Would You Stand Up For Truth If You’re The Only One Standing, Saints?

Even in olden times, God warned his people not to turn away from the commands of the law he had given to them. Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it.” Again, the New Testament says, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9). 2 John 1:9 says, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.”

We repeatedly find in Scripture the emphasis that we should not add or take away from the written Word. Why do we feel the need to deviate from God’s standard for worship and salvation? Have we forgotten about the power of the gospel? It is the same gospel that was preached on Pentecost that resulted in about 3000 souls being saved that day (Acts 2:41). Paul says in Romans 1:16, “for I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Therefore, we should not feel ashamed to use that same gospel to reach the lost today.

If you find yourself in a place that has deviates from the pattern of Biblical worship God approves, and the one way of salvation, you must stand up for God’s truth. Not standing up for God’s truth makes you just as guilty as participating in error. Why take part in worship that will displease God and teach Him a false way? I’ve heard this quote before, “Stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing alone.” Stand strong for truth, even if you’re the only one, and in the end, you will receive your reward. Your soul is too important to make compromises.

Psalm 12:6 – And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

Deb Hibbard

When anyone says anything encouraging to my husband, I want to hug them! It warms my heart when someone tells him his sermon was just what they needed, sends a text saying they are thankful for him, or writes him a note (that he’ll keep in a special file!). He doesn’t preach for praise, but I know that those thoughtful words encourage his soul and keep him going.

I hope you know that when you take a moment to say something kind, it means something. The Bible calls it life-giving (Prov. 18:21).

The Lord’s church is filled with people who know how to build others up, and I see it all the time. I see ladies complimenting each other (and meaning it). I see people going up to the Bible class teachers and thanking them. I see our church mailboxes filled with cards, notes, and small gifts. I see people greeting each other with kind words. It makes me smile to stand in the middle of it all and overhear conversations filled with sweet words, thoughtful questions, and friendly laughter. Where else can you go and be consistently lifted up? God’s people have received His grace and love and are so good at giving it back to His people.

Let’s prayerfully remember:

• To be aware of and acknowledge the efforts of others to lift us up. How easy it is to brush it off or miss it in our distractedness.
• To make sure those who are awfully good at encouraging others (you know who they are) are getting it themselves.
• To thank God for His people and the support they give. They really are the best!

Also remember, if you feel like there’s not enough encouragement going on, you can redouble your own efforts. I’ve said it before…when you feel something is lacking in your church family, the good news is that YOU ARE the church. You can be the change by speaking uplifting words and sending lots of life-giving texts.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.“

(Ephesians 4:29)

By Kathy Pollard

Genesis 3:6-7 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

Years ago, my husband chose to take me deer hunting. Truly, I married an intelligent man, but this was a definite lapse in his judgement. However, I donned leaves of brown and green, put my hair in a ponytail, and headed off with him into the woods.

After much ado, I sat high in a tree-stand, covered in camouflage, and alone in my thoughts, because heaven forbid, I speak a word and alert the deer!

Perched there in boredom, my thoughts turned to camouflage, and I realized leaves of brown and green were the first fashion statement on earth invented by the first people on earth. Do you remember what Adam and Eve did following their sin in the garden? They donned themselves in camo attempting to blend in with their surroundings, attempting to hide from God, and attempting to become invisible to their Maker. What a fashion disaster it was!

Then, my mind wandered forward.

Do we sometimes fall into the same fashion fail as Adam and Eve? Do we attempt to blend in with our surroundings by linking so closely to society our faith becomes invisible? When friends, neighbors, or co-workers find their passion in the pleasures of the day, do we hide our faith so we too can partake?  Do we work to conceal our fears, our failures, and our sins from God so He cannot see them?

Adam and Eve hoped their camo would hide them and their sin from the Father. But they overlooked His deity, His power, and His intimate knowledge of His beloved creation. Nothing can be hidden from a Father who numbers the hairs on our head and calls each star by name. Our God clearly sees our hopes, our dreams, our shortcomings, and our sins.

I will assume camo does not make you invisible to deer, since we were unsuccessful in the woods that day. So, Sisters, as we choose our attire today, take a pass on camouflage. Our Father sees the real us and loves us anyway. Because of Him, let us be visible to the world, shining brightly a love that is rich, a care for others that is strong, and an intense passion for all that is good.

Father God, may we never attempt to hide our hearts from your love.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

In our last study, we looked at four of the unnamed women of the New Testament. Each represents an example to enrich our lives in service to God. Today, we will look at three more women who show remarkable faith.

