy, overeating, etc.. All of these benefits will help you realize the quality of life that the Creator of this world wants for you.

Our Example

God offers within the Bible an example of what he expects of us as his lovers - Jesus Christ. He was able to live the human life with all of its challenges and complete the most difficult assignments and still follow God's requirements such as love, hope (looking forward to the eternal love fest), faith (believing in these requirements), etc. By joining a community of God lovers, you can see other humans trying to have that love affair, sharing his love, practicing the trust required, living with the hope for the future, etc. Let’s look at participating within a community of God lovers.

Strength without Feeling

The world of power, pride, and personal independence requires its followers to have strength without feeling to reach success and to maintain it. God's love affair requires us to have mercy, which is putting God's and others needs and desires and success over ours. So, whatever happens, in relation to others, is under our lover God's control; so we accept it as part of His plan for us. We can then easily forgive others and what they do to us. Our joy comes from pleasing our lover and others. Therefore we can grant mercy to others. And by dong this we are successful. This leads us to dealing with lying/deception.

Weak Commitment

Weak commitments, causes much chaos in this world; because no one is sure what to expect. The world orientation is focused on personal success being pursued without the world's needs and desires. God as our lover wants us to have personal peace through loving Him and others. When we do this we become peacemakers and offer the world an entry into the world of peace and love we are sharing. This brings us a better quality of life and truly helps us deal with the challenges of life.

Prayer for Faith

Prayer for Faith

Dear God, I offer this prayer to you today for the faith of the world. Through the works and actions of people like me, may people everywhere come to have faith in you. Give to Christians everywhere the ability to show their faith to the world – not by flashy words and emotional pleas – but by living each day for you alone. Let others see a difference in us, a difference that announces to the world sharing love with you has changed our lives. Amen.

Abraham

Abraham

We all know that there are consequences to any action we take. What we do can set into motion a series of events that may continue long after we’re gone. Unfortunately, when we are making a decision, most of us think only of the immediate consequences. These are often misleading because they are short-lived.

Abraham had a choice to make. His decision was between setting out with his family and belongings for parts unknown or staying right where he was. He had to decide between the security of what he already had and the uncertainty of traveling under God’s direction. All he had to go on was God’s promise to guide and bless him. Abraham could hardly have been expected to visualize how much of the future was resting on his decision of whether to go or stay, but his obedience affected the history of the world. His decision to follow God set into motion the development of the nation that God would eventually use as his own when he visited earth himself. When Jesus Christ came to earth, God’s promise was fulfilled; through Abraham the entire world was blessed.

You probably don’t know the long-term effects of most decisions you make. But shouldn’t the fact that there will be long-term results cause you to think carefully and seek God’s guidance as you make choices and take action today?

@Strengths and accomplishments

w His faith pleased God

w Became the founder of the Jewish nation

w Was respected by others and was courageous in defending his family at any cost

w Was not only a caring father to his own family, but practiced hospitality to others

w Was a successful and wealthy rancher

w Usually avoided conflicts, but when they were unavoidable, he allowed his opponent to set the rules for settling the dispute

@Weakness and mistake

w Under direct pressure, he distorted the truth

@Lessons from his life

w God desires dependence, trust, and faith in him—not faith in our ability to please him

w God’s plan from the beginning has been to make himself known to all people

@Vital statistics

w Where: Born in Ur of the Chaldeans; spent most of his life in the land of Canaan

w Occupation: Wealthy livestock owner

w Relatives: Brothers: Nahor and Haran. Father: Terah. Wife: Sarah. Nephew: Lot. Sons: Ishmael and Isaac

w Contemporaries: Abimelech, Melchizedek

@Key verse

“And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6).

Abraham’s story is told in Genesis 11—25. He is also mentioned in Exodus 2:24; Matthew 1:1, 2; Luke 3:34; Acts 7:2–8; Romans 4; Galatians 3; Hebrews 2, 6, 7, 11.

Crisis of Faith

Crisis of Faith

After a near-fatal car collision. Reverend Daniel learns that the accident caused his son’s death. Wrapped in a cocoon of guilt, the Reverend shuts himself off from all loved ones, unable to attend the funeral. Monica must convince Daniel to forgive himself and rededicate himself to helping others.

People can’t see the results of the ripples when a stone is thrown into the lake of life.

When you succeed, don’t forget thanks to God

Submitting and listening to others can save yours and others lives.

There is a time for everything including living and dying.

Shared love with God can save you from difficulties

God will forgive you, if you will forgive yourself and others.

Death can come, even when you are where you should be.

Facing Challenges

Facing Challenges

With all the benefits we receive from the love affair, we can better face the challenges of life. We still will face the challenges of life, but they will deepen the love affair we are having with our lover God. This deepening of our love affair will also deepen the trust and then as a result of that trust, we will make the commitments needed in a love affair/marriage. This commitment reflects the trust that we have in our lover.

Assignments

Just as we would do things for a human lover (like doing special things-cooking special meals, etc.). God asks us to do special things for Him. I choose to call these things assignments (like joining a community of other God lovers). This pleases our lover by sharing our love of Him with others. Nothing deepens human love more then when our lover does something for us . Also one of the best ways to show our love is to learn as much as we can about our lover and what our lover needs and requires.

On earth, in an attempt to have a good love affair, we make every effort (dates, sharing our life story, friends, etc.). Well in order to have a good love affair with the Boss over all, we need to make every effort to learn about our lover. We can do this by joining groups of like minded individuals: Christian churches, studying Christian media, etc.. If you are a book reader, you may want to get a Christian Bible. With God we need to study the Bible. Also there are many Christian web sites. All of these and more will help you learn about your lover God.

God Lover

On earth, we learn that in order to have friends/lovers we must be able to share time with each other. Well the same is true when you wish to have a love affair with the Boss. You will need to block out time to spend with your lover God. This time must include sharing your thoughts and feelings. It also should includes a sharing of your needs which is called praying. And of course this time should include spending time learning about our lover God (e.g. reading the Bible, involvement with Christian friends).

