1 Corinthians 10: 12 “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

It was pep-rally day and my fifth graders were excited beyond learning. In middle school, this day (along with new seating-chart day) ranked as the best! This was their first pep-rally, so I cut math class short to discuss pep-rally etiquette. (hence one reason it was a favorite!) I explained there would be no game and no concession stand, but they should cheer loudly anyway. However, they must never laugh at the cheerleaders should they mess up.

As we made our way toward the crowded bleachers in the gym, my mind was focused upon locating our assigned section. Giving no thought to my steps, at mid-court my toe caught the cheerleader mat. There for the viewing pleasure of the masses, I performed the most undignified, head-over-heels crash-landing ever witnessed, far surpassing any cheerleader-stunt they were about to behold! As I lay face-down on the mat wishing the gym floor would swallow me up, I became aware of the roars and cheers coming from the audience, all chanting my name. (Rule of thumb: Middle-schoolers always laugh at mess ups!)

My nose-dive that day was totally unanticipated, catching me off-guard while my attention was focused elsewhere. It was devastating and cost me every ounce of dignity I possessed. However, it turned out to be the highlight of my students’ year and lives on in infamy to this very day!

Scripture uses a similar scenario to impress upon us the ease of falling into pride. Wise King Solomon must have been familiar with pride for in Proverbs 16:18 he wrote, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Unfortunately, powerful King Uzziah in II Chronicles 26, disregarded Solomon’s wise words and allowed his arrogance to overtake his righteousness. Pride convinced the king to trump God’s decrees with his own desires. When King Uzziah entered the sacred temple and approached the altar, he was fully aware his actions were an abomination before the Lord. Uzziah’s reign was cut short due to his haughty spirit, for God struck him with leprosy, condemning him to a life of isolation.

Pride is a compelling vice. It convinces us our personal desires surpass God’s will. As Solomon predicted long ago, pride’s path is a roadmap to destruction.

Today, on the rare occasion I find myself walking across a basketball court, I recall my epic fall and proceed with caution. I stand as a witness that falls come quickly and without warning. But so does our pride, dear Sisters. Be on guard!

Father God, open our eyes to the destructive path of pride.

Rita Cochrane

Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:23 “BEHOLD a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.” (KJV)

Have you ever given thought to the word, “behold?” In the case you have skimmed right over it in scripture your entire life, then welcome to my club. However, when I noticed the numerous times “behold” was used in the recounting of the birth of Christ, I decided to search its meaning. What I discovered was something worth beholding.

It seems the word “behold” means, “To fix your eyes upon a remarkable or impressive person or thing.”

Now if I were to translate “behold” into my every-day, common talk, I might say, “Hey guys, you gotta see this! This is incredible!” And think about it. From the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation, we behold all things marvelous and astounding.

So this Christmas, behold as Immanuel, “God with us,” was born in a manger in the darkness of night. Behold a choir of angelic heavenly hosts who sang to announce to the world our Savior’s birth. Behold as the creator of the universe, the Great I Am, and the Lord Most High walked among us in the flesh!  Behold a Messiah who calmed the storms, walked on water, and raised the dead! And behold a Savior’s compassion so great that all barriers of culture, race, and tradition shattered.

So, as many give thanks for the Lord  this season, take a moment to behold. But as you do, prepare yourself to be perplexed by the magnitude of it all.

Blessings as you behold all things spectacular this Christmas,

Rita Cochrane

“The Plant Lady.” So says the mug one of my customers brought me when I was sick with that thing that’s going around. Yes, I guess that’s what I am; I sell plants because my yard produces so many of them.

In a good week during the growing season my little cottage industry has netted our family more than a part-time job. My “Yard Boy” (husband) thinks it should BE my job.

And what a fun job it would be! I get to meet the nicest people, I’m outdoors away from concentrated germs, and I get to do something I love to do; raising, nurturing, and propagating plants. One huge drawback is the issue of having to count (and account for) every penny that comes in or goes out of the proverbial cookie jar. And by “proverbial,” I mean almost literal.

Do we need to buy a pizza because we got so busy with yard work there’s no time to cook? Grab some money from the jar. Do I need more potting soil? Grab some money from the jar. Do we need to buy beekeeping equipment? Grab some money from the jar.

