“But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe [“coat,” KJV] and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice” (1 Samuel 2:18-19 NKJV). Looking closely at this passage, we see several important things. Primarily, we see Samuel serving the Lord in the Temple at a very young age. Other passages about the life of Samuel tell us how Hannah prayed earnestly for him and vowed to give him back to the Lord if He would grant her a son. Samuel’s birth, training and life were the direct results of Hannah’s love for God and her faithfulness to that vow made several years before. Not only do we see Hannah’s love in training her son for that purpose, but we also see a further demonstration of a mother’s love in her yearly gift of a coat when she came to offer sacrifices with her husband at the feast.

Samuel wore an ephod, as did the priests with Ahimilech (1 Samuel 22:18). There is no question that the ephod was at least closely associated with the priesthood. Apparently, it was not limited to the high priest. Later in Samuel’s life, he was a judge, a seer and a prophet but not a priest at that age. However, as a descendant of Levi through Kohath (1 Chronicles 6:38), the same tribe from which Aaron descended, Samuel was a priest’s helper (1 Chronicles 6:1-3; 1 Samuel 3:1). His father was an Ephrathite, because he lived in Mt. Ephraim, but not because he was descended from the tribe of Ephraim. Hannah may also have been of the tribe of Levi, but there is no record of it. In any case, Samuel wore the ephod, which shows it was not limited to the high priest or even to the priest. Samuel was a prophet just as David was a prophet (Acts 2:29-30), and therefore authorized as much as David to wear an ephod.

See 1 Samuel 7:9 concerning Samuel’s ancestry. “And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.” We know that King Saul was condemned for offering a sacrifice, which only the priests and Levites were authorized to do. Samuel was at least a Levite (if not a priest) or he would have been condemned along with King Saul.

How and when did little Samuel wear the coat his mother made him? It is not generally known, but we may assume he used it to cover himself in cold weather or perhaps even to cover himself  as he slept at night. It may have been brightly colored like the coat Jacob made for Joseph, but we cannot say. Nevertheless, it was a gift of love from a mother who never forgot the child she could not redeem (Numbers 18:15) because of her vow. Hannah’s faithfulness in keeping her vow was paramount, but her faithfulness in showing love both to her God and to her son was never laid aside.

Beth Johnson

Recently I heard a term used in a sermon by Hiram Kemp. He commented that some Christians are content to play “hokey pokey” in  their Christian walk. They put their right foot in, and then they take their right foot out. In other words, they are seemingly devoted to Jesus one day, but the next day they have second thoughts and go back into the world. Any number of things can cause the vacillating conduct — doubt, fear, illness, sadness, lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, pride of life, and much more.

Unfortunately there were first century Christians who were content to practice “hokey-pokey” religion. When Jesus revealed himself in a vision to the apostle John on the island of Patmos, He had a letter He wanted him to deliver to the church of Laodicea.  He said, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— (Revelation 3: 15-16). Jesus said they didn’t even know their pitiful condition, he characterized as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This would have resounded immediately with the Laodiceans because their city was known for its great monetary wealth, its unique medicinal eye salve, and its luxurious cloth. The Lord, however, was not talking about these physical, perishing things, but about their spiritual lives.

The Israelites under the rule of King Ahab had a similar problem. Through the prophet Elijah, God uttered his disapproval for their actions, “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18:21). Eventually God’s wrath came down on His people through the power of the Babylonian army. Their city was destroyed and many were either killed or taken captive.

Just as God warned the Israelites, Jesus warned the Laodiceans. He counseled them to buy from Him gold refined in fire that they might be rich, to put on white garments so the shame of their nakedness would not be revealed, and to anoint their eyes with eye salve so they may see (Revelation 3:18). The refining in fire may refer to persecution, about which Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20b). White garments may represent  clothes of righteousness or obedience to God Almighty (Rev. 7:9). Salve for the eyes may represent the need for all souls to see and accept/obey Jesus as the Son of God. Our Lord said, But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it (Matthew 23:16-17). Finally, Jesus reminded the Laodiceans, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:19). Even though they were lukewarm, He had not given up on them. He believed they could change.

If we recognize that we have been playing “hokey pokey” religion, first we must repent, make a u-turn, and begin a new and better daily walk with Christ. Zeal, that is, “passion for Christ and compassion for others coming to the boiling point,” must fill our hearts and stir the appropriate actions!

Today’s Verses: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14).