One of the reasons our lover God wants us to participate in communities of lovers, is for us to see how they are applying His requirements put forth in the Bible. They are applying them to the daily challenges faced. And as a result of that , they can share how they were able to deal with life. One of the best ways to do this is to join small groups of these fellow lovers and participate in the sharing of life techniques. Make personal friends with those who are facing similar challenges and share with them. Also listen/watch Christian media.

Faith-Q&A

Faith

Why should I have faith in God?

Isaiah 25:9; John 5:24

Faith is the only way to get to heaven. It is the only doorway to eternal life. If God created eternity, then only through God can we get there.

Hebrews 11:1

Faith gives us hope.

How does faith in God affect my relationship with God? How does it change the way I live?

Genesis 15:6 ; Romans 3:24-25

Sin breaks our relationship with God because it is rebellion against God. A holy God cannot live with unholy people. But when we accept Jesus as Savior and ask him to forgive our sins, this simple act of faith makes us righteous in God’s sight.

Isaiah 26:3

Faith in God brings peace of mind and heart because we know that we belong to him, and we know that one day all pain and suffering will end.

Romans 8:5; 1 Corinthians 12:1; Galatians 5:22

Faith is inviting God’s Holy Spirit to live within us. It is not just an act of the mind, but it taps us into the very resources of God so that we have the power to live in an entirely new way. If God himself is living within us, our lives should be dramatically changed.

When I’m struggling in my Christian life and have doubts, does it mean I have less faith?

2 Peter 1:1-9; Genesis 15:8 ; Matthew 11:2-3

Many people in the Bible whom we consider to be “pillars of faith” had moments of doubt. The key is to never give up on our faith and to always ask if, over time, our lives have been moving closer to or further away from God. Even during moments of doubt, you must invest the effort and discipline to allow your faith to grow.

@Promise from God: Acts 16:31

They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with your entire household.

Paul and Silas took the family unit seriously. So the offer of salvation was made to the jailer’s entire household—family and servants. Yet it was not the jailer’s faith that saved them; they all needed to come to Jesus in faith and believe in him in the same way the jailer had. His entire family did believe and all were saved. Pray that God will use you to introduce Jesus to your family and that they will come to believe in him.

Faith

Faith

Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests.

Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests is the veracity of God.

Historical faith is the apprehension of and assent to certain statements which are regarded as mere facts of history.

Temporary faith is that state of mind which is awakened in men (e.g., Felix) by the exhibition of the truth and by the influence of religious sympathy, or by what is sometimes styled the common operation of the Holy Spirit.

Saving faith is so called because it has eternal life inseparably connected with it. It cannot be better defined than in the words of the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism: “Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.”

The object of saving faith is the whole revealed Word of God. Faith accepts and believes it as the very truth most sure. But the special act of faith which unites to Christ has as its object the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 7:38; Acts 16:31). This is the specific act of faith by which a sinner is justified before God (Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9; John 3:16-36; Acts 10:43; 16:31). In this act of faith the believer appropriates and rests on Christ alone as Mediator in all his offices.

This assent to or belief in the truth received upon the divine testimony has always associated with it a deep sense of sin, a distinct view of Christ, a consenting will, and a loving heart, together with a reliance on, a trusting in, or resting in Christ. It is that state of mind in which a poor sinner, conscious of his sin, flees from his guilty self to Christ his Savior, and rolls over the burden of all his sins on him. It consists chiefly, not in the assent given to the testimony of God in his Word, but in embracing with fiducial reliance and trust the one and only Savior whom God reveals. This trust and reliance is of the essence of faith. By faith the believer directly and immediately appropriates Christ as his own. Faith in its direct act makes Christ ours. It is not a work which God graciously accepts instead of perfect obedience, but is only the hand by which we take hold of the person and work of our Redeemer as the only ground of our salvation.

Saving faith is a moral act, as it proceeds from a renewed will, and a renewed will is necessary to believing assent to the truth of God (1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4). Faith, therefore, has its seat in the moral part of our nature fully as much as in the intellectual. The mind must first be enlightened by divine teaching (John 6:44; Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:17, 18) before it can discern the things of the Spirit.

Faith is necessary to our salvation (Mark 16:16), not because there is any merit in it, but simply because it is the sinner’s taking the place assigned him by God, his falling in with what God is doing.

The warrant or ground of faith is the divine testimony, not the reasonableness of what God says, but the simple fact that he says it. Faith rests immediately on, “Thus saith the Lord.” But in order to this faith the veracity, sincerity, and truth of God must be owned and appreciated, together with his unchangeableness. God’s word encourages and emboldens the sinner personally to transact with Christ as God’s gift, to close with him, embrace him, give himself to Christ, and take Christ as his. That word comes with power, for it is the word of God who has revealed himself in his works, and especially in the cross. God is to be believed for his word’s sake, but also for his name’s sake.

Faith in Christ secures for the believer freedom from condemnation, or justification before God; a participation in the life that is in Christ, the divine life (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-10; Eph. 4:15, 16, etc.); “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1); and sanctification (Acts 26:18; Gal. 5:6; Acts 15:9).

All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John 6:37, 40; 10:27, 28; Rom. 8:1).

The faith = the gospel (Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5; Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 3:9; Jude 3).

Dealing with Life

Are you facing challenges in your life? Are you happy with your life? If not, read on. Well we would like to offer you some FREE help in dealing with them. We will provide you with guidance to live your life as a Christian. As a Christian you will develop a love affair with the creator and controller of this world we live in. Then as a result of that love affair we will show you how to improve the quality of your love affairs here on earth. Both of these love affairs will improve the quality of your life.

Who is in charge?

