LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 1:21, And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken the King Nebuchadnezzar after their training was complete. He interviewed them and found they were far superior, ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm, states Daniel 1:20). And then verse 21 states Daniel lived until the first year of King Cyrus – that was almost 70 years. That is an amazing statement of Daniel’s determination to stay committed to God among the Babylonian existence.

Do not forget the Babylonian culture that was evil and the opposite of what God desired His people to live like. But Daniel and the three Hebrews show that because the culture one lives in does not mean one needs to compromise their beliefs to fit into those around them. Not only in the book of Daniel, but throughout the Bible God has shown He has His own ways of watching over His people when they remain faithful to Him and do not compromise. Daniel 1:9 shows it was God who gave Daniel favor with the chief of the eunuchs who held him captive. In verse 17, it was “God who gave them knowledge, and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams”. God committed himself to help them when they determined to not compromise their faith in Him.

Daniel is an encouragement to stay persistent in our faith while living in a culture that does not want to tolerate Christianity in a biblical, God-centered lifestyle. It is more and more obvious that there are many who do not want the religious liberties that have been at the center of this country’s existence to exist any longer. Daniel lived his live in a way that influenced kings, and I imagine each person he came in contact with. He had influence, that is for certain! Is that not how every Believer should live their life? Should not people who come in contact with a Believer recognize something different about them, and perhaps want to know what it is?

Believers live in a world that is like the Babylon Daniel lived. Like the time of Daniel, God is not somewhere else with no knowledge of what is happening here. There are those who would want people to believe God is not involved with the events of human history. No! He is right here with every Believer, like Daniel, who will not compromise their beliefs in Him. Yes, Believers live in a world that is out of control and doing everything it can to remove God from everything. False religion, idolatry, philosophy, science, astrology, deception of all kinds is being pushed on people every day – just like Nebuchadnezzar pushed on Daniel and friends. The educational system at all levels is pushing on a radical, antichristian curriculum with the objective to reeducate students to believe Satan’s agenda.

But Daniel’s God is the God of all Believers! He never changes!  For Daniel that meant he prayed, studied the Word of God, and he did not compromise in whatever work he did. Daniel 1:8 is the stand all Believers must take, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…”! He continued without compromise; he never gave up and never stopped regardless of if it meant going to a lion’s den.

Purpose in your heart today what you are going to do when tempted, when the trial comes, when the unexpected happens, to know that it is never wrong to do what is right! Purpose in your heart, right now, to continue walking the narrow way with God whatever the culture, those around you say or command you to do. Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is right beside you!

“And Daniel was there” or “Thus Daniel continued” (New King James Version). Replace Daniel’s name in the verse with your name today.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Hosea 2:11, And I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts.

In the second chapter of Hosea, Hosea speaks for God using intense imagery in order to tell the people what God wants them to hear. Yes, the people of Israel have turned from God to follow the idols of the Canaanites. The Canaanites followed the god Baal believing he provided gifts like linen and oil; they thought he controlled the weather and fertility. Israel had begun to give Baal the credit for a good harvest. It is in this context that Hosea had called the people to repentance, to turn from their idolatry, promising that the Lord would restore and reconcile them if they would do so. Hosea told the people that God would place obstacles in the way of Israel’s success (v.6-10), not to destroy them but to make them realize success came from God’s goodness and grace. 

The words of Hosea speak truth to people today. Believers are never to forget the blessings and guidance that God gives to them as they walk the narrow way. Worldly pleasures, success and position can lead anyone away from the Lord and His purpose for their lives. Hosea reminds Believers today to always remember God’s grace and the blessing He gives to you every day. Believers can be quick to shake their heads at Israel’s worship of Baal and other idols. But consider for a moment those things, those activities, those desires, those people you place before God in your life. Would you agree that your priorities can be out of order often during the day? I admit there are days this happens to me! It is those days that I place doing other things before the time I need to spend with my heavenly Father and Lord.

Let me get to the verse above. God told Hosea who told the people He was going to stop all of Israel’s celebration, including religious festivals and celebrations. They had stopped being meaningful; they had become social gatherings – empty and only a ritual, losing their true meaning. These observances had once been to honor and take time to remember, remember what God had done for His people. Saying He would end these celebrations meant God did not want a ritual, He desired true genuine worship.

Okay, I am going to try to be very careful in how I conclude this with relevance for people, especially Believers. Consider what you place before God and stop doing it – He desires your worship. “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” (New Living Translation of Hosea 6:6). What do you think God thinks about how Christmas and Easter are celebrated? Santa Claus and presents instead of magnifying the birth of His Son, the Messiah, the One who came to save you for eternity? Or, a bunny giving eggs and chocolate emphasized instead of the risen Lord overcoming death and the grave.

I want you to consider today how much God loves you and desires your genuine worship, placing Him before everything else in your life. Hosea 2:11 is a challenge to reflect on your Bible reading/study/meditation and prayer life; it is an encouragement to pursue a deeper, more genuine relationship with God. I pray you are encouraged to have a greater “hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). My prayer is that you “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), and it becomes greater tomorrow, and even greater next week, and the days after that. Do not get sidetracked by the business of everyday life. Place the Lord first in your thoughts and daily life and see what He does for you.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, “And now, Israel listen carefully to these laws and regulations that I am about to teach you, obey them so that you may live, so that you may enter and occupy the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add or subtract from these commands I am giving you from the Lord your God. Just obey them.  (New Living Translation)

Moses is speaking to the people of Israel emphasizing the importance of listening and obeying His laws. Believers must listen (by reading/studying/meditating on God’s written Word) and be obedient to God’s instructions! Following, being obedient leads to life and prosperity. Not necessarily as the world defines this – in God’s eyes. Yet, as God was promising the people of Israel blessings and prosperity, He promises Believers today with the same thing.

Obedience! Obedience is critical for Believers to walk the narrow way. This must be passed on to our children and grandchildren. It was necessary to Daniel and those with him as they would not compromise when Nebuchadnezzar tried to change their belief system to be that of the Babylonians. Being obedient to His Word shows faith and trust in Him which brings blessing into our life. This is an important word for every Believer today in order for each of us to live the abundant life He wants to lead us into. I wish every Believer understood just how much God loves you and desires for you to walk the narrow way according to His Word. Without understanding and believing this, one’s affections can begin to wander. Eventually Israel began to let herself be attracted and intrigued by foreign gods, away from the One true God.           

“Do not add or subtract from these commands I am giving you from the Lord your God. Just obey them.” Moses was speaking directly to the Israelites while they wandered in the desert. Does this command apply to Believers today? Absolutely! “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19). The warning is still for Believers today. God values His Word and His name above everything else (Psalm 138:2) and does not want either to be distorted or changed in any way. The tradition man holds on to so tightly and man’s opinions are not equal to the Word of God – they were never meant to! No one who writes or speaks about God’s Word must change it or speak falsely in order to mislead someone about what it says.

