He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs. The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love. Psalm 147.10-11

Man is impressed by many things, principally when they have to do with strength, wisdom, and wealth. A person is deemed worthy if they live in the right neighborhood, wear the proper clothes, have all the right answers, or run a marathon. Most of us are not very impressive.

The encouraging thing is that God does not see things in the same way. He is not impressed with how smart a person is, what they can do, or how much they have. He takes delight in his faithful followers, those who are doing the best they can to abide with him and obey his word.

God is already the owner of everything that we have on this earth. We can never have enough things to impress him. It is difficult to impress the one who made the universe and everything in it with how much wisdom and knowledge that you have.

There is one thing that makes God happy, to see his children being faithful to him, even during the hard times. Would God be happy with you?

Vicki Matheny

“My children saw you outdoors today and want to come and help you in the garden!” Those were the words I heard when I picked up the phone. I had just started shuffling my way up the ramp into the house with the aid of a rolling walker, something I was unable to do a week ago. 

There is no way to turn down the “help” of a couple of small children at the best of times. This past autumn left me reeling from a couple of mini-strokes and a head injury, so I was already a little late planting some daffodils I had dug up in the summer. They would have bloomed late if I had kept to my plan of planting them right after Christmas, but a spontaneous bone break and resultant sprains hobbled my attempts.

Martin and Nora danced on over just about the time a chilly drizzle began to descend, but they came prepared with raincoats, boots, and smiles.

We found a few places to dig, with a few false starts when we realized we were cutting off the tops of plants just below the soil surface. Then the long-neglected daffodil bulbs were placed pointy side up, by tiny, willing hands.

The rain became a little more serious, but the children were even more serious. We had a bucket of “Sir Watkin” daffodils to put in, but the kids were warm and dry under their protective gear. The digging was slow, especially where the winter weeds had claimed the ground and matted it with a rooted carpet of green.

If I had been able to lean forward a little better on my broken ankle, I would have made a wider hole; but if these children had not offered their help, the bulbs would be drying out even further in the garage.

The pelting rain became stronger as I smilingly surveyed the tiny, shallow holes with the bulbs crowded in about as closely as they were when I dug them out so many months before. “Good enough! Thank you so much!” I proclaimed, as I dumped the last of the dirt from the bucket, along with the smaller bulbs, into the planting hole among the burgeoning weedpatch.

The fact is that they will live, if not thrive, to see a better year for daffodils. They may not even bloom after the combination of delayed planting and less-than-stellar planting conditions. That’s okay.

We go about our business stumbling and making all kinds of mistakes, sometimes even knowingly. The consequences leave us with not only feelings of regret, but sometimes downright failure.

Really, the only way I could have failed with these bulbs would have been NOT to have planted them at all. Yes, it would have been much better to have planted them in October, and to have spread them out in a proper hole at the right depth.

Sometimes we just have to choose survival. Emotional, spiritual, and psychological. There will be better days. If not here, then in eternity!

“You’ll need to pick some flowers to take home before you get out of this rain,” I said. Nora smiled up at me and replied, “I though you were going to say that!”

I corrected her, “You mean you were HOPING I would say that!” Her grin and nodding head confirmed my guess.

Let’s not let the perfect be an enemy of the good. As we strive to do the best we can, let us do it with the joy and enthusiasm of a small child.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9, NASB).

And there will be flowers at the end.

Christine (Tina) Berglund

King Saul has died. It is now time for David to take the throne. He was chosen by God, but some of God’s people were not accepting his taking over the kingdom. There were those who came to support God’s chosen. Groups of soldiers were described in various ways: those that bore shields and spears, mighty men of valor, kindred of Saul, experts in war, a thousand captains, those skilled in instruments of war. These came by the hundreds and by the thousands. They came with different talents and skills.

One group, those of the tribe of Issachar, were described as being men that understood the times (First Chronicles 12:32). The number of this group was the smallest of those that pledged their allegiance. Their talents were not in making weapons and maybe not even in using them, but their skill was knowing the times in which they lived.

So what does that mean? It means they understood their surroundings. They were weather-wise so they could advise the people about the proper time for ploughing, planting, and harvesting. They knew about ceremonies; they understood public affairs, and tendencies of present-day issues. They gained the trust of the people because of their observation and experience. They knew David ought to be king. They assessed the situation, reasoned with one another, and shared with their people what they should do. Matthew Henry says they knew how to rule and they engaged themselves with a perfect heart. Their interests were all for public good.

Do you know someone like that today? Is there someone who assesses a situation, thinks about it, weighs the consequences, and then decides the best course of action? This is the kind of person we should all strive to be like.

