Some time ago, I heard this sermon, “How Can We Deceive Ourselves?” When I heard the title, my ears perked up. I felt this was a lesson I really needed to hear and learn what to do to not deceive myself. I knew it was something I must put into my daily life. I am afraid we all at times deceive ourselves, and I know I do.

We want to believe we are better people than we really are. We say we have not done or said anything wrong, but what about our attitude toward others? The Scriptures teach us to take heed lest we fall in 1 Corinthians 10:12. This means not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. Therefore, we must be able to think of ourselves as we really are. What do we think of ourselves?

It is bad when we are deceived by others. When we are misled by others, we may be excused once. There is a saying that goes something like this, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” We must stay alert and follow God’s Word. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is always going about seeking whom He can devour or con, either by ourselves or by others. He wants us to believe a lie and to be deceived, just as he conducted himself in the Garden of Eden when he interacted with Adam and Even. The devil told Eve a lie by changing what God had told her and Adam by just one word. They were told to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for God said they would die. However, the sly devil came to her as a serpent and deceived Eve by lying to her. He told her she would not die (Genesis 3:3-8). Satan was very sly with his conversation with Eve. Is He sly with us, causing us to believe his lies?

The apostle Paul said in Galatians 6:7 and Thessalonians 2:2-3 that man can be deceived. We must keep ourselves focused on the Word of God and His commandments. By doing this it will be harder for anyone to deceive us including ourselves. We must always keep our eyes and ears open, because the Devil is watching and waiting for a weak moment for us to be scammed.

First John 4:1-2 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.” There are so many false teachers in the world – on the radio, on the television and on the Internet. We can turn any of these electronics on any time of the day and hear false teaching. Therefore, we must listen carefully to preachers, teachers, elders and anyone bringing us lessons from the Bible. Then, we must read and study the Word of God to check what we have been taught is the truth (Acts 17:10-11). If the teachings are false, do not deceive yourself by following the false teachers. We are told in James 1:22, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” We must obey God totally, rather than doing only what pleases us. The devil tempts us, and we do not want to fall into temptations, by which we deceive ourselves.

There are several ways we can deceive ourselves, such as:

• By building upon the sand just like the foolish man in Matthew 7:26-27. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

• By not bridling our tongues and letting whatever we think come out. The Bible says in James 1:26, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” Also, James 3:6 tells us, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

• By trying to balance evil with good. We are told in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Some Christians try to be good one day of the week – Sunday – and live like the devil the other six days of the week. We cannot straddle the fence, trying to serve God and Satan.

• By listening to human philosophers, against whom we are warned in Colossians 2:8. “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

• By hiding our sins. Others may not see our sins, but our Heavenly Father knows all and sees all. We are told in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Our spouses may not even know our sins, but God does, and we cannot hide anything from Him.

• By thinking too highly of ourselves. We learn in Galatians 6:3-5, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examines his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”

• By trying to mock God. Galatians 6:7-8 reads, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Please let us consider how important it is to be focused on living for the Lord and following His Word seven days a week. We must live a faithful life 24/7, not just when it is convenient. Let us not be deceived by ourselves, by anyone else or by the devil. We must follow God’s Word as best as we can to inherit eternal life. Revelation 2:10 reminds us of an incomparable reward that awaits the children of God. “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Martha Lynn Rushmore

Several students in my Bible class are moving to middle school this fall. They are both excited and nervous. This is so typical for this age, but I am always interested in hearing some of the before-class conversations among the students. Last Sunday was no exception. This time it was all about going to a new school and having a dress code. What evolved was a Bible teaching moment I just couldn’t pass up.

One of the girls told me that they must now wear certain colored shirts with tan pants or shorts. Their shirts must cover their hips, even if they wear leggings. Their shorts must be at their knees. One of the boys declared that it is about time they did something about the shorts. He said, “These girls wear these booty shorts all the time.” The remark got a laugh from the kids, and I almost lost it!