Audios are available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com/index.html

by Teresa Hampton

The greeters are the friendly faces who welcome visitors and members as they show up for worship. Some people are greeters because they signed up to serve in that role for a certain amount of time. What a wonderful thing to do! Others are greeters because that’s just who they are. Wherever folks enter the building, they are typically nearby with a warm smile and a “good to see you!”

I can easily think of several people I know who will brighten my day when I see them. They’re reliably friendly and fill my heart with their sweet attention. I believe our congregation is welcoming, and they are the reason why.

If you feel like your church family is less than warm or welcoming, the good news is you can change that. All you have to do is be a greeter yourself! If you are consistently warm and friendly, then you are making your church family that way because you ARE the church.

I hope all church greeters know how dear and valuable they are. They help everyone feel seen. They make sure no one leaves without being spoken to. They are helping the Lord’s church make a great first impression on those who are visiting for the first time.

We should all be greeters, shouldn’t we?

“By this all people will know that you are My disciples,

if you have love for one another.”

John 13:35

Kathy Pollard

I identify strongly as a Southerner. It’s not a choice. There’s no denying it, really, when I wallered on the floor as a toddler. If my mother was not going to do a thing right now, she would do it d’reckly. When I was playing with, instead of eating, my food, I was told to quit messin’ and gomming. (I don’t even know.) The exclamation of choice in the adult conversation around me was “Well, I declare!” The middle-of-the-day meal was dinner and we wiped the table after it with a rag. We never had a pop. We had a coke, no matter what brand it was. I had a housecoat; not a robe. Crappie, the best of the best fish to catch at Hollis’s  Lake, rhymes with copy; not with happy.  (And, by the way, when fishing, I was watching my bobber.) I really didn’t know what a utility room was until I was an adult. It was the washroom. I had wonderful fluffy aunts (Aunt Lizzie and Aunt Bertie Mae) and the word aunt rhymed with paint; not rant and surely not font.

I remember “Cousin Cliff” and I remember southern advertising jingles like

Jack’s hamburgers for 15 cents are so good, good, good…. You’ll go back, back, back to Jack, Jack, Jack’s… For more, more, more.

I was on the five o’clock news on Birmingham’s channel 13 live from Hibbett’s in January, 1978 purchasing my Bama National Championship jersey, even as the title was being hotly contested.

I like mah-naise on my sandwich and I push a buggy at the store. I climbed Mimosa trees as a kid and caught lightning bugs (not fireflies) and tied a string on a June bug’s leg for hours of flying fun. I had several memorable whippins with a hick’ry. Sometimes, my mother would even make me go out and find the switch, myself. (Now there was a lot of thinking going on around those bushes.)

And never were there days as purely southern as the very rare snow day. First off, the weather-man (not meteorologist) never got it right in Alabama about snow, so there were many very disappointing awakenings on Lynn Dale Lane. But, when the world was white, after lots of excited shrieks, we scraped for snow cream first, and then we donned layers and layers of mis-matched pajamas, topped with a layer or two of Buster Brown snap sweaters, and a coat from the next kid up. (It had to be big by then.)  Then three pairs of socks and rain boots (never galoshes) if we had them, or bread bags tied around our tennis shoes. Metal trash can lids down the back hill between the house and the garden were the best! On rare occasions, we even got snowed in, and couldn’t make it to Adamsville for church, so we put on all those layers and we walked a couple of miles down the mountain to Sandusky, where Dan Jenkins or, later, brother Jarrett, was preaching. Those memories, before live-streaming, (or any of the conveniences and conflicts that have come with the internet) are pretty wonderful.

There were some very good things about Southern living that have left vestiges (remnants) for my life in Alabama still today. People did not pass people who had flat tires or over-heated radiators. People stopped to help. People in the store let me bring things home to try on before paying. “Just bring it back next time you’re in town.” People took up collections for neighbors—door-to-door— when they were sick or had lost a loved one. People were not afraid to answer the door and many people routinely left their doors unlocked. People called on neighbors—not door dash— when they were missing an ingredient. People scrunched up and made pallets when relatives came for extended visits and they had fun doing it. Mothers sewed and baked and were not afraid for their kids to walk home from the bus stop alone. Small-town kids could walk to the grocery store or up-town to the square and bring home the necessities without even having any money. The clerk knew and trusted the family to make it good on the first of the month, when billed.

Trust is the thing. It’s so important for making life work together. It’s essential for good marriage, for good neighborhoods and for good business— and it’s making a quick exit from our communities.