Paul told the Ephesians, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV). The King James Version reads, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” That word “circumspectly” means to walk strictly. Do not walk loosely. The Pharisees were those that walked as foolish men. They wanted to add their own limitations to the Ten Commandments, imposing on others rules by which they were unwilling to live. They did not live what they taught. They didn’t make the best use of their time. They were too concerned about the letter of the law and not the heart of it.

We can sometimes be like the Pharisees. We want to teach the strict teaching of rules and regulations without truly understanding the heart of what goes into those instructions from the Lord. We must obey, but we must understand and help others to understand that in everything we need to do things God’s way.

The second part of that verse says, “because the days are evil.” The presence of evil is difficult enough, but when we live under those who rule unwisely, the presence of evil diminishes love and zeal in the Christian. A person finds it very difficult to live a godly life if they live under rules that cannot be followed because of their law-givers not understanding the times. That doesn’t mean we should accept things just because “everyone is doing it.” It means we sometimes need to adapt ourselves to the current situation based on the circumstances.

The next verse helps explain what I mean. We are to understand what the will of the Lord is. Notice that Paul doesn’t say do what we want to do. We are to “understand” what the Lord expects of us. Personal Bible study, worship, Bible classes, instruction from godly elders can all help us to “understand” the will of the Lord.

In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, Jesus speaks first about the seed that fell by the wayside. Because the seeds fell out in the open, the birds came and ate them. They had no opportunity to grow. In the explanation of the parable, Jesus says that this represents one that hears the word but does not understand it. The wicked one then comes and steals the things planted in the heart. This is an example of one that does not truly understand what he has been taught.

The men of Issachar were valuable to David as he began his rule of God’s people. He was fortunate to be surrounded by men who were capable warriors, those that could supply what David would need to go into battle, men who were physically able to fight against the strong adversaries he and his army would confront. He was also surrounded by a small group of men who understood the times—what the circumstances were, what the natural elements God had provided could tell them. They were no less capable because of the size, and their support was most important to the success of David’s army.

May God help us to be people of understanding the times, knowing how to use the situations that exist to further spread the Gospel.

Sandra Oliver

Many women want to know how they can teach and help the Lord’s church to grow. I have heard the statement, followed by the question, “I am a woman; I can’t do things such as preach, lead singing, lead public prayers, pass the communion trays or pass the collection plates. I cannot make any announcements during the public services. So, what can I do to help the church to grow?” There is much more to do than just these few public works that occur during the worship or midweek Bible study.

Some ladies are leaders, while others are followers. Some sisters in Christ are outgoing, and some are not; some women are shy and followers. Other ladies are very outgoing, and these women are usually leaders. We each must decide what kind of a working Christian lady we are. One’s personality does help to decide how and what we can do – within what the Bible permits.

We can all do behind the scenes work. We can do bulletin boards, help our children to learn the books of the Bible, sing children’s songs and memorize Scripture. As a side note, while helping children learn memory verses, we will also learn these verses. If papers for the classes need cut out or some other project for class requires preparation, these are behind the scenes works, too, that any of us can do.

Are We Going to Obey the Lord?

If a shy or a new Christian lady gets the opportunity to teach a friend or another woman who is interested in learning the Gospel, a shy lady could go with a more experienced sister for moral support. If one goes as moral support, she does not have to say anything. Most of the time, it is better to let one teach and the other listen.

Something else that even a shy person can do is to pass out tracts. It does not take a lot of effort to pass out tracts or to invite someone to worship or to Bible class. You also could leave a tract when you go into a restroom. You can give a tract to the cashier when you go shopping.

Louis and I hand out $1,000,000 bills with the plan of salvation on the back. The front of this bill is fake, but it looks like American money. We get many different reactions. It is one way to strike up a conversation. Louis tells of at least two women who wanted to quit their jobs immediately after he gave them one of these bills. They thought that they had been given real money – a lot of it! He has had a cashier start to ask the manager for change; of course, he had to stop her. This little piece of paper, if followed, is worth far more than the $1,000,000 printed on the front – even if it were real. What is taught on the back is priceless. It is our way to have eternal life. We do not know if anyone has learned the truth by giving out this tract, but we did what we needed to do – as the opportunity permitted us to do – by putting the plan of salvation in the hands of others. This was an easy way to do a work for the Lord, and it does not take any effort.