You can choose to live life under your control only. But everybody else will object. Or you can live within the rules that the rest of the world (Country, state, county, city, job, etc.) put in place. The trouble with doing that, is that it is very difficult. This happens because; there is a level of authority above all these. Some people call it society/culture/environment. We have to deal with the highest level.

Highest Authority

The level of authority that is the highest is the one who is responsible for the area of life you are dealing with. Since we are all living on earth; there needs to be some authority for the whole earth. I'm sure that you understand that someone created your watch, your car, etc.. Well what about the air you breath, the water you drink, etc.. These were created also. Most people call this creator, God. He is the person you should get to know and have a love affair with.

Have you looked out the window today? Seen any nature, sky, people and a lot more? Why are they all out in the world and how did they get out there. Have you ever wonder how all these things keep going without chaos taking place. There must be some controlling influence on all of what is out in the world. If there is any sense to all of this, and you understood some of these answers; then you might be able to make some sense of all this. And then you could act more appropriately.

Love Affair

The Boss created this universe and all that is in it because He wanted something to be proud of. Once He created all of this, He wanted to share His pride with others. He created beings that we called angels. They were able to share and acknowledge the creators pride. The Creator then decided that He wanted to share all of this with someone who can also share love with Him. He then created human beings who can choose to share love with him. Once you acknowledge that there is a highest level of authority and you choose to follow His rules, you will find that most other circumstances start to make sense, and are part of a overall plan. Not one free from challenges but one that provides you with a love affair and a lover to go through the challenges with you.

Your lover God will provide you with guidance on how to live life the best you can and with the greatest level of peace possible. Being a lover of the highest level gives you a chance to join Him in an eternal love fest.

Purpose for Life

Love is putting the other person's needs as more important than ours. We do this, because we are depending on our lover to put our needs as more important than theirs. This is what we call a loving relationship. In this loving relationship, we find purpose and fulfillment. The quality of our life is improved. But this improvement requires that we also develop a sense of trust in the relationship. And this sense of trust requires that we also turn over control of our lives to our lover. Human beings were created for the purpose of having a love affair with their Creator.

But to have a love affair with someone, you must love them. In order to love someone we need to see the value of this love affair that will make up for the fact that we need to put the other parties needs, desires, etc., above our needs, desires, etc., as more important. When we do put someone else's requirements above ours, we can then receive the full value of the love affair. In the case of having a love affair with God we receive a lot of value.

Prayer to Christ

Prayer to Christ

Christ, during your earthly life you were always faithful to God’s plan for you. I also wish to follow his plan for me obediently. Help me to know how I may do this. Make me attentive to His communication with me during the years of my preparation for my home in heaven. When I do reach the point of my graduation to my new life, help me to enter it with the joy it deserves.

The birth of Jesus 2

The birth of Jesus 2

The greatest event in history had just happened! The Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally occurred, the announcement came to humble shepherds. The Good News about Jesus is that he comes to all, including the plain and the ordinary. He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept him. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can have Jesus in your life. Don’t think you need extraordinary qualifications—he accepts you as you are.

Some of the Jews were waiting for a savior to deliver them from Roman rule; others hoped the Christ (Messiah) would deliver them from physical ailments. But Jesus, while healing their illnesses and establishing a spiritual Kingdom, delivered them from sin. His work is more far-reaching than anyone could imagine. Christ paid the price for sin and opened the way to peace with God. He offers us more than temporary political or physical changes—he offers us new hearts that will last for eternity.

The story of Jesus’ birth resounds with music that has inspired composers for 2,000 years. The angels’ song, often called the Gloria after its first word in the Latin translation, is the basis for many modern choral works, traditional Christmas carols, and ancient liturgical chants.

Jewish families went through several ceremonies soon after a baby’s birth: (1) Circumcision. Every boy was circumcised and named on the eighth day after birth (Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59, 60). Circumcision symbolized the Jews’ separation from Gentiles and their unique relationship with God (see the notes on 1:59). (2) Redemption of the firstborn. A firstborn son was presented to God one month after birth (Exodus 13:2, 11-16; Numbers 18:15, 16). The ceremony included buying back—“redeeming”—the child from God through an offering. Thus, the parents acknowledged that the child belonged to God, who alone has the power to give life. (3) Purification of the mother. For 40 days after the birth of a son and 80 days after the birth of a daughter, the mother was ceremonially unclean and could not enter the Temple. At the end of her time of separation, the parents were to bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a dove or pigeon for a sin offering. The priest would sacrifice these animals and declare her to be clean. If a lamb was too expensive, the parents could bring a second dove or pigeon instead. This is what Mary and Joseph did.

Jesus was God’s Son, but his family carried out these ceremonies according to God’s law. Jesus was not born above the law; instead, he fulfilled it perfectly.

When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated to God, they met an old man who told them what their child would become. Simeon’s song is often called the Nunc Dimittis, because these are the first words of its Latin translation. Simeon could die in peace because he had seen the Messiah.

The Jews were well acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies that spoke of the Messiah’s blessings to their nation. They did not always give equal attention to the prophecies saying that he would bring salvation to the entire world, not just the Jews (see, for example, Isaiah 49:6). Many thought that Christ had come to save only his own people. Luke made sure his Greek audience understood that Christ had come to save all who believe, Gentiles as well as Jews.

Joseph and Mary were amazed for three reasons: Simeon said that Jesus was a gift from God; Simeon recognized Jesus as the Messiah; and Simeon said Jesus would be a light to the entire world. This was at least the second time that Mary had been greeted with a prophecy about her son; the first time was when Elizabeth welcomed her as the mother of her Lord (1:42-45).

Simeon prophesied that Jesus would have a paradoxical effect on Israel. Some would fall because of him (see Isaiah 8:14, 15), while others would rise (see Malachi 4:2). With Jesus, there would be no neutral ground: People would either joyfully accept him or totally reject him. As Jesus’ mother, Mary would be grieved by the widespread rejection he would face. This is the first note of sorrow in Luke’s Gospel.

