the tempted brothers
June 19, 2009 READ: Genesis 39:1-12 How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? —Genesis 39:9 Two brothers—both far from home —faced similar temptations. One, working away from the family, fell to the schemes of a younger woman. His sin led to embarrassment and family turmoil. The other, separated from loved [...]
Forgiveness (3)
By MeL Scribe, Australia Short Story: Forgiveness “Please, let me go,” he pleaded. I looked down at him in his miserable state. “I don’t belong in that gang, I don’t belong in any gang anymore. Please,” he continued. “But it doesn’t change what happened, does it? You were the one who killed my girlfriend!” I [...]
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...Tip: Repeat or not (2)
By Isaac Tan, Singapore IRRITATING is the only word capable of fully establishing the abusive use of repetition. In part one of To Repeat or Not To Repeat, we ended off with a really irritating passage. It wasn’t just irritating, it was really really irritating. Now, doesn’t that irritate you too? “Bad” repetition happens especially [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...passionate boldness
June 18, 2009
READ: Acts 4:5-13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, . . . they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13
A young man was preaching to the passersby in Hounslow, on the outskirts of London, England. Most ignored him, a few ridiculed, and several stopped to listen. But regardless of the reaction of the people, he was undeterred. With a strong voice and clear resolve, he poured out his heart—not with the words of an angry prophet, but with deep concern for the men and women on that street. His eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice revealed an attitude of compassion, not condemnation. In it all, he boldly shared the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 4, when the church was still new, Peter and John also boldly addressed the people of their generation. The response of the leaders of their day? “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (v.13). That boldness was not the fruit of ministerial training but of much time spent in the presence of the Master. As a result, they had become passionate about what concerned Christ—the eternal destiny of men and women.
That same passionate boldness was on the face of the young man in Hounslow. Do people see it in us? — Bill Crowder
A Christian is an ambassador who speaks for the King of kings.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Forgiveness (2)
By MeL Scribe, Australia How can we find the strength to forgive? On the cross, Jesus prayed with his dying breath, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This man, who had done no wrong in his life, had every right to demand their destruction, and every power to carry out their [...]
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beware
Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own (v.15).
READ: Luke 12:13-21
David Wayne Sharpton, 54, has won the Georgia lottery three times—raking in $350,000 in 2004, $1 million in 2005, and $2.5 million in 2007. The repeat winner continues to work at his job as a restaurant-oven repairman, even though his winnings have provided more than enough money for him to retire. “Am I the luckiest man alive?” he asks. “I suppose so. I’ve got a pretty good circle of friends, a wonderful job, and a beautiful wife.”
Now that’s a guy who is not drunk with the elixirs of wealth and greed. His feet are still set firmly on the ground. The same, however, cannot be said of the rich farmer in Luke 12.
Valuing wealth correctly and the disastrous results of greed were the themes in Jesus’ parable of the rich fool. The farmer misjudged what was truly valuable in life. He thought having possessions was more important than great relationships with God and people (v.21). He chose wrongly about what was truly valuable in life and became a slave to what he valued most—things that could be stolen, eaten up, and destroyed (Matthew 6:19-21), and things he couldn’t take with him when he died (1 Timothy 6:7).
The farmer misjudged who truly owned his possessions. He used the personal pronouns I, me, and myself a total of 12 times in this brief story. He forgot that he was a manager and not an owner. He also failed to grasp the brevity of life. At the height of his fortune, God judged him and he died—leaving it all behind. What a tragic ending!
Two masters—God and money—are vying for our allegiance. Let’s be on guard and judge correctly—choosing to serve and obey the One who created the other. —Marvin Williams
Why is it important to acknowledge that God owns everything? What part of your lifestyle do you need to change in order to be rich toward God?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...deception
Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit” (v.3).
READ: Acts 5:1-5
Jérôme Kerviel, a 31-year-old options trader at France’s second-largest bank, Société Générale, used the bank’s system to make unauthorized stock trades. When he was discovered, the high roller’s bets totaled $55b. To put it in perspective, the entire bank was worth only $35b. Talk about deception!
Ananias and his wife Sapphira, the famous deceivers of the New Testament, made a similar mistake. They sold off some land and then Ananias “brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount” (v.2), and pocketed the rest.
The kicker is that Sapphira okayed his deception! That’s why we can’t always rely on the people around us for ethical guidance—especially when they have something to gain. It is the Lord who “demands accurate scales and balances; He sets the standards for fairness” (Proverbs 16:11).
Since God sets the standards, it’s no surprise that He takes it seriously when we blow by them. A lack of integrity involves choosing Satan’s influence over the influence of the Holy Spirit. Think that’s harsh? When Ananias messed up, Peter said, “Why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:3).
Deceiving the Holy Spirit is not only wrong, it’s the impossible crime—we never get away with it. The Bible warns, “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Confrontation is certain, and for Ananias it was deadly—“He fell to the floor and died” (Acts 5:5).
I doubt that Ananias viewed his double-dealing as a grave offense to God. He probably thought, “It’s no big deal. My wife thinks it’s fine, and no one will find out.” He was unaware that “people with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall” (Proverbs 10:9). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How are you tempted to cut corners or ignore God’s standards for right and wrong? How can you avoid double-dealing with the Holy Spirit?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...common cents
June 17, 2009
READ: Mark 12:41-44
[Jesus said,] “This poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.” —Mark 12:43
In 1987, Mike Hayes, a freshman at the University of Illinois, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at the Chicago Tribune to ask his readers to “send in a penny for Mike.”
“Just one penny,” Hayes said. “A penny doesn’t mean anything to anyone. If everyone . . . looks around the room right now, there will be a penny under the couch cushion . . . or on the floor. That’s all I’m asking. A penny from each of your readers.”
In less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents. Donations came in from all over the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000!
The common cent just isn’t worth much—unless it’s added to a whole bunch of other pennies. The woman we read about in Mark 12 gave the equivalent of a fraction of a penny, which was “all that she had” (v.44). But Jesus honored that little bit.
The widow’s sacrifice was an example and an encouragement to the disciples—and to us. She gave all she had. Have we ever been so generous? Jesus used an unnamed widow to teach us what giving is all about.
It was less than a cent, yet it was a priceless gift of love to God. — Cindy Hess Kasper
God looks at the heart, not the hand; the giver, not the gift.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Forgiveness (1)
By MeL Scribe, 17, Australia The world is in need of forgiveness, now more than ever. In times of crisis, one’s first instinct is to shift the blame to someone else, or when an appropriate scapegoat is discovered, all eyes and hatred are turn to him or her, ready to begrudge that person of everything. [...]
(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading ...