I understand you do not have this tract, but I am sure you have some others that you could hand out to your neighbors or just leave somewhere where people might find them. This is something that anyone can do, even if you are afraid of getting questions you cannot answer. If someone does ask you questions you cannot answer easily, remember there are other Christians who can help you. All you have to say is, “I do not know, but I will find out the answer and get back with you.” You can study for the answer or ask someone for help. Either way, you must give an answer to keep the interest in the Gospel alive. Maybe from a tract you handed out, you might get a Bible study. If so, you could have someone who is more able to lead the study and teach. If you are not at ease teaching, another Christian can help.

There is much more to do than just the public works that are done during the worship or midweek Bible study.

Are we going to Obey the Devil?

 You might say, “I go to services every time the door is open. I do not need to do anything else. I will let those who like to do these things and who are able to do them.”

There is a story about four people named
Everybody, Anybody, Somebody and Nobody

There was an important job to be done
and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure Somebody
would do it.

Somebody got angry about that
because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody
could do it.

Anybody could have done it, but
Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that
because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it,
but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it

It ended up that Everybody blamed
Somebody when Nobody would do what
Anybody could have done.

What We Can Do!

We can teach our children at home. There is no better or more well-paying job in this world that a mother can do than to teach her own children. To raise our children to be faithful and strong Christians is the most rewarding job in this life. Raising our children to follow the Lord and eventually inherit eternal life cannot compare to this world’s treasures. Peter told the lame man at The Gate Beautiful that he had no silver or gold, but he did have the gift of eternal life.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:1-19 NKJV)

Young children are so interested in the Bible. Little ones love to hear God’s Word and sing Bible songs. They also enjoy learning the 66 books of the Bible and other memory work. When teaching young ones, you should make the lessons interesting. There is also an upside to teaching our young ones memory work; as mentioned earlier, we are also memorizing Scripture.

Maybe you can teach ladies’ classes. Of course, a class for ladies requires more preparation than preparing to teach little children. Just remember, though, even little ones know if you have your lesson prepared or not, just like ladies will know if you prepared your lesson. Even if they don’t know, you are not fooling God. Generally, the teacher for a ladies’ class is an older woman. We are taught in Titus 2:3-5 that older women are to teach the younger. “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

Teach at Ladies’ Days

These lessons are sometimes harder because they are assigned lessons. The lessons I prepare for our mission trips are some harder because the topic has been assigned. You ladies who can teach classes, do not let things like this hold you back. The main thing is to study and find the Scriptures you need to emphasize. Then, go over your lessons. Prepare and enjoy giving your lessons. Remember these sisters are just like you. If they are like most women in your class, they are nervous for you. Most ladies are supportive of you. Allow the content of the biblical lesson to take over, which will lessen nervousness.

Works We Can Do

Do benevolent work – such as taking food to shut-ins or others needing a prepared meal (e.g., funerals), sitting with someone who cannot be left alone or taking someone somewhere she needs to go (e.g., doctor’s appointment, buying groceries). There are many more things that ladies can do. Younger women can help an older person cleaning house or whatever is needed. The older women can offer to babysit so a husband and wife can have some time alone without little ones under their feet. Young marrieds need their own precious time. Just look around for some worthwhile activity that you can do. Can you think of some things that you can do?

Martha Lynn Rushmore

The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked. 1 John 2.6

Do your actions send the same message as your words? There are many people who live by the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do”. However, for the follower of Christ that is not an option.

In Matthew 23, in part, Jesus condemned the experts in the law and the Pharisees because they did not practice what they taught, verse 3. Jesus told his disciples that if anyone loved him, they would obey his word, John 14.23.

The same is true today. If we love God, we must obey his commandments. When we obey him, then God and Jesus come and take up residence with us in our lives.

It is not enough to say the right thing, we also have to do the right thing. We must imitate the behavior of Christ. “Walking” is a common idiom for one’s behavior or conduct in the New Testament. We ought to walk as Jesus walked.

What message are your actions sending?

w

Three times in Scripture, God is depicted as a laughing God. How can the words “God” and “laugh” go together in any sense? God has given us all the ability to laugh. We all have a laugh that is distinctly ours. We laugh at countless people, places and things. God is not remotely in this category! The three times that God is depicted as a laughing God are in the Psalms, and the occasions are grave indeed.

The first passage that tells us what causes God to laugh is Psalm 2:1-4. David, the Psalmist, asked a very pointed question followed by a very pointed statement. He, then, revealed God’s response. “Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision” (NKJV).

