Philippians 2:8 “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

As numerous renditions of “Taps” were performed on Memorial Day, I was struck by the simplicity of this short tune. No words accompany it nor is it played with great fanfare. Yet it stands as one of the most widely recognizable tunes in existence.

Out of curiosity, I googled this iconic melody. Did you know the entirety of “Taps” is comprised of only four musical notes, creating a short melody twenty-four notes in length? This song is presented by one lone instrument (a bugle or trumpet) and serves two distinct purposes. When played at military funerals, it honors the sacrifice of life. When played in the evenings, it signifies the close of day, giving it the unofficial title, “Day is Done.”

For the first time ever, I considered the similarities between “Taps” and the cross of Christ.

The unconventional, simplistic melody of “Taps” is performed by a singular musician using one instrument. Likewise, an unconventional Son of God chose a simplistic life on earth. For us, He bore the cross; His singular instrument of love.

No lyrics accompany “Taps”, yet it resonates mournful emotions causing us to reflect on sacrifice and freedom. In similar fashion, no words adequately express the love shown by Christ on the cross, yet through a mournful heart we reflect on our great sin and His greater sacrifice.

Taps serves two purposes: it honors fallen soldiers, and it closes out the day. Jesus came to earth for two reasons: to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). It was the great love behind His seeking-and-saving mission that led Him to the cross.

“Day is Done” is the title assigned this tune in the evenings. When played after dark, it indicates the completion of the day. Consider the final words of Christ on the cross: “It is Finished.” The love and events found within these three words indicate the completion of Christ’s earthly mission.

Musicians have commented that “Taps” is the most difficult twenty-four notes ever played. The challenge is to convey how great a love and sacrifice was given. Likewise, the final twenty-four hours of Christ’s life leading Him to the cross contained the most difficult steps ever taken. The love conveyed by the cross far outweighs any other love and sacrifice known to man. Sisters may both the sacrifices of our soldiers and our Savior live on with gratitude for the ultimate price paid.

Father God, we are humbled by the love You have shown us through the cross.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

“Slovak Prince is over there by the primroses, and Helen Collingwood is to the left of the sour cherry tree. Edith Wolford and Agatha Christie are nearby, in front of the tree.”

No, we weren’t having a garden party. These are a few of the residents of the garden; all irises.

Many a garden visitor wonders how I keep up with them all. First; I’ve been known to forget one or two. Second, they are my treasured standbys in the flower beds, so I’m interested enough to call them by name.

I even call my tomatoes by name. “Green Zebra” tomatoes or “Black Krim,” I watch them carefully to see which ones perform better or which are the better tasting tomatoes.

This is so significant when we think of the spiritual sense that our own Savior knows us and calls us by name!

“But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:2-3, NASB).

So, Jesus is involved in “name calling?” I’ve been called some pretty bad names over the years, but whatever my “given” name will be, that’s fine by me. I do love the name I was given when I was born, and have had to fight hard to get people to use it instead of the nickname I inherited from my Aunt Christine; not that I dislike the nickname at all.

But Jesus reserves the right to call me whatever he wishes! We are told we will get a new name, and this possibly could be just a figure of speech (Revelation 2:17). Maybe it’s going to be “Forgiven Christine” or “Redeemed Christine.”

Knowing and using a name makes it personal. Oh, how I wish I were better at remembering people’s names! Don’t you just feel really good when somebody important remembers YOUR name?

And what KIND of name does Jesus call me? Not something too descriptive and negative like “the fat gardener.” I use descriptive names to notate areas of the garden for my record keeping. “The dove arbor” is understood to be where the doves like to nest, for instance. Some descriptors are not as sweet sounding; “The dead peach tree area is one. “Me No See, You No Go” is another. We borrowed that last name from a map in Jamaica.

Nope, it’s not THAT kind of name-calling. You may have had a “pet name” used for you by someone who loved you, and I suspect the name Jesus uses for us will make those sweet monikers sound awful in comparison! Our hearts will melt at the sound of his calling our individual names!

“Blessed” is a good generic name. We can hang on to this for the time being.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”’ (Matthew 25:34).