The first is the woman at the well in Samaria. We find this story in John 4 as Jesus has left Judea and travelled to Galilee. He and His disciples stopped at Jacob’s well in the land of Samaria. The disciples left to go into the city to find food, and they left Jesus alone. A woman came to draw water, and Jesus entered into a conversation with her. She was surprised that a Jewish man would even speak to a Samaritan, much less a Samaritan woman.

Jesus used this opportunity to talk to her about her adulterous life, having had five husbands and now living with another man who was not her husband. He shared with her the coming of the kingdom (the church) and His instructions about worship. “God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

When the disciples returned, she ran into the city and told everyone that would listen about the man that told her everything she had ever done. They responded by rushing to the well, begging Him to return to the city with them. Many of them believed, and Jesus stayed with them for two days.

John later records the story of the woman caught in adultery. John 8 reveals that the Lord had been sitting in the temple teaching the people. The scribes and the Pharisees brought in a woman they said who had caught in the act of adultery. They showed off their knowledge of the Law by telling Jesus that she should be put to death. They were trying to put Jesus in an impossible situation. If He said to let her go, they could say He was violating the Law. If He said to stone her, everything He stood for would be in jeopardy. As usual, Jesus didn’t say either yes or no. He simply dropped to the ground and wrote in the dirt. Finally, He gave the matter over to them. He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” They were convicted in their own accusations. No one is without sin, and they had no choice but to disappear. One by one they left, leaving the woman standing alone.

Jesus did not condone the woman’s sin. He told her to “Go, and sin no more.” It was her choice. She could continue in this lifestyle or make a change.
Mark 12 presents a story of a woman that needed no healing, had not suffered a personal loss, or was guilty of adultery. She was, however, a poor widow. Jesus sat in front of the place where the Jews put their contributions. He could see as one by one they approached where the money was placed. These were likely voluntary contributions toward the incense and the sacrifices.

From Jesus’ vantage point, He could observe the number of coins the Jews placed in the contribution. Scripture says, “Many rich people put in large sums.” Among the contributors was a poor widow who dropped in two small copper coins. It appears that Jesus had made no comment so far; but when He saw the widow place her money in the collection, He said, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

There is no record that any comment was made either by the Jews or by Jesus’ disciples. His statement said it all.

There are lessons to be learned in these stories, lessons that will fill our lives with right attitudes and righteous living. Though we may not be guilty of adultery or ever live in poverty, these women represent all women.

The woman at the well seemed to be isolated from the other women because she came to the well at a time when other women were not there. She extended herself to give a drink to a man she did not know, one who by the fact that He was a Jew should have sent her running back into the city. She ventured into a conversation with Him and learned some valuable lessons. She acknowledged her sin, enthusiastically affirmed Him to the whole city, and watched while her neighbors accepted this Jewish man and His teachings. We learn from her not to be afraid of someone who is different, and we learn from Jesus to accept people where they are.

The woman caught in adultery was a victim of the Jewish rulers trying to trick Jesus. They were not so concerned with her adultery as putting Jesus in an awkward position. Her sin was real, and Jesus did not ignore it; but there was also sin on the part of the rulers. We need to acknowledge our own sin before we condemn others. We need to condemn the sin, not the person. Jesus also teaches us through this woman that we don’t always need to be on the defensive. Sometimes it is enough to keep silent, consider the situation, and let the truth find its own way.

The poor widow is not about us giving everything we have in the bank to the church. It is about giving from the heart, not to be seen of men, but because we love God and want to obey Him. In her poverty, she still went to the temple; she still participated in her responsibility to give; and she did not use her poverty as an excuse.

May God help us to learn these lessons from these unnamed women of the Bible.

Sandra Oliver

“I didn’t mean to do it.”…The words I’ve said so often

When picking up broken pieces. Harsh words I tried to soften.

But when I’m introspective and with my heart I’m true.

The question begs an answer, “What DID I mean to do?”

I have to mean to live for him. “On purpose” in every detail;

For if I fail to plan my walk, I really plan to fail.

Purposeful living is life with a map, instead of a wandering trail

It’s a definite destination, and a place to avoid, as well.

If I’m to keep away from sin; impulsive times of weakness;

I have to keep close to the Book—prepare, instead, for meekness.

If I’m to guard the worst of me, to practice self-control,

I have to feed the best of me, the manna of the soul.

If I’m to stop the talk that harms and spreads a dark despair

I have to start the talk that heals; the talk of fervent prayer.

If I can bear a burden instead of causing grief.

If I can offer words that heal and offer sweet relief…

That will not be an accident; a careless happenstance.