Deuteronomy 4:6 tells Believers to diligently observe and obey God’s commands, His Word. Believers are to read/study/meditate on God’s word with care and reverence. Believers are to hold fast to God and His Word as it is the only way to insure they do not lose their way and to fulfill the purpose He has for each of their lives. By holding fast to Him Believers can be sure to accurately reflect God’s words and character to a world that desperately needs Him.

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 1:40, One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter 's brother.

John MacArthur in his book on The Twelve Disciples broke the disciples into groups. Andrew joins Peter in that first group. I found doing a little research that Andrew is a Greek name, indicating the influence of the Greek culture in Israel. He was enthusiastic in following Jesus and introduced both his brother Peter and Philip to Jesus. Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist and heard him speak often of the coming of the Messiah. Andrew was with John the Baptist on a day that Jesus walked by; John pointed Jesus out as the Lamb of God. From that time, Andrew followed Jesus. The first person he introduced to Jesus was Peter. John 1:40 highlights Andrew’s importance as a key witness to Jesus and His ministry.

Andrew did not seek out public attention or any recognition; he was often in the background. He never seemed to have a problem with all the attention Peter received nor the commendation Peter got from Jesus. I do not know of anywhere in Scripture that anything negative is said about Andrew. MacArthur wrote, “Andrew’s name means ‘manly’…he was bold, decisive, and deliberate and nothing was feeble or extreme wimpish…he’s driven by a passion for truth, and he was willing to subject himself to the most extreme kinds of hardships in pursuit of that objective”.

Andrew would be best known for his work with individuals and never addressing large crowds. When Jesus fed the 5,000 plus, it was Andrew who spoke up and said there was a boy who had some fish and bread. Jesus took what the boy had, blessed and broke it, and fed all the people with it. Another time, found in John 12:21, there were Greeks at a feast; Philip went to Andrew to tell him about the Greeks because he knew Andrew would take them to Jesus. He did!

Pastor Ed Newton says quite often it is not only his responsibility to tell people about Jesus; it is the responsibility of each Believer. The most effective way to witness is for each Believer to tell another person about what Jesus Christ has done in their life – how He saved and changed him/her. Most people who come to Christ come as a result of the influence of another person. They watch to see if what he/she says matches the individual’s lifestyle.

MacArthur brings out that “Andrew is the very picture of the many people who labor quietly in humble places…the person who is willing to take second place…who does not mind being hidden as long as the work was being done, to be in the position of support. Jesus would say in Mark 9:35, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all”. That was Andrew. He never wrote a letter that became part of the Bible. He never preached to multitudes nor started a church.

Tradition has said it is possible Andrew took the gospel north into Russia or possibly Scotland. MacArthur wrote, “There is an account that Andrew led the wife of a provincial Roman governor to Christ, which infuriated the governor. She was asked to renounce Christ, which she would not do. For that Andrew was crucified on a X-shaped cross, tied to it rather than nailed. His death would take several days; as he hung there, he exhorted passersby to turn to Christ for salvation.”

Andrew’s life invites each Believer to think about personal evangelism and telling others how Jesus Christ has changed him/her can spread the gospel. His life is an encouragement to be active in bringing others to Jesus Christ.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). God uses insignificant people with insignificant gifts and abilities into somebody, to serve as He desires. Someday they will hear Him say, “Well Done”!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Joshua 1:5-9, No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.  Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

I know! I seldom have this many verses for the blog. It was necessary to look at all these verses with the emphasis on those underlined. Pastor Ed Newton spoke on the necessity to “be strong and courageous” as we walk the narrow way so internal and external giants will not keep you  from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. Let me explain.

Forty years before this Moses was leading the Hebrews out of Egypt. Spies including Joshua were sent out to scout the Promised land. They returned with the report of giants in the land and they were afraid to enter the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb believed they should trust God to give them the Land. Now, Moses is no longer the leader and Joshua has been given the leadership role, by God, to lead the people into the Promised Land take it as God has directed. But a lot has happened in 40 years – a lot has changed. Joshua hesitates. Perhaps there have been some internal discouragements, some internal feelings of inadequacies that have occurred in him. Giants! Now perhaps he is facing some external fears or defeats that now cause him to fear going into the Promised Land. Giants!

Don’t be critical of Joshua; all Believers have had to face giants, both internal and external, in their life. Pastor used a familiar phrase when describing the options. “We can take flight, or freeze because of fear, or fight.” He continued, “Fear and/or discouragement causes you to believe the opposition is bigger than God.” Forty years ago, Joshua was all in about going into the Promised land. Now he is not so sure. But God reminded him, “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. “Giants make us remember the disappointments and forget those positive moments. They are our worst enemies” (EN). God reinforced He would be with Joshua; He gave him positive directions: “Be strong and courageous.” “Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.”

Pastor used the rest of the verses from Joshua to reinforce the idea of reading/studying/ meditating on God’s Word. “It keeps Believers from going right (fear) and going left (discouragement). The more of the Word a Believer gets into their mind and heart, the more the Word becomes a part of their life; the Word in me carries me” (EN).  Pastor’s example was the devil’s temptation of Jesus after He was baptized. Jesus used the Word of God against the devil, and “the Word became a spiritual sword” (EN).

Those giants you face, that hold you back from doing God’s plan for your life are not bigger than God. Like Joshua, God promises to be with you, to never leave or forsake you. He will go with you wherever you go! Just as the Lord was Joshua’s strength, He will be your strength. “Be strong and courageous.” The Lord your God is your strength and removes all discouragements, all disappointments, and all fear when you activate the Word of God in you!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 1:3-4, Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar has conquered Jerusalem and has come up with a plan to bring the brightest young Jewish minds to Babylon in order to reeducate them into Babylonian ways and culture, and eventually send them back to Israel to rule there on behalf of Babylon. He wanted to have attractive and competent advisors, those who he would have molded into the Babylonian culture. He probably thought those trained would then help to control the captive brought from Israel. Today these would have been those who had the highest SAT scores and the social graces and were willing to do whatever the political hierarchy desired them to do. All Nebuchadnezzar needed to do was brainwash Daniel and the other three Hebrews into following the Babylonian way.

He was successful in changing their language away from the Hebrew they had spoken. He also tried to fill their minds with Babylonian literature, philosophy, science, astrology and religion. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to remove the Hebrew belief system and all its traditional values. Read Daniel 1:4. [Some of you who have been around the educational system for long might remember the attempt to instill “values clarification” into the minds of students!] Not only did Nebuchadnezzar desire to change their language and literature, he attempted to change their lifestyle so they would become used to eating from his table; he was not successful with this. Not even changing their Hebrew names to Babylonian names could get them to change their obedience and desire to follow the God of Israel.