Christine (Tina) Berglund

 

Psalm 147:4-5 “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

I spied it in the store and was drawn to it. The simple chain holding two small stars was not fancy and I did not need another piece of jewelry, however it was calling me. So, I picked up the box and read the inscription on the lid:

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

So, I purchased the necklace, for it reminded me of the sovereignty and power of God. Certainly, humans can never fathom the number of stars in the heavens. Isaiah’s conclusion to the matter placed God’s thoughts above the heavens in comparison to human thought.

But, have you considered God calculates far more than the number of stars?

God knows the number of hairs on our head. (Matthew 10:30) We may assume our physical attributes are of no importance to an eternal Father, but He lovingly and purposefully created us just as we are. And if every hair on our head matters, how much more do our hearts?

God knows the number of times we cry. He is intimately aware of our troubles and keeps a record of our tears. (Psalm 56:8 GNT) He knows how many times words have stung us and actions have wounded us. Our Heavenly Father cares and offers comfort and peace as healing comes.

God knows the number of times we stumble in our spiritual walk. (Hebrews 4:13) When our faith weakens, our God, whose understanding is infinite, sees the path before us and desires to reclaim us as His own. He reminds us of His incredible love for us; a love beyond understanding. (John 3:16)

Our God knows them all. He knows the number of times our bank account is overdrawn, our gas tank runs dry, and our bills pile higher than our cash flow. He knows the number of times a day we need an extra dose of patience. He knows the number of times we call out His name in prayer. (Psalm 139)

God knows every number in existence except one. Our all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful God does not know the number of our sins. When our hearts cry out for forgiveness, God says, “I will remember them no more.” It is because of Christ, our sins are not counted. What a glorious God we serve!

Father God, we cannot fathom the intimate ways you care for us. We are beyond grateful that forgiveness means our sins will not be counted.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

At the beginning of this year’s study in my 4^th and 5^th grade Bible class, I had only two boys. I always have the boys lead the prayer at the end of class. The first Sunday, I called on one of the boys, and he told me that he had never led a prayer. I admit that I was a little shocked, since I thought he would have at least led a prayer at home.

I asked this young man if he was willing to try, and he agreed. We talked about how to address God, praying for things that were meaningful to him, and closing the prayer in Jesus’ name.

His first attempt was a struggle; but as time has passed, he has become quite proficient in his prayers. The one thing I have noticed about his prayers is that they are always prayers of thanks. He never fails to pray for me and for our class. It sometimes brings tears to my eyes as I listen to his prayer of thanksgiving.

For someone who had never led a prayer, this young man has developed a habit of thanking God not asking God. It’s a lesson we could all learn to do more often. I know that God wants us to ask Him for things. He wants us to depend on Him and express our need for His help. I also believe He wants to know that we are thankful for what He does for us each day.

There are two passages of Scripture that can help us make more of our prayers about being thankful. The first is Philippians 4:11. Paul says, “…for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content”. Paul says that learning to be content was a learning process. Being content is a state of mind. When we are content, we can be thankful.

The second passage is First Thessalonians 5:17. Paul’s instruction here is to “Pray without ceasing”. He is telling us here to live in a devotional frame of mind. We need to be in a spirit of prayer. It’s a matter of the heart. If our heart is right, we can be thankful.

May we all try to live lives of thankfulness, be content with what is happening in our lives, and have a spirit of thankfulness to God in whatever circumstance we might find ourselves.

Sandra Oliver

This is a lecture on Christian women owning and operating a business.

Chatting with garden friends is always a joy, as we share the ups and downs of our feeble attempts to tend the earth and subdue it.

Today, however, in sharing my happy/sad feeling of losing some more garden space to yet another beehive, I used terminology that may not have been readily understood by someone who doesn’t keep bees. And no, Evelyn did not understand what a nuc box was.

While I did my best to explain the terminology, I realized that it might have been best to just call the thing a “mini-hive.” After all, the new colony will hopefully outgrow the nuc box very quickly and be transferred into a standard beehive.

Fellow beekeepers, see what I did there? I did NOT say, “transferred into a medium hive body,” or some such gobbledygook. My friend would understand if I bemoaned the fact that the new hive is directly on top of some new Veronica she shared with me a year ago. The rest of my friends and family would just call those “the little bright blue flowers.” While my friend is fluent in horticultural nomenclature, she doesn’t understand the language of beekeepers.