The birth of Jesus

The birth of Jesus

Luke is the only Gospel writer who related the events he recorded to world history. His account was addressed to a predominantly Greek audience that would have been interested in and familiar with the political situation. Palestine was under the rule of the Roman Empire; Emperor Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor, was in charge. The Roman rulers, considered to be like gods, stood in contrast to the tiny baby in a manger who was truly God in the flesh.

A Roman census (registration) was taken to aid military conscription or tax collection. The Jews didn’t have to serve in the Roman army, but they could not avoid paying taxes. Augustus’s decree went out in God’s perfect timing and according to God’s perfect plan to bring his Son into the world.

The government forced Joseph to make a long trip just to pay his taxes. His fiancée, who had to go with him, was going to have a baby any moment. But when they arrived in Bethlehem, they couldn’t even find a place to stay. When we do God’s will, we are not guaranteed a comfortable life. But we are promised that everything, even our discomfort, has meaning in God’s plan.

God controls all history. By the decree of Emperor Augustus, Jesus was born in the very town prophesied for his birth (Micah 5:2), even though his parents did not live there.

Joseph and Mary were both descendants of David. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies that the Messiah would be born in David’s royal line.

Strips of cloth were used to keep a baby warm and give him a sense of security. These cloths were believed to protect his internal organs. The custom of wrapping infants this way is still practiced in many Mideastern countries.

This mention of the manger is the basis for the traditional belief that Jesus was born in a stable. Stables were often caves with feeding troughs (mangers) carved into the rock walls. Despite popular Christmas card pictures, the surroundings were dark and dirty. This was not the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah-King. They thought their promised Messiah would be born in royal surroundings. We should not limit God by our expectations. He is at work wherever he is needed in our sin-darkened and dirty world.

Although our first picture of Jesus is as a baby in a manger, it must not be our last. The Christ child in the manger has been the subject of a beautiful Christmas scene, but we cannot leave him there. This tiny, helpless baby lived an amazing life, died for us, ascended to heaven, and will come back to this earth as King of kings. Christ will rule the world and judge all people according to their decisions about him. Do you still picture Jesus as a baby in a manger—or is he your Lord? Make sure you don’t underestimate Jesus. Let him grow up in your life.

God continued to reveal his Son, but not to those we might expect. Luke records that Jesus’ birth was announced to shepherds in the fields. These may have been the shepherds who supplied the lambs for the Temple sacrifices that were performed for the forgiveness of sin. Here the angels invited these shepherds to greet the Lamb of God (John 1:36), who would take away the sins of the whole world forever.

What a birth announcement! The shepherds were terrified, but their fear turned to joy as the angels announced the Messiah’s birth. First the shepherds ran to see the baby; then they spread the word. Jesus is your Messiah, your Savior. Do you look forward to meeting him in prayer and in his Word each day? Have you discovered a Lord so wonderful that you can’t help sharing your joy with your friends?

Victory over sin.

Victory over Sin

“Our country imprisons more people per capita than any other nation except the Soviet Union and South Africa; yet we have the highest crime rate in the world. If that’s law and order, spare us any more.

Baffling? Yes, but nothing new. Eighteen-century British officials tried to cut crime by promoting large crowds to witness the hanging of pickpockets. There was a problem, however. Other thieves had a field day steeling the wallets of those gathered to watch the execution of their fellow pickpockets.

The paradox makes no sense to the secular mind – but the Christian should understand. For where is the anguish of the human soul more poignantly expressed than in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “The good I wish I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not wish.” He never wanted to covet, Paul explains in chapter 7, until the law said “Thou shalt not covet.” Then he found himself filled with covetousness of every kind.

Why? The sin within us uses the law itself to produce the very offense the law is intended to prevent. But in the next chapter the apostle answers the dilemma: though the law alone could not restrain sin, through Christ we are set free, rescued from the sin which controls us.

(From Who Speaks for God by Charles Colson)

Genesis 4:7

You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it.”

For Cain to subdue the sin that was waiting to attack and destroy him, he would have to give up his jealous anger so that sin would not find a foothold in his life. Sin is still waiting to attack and destroy us today. Like Cain, we will be victims of sin if we do not master it. But we cannot master sin in our own strength. Instead, we must turn to God to receive faith for ourselves and turn to other believers to receive encouragement and strength. The Holy Spirit will help us master sin. This will be a lifelong battle that will not be over until we are face to face with Christ.

Psalm 119:33

Teach me, O LORD,
to follow every one of your principles.

1 John 3:4-6

Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him. 6So if we continue to live in him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him.

Ramblings

What sin do you struggle to avoid? Thank God that he will one day rescue you from the struggle. Until then, let a prayer for strength be a reflex reaction to temptations.

Dealing with coveting

Dealing with coveting

Gracious Jesus, in Your mercy You came among us to take on our flesh, our sins, our sorrow, and our death. In your goodness You endured for us the temptation of the devil, the lure of the world, and the longing of the flesh in the wilderness. You were tempted in every way just as are we, only without sin. Give your strength to us who are weak and frail in every time of temptation; Give your courage to us to us who fear the opinion and covet what others may have. Give Your resolve to us who give in easily to our selfish desires. Deliver us from every temptation; in every failure compassionately give us grace to seek Your love and forgiveness. Amen.

Prayer to avoid coveting

Prayer to avoid coveting

O God, whose grace is sufficient for our needs, lift us above our doubts, coveting, and anxieties into the calm of your presence so that guarded by your peace, we may share your love. Amen.

Coveting

Coveting

Joshua 7:19-26

Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”

²⁰Achan replied, “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. ²¹For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon,^£ two hundred silver coins,^£ and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.^£ I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”

²²So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. ²³They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the Lord.

²⁴ _ Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. ²⁵Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. ²⁶They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble^£ ever since. So the Lord was no longer angry.