What Nebuchadnezzar did may seem sneaky in the sense that he wanted to completely change Daniel and other Hebrews so they would fit into what he wanted from them. I want you to consider what has been going on in the public school system and in the “halls of higher learning” for decades now. Do you see any similarities?  When I taught World History in the public school system (many years ago), I always worked in a unit on what was called the Humanist Manifesto which was written in 1933, which was revised in 1973 (Humanist Manifest II), and again in 2003 (Humanism and its Aspirations: Humanist Manifest III). Each of these documents reflects the evolving perspectives of humanism and its response to societal issues (taken from the internet definition). Few have paid any attention to these documents. Their stated goal is to “bring young people to deny the deity of God and the biblical account of creation, to reeducate young people to the fact that moral values should be determined and situational [in other words there is no absolute truth] and stated the intent to remove distinctions between the role of male and female in society”. The Humanist Manifesto stated abortion and euthanasia should be legalized and there should be a redistribution of wealth. Does any of this sound familiar, like what is being promoted in 2025?

Do you see any relevance for the book of Daniel right now? Do you see and understand the danger for Believers to not pass on the word of God to their children and grandchildren? Do you remember when it was said, “It takes a village to raise a child!”? No, a “village” will pass on the Humanist Manifesto and pull our kids down! By the way, it takes a strong Christian mom and dad to raise a child, so he/she knows the direction to go in this life.

Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portions of the king’s delicacies” (1:8). He may have learned a new language and learned Babylonian literature, but when it came to eating the king’s food and compromising his faith in God and the commands in His Word, Daniel said no. He did not separate himself from the culture he was held in; instead, he chose to be the salt and light to those around him (Matthew 5:13-16). We can learn from this!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Judges 2:10, And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

One of the pastors who spoke at Community Bible Church last weekend mention the verse above as he spoke. He only mentioned it; I want to explore it today. This verse is a sobering but challenging verse in the Bible. To put it into context, Isreal has failed to take the Promised Land, and Joshua, the faithful leader of Israel has died. In fact, the people of his generation have died.

A new generation, the children and grandchildren of Joshua’s generation, now takes over; it is written they “did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel”. In other words, they did not acknowledge the authority of God. They had not experienced some of the mighty works God had done for Israel nor did they have the same commitment to the Lord that had characterized Joshua’s life. Add to this the temptations of the Canaanite religion and the immorality of their culture to see the disastrous cycle found in the rest of the book of Judges – Israel falls into sin, is oppressed (by people in the Promised Land Israel was supposed to remove), God rescues the people by raising up a judge, and after a while the people fall back into sin. How did this happen? A new generation followed who did not recognize God’s authority.

The book of Judges, Judges 2:10, shows us the danger of failing to pass on not only the knowledge of God, but the authority of God to our children and grandchildren. I wish I knew how many times I have heard a preacher speak about the 18” inches or so between head knowledge of God and the heart knowledge of God. That head knowledge has to get into one’s heart in order for the person to truly walk the narrow way. Believer, understand this does not just happen, it must be intentional! Not only you must be intentionally and diligently reading/studying/meditating on the Word of God, to know who God is and what He has done, you need to pass these things on to the next generation. This did not happen with the generation of Joshua, and the consequences were tragic. Take time to read Psalm 78 to see further thoughts on the failure to do this.

Again, this is not going to happen by accident. All Believers have a responsibility, an obligation to pass the Gospel on to the next generation. It is not just the responsibility of the preacher to pass on the Word of God, so our children and grandchildren know who He is, so they come to love Him and His Word, so they worship Him alone, and so they walk the narrow way into His kingdom. I pray Matthew 5:6 for all of my family (actually for everyone who reads this blog!), "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”. I pray Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.

I fear there is a generation who does not recognize the authority of God today. It is seen in the political world, in the streets, all around us. The pastor at CBC said, “People are trading a legacy (of knowing God) for a life of luxury and individuality. A legacy is about what a person leaves behind them. It does not just happen, it is created”. It is intentional!

I place in front of each one who reads this a challenge to let your life speak loud and clear about your walk on a narrow way into the kingdom of God!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 16:18, And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter, also known as Simon Peter, was introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew. Jesus said to Peter, “Follow Me” and Peter dropped his fishing nets and did so. Peter is known for being impulsive, often aggressive in nature, bold and outspoken, often speaking without giving what he said too much thought. Yet, there was no question about his love and desire to please Jesus.

Peter was a fisherman by trade; several times Jesus found him discouraged because no fish had been caught during the night. When he followed the instructions of Jesus to throw out the nets again, the nets became so full of fish that they began to break and he needed help getting the nets to the boat. Even though he made some promises he could not keep and his hotheaded personality, the Bible usually list his name first when naming the disciples (for example Matthew 10:2). That indicates he was considered at least one of the leaders of the disciples. John MacArthur states, Peter’s name is mentioned in the Gospels more than any other name except Jesus…no one speaks as often as Peter, and no one is spoken to by the Lord as often as Peter…he is rebuked more, and he rebukes the Lord more than any other…no one confessed Christ more boldly, and no one denied Him more forcefully or publicly… no one is praised and blessed by Christ the way Peter was, and yet Peter was also the only one Christ ever referred to as Satan.”

Experience, as many of you know, can be a hard teacher. Even though Peter had his ups and downs, many were painful learning sessions, he declared Jesus “the Christ”. It was then Jesus declared He would build His church on Peter, the Rock (That’s the real Rock, by the way!!). Peter was the only disciple to get out of the boat to walk on water when Jesus told him to come. This Peter was the disciple that spoke up saying he would never deny the Lord; but did so three times as Jesus said he would. Yet, the Lord would later restore him by telling him to “feed His sheep”.

MacArthur shared character qualities defining Peter as a true leader that every Believer can learn from. “Character produces respect…respect produces trust…and trust motivates followers; in spiritual leadership, the goal and objective is to bring people to Christlikeness” (MacArthur).

Peter’s life was an example of submission by the way he submitted to the Lord and to those in authority over him. He developed restraint over his anger as seen when the religious leaders would challenge him. Peter had to become humble, learning the hard way “not to think more highly of himself than he should” (Romans 12:3). Another character trait MacArthur said Peter developed was learning to love others as Jesus did, following Jesus’ command to love God and to love others. During Peter’s life as a disciple and as an Apostle he had to learn to be courageous. The life he led as a preacher of the Gospel would be lived with trouble, torture, persecution, oppression, and ultimately martyrdom. The time he spent with Jesus serves as a reminder of how the Holy Spirit is able to transform lives as Believers walk a narrow way into the kingdom of God.