So, here is my teaching moment. I kept thinking, what can I say to that? So, I gave them a short lesson on God’s dress code. Since they studied about Paul and Timothy in VBS this year, I decided that was a good place to start. I told them how Paul instructed Timothy to teach the women to dress in modest apparel (First Timothy 2:9). We talked about what modesty means. They defined modesty as “appropriate clothes”, but we talked about one of the definitions being “shy”. The same boy that talked about the booty shorts said that shy is not the way the girls are dressing. My next question was, “Why do you think the girls dress that way?” They thought a minute, but no one answered. This same boy then said, “If I was a girl, I wouldn’t want the boys looking at me like they do at the girls”. Wow. He made my point, and I didn’t have to say it. We talked about being “a peculiar people” and being pure in heart. All of this took just a few short minutes, but it was a lesson I won’t soon forget.

Not only do our schools need a dress code, but our society needs a dress code. Remember when Adam and Eve sinned, the text says, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (Genesis 3:7 ESV). They were ashamed because they were naked. Society today does not know how to be ashamed. Ashamed means “embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations”. Adam and Eve did not have to be told they were naked. Their sin opened their eyes, and they knew. They were embarrassed because they were guilty of sinning.

Queen Vashti knew the value of appropriateness in dress. Sadly, the king had no respect for her or valued her as his wife. He asked her to appear at a drunken feast to show off her beauty. She refused. Her beauty was to be displayed for him, not the drunk men at his party (Esther 1).

The daughter of Herodias danced before her stepfather, and her provocative dance and dress led him to promise her whatever she wanted up to half the kingdom. Her request was for the head of John the Baptizer (Matthew 14).

Paul gave the young preacher Timothy some instructions on his teaching of women. He told him that women should “adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works” (First Timothy 2:9-10 ESV).

There is some interesting information about this passage in Adam Clarke’s commentary on First Timothy. He says that this was a reference to the dress of some of the Grecian and Roman women. Their usual dress was a long piece of cloth, doubled in the middle, and sewed up on both sides, leaving room only for the arms. At the top of the dress, a piece was cut out, or a slit made through which the head passed. It hung down to the feet, sometimes without sleeves. Some of the Greek women wore them open on each side, from the bottom up above the knee to reveal their thighs. This command was to direct them not to imitate those who, “through impurity or littleness of mind, decked themselves merely to attract the eye of admiration, or set in lying action the tongue of flattery.”

I have advocated for years that modesty, or lack thereof, is a matter of the heart. I think what the young man in my Bible class said proved this.

The dictionary defines modesty as “dressing or behaving so as to avoid impropriety or indecency, especially to avoid attracting sexual attention”. Let’s be honest. Do we really think this definition fits the dress of women we see today?

I often hear the argument, “Times have changed. Customs are different.” The Bible does not change. It was written for all times. There is no reason to have discussions about whether skirts are too short, tops too low cut, fabric being too shear and revealing, or what items of clothing we can and cannot wear. Modesty is a matter of the heart, wanting to be obedient to God. We will know whether what we have on is modest. We can ask ourselves, “Why do I want to wear this item of clothing? Our answer may surprise us. We should be prayerful about the items of clothing we wear. We should ask ourselves, “If the Lord comes, is this the way I want Him to find me?”

Sandra Oliver

The ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome believed in a multitude of immortal gods and goddesses who interacted with mortal men and women. The gods and goddesses had expectations for human behavior, and they punished those who broke the rules. One common theme throughout Greek and Roman mythology describes the punishments given to those who committed the worst offense – excessive pride or hubris (Edgar 2).

Hundreds of years before the Greek and Roman civilizations, God’s inspired penmen addressed the human condition of excessive pride. “For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty [prideful] looks” (Psalm 18:27 NKJV). “The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground” (Psalm 147:6). “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility” (Proverbs 18:12). God considers excessive pride an abomination (Proverbs 6:16-17).