Luke 12:15

Then he said, “Beware! Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.”

Jesus says that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so be on guard against greed (desire for what we don’t have). This is the exact opposite of what society usually says. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, more comfortable. How do you respond to the constant pressure to buy? Learn to tune out expensive enticements and concentrate instead on the truly fulfilled life—living in a relationship with God and doing his work.

Evaluation Questions

Evaluate your life according to this Commandment:

My admiration for another’s possessions or spouse has turned into a preoccupation to get what I want no matter whose it is.

What passes for coveting as Jesus defines sins of the heart? (Mt 5:21-30)?

What do you hear God saying to you right now?

Do not covet

Do not Covet

“Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns.”

To covet is to wish to have the possessions of others. It goes beyond simply admiring someone else’s possessions or thinking, “I’d like to have one of those.” Coveting includes envy—resenting the fact that others have what you don’t. God knows, however, that possessions never make anyone happy for long. Since only God can supply all our needs, true contentment is found only in him. When you begin to covet, try to determine if a more basic need is leading you to envy. For example, you may covet someone’s success, not because you want to take it away from him, but because you would like to feel as appreciated by others as he is. If this is the case, pray that God will help you deal with your resentment and meet your basic needs.

To covet is to desire another person’s prosperity. We are not to set our desires on anything that belongs to someone else. Not only can such desires make us miserable, they can also lead us to other sins such as adultery and stealing. Envying others is a useless exercise because God is able to provide everything we really need, even if he does not always give us everything we want. To stop coveting, we need to practice being content with what we have. The apostle Paul emphasizes the significance of contentment in Philippians 4:11, 12. It’s a matter of perspective. Instead of thinking about what we don’t have, we should thank God for what he has given and strive to be content. After all, our most important possession is free and available to everyone—eternal life through Christ.

^{Romans 7:7}

⁷Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”^£

In today’s world, people most often covet financial gain. Money represents power, influence, and success. For many people, money is a god. They think about little else. True, money can buy certain comforts and offer some security. But far more valuable than wealth is obedience to God because it is a heavenly treasure rather than an earthly one (Luke 12:33). We should do what God wants, regardless of the financial implications. Make the psalmist’s prayer your own, asking God to turn your heart toward his statutes and not toward making money; it’s in your own best interest in the long run.

Help to avoid lying

Spirit help to avoid lying

O Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. You are the giver of truth. We have asked that you be within us, providing us with guidance. Grant us the ability to avoid false witness and lying, to use God’s truth when the opportunity comes. Let not past acts, past hurts, or past failures prevent us from speaking the truth. May we ever be filled with Your love within our lives and our communications. Amen.

Prayer to avoid False Witness

Prayer to avoid False Witness

O my God, I love you with my whole heart and detest all my sins, especially the sins of False Witness and lying, because I have deserved the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all, because I have offended you, my lover. I firmly resolve with your help, which I thank you now and always, to ask for forgiveness, to pay the penalty (to help me change) and to make every effort to change. Amen.

Lying

Jacob

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are among the most significant people in the Old Testament. It is important to realize that this significance is not based upon their personal characters, but upon the character of God. They were all men who earned the grudging respect and even fear of their peers; they were wealthy and powerful, and yet each was capable of lying, deceit, and selfishness. They were not the perfect heroes we might have expected; instead, they were just like us, trying to please God, but often falling short.

Jacob was the third link in God’s plan to start a nation from Abraham. The success of that plan was more often in spite of than because of Jacob’s life. Before Jacob was born, God promised that his plan would be worked out through Jacob and not his twin brother, Esau. Although Jacob’s methods were not always respectable, his skill, determination, and patience have to be admired. As we follow him from birth to death, we are able to see God’s work.

Jacob’s life had four stages, each marked by a personal encounter with God. In the first stage, Jacob lived up to his name, which means “he grasps the heel” (figuratively, “he deceives”). He grabbed Esau’s heel at birth, and by the time he fled from home, he had also grabbed his brother’s birthright and blessing. During his flight, God first appeared to him. Not only did God confirm to Jacob his blessing, but he awakened in Jacob a personal knowledge of himself. In the second stage, Jacob experienced life from the other side, being manipulated and deceived by Laban. But there is a curious change: The Jacob of stage one would simply have left Laban, whereas the Jacob of stage two, after deciding to leave, waited six years for God’s permission. In the third stage, Jacob was in a new role as grabber. This time, by the Jordan River, he grabbed on to God and wouldn’t let go. He realized his dependence on the God who had continued to bless him. His relationship to God became essential to his life, and his name was changed to Israel, “he struggles with God.” Jacob’s last stage of life was to be grabbed—God achieved a firm hold on him. In responding to Joseph’s invitation to come to Egypt, Jacob was clearly unwilling to make a move without God’s approval.

Can you think of times when God has made himself known to you? Do you allow yourself to meet him as you study his Word? What difference have these experiences made in your life? Are you more like the young Jacob, forcing God to track you down in the desert of your own plans and mistakes? Or are you more like the older Jacob who presented his desires and plans before God for his approval before taking any action?

@Strengths and accomplishments

w Father of the 12 tribes of Israel

w Third in the Abrahamic line of God’s plan

w Determined, willing to work long and hard for what he wanted

w Good businessman

@Weaknesses and mistakes

w When faced with conflict, relied on his own resources rather than going to God for help

w Tended to accumulate wealth for its own sake

@Lessons from his life

w Security does not lie in the accumulation of goods

w All human intentions and actions—for good or evil—are woven by God into his ongoing plan

@Key verse

“What’s more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I have promised” (Genesis 28:15).

Lying practical application

Practical Application

Evaluate your life according to this commandment:

I have lied about another person or hidden the truth to protect myself at another’s expense?

Is lying okay if it doesn’t injure another, as false witness does? How about little white lies?

What do you hear God saying to you right now?