Peter was crucified upside down, believing he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Peter 1:13-16, Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Pastor Jonathon Moore, Lead pastor at NorthRock Church spoke about Believers living holy lives and the need to have the right relationships in every aspect of their lives. The topic certainly fits into the way the Lord wants His “disciples” to live. Being holy “means to be set apart for divine use” (Jonathon Moore) and that includes our relationships. Pastor Moore continued about relationships being either holy or unholy; there is no in between.

God did not create people to be alone. Audrey wrote in her notes, “God’s plans for us are always ‘hinged’ with other people. Our relationship with God does not stop there as He will surround us with others too”. Pastor Moore stated, “Your relationships lead you either to victories or to valleys. Holy relationships bring or add blessings to your life. Unholy relationships subtract from your life, decreasing your dreams or take you back to places you left a long time ago”. Consider that statement for moment and consider your friends once you got saved and now in order to see if that has been true for you. Audrey wrote in regard to this statement, “Every person has value but not every person needs access to your life”.  Everyone has heard the thought about having only a handful of friends but have a lot of acquaintances. Choose to have those “friends” be those you know will lead you to the victories pastor Moore mentioned.

“We establish someone’s worth based on their Creator, but we establish their access based on their character” (JM). For those who have walked the narrow way for very long, this message might be obvious. However, choosing right relationships is extremely important. “The greatest predictor of where one is going is in your relationships. The wrong person in your life, at the right time can turn the right season into the wrong season’” (JM). The Proverbs gives this statement credibility. Proverbs 24:1-3, “Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.”. Proverbs 24:5-7, “The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.” Proverbs 22:24, “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people” (These verses are from the new Living Translation). That is sound advice from Solomon!

Audrey wrote in her notes sound advice for each of us as we choose those we surround ourselves with. “Distance ourselves from evil people. Pastor Moore characterized evil people as dangerous, having a victim mentality, having been deeply hurt, have a sense of entitlement, and are threatening. He stated a phrase I have heard a number of times lately: “Hurt people hurt people”.

“Set boundaries with foolish people”. Pastor characterized foolish people as arrogant, unteachable, unrealistic, selfish and irresponsible. 1 Corinthians 15:33 is good to remember, “Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

“Pursue wise people.” Pastor characterized wise people as humble, teachable, empathetic, responsible, learners, and welcome correction. “Wise people always have time for what they ‘want’ to make time for” (Audrey’s notes). Every one of us need to have holy relationships, those who are wise, in our life!

Choose wisely, Believers!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Joshua 3:5, Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

Three of the pastors at Community Bible Church spoke this weekend; they shared from the third and fourth chapters of Joshua. Caleb Jones, Youth Pastor, spoke first about the need to prepare yourself to set the tone for what was about to happen. Joshua told the people to Consecrate or sanctify themselves before crossing the Jordan River; they were to prepare themselves spiritually to do the work God had for them to do. “Every step of your life tells a story,” (Jones). The Israelites were to be clean inwardly, to be aligned with God’s Word to do His will. Believers need to understand that God is capable of doing whatever is needed in their lives at any time. It is important to be spiritually ready for God to use you as He sees the need to do. It is also important to be spiritually ready for Him to meet the need in their life. When Joshua said “tomorrow” he was saying God’s actions were going to happen soon. The Believer’s spiritual preparation can lead to significant breakthrough in their lives; taking time to seek God, cleansing their hearts, and making sure they are lining up with God’s will, opens Believers to what He is doing in them and through them.

I am going to use some of the thoughts the second pastor, Nick Henderson, shared in the coming days with a verse he spoke of very quickly.

Pastor Maurice Cox was the third Pastor to speak. He stated, “Every step demands a response”. “And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?” (Joshua 4:5-6). A response must be given to what God has done for you. Pastor Jones said as he finished his part, “The commemoration not only allows people to see you, but God who works through you.” Stated another way, “What God does through you or for you is not about you; it’s about God! Pastor Cox stated clearly, “God is not just concerned about getting us through the situation, the trial you are facing. He is concerned about what you do when He gets you through it.”

Joshua directed the people to gather twelve stones (one for each tribe) to be gathered and placed where all could see in order to remember what God had done for them as they crossed the Jordan River. He had done what He did at the Nile River – He stopped the river’s flow, dried up the land, allowing the people to cross. The people of God “Must remember so they don’t have spiritual amnesia and forget what God has brought them through!”

After 9-11, the people of this country filled the churches. It did not take long for them to forget to go to the house of God, to stop drawing close to God for strength and comfort. Let’s bring it closer to each of us; it does not take us long to forget God bringing us through that situation. Or we brush off His part in the healing, saying there was really nothing wrong. Or we think more highly of ourselves than we should when others give us credit for this or that. Yes, you and I, especially as believer, must gather the stones and build a memorial, so we don’t forget and have “spiritual amnesia”.

What has God done for you? What is He doing right now? “The stones on the bank of the Jordan River provide an occasion for parents to teach their children about God’s power and faithfulness. They were a memorial that was to aid in instructing their children to look to God for guidance and help throughout their lives on earth” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible). Don’t forget! Don’t ever forget what God had done for you.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Peter 5:6-7, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

One more thought about being a disciple of Jesus Christ – discipleship is not about you; it’s about glorifying Him in all that is said and done. It is about walking the narrow way in the best way we know how, trusting Him to exalt or lift you up when He knows it is time to do so. Do not try to make this happen in your life. Not everyone is meant to preach or teach or ever do anything “spiritual” that others see. Disciples sometimes try to make certain things happen because they see others doing what they think they want to do. The Bible teaches we are not to struggle trying to make things happen and trust God that He will use us at the time He sees fit in the way that will bring glory to Him.

“Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.” This is a statement to submit to God’s sovereignty in your life in a spirit of humility; it means to trust Him and to accept His will regardless of the circumstances being faced. In Colossians 3:12 humility is a heart attitude not just our outward behavior or appearance. Be careful to put on an outward appearance of humility and still have a heart full of pride and arrogance. The Bible has much to say about humility. All must come to God acknowledging we are not able to save ourselves and have nothing to offer Him spiritually. Through Jesus Christ we are offered salvation, the grace and mercy of God; He tells us we are then to die to self and to walk the narrow way with Him as new creations.