When we turn from the ultimate trust—trust in God—we become untrustworthy (and untrusting) toward our fellowmen. We are like the Jews to whom Jeremiah wrote in 9:4-6:

Take ye heed every one of his neighbor,

and trust ye not in any brother:

for every brother will utterly supplant,

and every neighbor will walk with slanders.

And they will deceive every one his neighbour,

and will not speak the truth:

they have taught their tongue to speak lies,

and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit;

through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord.

And then we slowly lose, not just the goodness of community, but the simple joys of community living. There are many fun things I got to do, when growing up, that my grandkids will not experience because of eroded trust.

I know these are mostly idle musings of a nostalgic grandmother. I know, too, that all good things must come to an end. Every society in history, left unconquered by enemies, has lost its way, and eventually crumbled from within. Though I am unable to prevent the demise of wholesome adherence to principles of integrity that engender trust in my country or even my community, I am able to BE trustworthy. I am able to be helpful to elderly Mr. Jimmie, across the street. I am able to take bread to neighbors and to check on them when something seems off. I am able to have people in my home for soup and to take soup to others who are sick or lonely. Most importantly, I can still say, “Would you study the Bible with me?” as I am praying for some soul that needs so badly to trust in the One who is the essence of integrity. The gospel is the truth that grows integrity in the lives of the people around me. It is the truth that transports us, rather quickly, from a place that has little trust left, to a place where there is no lack of trust, ever again. I want to be the spiritual remnant that is given the new order of trust spoken of by Zephaniah in 3:12,13. Faith in God changes everything and gives us hope for a home where trust is never eroded. May I share the “trust” that takes away fear.

I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people,

and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies;

neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth:

for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Cindy Colley

In the stories of The Hunger Games, Katniss, the main character, is called the Mockingjay. Mockingjay represents defiance and rebellion. If you are familiar with the story, you know that Katniss was at the center of a war with “The Capitol.” She was fighting for freedom for her people, and no amount of evil and resistance stood in her way.

The Mockingjay was a symbolic jabberjay bird created by the oppressors (The Capitol) to provide secret information to them. They were sent among the subjects of the land, and they reported to the Capitol any information they learned. Eventually, the subjects discovered the purpose of the birds and fed them misinformation. When the oppressors realized what was happening, they let them loose in the woods where they mated with female mockingbirds and learned to repeat sounds, even singing. Later they became a symbol for rebellion.

These birds were never meant to be created. They were not a part of the Capitol’s   original plan or design. When they no longer served their purpose, they were abandoned and left on their own to survive. They survived through the will to survive. It was persistence.

Mockingjay’s fight against evil reminds me a lot of our war with the devil. It’s hard to believe that Satan began his life with our heavenly Father; through a series of events unknown to us, he was forced out of heaven.

There are certainly differences between the mockingjays and our fight with the devil. We were not created by accident; and our war is real, not fictional. Also, we were each purposed, chosen, designed in the image of God. We were given a purpose, and that purpose has never changed.

Our war with Satan is much stronger, more difficult, more dangerous than the war Katniss faced with the Capitol. Our war is for our souls.

When we look at the attributes of Satan, we can see why we are at war. Satan has his sights on us. Paul says Satan is out to outwit us (Second Corinthians 2:11). Does that not sound like an act of war?

Satan also presents himself as an angel of light. Paul, when warning the Christians in Corinth about false apostles and deceitful workmen, said they present themselves as apostles of Christ. They do this because Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, and his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.

Satan hinders our every effort to please God. Paul, wanting to get to Thessalonica, says that he wanted to be there; but Satan hindered him (First Thessalonians 2:18). He will stand between us and every good deed we want to perform. He will stand between us and our desire to offer forgiveness, aid the sick and homeless, prevent us from teaching the gospel, and pretending to be our friend when we need one most. He will pose as good when, in reality, he is evil.

Our adversary can move in on the vulnerable when they are not looking. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, gave some specific instructions about the behavior of the women, particularly young widows, some of whom had remarried. Paul wanted them to fulfill their purpose as wives and mothers and homemakers and to not give Satan an occasion to slander. But Paul told Timothy that some had already “strayed after Satan” (First Timothy 5:15).

One of the scariest attributes of Satan is his ability to enter into our hearts and fill them with evil. Luke tells us that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot causing him to conspire with the chief priests and captains to betray Jesus. In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira suffered a similar experience when they lied to the Holy Spirit and to the apostles. They conceived the deception in their hearts and acted on that lie to benefit themselves.

But there is hope. In the fictional stories of the Hunger Games, the people had to depend on one of their own people to save them. They suffered out of fear and neglect under a dictator that was evil and claimed to be just what they needed.