False Witness and Lying

Misrepresentation

“Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

To testify falsely means lying in court. God knew that Israel could not survive unless its system of justice was incorruptible. We should be honest in our private dealings as well as in our public statements. In either situation, we “testify falsely” by leaving something out of a story, telling a half-truth, twisting the facts, or inventing a falsehood. God warns us against deception. Even though deception is a way of life for many people, God’s people must not give in to it!

And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. Matthew 12:36

Jesus reminds us that what we say reveals what is in our heart. What kinds of words come from your mouth? That is an indication of what is in your heart. You can’t solve your heart problem, however, just by cleaning up your speech. You must allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with new attitudes and motives; then your speech will be cleansed at its source.

Lying spirit from God

1 Kin 22:21-23; % 2 Chr 18:20-22

There were many suggestions, ²¹until finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’

²²“‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked.”

And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’

“‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’

²³“So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the Lord has determined disaster for you.”

There were many suggestions, ²⁰until finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’

“‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked.

²¹“And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’

“‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’

²² _ “So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the Lord has determined disaster for you.”

God used the seductive influence of false prophets to judge Ahab. They were determined to tell Ahab what he wanted to hear. God confirmed their plans to lie as a means to remove Ahab from the throne. These prophets, supported by Ahab, snared him in his sin. Because he listened to them instead of God, he was killed in battle. The lying spirit is a picture of the prophets’ entire way of life—telling the king only what he wanted to hear, not what he needed to hear. Leaders will only find trouble if they surround themselves with advisers whose only thought is to please them.

Deception

Instances of:

By Satan

Gen 3:4

By Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister

Gen 12:13; % Gen 20:2

By Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister

Gen 26:7

By Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father, and Jacob’s impersonating Esau

Do not steal

Do not steal

Theft

Punished by restitution, the proportions of which are noted in 2 Sam. 12:6. If the thief could not pay the fine, he was to be sold to a Hebrew master till he could pay (Ex. 22:1-4). A night-thief might be smitten till he died, and there would be no blood-guiltiness for him (Ex. 22:2). A man-stealer was to be put to death (Ex. 21:16). All theft is forbidden (Ex. 20:15; 21:16; Lev. 19:11; Deut. 5:19; 24:7; Ps. 50:18; Zech. 5:3; Matt. 19:18; Rom. 13:9; Eph. 4:28; 1 Pet. 4:15).

Stealing is obviously wrong—why do people do it anyway?

Genesis 27:1-40

Jacob stole his father’s blessing out of a combination of greed, envy, and ambition.

Joshua 7:21

Greed led Achan to steal that which was not his.

Matthew 15:19

Stealing is a symptom of the sinful condition of the heart.

What if I have been guilty of stealing in some way?

Leviticus 6:1-7; Luke 19:1-10

Stealing is remedied by restoration and forgiveness.

Romans 13:9-10

We avoid stealing and dishonesty by learning to love others as God loves us.

@Promise from God: Deuteronomy 25:13-15

You must use accurate scales when you weigh out merchandise, ¹⁴and you must use full and honest measures. ¹⁵Yes, use honest weights and measures, so that you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, ¹⁰thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God.

In a permissive society it is easy for Christians to overlook or tolerate some immoral behavior (greed, drunkenness, etc.) while remaining outraged at others (homosexuality, thievery). We must not participate in sin or condone it in any way; we cannot be selective about what we condemn or excuse. Staying away from more “acceptable” forms of sin is difficult, but it is no harder for us than it was for the Corinthians. God expects his followers in any age to have high standards.

Prayer to keep from stealing

Keep from stealing

O my God, I am sorry if I have ever offended you by stealing something, because I have deserved the loss of your love, but most of all, because I have offended your, infinite love. I firmly resolve with your help, which I pray you to grant me now and always, to confess my failures, to change my life, and to deepen my love of you. Amen.

How bad is it?

Stealing-How bad is it

Many people do not realize that what they think as just taking seemingly little things, can lead to taking bigger things and ultimately one becomes a thief. The “little fox” of stealing the towels from the motel, shop lifting small items, and keeping things that do not belong to them, could lead to a dangerous pattern which could eventually lead to one being imprisoned for theft.

We must also check our own lives to see if we are failing God by yielding to stealing or cheating. We may not realize that some of the things we do constitute just that — stealing.  However, we don’t recognize it as such. Here is a small checklist of some of things that would classify us as a thief:

1. Taking the salt and pepper shakers from restaurants.

2. Taking the towels from hotels and motels.

3. Short-changing people at check out counters on purpose.

4. Shoplifting and taking anything that does not belong to us.

5. Using scales that are not in balance when selling by weight. (Proverbs 11:1, “A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”)

6. Giving a partial days work for a full days pay, you are stealing time from your boss.

7. Padding the expense accounts of your employer.

8. Charging people excessive interest on borrowed money (usury). (Ezekiel 22:12-13, “In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.”)

9. Cheating on school exams, as this is stealing a qualification you didn’t earn.

10. Over-charging or over-pricing of the sale of goods.

11. Borrowing” items from a friend and never returning them.

12. Borrowing money from anyone (friend or institution) and failing to repay it.

Stealing

Stealing

Why were the Ten Commandments necessary?  The commandments were designed to lead to a life of practical holiness. In them, I can see the nature of God and his plan for how I should live through God’s ultimate law of love.

Today I can allow many things to become gods to me. Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when I concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security. No one sets out with the intention of worshiping these things. But by the amount of time I devote to them, they can grow into gods that ultimately control our my thoughts and energies. Letting God hold the central place in my life keeps these things from turning into gods.

God’s name is special because it carries his personal identity.  The way we use God’s name conveys how I really feel about him. I need to respect his name and use it appropriately, speaking it in praise or worship rather than in curse or jest. I should not take lightly the abuse or dishonor of his name.