Do we use “ecclesiastical jargon” when we talk with the unchurched? That would be as foolish as my speaking “Melliferese,” or language pertaining to Apis Mellifera, the common honeybee.

It leaves the hearer with two options. They can ask what you meant, if they dare. They can stifle their embarrassment over not knowing what the word means — and you’ve wasted your breath and their time.

One preacher offers an invitation by saying, “We will give you the opportunity to sit on the front row as we stand and sing.” I often wonder if anyone gets the impression that the seat of honor at the front row is an end to itself, or has some mystical power.

My good hubby and I once studied with a couple who seemed to be ready to make the decision to put on Christ, and we offered to baptize them. What we failed to realize is that they hadn’t fully understood that the English word “baptize” still means “immerse” in spite of its misuse over the ages.

We had studied the mode of baptism, the reason for it, and the urgency and importance. They DID want to be immersed. We failed to understand that they still thought of baptism as a baby being sprinkled with holy water.

Thankfully, once things were cleared up, the husband and wife put on Christ (Galatians 3:27)  by being immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

True communication can only be accomplished when we understand one another. Sometimes that takes more work than we realize!

Christine (Tina) Berglund

 

SPIRIT OF FEAR: OVERCOMING FEAR

• Fear is part of human nature.

We know and probably have experienced the numerous ways the devil has tempted us in our lifetime. A lot of those temptations are described in 1 John 2:16:

1John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Some of the major temptations the devil tries to deceive us with…but also one of the biggest ways he can deceive us is by tempting us with fear.

We have no control over whether or not we are tempted to fear. But we do have the choice as to how we respond to it.

Luke 22:41-44

• Luke 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luke 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luke 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luke 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Psalm 22:11-22

• Ps 22:11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Ps 22:12  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

Ps 22:13  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

Ps 22:14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

Ps 22:15  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Ps 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Ps 22:17  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

Ps 22:18  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Ps 22:19  But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

Ps 22:20  Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Ps 22:21  Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Ps 22:22  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Jesus strongly valued God’s will over His own, which made Him able to overcome the intense fear the devil tempted him with.

I need to grow in the same will and love for the Lord, to obey His commands so that when I am tempted I will have the same mind to overcome it.

Why couldn’t God have planned for Jesus to die on the cross at an earlier time in His life?

Hebrews 2:16-18

• Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus endured the same trials we endure. Just because He never sinned does not mean His life was any easier than ours. God could have brought His will for Christ about much sooner than He did, but perhaps it was because He was still growing spiritually. So how can we grow spiritually and prepare our hearts so that we can endure as much temptation as He endured?

• The more faith we have in the Lord, the less we will fear things of this world.

Hebrews 11:23-27

• Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Even though Moses started out living in wealth and comfort, He willingly endured the affliction throughout his life because of his faith in the Lord. What if we do not walk by faith?

Numbers 14:22-24

• Num 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Num 14:23  Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

Num 14:24  But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 

The Israelites did not have an excuse for their unbelief. God gave them so many miracles (water in the rock, Red Sea, etc). But still they feared the people of Canaan, not believing in God’s promise.

Oftentimes in the heat of the moment, we can become overwhelmed at what we see or hear, and not think very clearly. To the Israelites, the land of Canaan with its giants looked humanly impossible to conquer, so their immediate response was to deny what God had promised them and trust In what they saw.

Deuteronomy 1:26-27

• Deut 1:26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God:

Deut 1:27  And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

Deuteronomy 1:34-45

• Deut 1:34 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,

Deut 1:35  Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,

Deut 1:36  Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

Deut 1:39  Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

Deut 1:40  But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

Deut 1:41  Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.

Deut 1:42  And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

Deut 1:43  So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

Deut 1:44  And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

• Deut 1:45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

Even though later they realized their sin and wanted to change it, it was too late. God gave them a chance to obey Him, but they wasted their chance.

What about me? God has given me one life, one chance to obey Him too. If I choose to walk by sight as the Israelites did, fearing that His requirements are too great for me, my end will probably look like theirs.

In order to overcome fear, we need to grow in faith to just do what the Lord commands whether or not we think it is good.