Does that not sound like the devil? He portrays himself as one who will provide us just what we need. He sells mankind the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. He makes promises he can’t keep, and the only thing he can give us is an eternity in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

God makes no promises for wealth and power on this earth, but He promises us a home with Him in heaven for all who obey Him and remain faithful to Him. The writer of Hebrews reveals God’s enduring promise to us. “Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’” (Hebrews 13:5).

We don’t need a mockingjay to save us. We have Jesus Christ who sacrificed Himself for us.

Sandra Oliver

The reality of sin has become distorted in the minds of many individuals in this ever-increasing humanistic world. Many souls do not understand what sin is. You can see it in such statements as, “He was a good person; now he is in heaven” or “I’m not as bad of a person as she is.” The reason for this misunderstanding of the nature of sin is due to the fact that the majority of people have drifted away from God’s Word. Many have grown up without being taught the Truth. They no longer look to the Holy Scriptures for answers to man’s greatest problem – sin. Indeed, many do not know that there is a problem! Because of this, we along with the prophet Hosea can say, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6 NKJV). Instead of letting the culture around us define sin, let’s look at what God’s Word says about this subject, which affects all of mankind.

What is sin? First John 3:4 states “sin is lawlessness.” The Greek word for sin means “to miss the mark” (to be mistaken, to miss the target, to lose the way) (Koehler). Psalm 51, written by a penitent, inspired David, contains some synonyms for sin – “transgressions” and “iniquity.” Sin is rebellion against God and a perversion of what He has set forth. We have the complete Word of God (1 Corinthians 13:8-12). By it, we can know what is good and what is evil. All people today are under the New Testament law (Romans 7:6). There is a law or else there would be nothing to break or disobey (Romans 4:15). “The faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” is God’s system of salvation – the Gospel of Christ (Jude 3). We must be trained by what He has set forth in the New Testament or our consciences can become dull (1 Timothy 4:2). This is so very important to remember in a “do what you want” world that tells us on all fronts that everything is relative (i.e., there is no truth).

Sin is an action – wrongdoing and failure to do what is right (James 4:17; 1 John 5:17). Sadly, many misunderstand this, thinking since they don’t murder or commit adultery then they are Heaven-bound. However, they fail to realize the things God’s law commands that they have neglected to do. We learn in James 1:12-15 that temptation is not sin, but giving in to the temptation is when we sin. Note the progression of sin in verses 14-15: “own desires,” “conceived,” “gives birth to sin” and “brings forth death.” It is not “the devil made me do it,” but one’s own wants and desires lead down the path to sin. In Matthew 4, Jesus was tempted in the same way we all are: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 2:15-17). Jesus resisted temptation by remembering God’s Word. We can, too (1 Corinthians 10:13)!

Genesis 3 records the origin of sin on earth. God gave the commandment (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam and Eve made the choice to break God’s law. We all, like Adam and Eve, have chosen to sin (Romans 3:23; 5:12). We each are responsible for our own actions and do not inherit sin from others (Ezekiel 18:20; Luke 13:1-5; John 8:34).

Seeing Who God is allows us to understand sin better. The prophet Isaiah understood this (Isaiah 6:5). Read and meditate on the whole chapter of Isaiah 6. When we by faith see what he was privileged to view – the holiness and glory of God – we, too, will say, “be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). A mindset of “I have no sin” or “I have not sinned” is deceiving oneself and refusing to see the truth of God’s Word (1 John 1:8-10). God is holy and demands holiness of His followers (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16). Our sin separates us from Him (Isaiah 59:2). The Lord hates sin, and His mercy will go only so far until His justice must serve punishment (Proverbs 6:16-19; Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 12:29-32; 18:9-14). God wants me to see sin as He sees it, confess and turn away from those iniquities (Psalm 51:17; Ephesians 4:25-32; 1 John 1:9).

What is the remedy for sin? In short, but oh so amazingly, the blood of Christ is the only remedy for sin (Revelation 1:5)! Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Law of Moses, which had a reminder of sin each year (Hebrews 10:1-4). Then, He established His new covenant by His very own blood (Hebrews 7:23-8:13; 10:4). Christ, as the perfect Lamb of God, has “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:23-28). As such, He has been given all authority and has commanded all people to do the same thing in order to come to God through Him. It is not sufficient to say, “I believe” and go on our merry way doing what we think is best. In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus clearly stated that not all believers will be saved. Rather, it is those who are “doers of the word” –  those who are laying “aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness” as they receive His soul-saving Word (James 1:21-25). True belief in Christ will compel us to repent of our sins and be willing to confess that He is the Son of God (Acts 17:30; Romans 10:8-10). Putting our full trust in Him, we will submit to being immersed in water for the remission of our sins, understanding that it is in baptism where we meet the blood of Christ (Romans 6:3-7). God saves us from sin when we come to Him in faithful obedience (Colossians 2:11-13), and His grace continues to save us as we live a life putting His will before our own.