I should be honest in my private dealings as well as in my public statements. In either situation, I “testify falsely” by leaving something out of a story, telling a half-truth, twisting the facts, or inventing a falsehood. God warns me against deception. Even though deception is a way of life for many people, God’s people must not give in to it!

Sometimes we wish He would make us be obedient, and at other times we wish He would leave alone.  Whenever God’s will is in complete control, He removes all pressure.  And when we deliberately choose to obey Him, He will reach to the remotest star and to the ends of the earth to assist us with all of His mighty power.

(From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

Evaluate your Actions

1. I have taken things or ideas that were not mine. I considered cheating in my business or on my taxes to be an acceptable option for my personal benefit.

2. What passes for stealing? What forms of stealing are worse than others?

3. What do you hear God saying to you right now?

4. What should be your next action?

Do not steal

Do not steal

Theft

Punished by restitution, the proportions of which are noted in 2 Sam. 12:6. If the thief could not pay the fine, he was to be sold to a Hebrew master till he could pay (Ex. 22:1-4). A night-thief might be smitten till he died, and there would be no blood-guiltiness for him (Ex. 22:2). A man-stealer was to be put to death (Ex. 21:16). All theft is forbidden (Ex. 20:15; 21:16; Lev. 19:11; Deut. 5:19; 24:7; Ps. 50:18; Zech. 5:3; Matt. 19:18; Rom. 13:9; Eph. 4:28; 1 Pet. 4:15).

Stealing is obviously wrong—why do people do it anyway?

Genesis 27:1-40

Jacob stole his father’s blessing out of a combination of greed, envy, and ambition.

Joshua 7:21

Greed led Achan to steal that which was not his.

Matthew 15:19

Stealing is a symptom of the sinful condition of the heart.

What if I have been guilty of stealing in some way?

Leviticus 6:1-7; Luke 19:1-10

Stealing is remedied by restoration and forgiveness.

Romans 13:9-10

We avoid stealing and dishonesty by learning to love others as God loves us.

@Promise from God: Deuteronomy 25:13-15

You must use accurate scales when you weigh out merchandise, ¹⁴and you must use full and honest measures. ¹⁵Yes, use honest weights and measures, so that you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, ¹⁰thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God.

In a permissive society it is easy for Christians to overlook or tolerate some immoral behavior (greed, drunkenness, etc.) while remaining outraged at others (homosexuality, thievery). We must not participate in sin or condone it in any way; we cannot be selective about what we condemn or excuse. Staying away from more “acceptable” forms of sin is difficult, but it is no harder for us than it was for the Corinthians. God expects his followers in any age to have high standards.

Prayer for Husbands and Wives

Prayer for Husbands and Wives

God of all order and concord, when You created man and woman. You also established the covenant of marriage. It is Your will that a husband and wife be faithful to each other and build each other up with the kindness and gentleness that comes from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Inspire husbands and wives to joyfully make sacrifices for the benefit of their spouses. Remove selfishness, pettiness, impatience, hostility, and irresponsibility from all marriages, and grant all couples unity, peace, commitment, harmony, delight, and encouragement. Bring healing to hurting marriages, and give continued stability to marriages You have already made strong by Your sharing love. In Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer for Marriage

Prayer for Marriage

Dearest Lord Jesus, Your presence at the wedding at Cana proclaimed that marriage is good and honorable. Men and women joining together in holy matrimony know that Your blessings will be upon them. But since problems do arise, help those who strive to do Your will to find appropriate counseling and help. Lead them to work out their difficulties in a God-pleasing way by leading both partners closer to You. Teach them that in Your love spouses forgive each other the same way You forgave. Above all, lead us all to speak the truth in love as You give us special measure of blessing in Your forgiveness. Amen.

Marriage Practical Application

Practical Application

Evaluate your life according to this commandment:

I have been unfaithful to my spouse. Lust and a wandering eye are affecting my relationship with my mate?

What happens to a couple when one commits adultery? What does Jesus add to this?

What do you hear God saying to you right now?

Bathsheba

Bathsheba

Bathsheba was the unlikely link between Israel’s two most famous kings—David and Solomon. She was lover and wife to one, mother to the other. Her adultery with David almost brought an end to the family through which God planned to physically enter his world. Out of the ashes of that sin, however, God brought good. Eventually Jesus Christ, the salvation of mankind, was born to a descendant of David and Bathsheba.

David and Bathsheba’s story shows that little wrong decisions often lead to big mistakes. It is likely that neither was where he or she should have been. Bathsheba may have been rash in bathing where she might be seen; David should have been at war with his army. Each decision contributed to the beginning of a very sad series of events.

Bathsheba must have been devastated by the chain of events—unfaithfulness to her husband, discovery of pregnancy, death of her husband, death of her child. We are told that David comforted her (2 Samuel 12:24), and she lived to see another son, Solomon, sit on the throne.

From her life we see that the little, day-to-day choices we make are very important. They prepare us to make the right choices when the big decisions come. The wisdom to make right choices in small and large matters is a gift from God. Understanding this should make us more conscious of the decisions we make and more willing to include God in our decision making. Have you asked for his help with today’s decisions?

@Strengths and accomplishments

w Became influential in the palace alongside her son Solomon

w Was the mother of Israel’s wisest king and an ancestor of Jesus Christ

@Weakness and mistake

w Committed adultery

@Lessons from her life

w Although we may feel caught up in a chain of events, we are still responsible for the way we participate in those events

w A sin may seem like one small seed, but the harvest of consequences is beyond measure

w In the worst possible situations, God is still able to bring about good when people truly turn to him

w While we must live with the natural consequences of our sins, God’s forgiveness of sin is total

@Vital statistics

w Where: Jerusalem

w Occupations: Queen and queen mother

w Relatives: Father: Elim. Husbands: Uriah and David. Son: Solomon

w Contemporaries: Nathan, Joab, Adonijah

@Key verses

“When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was very displeased with what David had done” (2 Samuel 11:26, 27).