According to this passage, the people of the nations of the world vainly decide to fight against God. He laughs and holds them up to contempt, disdain and scorn! Tom Wacaster in his commentary of The Songs and Devotions of David, Volume 1, Psalms 1-24, cites these comments from W. Forsyth, Pulpit Commentary: The Book of Psalms, Volume 8. “Mark the quiet dignity of the Omnipotent One, and the contempt which he pours upon the princes and their raging people. He has not taken the trouble [to] rise up and do battle with them – he despises them, he knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against him – he therefore laughs at them.” Eddie Cloer in the Truth for Today Commentary, Psalms 1-50 gives this perspective. “David describes the almighty One who sits enthroned in the heavens, the true Ruler, as reacting with laughter to the plot of the nations. He laughs and scoffs at what these nations are thinking and planning (see Ps. 37:13; 59:8). …God is amused at their child’s play, laughing at their antics in divine derision.”

The second passage that tells us what causes God to laugh is Psalm 37:12-13. It declares, “The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.” No one gets away with anything that is wrong. We are told this in language that is so clear that one would need help to misunderstand what was said. Colossians 3:23 says, “But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” God determines what is right and what is wrong regardless of what any human being thinks, says or does! Showing favoritism to anybody for any reason is not who God is! Deuteronomy 10:17 states, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.” The wicked have only one way out – repentance.

Tom Wacaster, in his commentary of The Songs and Devotions of David, Volume 2, Psalms 25-49, makes these observations on Psalm 37:12-13.

In great anger, and with envious hearts, the wicked would plan to overthrow the just. …It is a curious thing that the wicked simply cannot let the good man alone. This is to be the lot of the righteous, however, since it was prophesied from of old that there would be enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. …Notice Psalms 2:4 in this connection. And why does God laugh at the wicked? It is because He sees the wicked’s day of destruction. …The plans of the wicked are futile, for their calculations are based upon the assumption that God is ineffective in human affairs.

Eddie Cloer in the Truth for Today Commentary, Psalms 1-50, makes very thought-provoking statements on Psalm 37:12-13.

The wicked man may be the enemy of the righteous man. Sometimes the wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth. The evil man often takes advantage of the good man and schemes against the innocent by making plans to cheat him or rob him. His plans are sometimes vicious, as if they had the teeth of lions in them. However, the Day of Judgement for the wicked man is as sure as God’s integrity. The LORD laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming. His frail plans will pass away like thread burning in a fire. The idea that anyone could win against God is so incredulous as to be a humorous matter with God. The truth is that the prosperity of the wicked man will be short-lived. His days will rapidly come to an end.

The third and final passage that addresses what causes God to laugh is Psalm 59:7-8. It speaks of wicked transgressors. “Indeed, they belch with their mouth; Swords are in their lips; For they say, ‘Who hears?’ But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.” Eddie Cloer, in the Truth for Today Commentary, Psalms 51-89, wrote:

They challenge God’s authority, rebelliously asking, “Who hears?” With their question, they reject the thought of any accountability for their actions or their words. They sin with impunity and without fear. The writer finds comfort in how God views them. But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations. From His holy throne in heaven, evil looks ridiculous and absurd to Him. He will see to it that evil is judged and destroyed, and that righteousness in time will be vindicated. These facts hold true for individuals and nations.

Tom Wacaster, in his commentary of The Songs and Devotions of David, Volume 3, Psalms 50-72, states:

The Psalmist was simply pointing out that there seemed to be no fear on the part of the wicked, either for man, or for God. Is it any wonder that they pour forth such wicked words? Remove the fear of God and men will live unto themselves. God does not “laugh” in the sense of expressing joy at the defeat of the wicked. The language is anthropomorphic [humanlike] and expresses the final overthrow of the wicked who have so proudly set themselves at odds with God. While they laughed at David for his apparent weakness, in the final analysis it is God Who would have the “last laugh.”

[Editor’s Note: Increasingly, Christians and other do-gooders or anyone who tries to abide by rules and laws or who exhibits personal restraint comprise an ever-lessening minority, and they are despised by the majority of people. Simply stopping at an intersection when the light changes or traveling the legal speed limit garners obscene gestures and foul language from fellow travelers whose auto race we innocently impede. “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Peter 4:4 KJV). In a small way, this illustration serves to depict the great divide between law abiding and lawbreaking people around the world, and more than incidentally, the Gospel of Christ is “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). ~ Louis Rushmore]

Marilyn LaStrape

By Kathy Pollard

If, for whatever reason, your life is difficult and you have to gear up just to face each new day, remember the tremendous amount of hope you might be giving others.  Those who know you well, and even those who barely know you, can be encouraged by your example.

If you lack general comfort but you are relying on the Comforter (Romans 8:26,27).

If you lost someone dear but you are leaning on the Giver of Life (John 5:24).

If your tasks are overwhelming but you trust in the promise of rest (Matt. 11:28-30).

If your struggles keep multiplying but your faith is unwavering (1 Peter 1:7).