At the end of the year, when it’s time to figure up how to render to Caesar the things that are Ceaesar’s, the math should add up. How much came in, how much went out, and how much of the outgo was really garden expense? Ugh. Well, that just takes the fun right out of gardening. Math!

This brings to mind a memory of a full week of doing something similar on a bigger scale. A lifetime ago, I worked as a secretary the president of a manufacturing company. Truth is, Mr. Doran didn’t give me much to do, so I filled out my day helping out either on the switchboard or in bookkeeping.

The company accountant could not reconcile the books without coming up with a two cent difference over and over. I was tasked with finding it, and it took many grueling days of checking and double-checking. Hours and hours were spent adding up long columns of figures on a manual adding machine, and not one of those fancy new “ten-keys.”

Now, for those of you not familiar with accounting, a two cent difference is rarely an issue about two pennies. It could be a $3,496.32 amount not entered, combined with two other entries on the other side…say, in the amounts of $2,236,75 and $1,259.59.

Though I understood why it was important to do so, It still intrigued me that the company paid me a week’s wages to try to find two cents.

We humans cannot fathom why it was necessary to send God’s own Son to earth to suffer and die for our sins. We can’t be THAT far off of God’s requirement for righteousness, can we? Well, in fact, yes; we can and we are.

“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2, NASB).

God’s complete, perfect righteousness cannot abide the presence of unrighteousness. It may look like “small change” to us, but to a perfect being it is enough to separate us from Him. He requires perfection. Thankfully, He also supplies it through the blood of His own beloved son! It was never something we could do for ourselves.

Reconciliation requires an agreement, just as those books I pored over required agreement. Thanks be to the Savior who came to set the accounts right!

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (Colossians 1:21,22).

Christine (Tina) Berglund

Though you may not be aware of it, I suspect that at some point in our lives we have asked one of these questions. From where did I come? Why am I here? How am I to live? Where am I going?

Do any of those sound familiar? You may have been asked one or more of them by your children. There is one question that almost every child asks. Where did I come from? That is sometimes a dreaded question for parents, because it often comes when we are least prepared to answer it.

We hear so much these days about worldview. Everyone wants to know what your worldview is. Are you a believer in creation, or are you a believer in atheism and evolution? I suspect that most of those reading this are creation believers, but can you answer these four important questions which also answer the atheist and the evolutionist?

There is a long list of famous people who did not believe in the existence of God. Some are considered among the most intelligent men and women of our generation, and they consider those who believe in God and His creation of the  world as stupid. But their lack of belief in God does not make them right.

Some atheists are intellectual. They base their beliefs on what they think they can prove from science. The laws of science, however, deny atheism and evolution. Some simply practice atheism because they prefer not to believe in God. Then there are those who are Christian atheists. They believe in a creator but want to go their own way and do what they want.

If this life is all there is, what is the point? That is why there are no morals in our nation. Morals require a source. In the world of the evolutionists, where is the moral compass? There is no source; therefore, there are no moral values.

Though there are many aspects to this idea of a worldview, I want us to think specifically about the Christian atheist. These are among some of your closest friends and relatives. Paul describes them in Romans 1. They suppress the truth. God has shown them the truth—His eternal power and His divine nature. “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:21-22). These are men and women who were believers but turned against the things they once believed to be the truth.

Later on, Paul says they lusted after impure things, dishonored their bodies, exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped things instead of Him. If you keep reading, you get the real truth about homosexual behavior. We can’t deny that Paul through inspiration puts this sin with all the others listed in verses 29-31.

The sins Paul lists are like those in Galatians 5:19-21. All of these warnings sound like our world today. It is operating with an atheistic worldview. Paul says those who practice these things deserve to die (verse 32), but look at the rest of the verse. He says that those who give approval to those who are sinning also deserve to die. We are compelled by the Scripture to address sin. If we don’t, we are no better than those who are committing the sins.

The only way we can answer the four important questions is through faith in a power greater than any atheist or evolutionist. Numerous passages in God’s Word answer our first three questions. The last one is also answered, but it is up to us to determine whether it will be eternity in an indestructible fire or the security and love of the One who created us.

Sandra Oliver

David became angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah” (2 Samuel 6:8).