Isaiah 55:8

• Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

God is so much wiser than we are, why should we trust in our own judgement in uncertain times? And going deeper, what seemed to be the sole reason Israelites did not obey the Lord?  Their unwillingness to risk their lives. But is physical life more important than our soul?

ASTRID GLOTT

 

• Matt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

Which should we fear more? The possible outcomes of our situation, or our soul being lost forever?

The account in Daniel 3 is a good example of this.

 

Daniel 3:13-18

• Dan 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

 

They knew the king had no power beyond taking their physical lives; because they had such great faith, valuing their souls over their life, they did not fear losing their lives for God’s sake.

Hebrews 13:5-6

• Heb 13:5 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.

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

 

 

• How can we change our mindset to be willing to lose everything for the Lord?

It’s natural to fear how different things can affect us, maybe our job situation, or different political situations; sometimes this may even seem to hinder us from serving God in some ways. But we should consider that perhaps the times when we might fear are times when there is more opportunity to please the Lord and grow spiritually.

 

Remember David, running from Saul for so much of his life.

If we had to run from an enemy for years of our life, hiding in caves and traveling through wilderness, maybe it wouldn’t feel like we were accomplishing much for the Lord. But God used those years to accomplish his work in David’s heart.

 

So we too, may be put in this kind of situation: Maybe it’s a temptation to fear stressful or dangerous situations. But also it can be a temptation to simply despair that our life has no meaning or use. We may despair that our situations hinder us from what we could be doing for God. Consider how Paul and Silas handled such a situation.

Acts 16:19-25

 

• Acts 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

Acts 16:20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Acts 16:21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

Acts 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

Acts 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Acts 16:24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Acts 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

 

They likely would much rather be about the Lord’s business than stuck in prison. But even though they could not visibly accomplish anything for the Lord, they were still singing and praising God. (They saw their situation from God’s perspective (faith) so they were able to rejoice.)

We don’t have to be in perfect situations to serve and please God. So when we’re in situations that threaten some of the opportunities the Lord has given us, we should not fear, knowing that through any situation we can grow spiritually and gain more of God’s favor.

 

Like the Israelites, we can be afraid of hardship. We may think we aren’t able to bear it, or fear the future, if things look disheartening.

 

• 2Cor 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

2Cor 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

2Cor 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

2Cor 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

2Cor 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

2Cor 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

2Cor 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

2Cor 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

 

Physically speaking, Paul had everything to fear. But even after he was stoned and left for dead, he did not stop serving the Lord even when it was no less dangerous. But the extremity of his situations grew His faith.

He was almost continually in hardship, yet he was not depressed or fearful all his life.

 

Philippians 4:11-12

• Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Phil 4:12   I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

 

He was content in whatever state he was in. Even when things are not going well for us, it is still possible for us to be content.

2 Corinthians 12:9

• 2Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Cor 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

 

Oftentimes we can let our trials overwhelm us, so that it seems impossible to overcome a particular temptation. It’s easy to think sometimes, “I might be able to handle this better next time, but right now I just can’t.” But do we have faith in God’s promise that He IS able to make us stand?

Matthew 19:24-26

• Matt 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Matt 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

Matt 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

We aren’t able to overcome temptations of ourselves, it is God who makes us able. Because of that, we have reason to rejoice in the trials we’re given.

Acts 5:40-41      

• Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Acts 5:41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

 

Why would they rejoice in such extreme suffering? Because they knew this suffering was a result of God’s love for them; they were worthy of His chastening.

 

When we’re given a lot of temptations, it’s natural to think it’s a result of God just not caring about us.

 

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

 

But out of love He chastens us, and only by chastening can we learn to overcome sin and grow. So when we’re tempted, we should not fear or despair, but realize that it is a sign that God is working in our lives.

 

Ps 94:12  Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

Ps 94:13  That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

Ps 94:14  For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

 

Ps 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

 

1Pet 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pet 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

We should not be surprised or despairing when we’re faced with trials; God has very specific purpose in everything He causes to happen.

• Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his

 

Whenever we see or experience tragedy, it is especially easy to fear because it may seem so unnecessary to us. It’s a temptation to think, “Why would God allow that to happen?”