Heroic deeds are purposeful, and always start with plans.

Plans to set aside the time to get into the Word.

Lists of those who need the truth and maybe haven’t heard.

Jotted lists of those in need of comfort, meals or prayers.

And circled on my calendar the dates I plan to share—

A meal, a card, a visit, or a luncheon for the grieving

A Bible study session with a heart not yet believing.

A facebook group where sisters pray; a house with an open door;

A meal on the table for someone who’s tired, a trip to the grocery store…

A text to encourage an elder, who can hardly stand under the strain…

Coffee with a mom who’s single again; the victim of betrayal and pain.

What did you mean to do today? Exactly what was the plan?

Was the day you just spent purposeful? Did you firmly take your stand?

Did you cross off something on a list that’s focused for his glory?

Did you tell someone off or did you, as planned, tell someone the old, old story?

Did you wonder today at His greatness or wander in purpose-less “fun”?

Did you bask in pursuits of the world or bask in the warmth of His Son?

Did you handle aright the word today? Did you marvel at some truth anew?

Are you planning to fail by failing to plan? Or is God’s purpose living in you?

Gal 5:17 – For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.

Cindy Colley

One of our church members just lost her mother. I overheard Neal’s conversation with her on the phone. He was listening to our member describing her mother’s diligent faithfulness and examples of quiet service. At one point he said, “Her life wrote her funeral sermon.”

I’ve been to funerals where it seemed like people couldn’t say enough good things about the deceased. Stories and tears and smiles were shared as they recalled their loved one’s thoughtful acts or influence or loving spirit.

In Hebrews eleven, the inspired writer gives a long list memorializing men and women whose lives were characterized by faithfulness. He did that to encourage the readers not to give up or turn back. He calls these faithful examples their “great cloud of witnesses” that should spur them on to “run with endurance the race set before them.” And then he tells them to “look to Jesus,” the “perfecter of our faith,” their greatest example of faithfulness (Heb. 12:1-2).

I’m thankful for my own cloud of witnesses, aren’t you? Those who have gone on before me and those who are still with me, whose examples convict me and inspire me. Some have shown me that faithfulness is possible even through overwhelming difficulties or harsh circumstances. Some have inspired me through their diligent service despite physical difficulties or health issues. And many have encouraged me through their lifelong love for God, the faithful legacy they are leaving their children and grandchildren. These individuals remind me of Jesus. They remind me to look to Jesus!

Thank God for faithful Christians!

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

(Hebrews 10:35-36)

Kathy Pollard

There is an account in scripture that astonishes me every time I read it!  No matter how many times I’ve read it before, my mind goes to the scene and I wonder what I would have done in that situation.

God had warned His people that if they did not keep His law there would be serious consequences. Prophets came to deliver these words and the Israelites either ignored them, persecuted them or killed them. So God allowed His people to be conquered by Babylon. Many were killed but some became captives. Daniel and his three friends were taken as young men and trained to be of service to the king. Interestingly, we do not see them wallowing in self pity, or shaking a fist to the heavens about their captivity. They served King Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and when Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and Persians, Daniel served under King Darius.

In the sixth chapter of Daniel we read that Darius had set in charge of the provinces Daniel and others.  Daniel and two other men were made governors over the satraps “so the king would suffer no loss” (6:2). Darius so trusted Daniel that he even thought of setting him over the whole realm. For that reason, the other two governors and the satraps sought to find some charge against him, but to no avail. They could find no charge, fault, or error against him because he was faithful.

Perhaps they witnessed him go to his window three times a day to pray. They finally concluded that they could not find a negative unless it was concerning his God. Scripture says that all the governors, satraps, counselors and advisors then consulted together to design a royal statute and give it to the king. They approached Darius with great words of flattery and then presented him with this decree, “whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days except the king shall be cast into the den of lions.” Darius signed the decree, which, under the law of the Medes and Persians, could not be revoked or altered .

When Daniel knew the decree had been signed, he immediately went to his upper room, opened his window facing Jerusalem, knelt and prayed, as was his custom since early days (vs. 10).

King Darius was deeply saddened about having to put Daniel in the lion’s den. That night he did not sleep well, but rose early and went to check on Daniel. He called out, asking if God was able to deliver him? Daniel answered that God had indeed shut the mouths of the lions and he was safe!