I had a friend and mentor when I was still a fairly new Christian. She was excited about her Christianity and she was a wonderful influence on the young people with whom she came into contact. It was a joy to see her celebration of life.

Unfortunately, early in their marriage her young husband died. She was so upset and angry that she blamed God. She had worshiped her husband and her life with him so much that, without him, she refused to worship God.

As a result, her children grew up without God and the influence of the church. By the time she finally returned to God later in life, it was too late for her children.

David was in a celebratory mood. He was bringing the ark home to Jerusalem. Suddenly, the party mood was broken when God struck Uzzah dead for touching the ark. David’s joy turned to anger toward God. Refusing to take the ark any further, he left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

“Thus the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household” (2 Samuel 6:11).

Now, David was no fool. When he found out that Obed-edom’s house was being blessed because of the ark, he decided to bring it home to Jerusalem after all. Apparently, his anger toward God had dissipated enough for him to realize that he was missing out on the blessings.

Job is another example of the exuberant celebration of life cut short. His children and everything that he owned were taken from him. In one day, Job’s happy life disintegrated before his eyes.

After the loss of his family, later, his body became infected with boils and he was totally miserable. But when his wife advised him to just go ahead and curse God and die, he rebuked her.

“Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10).

Job, in physical and emotional pain, even though he didn’t understand why all these bad things were happening to him, refused to turn his back on God.

The thing about the crises in our live is that they happen when everything seems to be going well. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a crisis! The question is, do we love God during those times? Do we lean on him or do we curse him?

Job spent seven days with his friends, questioning God and his intentions. When he finally accepted that God had his own reasons, God blessed him.

David, because of his anger toward God, spent three months letting someone else enjoy the blessings that rightfully belonged to him and to the house of Israel. When he got over his anger, God blessed him.

My friend spent years and years being mad at God. Finally, when she got over her mad, God once again blessed her life. But she lives to this day with the consequences of her prolonged anger toward God.

Anger can hurt us. It can hurt our relationships, our peace of mind, our health.

Anger towards God deprives us of the blessings that can come through adversity. It deprives us of the strength that comes only from him. And if left unchecked, it deprives us of eternal life with him.

God understands that we get angry (Ephesians 4:26). So instead of forbidding it, he gives us the best advice: get over it quickly!

Barbara Ann Oliver

I’m a lover of flowers. I suppose I get it from my grandmother and my mother. Both of them had that special touch, and love for God’s beautiful floral creations. Granny taught my mom, and my mom taught me about when and where to plant varieties that have certain needs. For instance, orchids. Neither one cared much for orchids. Why? Because they require a lot of attention, need delicate treatment, need a certain amount of moisture. and the list goes on. Orchids love places like Hawaii where their delicate needs are met. Therefore, Granny and Mom had no interest in orchids.

On the other hand, they enjoyed planting all kinds of hearty flowers. Grandmother especially loved dahlias, marigolds, and sun-loving flowers or creeping vines. Last fall my mom taught me what to plant in my fall flower beds. She said, “Pansies are what you want to go in your beds through the winter, because they will survive the cold.” She was right. This winter they even survived freezing temps and a three-day snowfall. Yes, they are hearty and can be planted in just about any place. They do not require a lot of attention, nor a specific type of sun or shade. I love them!

Why am I writing about orchids and pansies? They remind me of some people. There are Orchids who require much attention. Their egos have to be stroked. Their environment has to be just right—not too much expected of them in the way of involvement. They need delicate handling or they get “bent out of shape.” The easy path is the one they choose.

Then there are Pansies who are survivors. They will continue with the work at hand despite disappointing encounters with other people or life itself. David experienced  disappointment in some of his closest companions. But there was One who never forsook him. He wrote, Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah  But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.…I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around (Psalm 3:1-3, 6).

         Pansies do not succumb to the cold hearts of cynics and critics. They strive to rise above them. Paul encouraged, Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:12-15).  He added for good measure, And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23).

         Pansies are humble and need no “stroking.” Paul wrote Titus, Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men (Titus 3:1-2).  Peter said, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:6; James 4:1o).    

         Hardships and illnesses do not keep Pansies down because they rely on and trust in the Lord. Hardships have the ability to  bring us closer to the Lord. David wrote, Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.  And David realized that the affliction drew him closer to God’s word, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:67, 71).

         Pansies do not seek the good or easy life. Even though good things come their way, the path they choose is not always the easiest to navigate. It is not easy to stand up for truth, when everyone espouses error. It is decidedly unpopular to go against the majority, when it promotes evil doing. Jesus anticipated this and said, Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:13-14). When the gate is narrow and the way is difficult, we lean on Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ, Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12).

          Pansies Christians have one thing foremost on their minds and in their plans—sharing the gospel with lost souls. JoAnn Howe was a Catholic nun who obeyed the gospel in 1968. She wrote “A Change of Habit” and “From Nun To Priest.” When she woke up each morning, she said this prayer, “Father, lead me this day to a seeking soul!” We, too, should pray this prayer and ask God to give us courage to walk through the open doors of opportunity.

The world is comprised of many different kinds of  people—Orchids, Pansies, and everything in between. Each one has value in the eyes of God. But every one is not admired by God.  We definitely need more Pansies in the world to spread peace and good will. And we need more Christian Pansies, whose mission in life is to serve the Lord in whatever capacity or place is needed to grow the kingdom of the Lord, and do so with all their might!

The important question is, which one are you? Orchid or Pansy?

Todays’ Verses:  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17); Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased (Hebrews 13:15).

Audios available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com

by Teresa Hampton

Matthew 1:21 “And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” NKJV

“Tis the season” to breathe in fragrances of holly and pine, for the malls (despite social distancing) to fill to capacity, and for our thoughts to turn to Santa’s Naughty and Nice list. But, are you aware it was Matthew, the apostle and writer, who wrote the first Naughty and Nice list? Check out Matthew 1.

Before Matthew recorded the birth of baby Jesus, he gave us a glimpse of our Savior’s ancestors. His list included lots of naughty names. Jacob lied and schemed his way into an inheritance that was not his. For revenge, Judah was tricked into his daughter-in-law’s bed. Rahab was the town prostitute. David was an adulterer and murderer. Solomon allowed idolatry in his household. Ahaz defiled the temple of God. What an undeniable list of brokenness and unlikely DNA!

If we consider the genealogy of Jesus, we can discover a piece of ourselves there, for we too are far from perfect. Our hearts will also in moments of weakness stray. Our lives will at some point turn from our maker. Our actions will grieve the Lord.

But take heart! What Matthew records is not simply a list of naughtiness, for if we follow these infamous stories, we discover something amazing. Jacob prevailed through his struggle with God and man and became “Israel.” Judah became the first in scripture to make a public confession of his sin. Rahab’s faith in the true God meant she was spared death and adopted by God’s people. David returned to the Lord and became “a man after God’s own heart.” Solomon built the temple. And although King Ahaz had few redeeming factors, he did leave behind a godly offspring who led Israel in their return to Jehovah. Sisters, this is a list of redemption!

Our Heavenly Father does His perfect work through imperfect people. It was God Himself who hand-picked this list of ancestors, flaws and all, to bring Perfect Hope into the World. So, this Christmas season as we consider Santa’s Naughty and Nice list, may we focus on a baby who came into this flawed world to redeem us and save us. May we radiate the love of the Father as we submit to Him, allowing His mercy and grace to write our chapters and inscribe our names on His Everlasting List.

Father God, we are grateful for the undeserved love You extend that redeems us and places our names on Your List.

Blessings of His Redeeming Love,

Rita Cochrane

I love it when one of my students makes a statement that makes me realize they really are listening and thinking about what God’s Word teaches. Such a revelation occurred last Sunday in my Bible class.

We are studying the book of Acts, taking it basically chapter by chapter. Last week’s lesson was on the conversion of Saul. I love teaching this story, but I gained a new perspective from it from one of my students. I think sometimes we miss important treasures when we teach children. We often forget that they are capable of learning so much more than we expect from them.