The Holy Spirit made it plain in 1 John 2:15-17 that sin is “not of the Father.” May we put in our heart of hearts that this “world is passing away” and recall this the next time we are tempted in the passing pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25).

Sin keeps us from being what God intended us to be. It wreaks havoc on our spiritual as well as physical lives. Sin is walking in darkness and will lead us to eternal Hell. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Works Cited

 Koehler, Ludwig; Walter Baumgartner; M. E. J. Richardson and J. J. Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Electronic Database. Boston: Brill P., 2000.

Emily Fisher

How much time do we allow to lapse before or if we choose to obey God? Are we waiting to confer with flesh and blood? What is it that restrains us from immediate obedience? We have an example of God giving a command to Abram in Genesis 12:1-4, which was the first time God spoke to him. Verse 1 reads, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you’” (NKJV). The first part of verse 4 reads, “So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him…” We are given further insight into Abraham’s unquestioning obedience on this occasion in Hebrews 11:8. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Would we have done that?

Genesis 21:1-14 is the account of Abraham and Sarah becoming parents to Isaac when Abraham was one hundred years old, and Sarah was ninety. Abraham had fathered a child by Hagar, an arrangement made by Sarah, since Hagar was her bondwoman. Ishmael was fourteen years old when Isaac was born. Genesis 21:9 says, “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.” Sarah was very distressed and told Abraham to “…Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” Verse 11 tells us, “And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.”

However, God told Abraham not to let it be displeasing in his sight because of Ishmael or Hagar. In the latter part of verse 12 and verse 13, God said to Abraham, “…Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” Abraham’s actions in Genesis 21:14 are noteworthy. “So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her way. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.”

Genesis 22:1-8 is the account of God’s ultimate test of Abraham’s faith and obedience. In verse 2, God said to Abraham, “…Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” In verse 3, Abraham’s response was outstanding. “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” Once again, his faith and obedience was unwavering – even after Isaac inquired of his father, upon observing the fire and the wood, “…where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (v. 7). Abraham’s answer in verse eight is the model response for all time. “…‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. So the two of them went together.’” God always provides for what He calls for us to do.

Hebrews 11:17-19 gives us further insight into this account and the unique relationship between God and Abraham. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” Romans 4:19-24 speaks to that divine truth forthrightly.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “It was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Another side of Abraham’s sterling character is revealed in Genesis 18 and 19 in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God said He knew Abraham and that he commanded “…his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:19). God told the two men, who Abraham and Sarah had welcomed to their home, what He would do regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18:20-22 tells us:

And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.

The remainder of Genesis 18 contains Abraham’s impassioned plea to God not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. What Abraham said to God in Genesis 18:25 will cause any reverent, submissive, obedient Christian to catch his or her breath as he or she attempts to comprehend what Abraham said to the Almighty Creator of the universe! “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked, far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” This was a man talking to and questioning God about what is right! Had he forgotten that it is a total impossibility for God to be wrong about anything?

Abraham started out asking God if fifty righteous people were found would He destroy the city. He kept supposing from fifty down to ten righteous people being found. In verse 32, God said He would not destroy it for the sake of ten. Verse 33 is another of those verses that reveals God’s longsuffering. One of the definitions of longsuffering is the ability to keep a hopeful, forgiving attitude toward people to avoid retaliating against a wrong. “So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.” After the destruction of the cities, Genesis 19:27 tells us, “And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.” Genesis 19:29 says, “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” Longsuffering!

James 2:21-24 puts inspired insight to this relationship between God and Abraham regarding faith and works.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Abraham was remembered in 2 Chronicles 20:7 as God’s friend forever. Why was Abraham called the friend of God? He always responded to God’s commands and expectations with no wavering, no questioning and no hesitation. His example shows us “early in the morning” obedience opens the door for God’s exceedingly abundant blessings for the remainder of the day and beyond. Glorify and magnify His holy and righteous name forever!