Her story is told in 2 Samuel 11—12 and 1 Kings 1—2. A related passage is Psalm 51.

Adultery

Adultery

Do not commit adultery.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery.’^{£ 28}But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

The Old Testament law said that it is wrong for a person to have sex with someone other than his or her spouse (Exodus 20:14). But Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than your spouse is mental adultery and thus sin. Jesus emphasized that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. To be faithful to your spouse with your body but not your mind is to break the trust so vital to a strong marriage. Jesus is condemning not natural interest in the opposite sex or even healthy sexual desire but the deliberate and repeated filling of one’s mind with fantasies that would be evil if acted out.

Some think that if lustful thoughts are sin, why shouldn’t a person go ahead and do the lustful actions, too? Acting out sinful desires is harmful in several ways: (1) It causes people to excuse sin rather than to stop sinning; (2) it destroys marriages; (3) it is deliberate rebellion against God’s Word; (4) it always hurts someone else in addition to the sinner. Sinful actions are more dangerous than sinful desires, and that is why desires should not be acted out. Nevertheless, sinful desires are just as damaging to obedience. Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and turn people away from God.

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, ² _ but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. ³ _ As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

⁴“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

⁶They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ _ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!” ⁸ _ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

⁹ _ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. ¹⁰Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

_ “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

This is a significant statement about judging others. Because Jesus upheld the legal penalty for adultery, stoning, he could not be accused of being against the law. But by saying that only a sinless person could throw the first stone, he highlighted the importance of compassion and forgiveness. When others are caught in sin, are you quick to pass judgment? To do so is to act as though you have never sinned. It is God’s role to judge, not ours. Our role is to show forgiveness and compassion.

Prayer for Protection

For Protection against Temptation

O Jesus, whom to follow is to live a life of spiritual adventure, whom to love is to remove all desires of anger and murder, and how to love the unlovable, be with us today as we wish to share your love with others. May we be aware of your expectations of us as well as your grace and power, which empower us to live according to Your will. Forgive us as we forgive others. Loosen the grip of anger the world has us in, shield us against the attracts of the evil one, and release us from the enslavement of anger. We pray that in our speaking, thinking, and doing we bring praise and honor to You. Amen.

Cain

Cain

In spite of parents’ efforts and worries, conflicts between children in a family seem inevitable. Sibling relationships allow both competition and cooperation. In most cases, the mixture of loving and fighting eventually creates a strong bond between brothers and sisters. It isn’t unusual, though, to hear parents say, “They fight so much I hope they don’t kill each other before they grow up.” In Cain’s case, the troubling potential became a reality. And while we don’t know many details of this first child’s life, his story can still teach us.

Cain got angry. Furious. Both he and his brother Abel had given offerings to God, and his had been rejected. Cain’s reaction gives us a clue that his attitude was probably wrong from the start. Cain had a choice to make. He could correct his attitude about his offering to God, or he could take out his anger on his brother. His decision is a clear reminder of how often we are aware of opposite choices, yet choose the wrong just as Cain did. We may not be choosing to murder, but we are still intentionally choosing what we shouldn’t.

The feelings motivating our behavior can’t always be changed by simple thought-power. But here we can begin to experience God’s willingness to help. Asking for his help to do what is right can prevent us from setting into motion actions that we will later regret.

@Strengths and accomplishments

w First human child

w First to follow in father’s profession, farming

@Weaknesses and mistakes

w When disappointed, reacted in anger

w Took the negative option even when a positive possibility was offered

w Was the first murderer

@Lessons from his life

w Anger is not necessarily a sin, but actions motivated by anger can be sinful. Anger should be the energy behind good action, not evil action

w What we offer to God must be from the heart—the best we are and have

w The consequences of sin may last a lifetime

@Vital statistics

w Where: Near Eden, which was probably located in present-day Iraq or Iran

w Occupation: Farmer, then wanderer

w Relatives: Parents: Adam and Eve. Brothers: Abel, Seth, and others not mentioned by name

@Key verse

“You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it” (Genesis 4:7).

Cain’s story is told in Genesis 4:1–17. He is also mentioned in Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:12; Jude 1:11.

You shall not Murder

You shall not Murder

You shall not murder.

(Matthew 5:22) Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

What are the effects of anger?

Genesis 27:41-43

Anger isolates us from others.

Psalm 37:8; James 1:19-20

Anger produces ungodliness and evil motives in us.

1 Samuel 20:30-31

Anger blinds us to what is really good and right. Saul’s jealous anger blinded him to the fact that God had already chosen David to be the next king because of his godly character.

Genesis 4:1-12

Anger in its strongest form can lead to murder.

Proverbs 15:1

Anger leads to conflict and arguments.

When we are angry, what should we avoid?

2 Corinthians 2:5-7; Ephesians 6:4

Avoid discipline in the heat of anger.

James 3:5

Avoid speaking your mind when you are angry. You are bound to say something you will regret.

1 Samuel 19:9-10

Avoid acting on impulse in the heat of anger. You are bound to do something you will regret.

We all get angry at times, so what should we do about it?

Ephesians 4:26

Anger is like a skunk in the house. Don’t feed it to encourage it to stay. And try to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Matthew 5:21-26

Confront those with whom you are angry in order to restore your relationship.

1 Corinthians 13:5

Love is the mightiest weapon in overcoming anger.

@Promise from God: Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious;

he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.

Substituting Anger with Love

Substituting Anger with Love

Father in Heaven, provide me enough joy to keep me friendly, enough needs to keep me dependent on You; enough accomplishment to keep me eager, enough failure to keep me humble and forgiving; enough faith to drive away rebellion, enough doubt to keep me learning what you desire me to learn; enough hope so that I keep on looking for better ways to love you, enough sense to know when I have found them. And when I’ve done all that I can do to share your love with You and others, the best I can, help me to realize I am to share your forgiveness of others.