In the Old Testament, you see these words, “And eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth” and they always speak of laws given to the nation to be used by the judges and the courts. They say the punishment should fit the crime. But it was never given to the individual to exact judgment for him or herself. As believers, we don’t have the freedom to say, “Well they did this to me, so God says it’s ok for me to do the same back to them.”
But when it comes to self, you should be willing to suffer loss to serve the Lord with a pure heart. “Does that mean I’m to be a doormat?”, some Christians will ask. I would say, what was Jesus’ attitude toward those who wronged Him? Did He retaliate towards them? What Jesus is saying here is that we should not avenge ourselves but instead trust that God will set things straight. It does not say that if we are wronged that we have no legal recourse, but that we should not lash out at someone that wrongs us.
Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything He wasn’t willing to do. Would you rather have your rights or have the heart of God? “Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
Pastor Doug Hardin
When I am driving, it seems like I am in another mode. I know that a lot of pastors joke about this, but it seem to be true. You’re driving and someone cuts you off intentionally. I know this isn’t the most evil thing in the world, but the intentions behind it are not good, they are selfish. So we get enraged with something that doesn’t really matter.
I know the example is small, but if something so small can make us so upset that we possibly return evil verbally, physically, or mentally, how much more can come out of us in more meaningful situations. We are told here by Paul to overcome evil with something good. We should look for a practical way to help that person. Don’t let the enemy take this victory, show people Jesus and see how they can come to love Him more.
Blessings,
Pastor Sean Boehm
Stephen was one of the seven chosen by the early church to wait on tables and help with the distributions to those that were in need. So how did he get to the place of doing “great wonders and signs?” In his day-to-day, routine tasks, Stephen remained sensitive to two things: the leading of the Holy Spirit and the needs of others. He didn’t just toss stuff at people but looked them in the eye and asked how they were doing. He took his deaconship in meeting the physical needs of the people seriously and God gave him more and more as he was faithful in these mundane tasks.
We should never neglect the opportunities we have in our routine to go a step or two beyond and really see how people are doing. It could give us a chance to pray with folks or even lead someone to the Lord.
Being faithful in the little,
Pastor Gerard Deleeuw
When Israel eventually enters the Promised Land, Moses tells the nation it will face many enemies. In order for this beleaguered nation to win, they’ll have to count on the Lord fighting for them. Did the people listen?
In his book, Joshua was given instructions on how to defeat Jericho and he followed them to the letter. The directions seemed strange. Walk around a city multiple times and then blow trumpets and the Lord will bring victory. That’s exactly what happened and Israel conquered the mighty city of Jericho.
Israel then went up against a smaller nation named Ai. They went in with cockiness and a lack of prayer and were defeated. They tried to fight on their own power and not the Lord’s.
As Christians, we battle the devil, the world, and our flesh constantly. We shouldn’t fear these things, but instead let the Lord do the battle for us. Pray for God’s strength every day in your life and let Him handle the difficulties ahead.
The battle belongs to the Lord,
Pastor Ron Kitchell
I love memory verses of this length. Though it’s short, it says so much, as Paul writes to the saints in Thessalonica to be constant in their communication with their Father in heaven. Prayer in its most basic form is just that, including the Lord in your day-to-day and even moment-to-moment life. After all, He knows all, has an opinion that we want to hear, is for you, wants to be involved, and loves us without limits. Why not look up to Him more often today, it will bless your life!
Asking the Lord to stay involved in every minute of my day,
Pastor Jack Abeelen
Have you noticed that people tend to live according to someone else’s standards? How about you? Have you ever tried measuring up to the expectations of others only to fall short? Just the thought of failing can be an overwhelming thought, which can lead to living a life that continuously seeks man’s approval.
In today’s scripture, the plain and simple truth is that everyone is guilty of sin no matter how “righteous” one may think they are. In God’s eyes, no man is better than the other, just as the Jews were not better than the Gentiles (Romans 3:9). Even at our very best, we still fall short of the glory of God.