Marilyn LaStrape

What is the very first hymn you can remember singing in worship? Neal asked this question in class recently when teaching the Psalms. He said the first one he can recall is “Farther Along.” The first one I can remember as a little girl was “Old Rugged Cross,” led by a skinny old man named Mr. Ketchup in a small church in Florida. Looking back, he probably wasn’t that old and his name was probably Ketchem. But the song that was clearly a favorite of his has remained a favorite of mine as well.

Many of my long-time favorite songs have special memories tied to them. “A Beautiful Prayer” makes me think of sitting next to my grandma and hearing her sing alto. “Where The Roses Never Fade” takes me back to singing 4-part harmony with my family (I was tenor). And “Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All” will always remind me of my earliest years with Neal because we sang it often when dating and first married.

I could go on and on, and would enjoy it immensely. I could talk about the songs that my sister and I sang together while washing dishes (“The Steadfast Love of the Lord”), or songs Neal and I sang with our boys when they were little (“Wonderful Love of Jesus”). I imagine you have your own list of songs that are close to your heart.

I have all of these “precious memories” (ha) because every worship service I’ve ever been to has been filled with singing. What a gift God gave us when He commanded it!

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16).

What is it that’s so special about lifting voices together in praise? The harmony, the unity, the emotion, the conviction, the joy…? It’s a lifelong blessing. New memories keep being made and new songs are learned (my current favorite is “Behold Our God”). Singing ties us together, reminds us who we are, and sets our minds on things above (Col. 3:1-2).

I thank God for that. I’m thankful for song leaders who put their heart into it and for the Christians around me who do the same. I’m thankful for friends through the years with whom we’ve gotten together just to sing. I’m thankful for our young friend, Collins, who sits with us in worship and sings out with her pure, sweet soprano.

Oh, the power and beauty of congregational singing! Let’s make the most of it! Let’s get together more often to sing!

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).

By Kathy Pollard

On New Year’s Day, I heard one of the hosts of Fox News say that her New Year’s resolution was to fortify her family. She said that there is little she can do personally to change the climate in our nation, but she will do what she can with her family.

I often think how helpless I feel about the evil things that are happening in our country. As one person with no political influence, I feel like my hands are tied behind my back. There is little I can do to make my voice heard. This seems like the perfect way to feel like I can be heard, and just maybe someone is listening.

My son recently said something that hit me hard. He said that the issues are no longer political party against political party. It is good against evil. He is exactly right; and Christians had better see the decisions that are being made as just that—good against evil.

So, how do we go about fortifying our families? Fortify means to provide defensive works as protection against attack; to strengthen mentally or physically. So, what this news host was saying is that she is going to provide protection against the attacks being wielded against her family. She is going to fight evil!

How do we do that? There is only one way, to truly fight evil, and that is through God’s Word. When God spoke to the Children of Israel, He told them something that is as applicable today as it was then. He says, “…keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Parents can’t fortify anyone if they aren’t conscientious and have a knowledge of God’s Word themselves. God is talking to parents who needed to remember the way God had blessed them and cared for them while they were in captivity. They needed to remember the miracles they had seen, how God had protected them and delivered them from bondage, and how all of this had changed their lives.

Although we haven’t been in captivity like the Jews or seen miracles, we have experienced God’s bountiful blessings over and over again. We need to remember that when we want to fortify our families.

In the remainder of verse 9 and following in verse 10, God tells the Jews to teach their sons and daughters so they can teach their children. This is a long-term commitment. We teach, so they can teach. If we don’t teach, they may not teach.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, God tells His people to keep His words in their heart. They are to teach them diligently to their children and talk about God’s commands in their homes, when they are walking together, when they are lying down, and when they get up. In other words, God’s commands have to be constantly taught in order for them to provide the fortification they need to live godly lives.

God’s teachings in the New Testament echo these instructions. Fathers are to bring up their children in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

God also told the Jews, “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:2). This is repeated in the New Testament by Peter in First Peter 9-10. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

In this passage, Peter is speaking to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. He speaks of their royalty, the promised reign with Christ in heaven. The faithful are all one in Christ through obedience in baptism. Having been taught, having obeyed, and having lived a life pleasing to God, we are fortified against the devil. These are the things we need to teach our children and grandchildren.

The idea of fortifying our families is not to be taken lightly. It won’t happen if we don’t continue the teaching day and night, in good times and in bad, when they want to hear it and when they don’t, when they are listening and when they aren’t. God’s Word has to be the center of everything we do to strengthen us and generations to come.

Remember Paul’s admonition to the church at Rome. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:15).

Sandra Oliver