The story is familiar to most of us. What we gain from it is different for someone who does not truly study the entire account from Acts 9. Saul, traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus, was on a mission to persecute those people of The Way. That is what he called those who had proclaimed themselves to be disciples of Jesus Christ. He was capturing both men and women, beating them, and throwing them in prison. He had obtained the proper papers from the chief priest, and he was accompanied by a group of men, probably soldiers. As he traveled, a bright light could be seen in the heaven, and he fell to the ground. A voice called out to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4 ESV). Saul’s response was to ask the voice to identify Himself. The voice responded that He was the one Saul was persecuting. Here is where the difference is. Many believe that Saul was saved right here, on this road, without further action.

If we read on in the text, we see that the voice tells Saul to go into Damascus, and there he will learn what he needs to do. There is more than hearing a voice and falling to the ground. In addition to this shocking experience, Saul is blinded, unable to see anything and must be led to Damascus by the men accompanying him.

Here is where the revelation occurred in my class. One of my students quickly injected into the lesson, “He walked by faith, not by sight.” That is exactly what he did. He depended on others to get him where he needed to go. He obviously accepted the instructions he had been given. That is exactly what the Lord expects from us, and that is why Saul, later known as Paul, told the Corinthians, “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (Second Corinthians 5:7).

Saul’s faith had to be completed by his obedience to the instructions he received from Ananias in Damascus. He spent three days in prayer, He related this event twice before the authorities, defending his own faith in Jesus Christ. He told them how Ananias told him to “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).

Paul passes along his experience with walking by faith when he writes his letter to the Romans. In chapter 8 verses 24 and 25, he tells them the things we see are temporal. It is the things we do not see, the spiritual things, that count.

The writer of Hebrews says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith substantiates all of those things we read about in God’s Word, but do not fully understand. Eternal life depends on our faith.

Saul could not know what was ahead of him, but he traveled through life in faith. He was first a sinner, a persecutor of the Lord’s disciples, a religious man on the wrong track. Through faith and obedience to a greater authority than the Roman government, the old man Saul became a new creature. He was a Pharisee, a Roman citizen, a man with authority, and a persecutor God’s people, but he became a child of God. He preached in the synagogues, traveled the world, suffered many persecutions and trials, but remained faithful until death.

I’m so glad my precious student gave us more to think about than just the conversion. He certainly made me take a second look at Paul’s walking by faith.

Sandra Oliver

It’s Thanksgiving Day as you read. I hope it is the beginning of a holiday season that will bless your heart with warm memories for many years. For some, though, the holidays will bring painful memories of abuse or loss of a loved one or long days of mental torture or longer nights of physical pain. Even with the challenges that come to all people in a fallen world, the church of God, the redeemed, have constant cause for joy and thanksgiving. We are gathered around his banquet table every day of every year as we walk in His light.

Psalm 103 is a great place to go on this Thanksgiving week to be reminded of the depth of the Lord’s mercies on His spiritual Israel. Here is David’s list of the blessings, from that chapter, showered by the Father on the Old Testament nation. How many of these are just as real to the church, the people of God, today? I challenge you to go down this list and check off the ones that are applicable to you, personally. How many of these are very real and tangible in your own life in 2016? As I made this list, I realized, at once, the inconceivable nature of His blessings and my own worthlessness. There is some realm or area of my life and of His mercies in which I can check off each one! Here’s the list:

• Forgiveness of iniquities
• Healing of diseases
• Redemption from destruction
• A crown of lovingkindness and mercy
• A mouth satisfied with good things
• Renewed youth
• Execution of judgement for oppressed
• Ways made know to Moses
• Acts made known to Israel
• Mercy
• Grace
• Slowness to anger
• Dealing NOT according to sins
• Removal far from transgressions
• Pity like a Father
• Remembrance that we are dust
• Everlasting mercy
• Righteousness to grandchildren
• A prepared throne
• A kingdom that rules
• Angels that excel in strength

I love to contemplate every one of these. But the one I love the most is that He deals not with people (me) according to their sins. There are no words for the gratitude that swells in me when I understand that he will not treat me as I deserve to be treated. He will look on me and not see sin in its blackness. He will reach to me and not touch the filth of sin. He will listen to me and never hear the wretched voice of sin that anguishes in my pleas. He will savor the sweet smell of my worship and not smell the stench of guilt. Surely if David could extol His mercies and claim his deliverance in the days of animal sacrifices, how much more can I bask in the blessings of forgiveness; living, as His child in the shadow of the cross! “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1)

Cindy Colley