It doesn’t appear that Daniel ever hesitated to be loyal to his God. In fact, his steadfastness led King Darius to make these things known to all dominions in the earth:

• that God was steadfast forever
• that His kingdom shall never be destroyed
• that His dominion shall endure to the end
• that He delivers and rescues
• that He works signs and wonders in heaven and earth
• that He delivered Daniel from the power of lions

The king’s conclusion about Daniel’s God is astounding, especially coming from a decidedly polytheistic culture. We would do well to emulate Daniel. Do we have customs? Certainly we do! Some are linked to attending our favorite school’s games. Some are customs that honor seasons and their events.

However, we who belong to Christ should have customs devoted to God’s kingdom—worship, serving others, and evangelizing the lost, as well as daily customs of seeking God in prayer and through His word. Hopefully we push aside fear or embarrassment, and allow our families and the world to see our customs and lead them to do what King Darius did, to seek the one true living God!

Today’s Verse: So He [Christ] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read (Luke 4:16).

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

By Teresa Hampton

There are over 600 unnamed women in the entire Bible. Some of those unnamed women played a significant role in Jesus’ ministry. The writers of the New Testament included women who were healed, had suffered loss, were living in sin, and one who provided an example for the Jewish rulers.

All of these women serve as examples for us, which is why the writers of the Gospels included them. Though there are many questions about these women left unanswered, we can still benefit from their examples. We’ll look at four of these women this week and three more next week.

One of these unnamed women was Peter’s mother-in-law. This is the first indication that Peter was married. Scripture tells us that Jesus and others entered the house of Peter and Andrew, and they told Jesus that Peter’s mother-in-law had a fever. Jesus healed her; and immediately she got up and “ministered to them” (Mark 1:30-31). She had obviously been too sick to welcome her guests and provide for their needs as any Jewish woman would have done. Once Jesus healed her, she needed no recovery period. She was able to perform the duties of hosting this gathering of Jesus and His traveling companions.

In Mark 5, we read of the woman with the issue of blood. She had been bleeding for twelve years, and she had exhausted all of her money going to doctors. So far, the doctors had been unable to help her. When she heard about Jesus, she decided to make this one last effort to find relief. She believed that if she could only touch Jesus’ clothes, she would be healed. There were crowds surrounding Jesus, but she worked her way through them and got close enough to just touch the hem of His robe. She may have been crawling on her knees; but she was willing to do whatever was necessary to get to Him. Immediately upon touching the hem of Jesus’ robe, she was healed. Jesus proclaimed to the onlookers that her faith had healed her.

Two women shared feelings of loss because of their children. The first, found in Luke 7, is a widow from the city of Nain. Jesus met her as she was leaving the city to bury her only son. Her husband was gone, and now her only remaining source of family support was gone. When Jesus saw her and the funeral procession, and He felt compassion for her. His expression of sympathy was simple. “Weep not.” With that, He approached the funeral brier, told the young man to arise, and saw him sit up and speak. He then took the young man to his mother.

The loss of a child may not always happen in the form of death. Other things can separate us from our children, and such was the case with the Syrophenician woman. She was a Greek, a Gentile, one considered a “dog” by the Jews. Her little daughter was possessed by a demon, and the woman begged Jesus to cast it out. Jesus appeared to be rejecting her request by telling her, “Let the children first be filled.” His mission was to the Jews first, and she was not a Jew. Yet, her reaction was not one of anger but of desperation. She told Jesus that even the dogs were allowed to eat the crumbs. Because of her attitude and her persistence, Jesus told her to return home. Her daughter was healed.

In the case of Peter’s mother-in-law, there is no documentation that she requested healing. We have no information about her before or after this, but she teaches us an important lesson in living the Christian life. She served a purpose in the household of Peter and Andrew. She was a welcoming individual, willing to serve. Much like Martha, she saw her job as serving the Master and His companions. Once healed, she resumed her place immediately. She didn’t use her illness as an excuse to stay in bed. Neither should we. When we are able, we should do whatever we can to return to the Lord’s service.

The woman with the issue of blood is our example of faith and perseverance. Though she had exhausted all efforts for finding a cure for her illness, she was willing to make her way through the crowded streets to get to Jesus. We should be willing to push ourselves through trials, tribulations, sickness, storms, or whatever may be in our way to get to Jesus. Sometimes it takes real effort to attend worship or to perform some act of kindness; and sometimes we want to just stay in our comfortable place. We need to push ourselves, just like this woman.

The widow and the Syrophoenician woman both suffered emotionally because of the tragic events in their lives. Losing the only child or watching your child suffer and not being able to do anything can leave us feeling trapped and all alone. We are promised that there will always be comfort available through Jesus Christ. The road may not be easy, but it will be easier through prayer and trust in Him.

Sandra Oliver

audio lecture.