 

Lam 3:33  For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

 

It is not because he enjoys allowing grief and trauma in people’s lives.

 

Job 27:14-16

• Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

Job 37:15  Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

Job 37:16  Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

 

If God is perfect in knowledge, why do we have the right as His creation to discern whether His work is good or not?

 

• Deut 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is

 

• 2Sam 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

We are an extremely small fraction of His creation. We cannot see the bigger plan He is working, so oftentimes from our small viewpoint, things don’t always make sense.

• Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

 

But do we have to question God’s work, or can we just trust that His work IS perfect? If we don’t have faith in God’s goodness, it is a much bigger temptation to fear.

Psalms 92:4

• Ps 92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

Ps 92:5  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

 

• Ps 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

The more we grow in wisdom, the more we will understand God’s mercy.

 

Psalms 107 is a whole chapter about God bringing trouble to turn men’s hearts towards Him.

 

• Ps 107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

Ps 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

Ps 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

Ps 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

Ps 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

Ps 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

Ps 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

Ps 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Ps 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 

• Ps 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

 

Having faith in His goodness will greatly help us to overcome temptations of fear and despair.

 

• Ps 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

 

As we grow in wisdom, our hope in Him will grow also.

 

The more we grow in hope, the less we will fear what can happen to us or what might happen to what we love in this life.

 

• Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

 

He says “be thou faithful unto death” – and sometimes it can be a hard subject to think through. In physical terms, losing your life is fundamentally the worst thing that could happen to you. But what about the rest of the verse “and I will give thee a crown of life”? The devil makes it so easy to fear pain and suffering, that we oftentimes forget why we are willing to endure it. If we forget our hope, how could we have the strength to suffer? Without reminding ourselves of our hope, fear of suffering takes over, and we grow weaker.

 

• Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matt 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matt 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

What physical things do we value more than our souls? Are we actually willing to exchange these small, temporary comforts and enjoyments for eternal torment?

 

Hebrews 11:32-40

• Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 

Do people of the world go to these extents to obtain something they have desired, or something they believe they were created to do? Why not? It’s not only because they have no promises, but also because the things they are working for have no lasting value.

But we do have a promise, and we can trust that He will never be unfaithful to it.

Romans 4:16-21

• Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Rom 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Rom 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

Rom 4:20   He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

 

So what about us? Do we fear to give up our worldly attachments, even our lives, or do we have faith that God will make us able to?

 

• Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

• Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

 

He WILL fulfill His promise, and His promise is something greater than the world could ever have to offer.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

 

Hope in God’s promises is what kept the Christians in Hebrews 11 from falling from their faith, even under such immense pressure and temptation to fear. We too, should renew our minds of this same hope so that we will be prepared for different ways we may be tempted in the future.

 

2 Corinthians 4:16

• 2Cor 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2Cor 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Cor 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

The word “renewed” in verse 16 means to renovate. If we don’t constantly and zealously renew our hearts in faith (by hearing God’s words), we will grow weaker and more easily fall to temptation.

Ephesians 6:13-17

• Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 

• Ps 119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

 

Romans 8:31-39

• Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

If we are determined to serve the Lord, He will make us able to have a faith like Jesus’s one day. With that kind of faith, we will be able to overcome any temptation to fear, no matter how great it may be.

 

 

The prophet Isaiah witnessed the God of Glory on His throne in a vision (Isaiah 6). Imagine this majestic scene.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew and one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:1-4 NKJV)

As the Lord of hosts gave Isaiah a glimpse into His heavenly temple – observing the multi-winged creatures, the doors shaking as the message rang out and the encompassing smoke – it caused him to reflect upon some things. What can we today learn from this vision?

Who God Is 

This scene truly showed Isaiah Who God is (verse 3). Like the prophet, we also need to recognize the Lord’s nature. This takes study and application of His complete Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3). From a similar vision given by our Lord Jesus to His servant John, we learn God is holy and worthy of honor and glory (Revelation 4:8-11). The One, True, Holy God demands our reverence because we were created by Him (1 Peter 1:14-16; Hebrews 12:28-29; Psalm 99).

Who I Am

Seeing the glory of the Holy God caused Isaiah to examine himself in this light and to confess his sinfulness. “So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts’” (Isaiah 6:5).