For this reason, God sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment for our sins. We are made right with God because of His shed blood. He saved us not because of any good works or moral character, but because of His grace and mercy. This gives us great confidence and assurance that our merciful God accepts us no matter how flawed and dysfunctional we are. All He asks is that we come to Him with a contrite heart and in genuine sorrow of our sins. In doing so, we model after the heart of God. So, as you go about your day, remember with Jesus in your life, you ALWAYS measure up, faultless and blameless before the throne!
Living for Jesus,
Tom Moore
The above proverb speaks of the contrast between the effects a good or bad wife has on her husband. The good wife, or the excellent wife, is a woman who brings honor to her husband. A good wife makes her husband look good. I remember an old saying that said, “Behind every good man is an even better woman,” and while that might not always be true, I think there is probably a lot of truth to it. On the flip side, a bad wife that causes shame to her husband can literally make a man feel sick in his bones.
A wife plays a huge role in the well-being of her husband despite what one may think. A lot of times, wives can think their husbands can take anything they throw at them. They buy into the stereotype that men are supposed to be big and tough so nothing should be able to penetrate them physically or emotionally. Well, that simply isn’t true. How you treat your husband, what you say to him, what you do to him, will have a profound effect on him in the long run even if it looks like he can absorb everything you may be throwing at him. Thick skin can eventually get worn down over time.
While there is no such thing as a perfect husband or wife, it should always be our goal to bring honor to the other. If that’s lacking in your marriage right now, I would consider you approach God in prayer with an open heart to hear from Him. Let Him expose the areas where you might be hurting your spouse versus helping them. And then ask for wisdom and strength to correct those areas. I guarantee you both spouses will benefit from this type of humility.
Pastor Jason Witt
During these times, it was common to eat food that was sacrificed to idols. Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 tells us that eating or not eating will not bring us closer to God but for the sake of our brothers, it’s better not to participate in eating such food, if we knew that such food will stumble our brothers. Paul before this verse addresses our liberties that we have in Christ. In verse 14, he says, “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean to him it is unclean.”
As Christians, we have many liberties. We are free to eat and drink what we want. Paul gives us sort of an assessment test. “Is what I’m eating or drinking causing any grief or tension among my brothers?” If you know that it is, and do it anyways because of your freedom, then you are no longer walking in love. For example, don’t bring a box of Ding Dongs home when you know your wife is dieting. Probably a poor example, but the point is the same. Walk in love and don’t let your food be what takes your brother out. In other words, don’t undo what Christ has already done.
Walking in love.
Joshua Navarro
We know that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice of love on our behalf, giving His sinless life on the cross for us so that we could stand as redeemed men and women before our Heavenly Father. Motivated by that same love, Jesus rose to become our High Priest in Heaven, the One we turn to for understanding, grace, and mercy.
Fully God yet fully human, our Lord lived His earthly life as one of us, experiencing the temptations and sufferings of this life. To put it simply, He can relate to what you are going through. He truly understands.
We can take great comfort in the knowledge that Jesus Christ our Savior knows first-hand all that we go through. He is able to help us to resist and triumph over the temptations that threaten to overtake us. You and I are never alone when we call upon the name of Jesus.
Jeff Deal
Is it just me or are we busier than we’ve ever been? It feels like we are constantly chasing after our schedules and commitments and having less to show for it. Solomon is giving all of us permission to slow down and find some peace and leisure. Surveys have shown that the percentage of the amount of leisure time enjoyed by Americans is shrinking. We are caught in the rat race and don’t know how to escape.
Why have both hands full of profit if that profit costs you your peace of mind and possibly your health? It’s better to have gain in one hand and quietness in the other. The person Solomon is describing was productive in his work, but careful to take time for quietness. He did not run the rat race nor run from responsibility.
The best way to find quietness is in our unhindered time with the Lord. Make time today.
Finding that balance in Him,
Pastor Gerard Deleeuw