As Believers are walking this narrow way, they become more and more like Christ, serving others rather than desiring to be served, putting our interests and needs before others. That’s dying to self! Jesus is always the Believer’s example; He was never ashamed to show His humility even, to the point of being nailed to a cross. Think about His life on earth. There was no selfish ambition or conceit in His words or actions. He never attempted to justify what He said or what He did; He never defended himself against the religious leaders and those who were continually trying to attack or trap Him. Paul writes that Believers are to have this same attitude of putting away all selfishness and submit in obedience to God and His Word. Believers are not to seek their own glory in what they do, stop doing and saying things to be recognized.

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” This completes the thought about the Believer, a disciple, humbling themselves before God. Believers do this because He is God, and we are not! That is pretty straightforward. Believers trust He is watching over them and will take care of them – in every situation! He is all-knowing, all-powerful and certainly capable of handling all of our anxieties, our cares. Those cares Paul is writing about are our fears, that which we worry about, the unknown, and all the things going on in the world around us. Everything that burdens us, that weighs so heavily upon each Believer are to be “cast or thrown upon the One who cares so much for every Believer. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Those are the words of the Lord Jesus written in Matthew 11:28-30; He tells each one of us to come to Him and give everything that burdens us to Him. Do you see the promise: He will give “rest for your soul”! That assurance is based on who He is. The rest comes when Believers trust Him to help carry whatever burden we have and be with us through the trial or situation.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 11:1, And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (New Living Translation)

To best understand this verse, it should be read as a conclusion to what Paul has written in chapter 10. Remember that in the original writing there were no chapter divisions and verses were not numbered. In chapter 10, Paul has written about battling temptation, fleeing idolatry, doing all one does to the glory of God, and building up one another to strengthen the church. In order to do that Paul had to set aside personal rights, freedoms, and personal preferences to do that. “Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33).

Believers are not to act in any way that would cause other Believers (especially new Believers and those who are still growing spiritually) to stumble, spiritually. Paul was saying he tried to please others in a spiritual sense, not necessarily for their happiness. His goal was to lead as many possible to Christ, and often that meant he gave up his personal wants and freedoms to do that. He wrote something similar at the end of chapter 9 when he wrote he varied his behavior depending on who he was talking to. He became a Jew when talking to Jews. When he was talking to Gentiles he acted as someone who was not under the law. Did that make him a hypocrite? No, he changed his tactics and chose to not exercise certain liberties or freedoms he had in order to minister in the most effective way to those he was talking to. His desire for the Corinthians to do this also should resonate with Believers today as they share the gospel with others.

To imitate Paul, one has to imitate Christ. To do that Believers, disciples, must carefully examine the life of Christ, His Word, and those lives who faithfully have served Him. To imitate someone, that someone must be studied in order to “copy” the way he/she acts. The next step is to do everything you can to do as Jesus Christ did! For every Believer, every disciple of Jesus Christ, your freedom in Him is not to do whatever you want but a call to follow Him as he walked on this earth. This requires constant study and application of the words and the life of Jesus Christ.

Those Jesus chose to walk with Him, often did not understand what He was teaching them. They would not fully understand until after His death and resurrection. Believers today are fortunate that they have God’s word to study and be their guide. Again, it is a choice to make time to study and then be obedient to it. Hebrews 6:11-12 warns Believers, “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Do not grow sluggish or be lazy about your study of God’s Word!

Walking the narrow way is about becoming more like the Lord Jesus Christ, about imitating Him. it is about imitating His character, and as Believers do, they become more like Him. That is true freedom. Believers can also learn more about being His disciples by studying the lives of those He chose to follow Him as He walked on earth.

Take a few minutes to read through a few more verses to encourage you in studying God’s Word – Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:14-16; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 John 4:17).

 

LEARNING DAILY

Romans 8:7, For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot. (English Standard Version)

Romans 8:7, For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. (New Living Translation)

This verse was yesterday’s blog written by Dr. Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at Community Bible Church. I want to use it today as a reference to further explain the role of a disciple. Yesterday, I mentioned that each day a Believer, a disciple needs to choose whether to follow God or to follow their own desires. Pastor Newton said in his blog that these are the only two choices each day that shape our lives. With that in mind I want to explore this verse further and use several of his statements to clarify being a disciple.

“For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God”. This is a person whose mind is focused on meeting their own sinful, self-centered wants and needs and nothing else. This is a mindset that is antigod and believes he/she will serve themselves before anyone or anything else – including God. Pastor Newton wrote in his blog, “When you live only to please yourself, your heart is constantly at war with God’s will.”

Romans 8:8 is clear that God wants the Believer to choose to be obedient to Him, to choose to follow Him each day. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” That sounds pretty harsh, doesn’t it. However, when you consider what Paul is writing it makes sense. Christians are no longer people who are “in the flesh”. They are “a new creation’ The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians are to, “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”. (Ephesians 4:24). As soon as one accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, their position changed from “being in the flesh” to “being in the Spirit”. You might think of it as you stopped walking on the “broad way that leads to destruction” to walking on “the narrow way that leads you into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 7:13-14). Paul is not only writing about sexual sin or greed, but about all self-serving sins.

Paul also tells how God feels about people – He is not pleased with those who choose not to follow Him. It does not take long to understand this if you take time to read the Old Testament; God continually used the prophets to tell people to return to Him and no longer worship the gods of those in the world. He finally had enough of them and judgment/punishment came. The New Testament also tells of judgment/punishment that comes for those who reject His Son and follow after their own self-center agenda.

God is pleased with those who choose to follow Jesus because He is pleased with His Son (Matthew 17:5). Choosing to follow Jesus means “surrendering your own desires and trusting His will above your own. It’s not about living a perfect life. It’s about living a surrendered life” (Ed Newton). As a Believer, your faith in Him, pleases Him! “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6).

Today you have a choice. You have the same choice tomorrow and the day after that. Who will you choose to follow? Which path will you walk on – the broad way or the narrow way?

 

LEARNING DAILY

Luke 17:20-21, Once having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied. The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.

During some cleaning and getting rid of stuff I have kept for years, I found some notes for a Sunday School class I had taught and some other notes about the lives of the disciples. The notes I had used was from the book Twelve Ordinary Men written by Hohn MacArthur from an article sent to me years ago by my sister. I thought it might be interesting to look into the lives of the disciples and see what we might be able to learn from their lives that we could apply to our lives. They were called by Jesus to walk with Him just as we are each called to walk a narrow way with Him.

First, we need to begin with a definition of what a disciple is. To be simple can we agree that it is one who is a follower and a student of Jesus Christ. MacArthur said that Jesus chose the twelve disciples in order to teach them the Scriptures and what they meant. Yes, they had been taught and memorized the Torah; Jesus taught them what the Scriptures meant and how to live them. Jesus taught these men how to pray, how to forgive, how to serve one another, how to be transformed by them, and the importance of imitating or becoming like Him.