As we come to know our Lord, we should realize our spiritual state (Luke 5:8; 18:13; Romans 3:23; 5:8). Men or women, rich or poor and darker complected or lighter complected, we all stand equal as sinners before the Holy God. He does not want us to stay in our sins but calls to us through His Word – to repent, to obey and to enter into His everlasting kingdom (Luke 13:3; Mark 16:16; Matthew 7:21).

God’s Mercy

In a merciful display, God forgave Isaiah of his sins. “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged’” (Isaiah 6:6-7).

Christ Jesus, God in the flesh and our Great High Priest, made freedom from sin possible (John 1:14; Acts 4:12; Hebrews 7:25-27). The Spirit through the writer of Hebrews stated:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

My Responsibility

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8). As the Lord called out, Isaiah realized his responsibility. Being redeemed by the blood of Christ should cause us to see our responsibilities (2 Corinthians 5:10-12; 1 John 4:19). Our love must compel us to share this good news with others, warning them that sin leads to death and hell fire (Romans 6:15-19; Matthew 25:41). May we have courage like Isaiah and prayerfully respond, “Here am I! Send me.”

God’s Mission

The throne room scene does not end there. The Lord told Isaiah what he was to go tell the people, though, not quite what we would expect. “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Summary

Being privileged to have the completed revelation of God – the New Testament – we have an advantage over Isaiah. We can look back through history and see that first-century Israel did not understand the Gospel of Christ. Indeed, as a whole, the nation rejected the Messiah about which their Scriptures prophesied in detail. It is interesting that these verses in Isaiah 6 were quoted by Jesus and recorded in Matthew 13:13-15, Mark 4:11-12 and Luke 8:10 right before He explained to the disciples the Parable of the Sower. Also, the apostle Paul in Acts 28:25-27 reminded his Jewish listeners of this prophecy as he informed them that “the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it” (Acts 28:28). Now, through the one spiritual body of God’s Son, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, His mission is being carried out (Ephesians 3:10). Some will believe the message and obey – praise God! However, many will not believe, but that does not negate our responsibility to teach. Thus, we press on, sowing the seed, carrying out the Lord’s mission and remembering the Holy and Glorious God we serve (Luke 19:10; Matthew 28:19-20).

Emily Fisher

Last week we studied about Martha and her need to serve. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with wanting to feed and care for guests in our home; but like all things, caring for guests must take its proper place. Today we will look at Mary and her desire to study and learn from the Lord.

Among those I count as good friends, there is a lady who truly knows God’s Word. She can quote many passages, and she knows more about the history of Israel than most preachers. She has spent years studying God’s Word and teaching others. It is such a joy to spend time with her and to talk with her about the Bible.

Mary was evidently like my friend. She wanted to be where she could hear Jesus teach. We find her sitting at the feet of Jesus. Have you ever thought that this was not the place a woman should have been? Women did not sit at the feet of religious teachers. They did not engage in formal biblical learning, place themselves in close physical contact with a rabbi, or sit in a group of men. I suppose there may have been other women there, but there may not have been. At the very least, this was a somewhat unconventional interaction of a woman with a rabbi and a group of men.

Later, in John 12, we find Mary anointing Jesus’ feet and drying them with her hair. This was another unconventional behavior on the part of Mary. She loosed her hair and exposed herself in a way respectable women usually did not do. Notice, though, that in neither instance does Jesus reprimand her for what she does.

Mary was surely used to helping with the serving of meals and other household duties. Even if there were servants in the house, there would have been certain duties for the women of the house to perform. Mary simply chose not to help Martha but to listen to Jesus.

Some people just don’t “serve.” I doubt that Mary was that kind of person. Her not serving was not to get out of work but her desire to listen to Jesus. When she anointed the feet of Jesus, she was performing an act of service. The feet of all guests had to be washed, usually by a servant. In this case, Mary used expensive oil to anoint Jesus’ feet, and she was not thinking about the propriety of what she was doing. Her actions were based on her love for a dear friend. She was criticized by one of Jesus’ own disciples, Judas Iscariot. He did not criticize her for her act of love for their Master, but for the cost of the oil she used. He said that the ointment could be sold, and the money given to the poor. Jesus rebuked Judas, telling him they would have the poor forever; but she was anointing His body for burial. John tells us that Judas wasn’t really concerned about the poor. He was concerned about money, because he was a thief.