Notice in the verses above that pride is contrasted with humility. The Old and New testaments praise those who are humble (Proverbs 15:33; 22:4; Matthew 18:4; Luke 14:11). Multiple verses command God’s servants to demonstrate humility (Colossians 3:12; Romans 12:16; James 4:10).

Humility Defined

Several Hebrew words in the Old Testament and several Greek words in the New Testament translate into our English words “humility” or “humble.” These words can also be translated into the English words “meekness,” “gentleness” and “subdue” in addition to phrases like “bring down” or “bring into subjection” (Strong’s). The general idea of humility or humbleness is an attitude of self-control, submission and an awareness of one’s place in this world. Time after time, God reminded the world that He is supreme. The attitude of humility is the responsibility of mankind, while the privilege of exaltation belongs to God (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 149:4; Daniel 10:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).

Biblical Examples

The account of God dealing with the Pharaoh of Egypt regarding the deliverance of the Hebrew people from slavery begins in Exodus 5:1. Moses repeatedly asked Pharaoh to let God’s people leave the land. Even after seven plagues, Pharaoh refused to grant the request, demonstrating an unwillingness to submit to Jehovah God. Exodus 10:3 reads, “So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” In contrast, Numbers 12:3 declares Moses as a most humble man. “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.”

Many of the kings of Israel and Judah did evil in God’s sight. One such man was Manasseh, King of Judah. Second Chronicles 33:10 states that God spoke to this evil king and his people, but they would not listen. Manasseh did not acknowledge his place as inferior to the Almighty. Notice the result.

Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. (2 Chronicles 33:11-13)

Manasseh learned humility the hard way.

Josiah became king of Judah when he was eight years old (2 Chronicles 34:1). At age sixteen, he began to “seek the God of his father David” (34:3), which led to drastic changes in Judah (34:3-35:18). God rewarded Josiah for his humble attitude.

But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Concerning the words which you have heard – because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the LORD. Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” So they brought back word to the king. (2 Chronicles 34:26-28)

Acts 12:1-4 describes the persecution of the church by King Herod. The end of the chapter describes this arrogant man’s violent death. Herod appeared before the people dressed in a fine manner. The historian Josephus described his garments as made of silver that shone brightly in the sun (New Unger’s). When the people saw the splendor, they shouted, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” (v. 22). Herod did not deny the claim and God punished him. “Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died” (v. 23). God humbled this man in most painful manner.

Christian Responsibility

First Peter 5:5-6 reads, “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘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.” James records a similar statement. “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (4:6-7). Christians must submit to God and to each other. When God’s children are “clothed with humility,” they wear an attitude of service to others. Incidentally, both of these passages quote the Septuagint version of Proverbs 3:34 (Barnes’).

Consider the disposition of humility as commanded in the following verses.

• “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
• “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:1-2).
• “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).
• “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13).
• “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
• “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
• “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).

Final Thoughts

The world around us frequently does the opposite of what God commands, to their eternal detriment (Isaiah 5:20). Though many in the world praise the haughty and malign the humble, the ways of Almighty God remain the only path to Heaven (Matthew 7:13-14; John 14:6). “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Works Cited

Barnes’ Notes. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 1997.

Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Seattle: Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, 1994.

Edgar, Frank. Greek and Roman Mythology. Quincy, Illinois: Mark Twain Media, 1994.

New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, The. Chicago: Moody P., 1988.

Rebecca Rushmore

When my husband attended a Christian college, he had numerous Bible classes. One professor had a habit of singing a spiritual song during the testing process as he walked up and down the aisles. One day he was singing, “Will there be any stars, any stars in my crown…” One brave student sang out, “No not one, no not one…” Many chuckled, including the professor!

Will there be any stars in my crown? Will there be any stars in your crown? It is a very good question. The works of Christ’s followers are not meritorious. They are done to shine forth to the glory of God (Matthew 5:16). They likewise are a demonstration of our faith. James said, Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works… You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Faith without works is dead (vs. 14-24). The good deeds of Christians are works of obedience. We could never earn our way into heaven.  The earliest Christians leave a good example of such works.