If your body is weak but you know a better one awaits (Phil. 3:20,21).

If your nights are long but you go on because it is only temporary (Rev. 21:22-25).

Then even though you might feel like you can barely tackle one day at a time, rejoice in the fact that you are strengthening others.  A conversation with you fills others with courage for whatever they might face and lets them see that all things are indeed possible with God (Matt. 19:26).  What good you are doing in the kingdom!  Thank you for your invaluable commitment and faithfulness.  May God uphold you as you continue to encourage others.

Як служили ж вони Господеві та постили, прорік Святий Дух: Відділіть Варнаву та Савла для Мене на справу, до якої покликав Я їх! Тоді, попостивши та помолившись, вони руки поклали на них, і відпустили. (Дії 13:2-3 Ukrainian)

O LORD, your name is known all over the earth! We come to you with hearts full of praise as we humbly bring our petitions before your throne. Please have mercy on the people of Ukraine who are in the path of the firestorm being unleashed by the leader of the Russian Federation. Protect the innocent children from any further injuries and help the sane leaders to bring about a quick and lasting peace. Give boldness and wisdom to leaders in the Church to continue sending out workers for the Gospel of Christ. We ardently pray in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

The preceding illustration from freebibleimages.org shows how Barnabas and Saul/Paul were sent out by the church in Antioch on this first missionary journey to preach the word of God. Today’s churches must continue sending out workers devoted to living for Jesus Christ and proclaiming the truth of God’s word that brings salvation to lost souls.

[Please continue to pray for those in Ukraine, especially the Christians].

David Binkley, Sr. Gospel Minister

THE BIRTH OF JOHN AND JESUS (SPECIAL LIFE OF CHRIST STUDY)

*********************************************************************

This week we have received more than a generous amount of rain. In fact, we were under a tornado warning on Tuesday evening. About five years ago the area where we live was hit by a tornado, and many people lost their homes. People here get very anxious when we get severe weather. They have lived through it, and they are afraid.

Everywhere we have lived, when there would be a considerable amount of rain, someone would say, “We are going to need an ark if this keeps up.” Or they will say, “I feel like Noah must have felt.” We laugh and comment in other ways, but the story of Noah and the flood is one of the scariest stories in Scripture.

When we lived in Kentucky, a lady told me a story about a Sunday school teacher who taught this lesson to a class of four and five-year-olds. She evidently made the story so realistic that the next time it rained, the parents of one of the little girls in the class found their child hiding in a closet, screaming. She was terrified that she was going to drown.

I don’t recommend stressing the death of all but eight people in the flood when we teach the story to children, but I’m afraid we don’t stress it enough when we study it as adults. That story is real. It is not fiction, and there are some great lessons that can be learned from it.

• Noah was a righteous man, and he preached to save others. For 120 years Noah tried to get the people to repent, but they would not. The world was so wicked that they wouldn’t listen to the warnings. The lesson for us is to teach the Word and obey it ourselves. If no one accepts it, we have done what we need to do.
• God gave Noah a task—build a boat that would protect him and his family from the harm that was to come. Noah built that boat exactly like he was told. He did not insert his own will or do it his way. He did it God’s way. We must carry the gospel wherever we go, teaching exactly what God commanded. We can’t insert our own view or change what the gospel says.
• When the rain began, the Lord shut the door. All the work was finished, the people had lost their chance to enter a place of safety, only Noah and his family were safe. He had done everything he could do. We have to do everything we can do to share the gospel with others.
• God always keeps His promises. Can you imagine the scene? Animals would have been struggling to keep their heads above water. People would have been beating on the door, crying, pleading, begging for another chance. The earth, once luscious, now lay in ruins. All of this happened because “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, ESV). God said it would happen, and Noah told the people it would happen. “He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah, was left, and those who were with him in the ark” (Genesis 7:23). God kept His promise.
  

So it will be with us. The people of Noah’s day refused to get serious about their sins. They allowed their hearts to turn from God and live in the wickedness of the earth. They became content in their sin. Paul warns us of God’s judgment, just as Noah warned of His judgment. He will repay with affliction those who have afflicted the people of God. He will take vengeance on those who do not know God and those that do not obey the gospel. Those that are disobedient will suffer eternal punishment and destruction (Second Thessalonians 1:5-12). For the obedient and the faithful, they will be glorified. They will be rewarded with a heavenly home.

Remember that God always keeps His promises. He will keep them for the faithful and the unfaithful. Let’s get serious about sin. Let’s remember Noah and the destruction of the earth. Let’s obey the gospel, teach it to others, and be faithful to death to receive our crown of righteousness.

Sandra Oliver