MacArthur wrote that these men were ordinary men; they were human, like you and me. As these men are studied, that is important to remember. Often, they did not understand what Jesus was teaching them. “They were not elite…they were Galilean, the lower class, the rural, the uneducated. God needed ordinary people He could save, sanctify, and then transform from unqualified into instruments He could use. The twelve are like us” (MacArthur).

There are important aspects to consider when thinking about discipleship. The first is obvious but must be considered. To be a disciple one must acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent to be crucified and to rise again – He must be accepted as Savior and Redeemer (John 3:16). That is the first step as the Believer must then walk the narrow way in faith and obedience; “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). As the Believer walks the narrow way, he/she is transformed, changed into the image of Jesus Christ; “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). This is a supernatural transformation that Believers demonstrate through the change in their lifestyles.

Jesus said that His discipleship involves self-denial, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me’ (Luke 9:23). Each day, the disciple must decide to pick up his cross and follow Jesus. This statement is not to be misunderstood! Deciding to follow Jesus is a one-time decision; however, the daily details of life are a continual choice to follow and be obedient to the Word of God. Do you see the difference? Those day-to-day choices are included as Believer’s walk the narrow way – a process that is often made difficult by pride, worldly desires, faith, and power when tempted. But be encouraged, continually submitting to Jesus and His Word, making Him the priority of your life on a consistent basis will only help in your walk with Him. No, you won’t be perfect, learning from your mistakes is part of the process of becoming Christ-like. “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Let me end this page of the blog today with a few verses of encouragement that mark the lives of the disciples of Jesus. John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” This love is more than an emotion; it is sacrificial love that shows the love of Jesus toward all people.

John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Read/study. Meditate on God’s Word; it is God’s ultimate authority and needs to be diligently studied and applied in the Believer’s life.

 John 15:8, “This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourself to be My disciples.” Others will see the changes in you as you walk the narrow way, being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, you may be the only Bible others may read.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 139:1-3, O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

I know I have used this Psalm a lot in the last few days, but Pastor Ed Newton’s wife spoke this weekend at Community Bible Church and said something I have been thinking about. She said about the first few verses of Psalm 139, “God has perfect and complete knowledge of all of us; He created each of us. God is not so big that He does not care about you, about me. On the other hand, too many people try to make Him little and try to put Him away somewhere, giving Him little thought or attention. When people try to squeeze Him into something small, believing God does not see them or does not love them, they begin to act like it. God is not too small, not too busy to save anyone.”

If you have walked with the Lord for any length of time, you know that He is not too big, not too far away, nor too busy to hear your prayer and answer it according to His desire, in His perfect timing, and in His way. I have often wondered and been very thankful for God not giving up on me. There is something greater about His love and His grace than my finite mind can understand. It involves sending “He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3:16-17; New Living Translation).

God who sent His Son to save is the same God who knows when you sit down and get up. God knows your thoughts, where you go, your moral qualities and what motivates you. He examines our ways so thoroughly that He does not miss a thing. That is quite intimidating isn’t it! Read what John wrote in 1 John 3:20, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than your heart and knows all things”. He understands us, and He still loves you! Perhaps we are harder on ourselves than God is.

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 103:14, “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” You and I need to admit it – we are frail and do not live long. It is just good that Believers remember none of the aches, pains, illness, disease, and tragedies we experience escape God’s attention; He sees and knows them all. Matthew 10:20 tells us, “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Know that God knows and care about the smallest details of our lives.

Does knowing all this create a desire in you to walk the narrow way with Him? Does it matter to you that He wants the very best for you in every aspect of your life? Even when we fail, His love never stops. He just wants us to come to Him; even the greatest of His followers (whoever that might be) are in need of His compassion. Believers, God knows your desire to worship Him, walk with Him on the narrow way, to serve and please Him. He knows the difficulties we experience. He may allow us to go through these things, but He is always with us and will make a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). What a God He is. He is worthy of our praise and our worship!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Proverbs 31:27-29, She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

In the last page of the blog, we looked at Psalm 139 :13, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother 's womb. I praise you.” Sunday, mothers are celebrated, and I would like to take a few moments to remember and reflect on them. I need to be the first to confess that mothers are taken for granted and underappreciated for what they do to make our life easier; my sister would certainly agree that her brother did that too often. My daughters and my grandchildren need to take the time to reflect on all your mothers have done for each of you and let them know how thankful you are for that!

Your mother’s special influence on you has been very important on who you have become. Has she shown kindness to you? Has she taken time to care for not only your needs but to help with those wants? What about showing you patience and grace? Did she ever become what people call a “momma bear” and come to your defense when situations needed that to happen (or even when you had the situation under control)? I remember more times than I want, as an educator trying to calm down that “momma bear” when she did not fully understand the situation (at least my side of it). I know there are other educators reading this who are snickering right now because you know!

My daughters, like you, had a hardworking mother as they grew up. The woman described in the passage from Proverbs was hardworking – anything but being sluggish. I recently read through a year’s diary about the things that were done in that year by their mother. Allow me to use descriptions from other verses from Proverbs 31 that describe principles my daughter’s mother and I bet describe your mother as well. Trustworthy (v. 11), skilled in what she does (v. 13), sought what was best, not convenient (v. 14), sensible (v. 16), showed you how work hard even when the work was not glamorous (v. 17), planned ahead (v. 18, 21), efficient and worked extra to provide for the family (v. 24).

“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her”! Growing up it is pretty easy to not notice these things mothers do. It may not even be until you have children of your own. Being a mother is not easy; tough decisions need to be made that children do not understand. My prayer for this Mother’s Day is for each of you to consider what your mother has done for you. If you are still able to thank your mother, I mean really thank her, for doing what she did and does, do not let the day slip by without doing so. Give her the compliments and the thanks she deserves for her love for you, the hard work she did to provide for your needs and wants. Most of all, thank her for her devotion to the Lord.

I finish with, "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Husbands if you are like me, we do not thank the mother of our children enough for all they do to make our household be efficient and loving. Join me in expressing to your wife how much you love and value her and her contributions to making your home what it is!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 139:13-14, For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother 's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Whenever I sit in a doctor’s office, I cannot help but look at the charts of human anatomy on the wall. I am always left in awe about how intricate the body is, and I think of this verse. David writes of intimate and comprehensive knowledge of who he is. Job wrote, “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.” (Job 10: 11-12). There can be no doubt about God’s involvement in the creation of life.

David writes that God, “knitted me together in my mother 's womb”. This was no random act of nature! No! God “knit” or crafted each person in their mother’s womb to be a distinct individual. The existence of each person is because of God. I have watched people in my family knit and create really wonderful items. The end product was the result of patience, attention to detail, and their skill. It is easy to think about David’s and Job’s use of the word knit in describing God’s love and His deliberate involvement in human creation.

God spoke to Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Not only is God intimately involved with creation, He knows His creation before He forms the person in the womb. He had a purpose for Jeremiah’s life. The same can be said of the prophet Isaiah. The same can be said for you and for every other person. As a Believer, you can know God as the One who knows you intimately; He has been involved in your life before you were in the womb and has been molding you and moving you into the purpose He has for your life. He is fully involved with you as you walk the narrow way to help you to fulfill His purpose for your life.

Knowing that God is involved with the creation of every life, every life has great value and worth. Life is sacred; your life is sacred because God placed great thought into who you are. You are really a miracle. You are different from every other person. Therefore, we must understand and appreciate that God has created each of us with the personality, gifts, and abilities He can use to fulfill His purpose for our lives. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” God planned and prepared what He wanted each person to do for Him long ago. No one needs to copy what another is doing – that usually does not work out because that person’s abilities and work is not necessarily yours.

Yesterday, as I sat in a doctor’s office, I was reminded of the wonderful and intricate each of us have been made! I am in awe of how much God wants to be involved with each of our lives and that He is with us in every situation we face and that He is with us wherever we are. Every Believer is called to fulfill their purpose regardless of the circumstances being faced. We can do that, understanding how wonderfully God has made us and faith in Him and His plan will guide us as we walk on the narrow way with Him.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Ezekiel 38:23, “Thus, I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Ezekiel spoke warnings to God’s people regarding what would happen if they did not stop worshipping idols and refusing to follow Him. This verse is written at the end of prophecy about the judgment of Gog and a coalition of nations who attack Israel; these nations are completely and overwhelmingly defeated by God. This page of the blog is not about that prophecy still to be fulfilled. Rather it is “about the nations recognizing God’s sovereign, omnipotent hand rests upon Israel for her blessing and protection” (David Jeremiah Study Bible).

In addition to this, it is about how God’s greatness, His authority, and His power is meant to be known by not only Israel but all the world. “Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” The Great Commission given by the Lord Jesus Christ was “to make disciples of all nations”.  Isn’t the message God has always had – that people everywhere would know and worship Him. God’s majesty is not limited or confined to a certain area or culture; He wants people of every nation to come to Him through His Son. God can reach anyone, anywhere with His grace, His forgiveness, and His love. There are no boundaries for Him.

This declaration comes at a time of judgment showing not only His sovereignty and His moral purity, but His great desire that people of all nations know Him. This desire and vision is not only for the people Ezekiel prophesied to but extends to people of today. What God did for His people Israel and what He is doing in the lives of Believers today is meant to reveal God’s holiness and His greatness in order for people to worship Him and walk the narrow way into His kingdom. God wants all people to know that He is the Lord; it is not just about acknowledgment, it is about Believers seeking to know Him more, “To hunger and thirst for [His] righteousness” (Matthew 5;6). It is about “seeking His kingdom and righteousness before everything else” (Matthew 6:33). What God does in each of our lives is meant to be shared so His greatness and love for us can be seen by others.

 Every Believer can do this by trusting Him in all things. Believers need to recognize and understand that everything that they face – even the difficult and challenging – can be used to glorify Him (Romans 8:28). That requires that your control is surrendered to Him. It means to make sure your life is no longer centered on your life but what He desires. Obedience to Him is a choice, a choice that is often seen by others which reflects God’s goodness and grace. How many times have you heard or seen that your life, your choices may be the only Bible another person reads?

In his study guide for the book of Ezekiel, David Guzik writes, “This overwhelming and obviously divine defeat of Gog and her allies would testify to the whole world of God’s character and power.” God wants each Believer to be a testimony to those around them about God’s character and power by denying themselves and living for Him, in faith and obedience as they walk the narrow way into His kingdom.

LEARNING DAILY

Romans 14:11, for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

Ezekiel 6:7, 10, And you [they] shall know that I am the Lord.

The day is coming when Romans 14:11 will happen. For Believers this will certainly be a day of rejoicing. For those who have denied Jesus Christ and lived selfishly and to serve only their own purposes, this day will not be a good day for them. Those who do not read and study God’s Word today are no different from those who ignored the warnings of the Old Testament prophets.

In reading and studying the writings of Ezekiel, I have been struck with the number of times Ezekiel writes, “And you [they] shall know that I am the Lord.” God warned His people many times, through different prophets about what He would do if they did not stop worshipping idols, living as the Gentiles around them, and just refusing to follow Him as He demanded. Let me give you some things God did to try to get the attention of His people to turn and follow Him. The land of Israel became unprofitable for producing what it once had (Ez. 6:14); jobs were lost the economy began to fail. Ezekiel 7:27 states that the people would reap what they had sown; because they would not remove the idols and pagan altars and shrines, God would use the Babylonians to bring disaster on Israel. In Ezekiel 12, God said, “He would scatter His people among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.” Men and women would die by the sword (Ez. 26:6). God would send pestilence and allow violence in the streets (Ez. 28:23). God will allow Babylon to come into Israel and scatter the Egyptians (who Israel went to for protection instead of God). Do you understand what God allowed or caused to happen to His chosen people when they disobeyed Him and chose to follow after the gods and lifestyle of foreign people.

The phrase written by Ezekiel followed warnings about what God would do because He would not accept nor tolerate what His chosen people were doing. His Word states God does not change. Is it not clear what God will not tolerate? If God did not tolerate this way of life, then, and He will not tolerate this today. Consider how much our country relies on other countries; our country has gotten away from providing for much of the world. Jobs have been lost, and our economy has seen better days. When a country turns away from God, He cannot bless them – they reap what they sow. We have seen and continue to see the results of pestilence and violence in our streets. Defund the police, overcrowded prisons are a problem. Corrupt politicians and judges are setting violent offenders free from prisons. And who knows how many enemies have infiltrated our country through open borders.

Can history be repeating itself? Does it not look like people, not only in this country, but around the world are doing what Ezekiel warned the people about in his day? God did not allow the people to get away with this when Ezekiel lived; it won’t happen today either. Is there a positive message in this? We will explore that tomorrow.

 

LEARNING DAILY

James 4:1, What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

The two questions asked by James were addressed by Pastor Danny Rivers at NorthRock Church this past weekend. He began by defining the terms quarrel (a prolonged dispute, war, or something that cannot be resolved) and fight (something that triggers an argument). Before we look at what Pastor Rivers said, I would like to examine why James asked these questions. In the previous chapter, James had written about the difference between heavenly and earthly wisdom. Earthly or worldly wisdom tells people they are responsible for knowing what they want out of this life and figuring out how to get it. In verses 15 and 16 of that chapter, James writes that earthly wisdom does not come from the Lord but is “demonic and leads to envy and self-seeking, leading to confusion and evil”. That leads to the world’s definition of success, “I will do what it takes to get what I want”.

Pastor Rivers said, “Quarrels and fights are the result of your desires that battle within you”. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16). Audrey wrote in her sermon notes, “God gives us good desires (happiness, love, etc.), but our selfishness and the enemy twists those good desires.” The result is to fight to get our own way, to blame others for our unhappiness. One’s will collides with another because “you are not getting what you want” (Pastor Rivers). He continued, “I’m trying to get my way, the only way I get my way is for you to give up what you want!” I sure can relate to this as I reflect over conflicts I have had with others – can you?

According to Pastor Rivers we hurt those closest to us (Conflicts) because, “We want to be appreciated, loved, seen, heard, valued, feel important and respected. We want these things from those near us but are not getting them.” James wrote in the next verse, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” James is saying Believers living this way are living according to the world’s wisdom. “You are not getting the things you desire! Expectations are not met and that leaves you frustrated. The result is we hurt those closest to us, those not giving us what we want” (Pastor Rivers).

James does identify the real problem in this. Believers did not, do not, trust God to provide what they need. “You do not have, because you do not ask.” They do not even ask! God might say no. The result was being willing to hurt others to get what they wanted instead of asking and waiting on God. Audrey wrote, “As long as you count on someone other than God Himself to fill empty places in you, you will always be empty. As long as you blame others for your unhappiness, you will always be unhappy.”

James 4:3 tells Believers to ask God for what you want/need, but to be careful how you ask, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” You will not receive if you pray in a way that will take away happiness from someone else to fulfill your own selfish desires. Praying, ‘God change ____ ‘, instead of praying ‘change me’ will not work” (Pastor Rivers). Praying to manipulate another to meet your selfish desires is in reality trying to put God in a worldly approach to doing this.

God’s wisdom is calling Believers to a different approach; He wants believers to trust Him to provide for their needs. There is no need to quarrel and fight with others to get what we want. The wisdom from above tells Believers they cannot be friends with both the world and with God. James is very clear here that Believers cannot be driven as the world is – by envy and ambition – to get what they want.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Ephesians 6:12, We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Spiritual warfare is the reality Believers live in. It is certainly easy to blame other people who lie, deceive, divide, and destroy for everything evil and wrong in this world. Yes, those who do this will be held accountable for all of this someday. They will stand before God, who judges all things in His righteousness, in His time. Believers must never forget that Satan is their true enemy and uses people to achieve his purposes.

In The Revelation 12:9 John writes that Satan deceives the whole world. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24 deception would increase in the last days. In John 8:44 Jesus called the devil “a liar and the father of lies”. Jesus had previously said that the reason those who reject Him and His Word is because their true spiritual father is the devil, Satan. This is a clear criticism and a rebuke of those who are leading others to follow the “broad way that leads to destruction” instead of the narrow way that leads to eternal life in the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:13-14). This is not the timid, weak Jesus that is often pictured! Think of the destruction evil is causing in the world today; it will continue to grow worse.

In The Revelation 9:11, John calls the king over the demons “Abaddon” (Hebrew) and “Apollyon” (Greek) which means “Destroyer”. In John 10:10, he calls Satan a “thief who comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”. Satan uses those who reject Jesus Christ and His Word to divide, cause splits and to destroy as much as they can regarding Christianity and all who follow Jesus.  

2 Corinthians 11:14, And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” He deceives and destroys by pretending to be an apostle of Christ. Paul was writing that there were those preaching a different gospel that what he was preaching in order to distort and lead Corinthians away from following Jesus Christ. The best way to do that was for Satan to disguise himself as an angel of light. Deception is the way he uses to convince evil is good/good is evil and light is darkness/darkness is light.

Paul takes this argument further in the next verse, “So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” That takes back to false teachers, those who disguise themselves as Christian teachers who deliberately pretend to be teaching about Christ and His righteousness but instead preach/teach a false version about both.

Here is the Good News in all of this. Believers are not left alone with trying to resist the devil (James 4;7). Believers are not to give him more power than he actually has.  “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:14). “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). It is by faith that believers walk the narrow way in His strength and His power. Believers are to put on the armor of God each day and know that walking with Jesus Christ is walking in far greater power than Satan and his minions!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 24:43, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

I realize what is written in this page of the blog is going to be controversial. I urge you to do what the Bereans did in the book of Acts – study the scriptures for yourself to see what they say. Jesus’s return for His followers does occur at the rapture and again when He returns at the end of the Tribulation.

Jesus warned Believers about not being ready, not watching and looking for His return. The return I believe He is speaking about is the rapture of the Church, all Believers who have died and who are living when the trumpet sounds. He used an illustration about a thief coming into one’s house to illustrate what He was saying. His point was if the master of the house had known a thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed the thief to break in. That is the advantage the thief has; the master does not know when the thief will break in. The master must always be alert and ready.

Jesus is going to return for Believers like a thief. Jesus said, “Therefore you also be ready, for the son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”. He is not saying Believers are to not sleep because they might miss Him. He is saying do not be careless about how you live your life. A thief may have never entered your house to rob you, but you continue to lock your doors. There may never have been a robbery in the neighborhood in which you live, but that does not mean you will not be robbed. Don’t live carelessly!

Believers live your life watching patiently for His return. Be prepared for that trumpet to sound; be ready for the Lord Jesus to call you to meet Him in the sky. It may be today, or tomorrow, or in the years ahead. Yes, there may be signs that indicate the time is near; but none of these signs prepare for the trumpet to sound. It could sound at any time; there is going to be no announcement before the trumpet sounds. The only way to be prepared is to walk the narrow way as best you can, watching and being ready for His return.

Jesus gave a third warning about living a careless life as a Believer. He said, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom the master made rule over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master comes, when he comes, will find so doing.” (Matthew 24:45-51; take time to read the entire passage.). Jesus told Believers what He means by living their life ready for His return. Here the master of the house was going to be gone. There were two servants described; one was good and faithful and the other lived in an evil way because the master did not return to the house for some time. The expectation of the master was to return, unexpectedly, to find the servants doing his work well and faithfully. The Lord expects every Believer (everywhere) to be accountable for everything He has given to them – including their life, possessions, and abilities. He expects Believers to use these things for His honor and His glory as they walk the narrow way, waiting for His return for them.

Believers are expected to be faithful in their walk with Jesus every day. Pastor Ed Newton states, “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!” No, not one person knows when the rapture of the Church will be, and that means to live your life as if Jesus was going to call you to Him today. Live with that in mind, walking to please Him, honor Him, glorify Him each day.