Brothers and sisters provided for the needs of others. Dorcas made garments for widows (Acts 9:38-42). She was so involved in their care that when she died, Peter was called to come quickly. Upon arriving he found her deceased body in an upper room. He prayed and said, “Tabitha, arise.” She rose from the bed and he presented her to the astonished believers. Her good deeds were the impetus for her resurrection, which gave her the distinction of being the first person in new church to be raised. A Christian’s good works follow them beyond the grave, continuing to bless others!

Believers prayed for saints in distress. When Herod saw that putting James to death pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter, put him in prison and shackled him between two guards. Meanwhile, Luke says, Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church (Acts 12:5). During the night an angel appeared and released him. James reminds us, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16b). No doubt, the prayers of the church for Peter were heard and answered.

Saints prayed before making important decisions, So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed (Acts 14:23). This very thing occurs in churches today. The body of Christ prays before appointing shepherds and deacons, and sending out missionaries to their important work. Every part of our lives, big or small, should be guided with prayer. The year 2020, with its Covid-19 and other serious challenges, brought people to their knees, begging for God’s healing. Their effectual, fervent prayers were answered. Many people recovered. Praise God! Paul wrote, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

Christians were helpers. In his letter to the Romans, Paul mentioned the good works of brothers and sisters, I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also  (Romans 16:1-3).

Everything we do to serve others and draw them closer to Jesus bears fruit for the Lord. Paul explained, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10). Paul wrote similarly to the Ephesians, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). God designed us in advance specifically to be involved in good works!

Will there be any stars in my crown? Will there be any stars in yours?

Today’s Verses: This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:8). Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 4:13).

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

By Teresa Hampton

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

I remember vividly the day my daughter insisted she was big enough to try on clothes in the dressing room without me. The fact that I am a control-freak eliminated any possibility of buying sight-unseen, so I reluctantly agreed to her request on one condition: She must come out and model each outfit.

Having agreed upon the terms, I sat down on a nearby bench and waited.

And waited. . .

And waited some more. . .

I cleaned out my purse, filed my fingernails, chewed a piece of gum long enough to necessitate spitting it out, and conversed at length with a chatty salesclerk. My daughter had yet to model anything. So, I got up and began looking underneath the dressing room doors for her little feet. The anxiety over being labeled a “Peeping Tom” was far exceeded by my frustration.

When I finally spied her, confusion coupled with annoyance overtook me. Her little feet seemed to be dancing around in the small space. I whispered, “What on earth are you doing? You are supposed to show me your outfits!”

“I will but I still have my first one on,” she replied. “I just gotta know how it looks when I move in it!”

Oh, how my weary soul wanted to head home before my own clothes went out style. But honestly, I had to admit she was right! Moving around and living life in the outfit is different than just a quick try-on.

So, I returned to my bench and waited. . .

And waited. . .

I had plenty of time to consider how her innocent comment applied to my spiritual life. What if I treated scripture in the same way she treated her clothing? If I dressed each morning in God’s Word, how might it look and feel on me? What if I moved about life wearing love, joy, and kindness? If I wore these to work, to the grocery store, to the ballpark, and in maddening traffic jams, would the world see God’s beauty surrounding me?

This made good sense to the Apostle Paul who referred to God’s Word as clothing. In Ephesians, he wrote for us to “put on” or “wear” righteousness, peace, faith, and the Word of God. He even accessorized our wardrobes with a belt of truth and the hat of salvation! Yes, God supplies a FULL ensemble to protect us from the temptations of this world. So, friend, cover yourself in God’s Word today. Move around in it and you will quickly discover just how big scripture makes your heart look!
Father God, may we realize our beauty when our adornment is You.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Matthew 6:20-21 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Going through a daily scramble to secure the perfect face covering has become our reality. Seems we first choose clothing that speaks to our schedule, followed by shoes to support these activities, then, accessorize with some bling before reluctantly selecting from our ever-growing repertoire of masks.