We learn some valuable lessons from Mary. Her attitude of desire for the Word puts study and worship in a true perspective. The same should be true of us today. We should desire a time of study and prayer to strengthen and encourage us.

Sometimes we women are more concerned about getting food on the table than sitting at the feet of Jesus. When I read this story, I think about how women are today. If we have a fellowship following worship, there are often several ladies that leave before the end of the service to “get the food on the table.” We are more concerned about the physical than the spiritual.

Women can learn other lessons from these women. We don’t have to always be in charge. Sometimes, we can just be a helper or watch from a distance. We don’t have to be a part of every activity, every event, every class, or every good work. Sometimes, we just may not be able to be there or participate. It is ok. Sometimes we, like Martha, become burdened with serving and forget our own need to learn, to be strengthened, to be fed with the Word of God.

I think there is one valuable lesson we need to remember about this story of Mary and Martha. We all need to be servants, but we also need to be students of the Word. We need to all take time to just listen and learn. We need to study God’s Word more closely and deeply so we can apply it to our daily lives. We need to memorize God’s Word. We need to be willing to share what we learn with others. We need to remember, however, that if you sit at the feet of Jesus long enough, He’ll tell you to get up and get busy. Whether you are a Mary or a Martha, you need to serve and you need to learn.

Sandra Oliver

Damaged goods. That’s how we try to explain our foibles and faults, as if we are simply products of our own circumstances.

Plants have a way of teaching us life lessons, and recovering from injuries is no exception. To be sure, it is not a good idea to allow bad circumstances, i.e., poor watering, injury, disease, pests etc. to ravage a plant and then expect a beautiful flower or bountiful harvest. Similarly, we don’t abuse children to “toughen them up.”

It is nothing short of amazing to see people whom we admire reveal that they were raised in less than an ideal climate.

Some of the true spiritual giants have suffered unusually hard times and have come out to be strong, empathetic, and amazingly productive people.

In fact, lately I wonder if it is because of these troubles, and not in spite of them, that some people become such tremendous Christian examples.

Two of my favorite trees have suffered from my negligent care and have come out amazingly well. The Kwanzan Cherry that had a rope embedded around the top of its trunk is now a showstopper in April. The parts that died from the wound have left a little “shelf” where the limbs grow. It’s a handy place to get up into when stringing the lights that look so pretty all year long, casting a soft ambience on the patio.

Then there is George Burns, the curly willow tree. He got his name because a careless yard boy made a small fire of garden trash near him, and he got a little singed from the flames. He’s still gorgeous. Even the scars where we lopped off some limbs seem to give him “character.” Sure, we should have pruned him before the extra branches got four inches wide, but sometimes things get put off too long in any garden. Bad stuff happens.

It happens to the best of us. Well…maybe that’s why some of the best seem to have had a rough past. They allowed those trials to make them better people.

It seems that those who are the kindest and most understanding have gone through things that cause them to avoid letting others suffer those experiences. They understand the emotions and struggles of others, because they have been there.

There is a difference between sympathy and empathy.

Sympathy is a “shared feeling,” or “agreement in feeling.”

Empathy, on the other hand, is defined as “the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.”

Empathy is more invested. Sympathy “feels,” but empathy “identifies.” We feel more deeply, as if we were going through the same trials as the person with whom we are empathetic.

There are several patches of creeping phlox throughout the garden, but when this low-growing perennial is trampled on, it dies. This happened to the largest piece of it a few years ago. As if feeling sorry for the middle, the edges also wilted for a while. After replanting the pieces, they did bounce back; then they each grew large and beautiful.

One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is also the shortest. It might indicate how Jesus took on the feelings of those around Him. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried” (Isaiah 53:4a).

When we go through tough times, it may just be the way to become more empathetic, more caring, and more in tune with the needs of others. We can let these trials make us better tools in God’s toolbox!

On the other hand, we could become “damaged goods.” Which will we choose?

Christine (Tina) Berglund