There are issues to consider in this mask-selection process: Will we be required to communicate all day? A mask allowing us to speak audibly is key. How many consecutive hours will the mask be worn? One allowing us to breathe freely keeps us from passing out. Will it be taken off and on repeatedly? If so, a “no-fuss” style is imperative. So many rules for an accessory oblivious to us a year ago.

But it seems our mask-criterion has moved beyond functionality to include mask-envy. You know what I’m talking about: You see someone with a mask that catches your eye and no longer are you satisfied with the one on your face. It happened to me. I spied a woman with a sparkly mask and immediately wanted it. Not because I needed it. Not because I didn’t have one the very same style. Simply because it was shiny and mine was not. Its sparkle caught my eye.

“Lust of the eyes” is a killer of joy. Before spying the sparkle, I was content with the functionality of my mask. But the obsession for the “shiny” instantly consumed my thoughts and my google search.

Satan knows being drawn in by the glitter of the world is merely humanity’s first step to much greater ways of bowing to him. Recall the story of David and Bathsheba? As far as we know, David was happy and satisfied with his large kingdom – that is, until he spied the sparkle of Bathsheba. Her allure was just the beginning of David’s fall from grace, for his lust was followed by his arrogance, which led to adultery, which led to murder. How did it all begin? With sparkle envy.

Envy is Satan’s offspring. When the magnificence of our friends’ homes causes us discontent over our own humble abode, Satan wins. When we feel our family fails to live up to others’ social media posts, Satan is victorious. When our husband’s occupation seems less glamorous than her husband’s profession, marriage-joy is stolen. Satan wins as we exhaust our energy chasing earthly possessions, all of which will someday cover Satan’s domain in dust.

Contentment is our choice and choices reflect allegiances. We side with Satan when we harbor envy, greed, and discontentment. Sisters, may our choice be one of contentment. May the sparkle we crave come as we reflect the light of a loving Father who stores our treasures in heaven.

Father God, may our every thought and action be one that shines for You.

Blessings,
Rita Cochrane

Followers of Christ come in all sizes, shapes, races, languages, and ages. They each have their own special way of serving the Lord. Some are new at it; some are long-time servants. All are guilty of sin from time-to-time. None are perfect. All still need teaching, Bible study, and prayer.

There are some qualities that existed in the lives of the twelve selected disciples of Jesus. They were of different backgrounds, probably different ages, different in appearance, and different in their vocations. So, what made Jesus choose the particular men He chose?

I think we may all wonder about that question, but only an interview with Jesus in heaven will answer that. There are, however, some things we see in the selection of Peter, Andrew, James and John that serve as great examples for us as we think about being a disciple of Jesus.

In Luke 5, we find the story of the call of Peter, James, and John. Matthew tells this same story and includes Andrew. All of these men were fishermen. They were ordinary men with ordinary jobs, working to provide a living for their families. We find these men at the shore of the Sea of Galilee, washing their nets after an unsuccessful night of fishing.

Jesus arrives at the shore, and He is being pushed by the crowd of people interested in hearing Him speak. They were probably hoping to see some miracle. Finally, Jesus gets in Peter’s boat and calls him to stop his work and come push out away from the shore. Jesus then sits down and teaches the people from the boat. At the end of His teaching, Jesus tells Peter to launch his boat out farther and put his nets in the water to catch some fish. Peter tells Jesus that they have fished all night and caught nothing. Then Peter says, “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”

When Peter throws his net into the water, the net immediately fills with fish. As Peter tries to pull it into the boat, the fish are so many that the boat begins to sink. He calls to James and John; they fill their boat, and their boat begins to sink. Peter is overwhelmed with what is happening, and he falls down in front of Jesus proclaiming his sinful life. Jesus tells him and the other men that they should not be afraid. He says that from this time forward they will catch men. I guess we could say that Jesus has started His preacher training school.
There are lessons we can learn from this fishing trip. We see that Peter responds immediately to Jesus’ request. He doesn’t tell Jesus that he is busy washing his nets and can’t help Him, or that he just prepared his nets for the next fishing trip. He responded to the Lord’s need willingly. How many times have we said “no” to a request for help from the preacher, the elders, the deacons, another church member, or even a stranger in need of help? These men were willing to serve at the request of the Lord.

We all find there was cooperation from these men. When Peter needs help, he calls for James and John. They willingly stop what they are doing and come to his aid. Are we willing to work with our brothers and sisters in a cooperative effort, or do we have to be “in charge” in order to serve?

We don’t see Peter bragging to James and John that it was his boat that Jesus chooses to sit on to teach. He doesn’t choose to keep the fish for himself and leave his partners without their share of the daily catch. Do we like to receive the praise for having been chosen for a particular work or service, or do we do it with humility?

Peter confesses to Jesus that he is not worthy to have had Jesus preach from his boat and be the recipient of such a bountiful blessing. He confesses that he is sinful, but Jesus takes him just as he is. Are we willing to confess that we are sinful men and women, needful of God’s forgiveness each and every day?

Finally, when Jesus tells Peter that going forward he will catch men, I doubt that Peter, Andrew, James and John knew what was ahead of them. Peter would die a terrible death. James would be beheaded by King Herod. John would grow old and deliver a marvelous prophecy to the people of God. We don’t hear much about Andrew, but we can know that he would suffer for the cause of Christ just like the others.

Jesus wants us to be fishers of men, just like the men who followed Him through the three years of His life on earth and through the difficult times of the start of Christianity. We will need to be responsive to the needs that we see in the world. We need to learn to be cooperative people, willing to work with others to accomplish the Lord’s work. We need to be humble and serve the church as we live the Christian life. We need to confess that we are sinful in the sight of God and ask for guidance as we live the Christian life. Last of all, we need to be fishers of men. We can’t bring others to Christ if we don’t live a life pleasing to God.

Sandra Oliver

I Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? . . . Therefore, honor God with your body.”

During quarantine, cleaning out my house should have been my sport: every cabinet opened, every drawer dumped onto the floor, and every closet purged. All nick-knacks should have been evaluated as to whether they held sentimental value. If not, they could have disappeared, allowing for a bit more breathing room.

However, since I chose to spend quarantine differently, it should come as no surprise that all my ducks are NOT in a row.

Surely, the results of a purge would have been amazing! Items used could be quickly located. Opening cabinet doors would no longer require quick reflexes to duck from falling debris. And, certainly I would have discovered extra leisure time presently spent rummaging for lost items.

With such blissful thoughts of household peace and order, perhaps it is time to turn our focus inward. As we contemplate the joy in replacing chaos with harmony in our earthly homes, we must remember our bodies are the home where God’s spirit resides. So, just as we clear our homes for a special guest, we should clean and redecorate our souls, offering the Holy Spirit a new and improved dwelling place, for He, too, thrives in a home void of contention and chaos.

Perhaps we could begin by considering our plethora of extracurriculars that fail to glorify our Father. Might we do well to replace some of them with activities that draw mankind closer to the heart of Jesus? Do we have skeletons in our closets needing to be removed? Old grudges and prejudices can clutter our souls leaving little room for the décor of the Fruit of the Spirit. Decorating with love, joy, peace and patience create the perfect ambiance for the Spirit’s indwelling. But envy and greed leave no room for happiness when others receive blessings in our place.

Sisters, perhaps you, like me, failed to get the house purged during the great quarantine of 2020 but never fear, it is not too late to get our spiritual ducks in a row. May our soul-purge begin today. Put out the welcome mat and leave the porch light on as we invite the Holy Spirit in.

Father God, help us empty our lives of the elements that bring You no glory. May we replace them with everything the Holy Spirit desires as He lives mightily within us. May we feel his indwelling power.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane