A relatively unknown New Testament character by the very uncommon name of Onesiphorus, played a much more important part in the ministry of the Apostle Paul than most people may imagine. You may ask: "What did he do?" Well, his visits to Paul in prison obviously encouraged the apostle. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote: “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.” (2 Tim. 1:16)
That may not sound like that big a deal to many, but consider this: Paul, after experiencing beatings, the rejection of his people, and the abandonment of ministry assistants, was now alone, cold, hungry and forgotten in prison. And though the bible makes no mention of it, it is not that hard to imagine then how Paul was later able to, even as a prisoner, encourage others. Could that be one reason he later wrote this in his second letter to the Corinthian church?: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4) Paul gave God the glory for his comfort and rightfully so because in the end, all good things come from Him. Nevertheless, some of the that refreshing uplift came by way of Onesiphorus.
If you’ve ever experienced loneliness, you know what just the sight of a dear friend or loved one can do. And if you’re not at all lonely right now, perhaps the Lord may remind you of someone who may be. Need I say anything else?Encourage someone today. Not only may it make someone’s day, it will it make you feel good as well, and honor God in the process. Know anyone who needs a lift?
God’s word for today: (Matthew 25:36) “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
One thing old people are known for is that they tell the same old stories over and over again. That being said, if I have bored you before with this goofy joke, please forgive me: Two men were fishing in a boat under a bridge. One looked up and saw a funeral procession starting across the bridge. He stood up, took off his cap, and bowed his head. When the procession had crossed the bridge, the man put on his cap, picked up his rod and reel, and continued fishing. After a few moments of silence, the other guy said, "Wow, that was touching. I didn't know you had it in you." The first man responded, "Well, I guess it was the right thing to do, after all, I was married to her for 40 years."
Although today’s goofy story is probably stretching the point just a bit, the reason I am using it today is to focus on the many people we know that claim to live by the "do-the-right-thing" motto. On the surface, it would appear that living our lives by that principle must be pretty good, and I suppose that could be the case in many situations. On the other hand, there is a much better reason for doing things. I am referring to love. There is no greater motivational factor than love. Paul wrote: “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died.” (2 Corinthians 5:14) Can you see that the best inner driving force when it comes to serving God and others is the love of Christ in our hearts?
Suppose a man one day decides to buy his wife a dozen roses and take her out to a romantic dinner. When she asks "why are you doing this?" he replies "I just thought it was the right thing to do." Would it not have been better if he would have said "I did it because I love you"? Of all the reasons for doing things, love is the best. In fact, the greatest thing that ever happened to this world (Christ) was motivated by the greatest love of all. (God’s) Lets let the love of God lead us. Now, that, is the right thing to do! Done any great things lately?
God’s word for today: (Ephesians 5:2 NLT) “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
A man came to a wide river one day wishing to pass to the other side. He lifted up a prayer to God saying:“Lord, give me the strength to cross this river.” In an instant, he felt unusual strength in his arms and legs. In a matter of minutes, he swam across. A few days later another man came up to the river’s edge wishing to cross over. He too, lifted up a prayer to God saying: “Lord, give me the strength, intelligence, and wisdom to cross this river. God quickly gave him what he prayed for and the man proceeded to cut down a tree, made himself a raft, and crossed over to the other side. The next day, another man came to the river’s edge with the same dilemma. In his case, he scratched his head, looked up to Heaven and said: “Dear Lord, can you please help me cross this river?” In a moment, he heard a noise that sounded like a tree snapping. As he drew closer to investigate, he saw a bridge nearby and walked over to the other side.
So what was my point in that goofy story? Too often, when we pray to God, we don't only ask for His help, we tell Him exactly how to answer. And sometimes He answers our prayer just like we asked Him so we must always be careful what we pray for. We must never forget that God doesn’t need our advice when it concerns how and when He will answer. A simple, sincere plea for help is all we need to concern ourselves with when we present our petitions to Him. After all, He knows and understands our situation better than we do. Then, we can say as confidently as David, who wrote: Our soul waiteth for the LORD: He is our help and our shield. (Ps 33:20) Moral of the story: Keep it simple when you pray to God. When it comes from the heart, sometimes all we need is this three-word prayer: “Lord, help me!”
God’s promise for today: (Psalm 50:15) “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
Are you afraid of dying? If you are, you are not alone so don’t feel bad. I know a lot of good people who, even though they love and belong to the Lord, are afraid of dying. The apostle Paul addressed the issue of life and death in his letter to the Philippians, saying he was hard pressed to choose between two of his wishes as a Christian. On the one hand, he wanted to remain alive so that he could continue his work in spreading the gospel, but on the other hand he knew it would be far better to leave this world and be with Christ. (See Philippians 1:21-23) I believe that the moment we all set foot in Heaven, we will ask ourselves “Why couldn’t I have come here sooner?”
How many people do we know who are anxiously looking forward to dying? Generally speaking, not only do people not want to die, they live in fear of it every day and many don’t even want to talk or hear about it. A preacher once said that death is like a scarecrow. Foolish birds stay away from it, seeing it is a man that wants to harm them, but the smart ones know that the presence of that scarecrow only means there is some mighty good eating down there. He concluded, "Faith is a bird that loves to perch on scarecrows." Death is as harmless to Christians as scarecrows to the birds. It has no power over God’s children and it is no wonder then that Paul also wrote: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
God’s word for today: (Psalms 116:15) “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
Pastor Ysidro’s recent bible study in the 10th Chapter of Acts about the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, stirred up this thought within me: Though Cornelius was a devout, generous, and seemingly religious man, that alone did not guarantee him automatic entry into Heaven. He, as well as the rest of his family, had to hear the gospel message of salvation, had to believe in Christ, recognize his sinful nature, and receive Him in his heart. That sounds a bit complicated but the bottom line is simple: All that is required to be saved is to believe in Christ. You see, Cornelius and all his family were saved when they believed in Jesus. They did all the other steps not to get saved but because, by believing in Christ, they were already saved.
Unlike Cornelius, many religious people mistakenly believe that their good works and devotion to God alone are enough to save them. No, Romans 3:23 tells us: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”and since we are all sinners, we all need a Savior. John 1:12 says that only those who receive Christ (in their heart) can call themselves His children, which destroys the erroneous belief of many that everyone automatically is a child of God. Every human being in the world is God’s creation but only they who have received Christ in their heart are His children. These are the only ones who lawfully have the right to start their prayer by saying: “Our Father, who art in Heaven.”
God’s word for today: (Galatians 6:14) “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
Yesterday, I wrote about the danger of making money when it becomes more important to us than God. I also added that it is not a sin as long as it remains in it’s proper place. If we are honest and objective, many bible heroes were extremely wealthy. We must keep this in mind, however: God prospered them because of other things in their lives, not because they strove to be rich. Such was the case with a dentist and Methodist minister by the name of Thomas Welch.
Over a hundred and fifty years ago, Dr. Welch, developed a non-alcoholic grape drink in the kitchen of his own home. He did so because he was opposed to the idea of using fermented wine in the church communion service. He named his invention "Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine." He approached church officials seeking approval to use his grape drink instead of the fermented wine for all communion services. They turned him down at first but later granted their approval. His son Charles, also a dentist, changed the name of his dad's product to "Welch's Grape Juice" and produced it in a barn behind his home. The rest is History! Today, Welch's Grape Juice is the best-known and biggest seller worldwide, and is used in most church communion services today as the representation of Jesus' Blood.
But consider the following: Dr. Welch did not make his grape drink to make money but rather to honor God. In fact, he advised his son only to start producing and selling the grape juice as a means to “make ends meet.” Apart from being a dentist and a minister, Dr. Welch was an active prohibitionist since he was fiercely opposed to the liquor industry and was also active in the Underground Railroad that transported escaped slaves from the south into Canada. I believe that the Lord therefore prospered his son and family later, not because they wanted to get rich but because of their desire to honor Him as well as help their fellow man.
God’s promise for today: (Proverbs 22:4 NLT) “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”
My wife and I were listening to the radio while on the road yesterday and we heard a commercial ad that started something like this: “Who said we have to be content with what we have?” In an instant I blurted out loud, “the bible!” Now, we realized that the ad was from an investment group, but whether it is they or somebody else, the world’s ideas are often the opposite to the teachings of God’s Word. Many in the world actually believe that money is the most important thing in life. It is not. In fact, the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:10that the love of it is the root of all evil. However, the scripture that first came to my mind when the man in the radio ad asked his foolish question was Hebrews 13:5 which reads: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Nevertheless, There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that it is wrong to want to make a better life for ourselves and our loved ones. If that includes looking for ways to make more money, it is perfectly okay as long as it does not become an obsession with us. Even if we leave the Bible out of this conversation, life itself should have taught us already that people can have all the money in the world and still not be happy, healthy, loved, or satisfied. Money can’t buy these four and many other things. Chinese billionaire, Jack Ma, surprised many in a luncheon in New York two years ago when he told them he was happier when he was making 12 dollars a month. Thank God for honest people.
Whoever came up with the phrase, “the best things in life are free” knew what he or she was talking about, especially if that includes God’s free gift of salvation by way of His Son. Christ himself said in Matthew 16:26: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Let me repeat that it is not a sin to be rich nor is it wrong to make money, as long as it does not become more important to us than God. In fact, that includes any person or thing. Nothing can be more important in our lives than God, and apart from Him there can be no true contentment.
God’s word for today: (Matthew 6:24) “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Has this ever happened to you in church?: You sensed, perhaps even felt convinced, that the preacher was singling you out in his message, trying to embarrass you before the congregation. Consider the following: There is now a major penalty in football, from middle school all the way up to the pros, referred to as “targeting.” It can result in a 15 yard infraction or even ejection and is generally committed by players who use the top of their helmets to strike an opponent, mostly the ball carrier. However, the targeting penalty can be enforced on any player who intentionally tries to hurt a defenseless opponent. Having said that, pastors and teachers can be guilty of “targeting” as well. In this case, it is the attempt of the minister to attack a specific person or persons while behind the pulpit or lectern.
It is not uncommon to hear certain folks claim they left their previous church because the pastor used his time behind the pulpit to publicly scold, slander, or embarrass them. There is also a possibility that the pastor did not willfully intend to demean anybody. Nevertheless, whether intentional or not, much damage can be inflicted when that happens. The pulpit was never intended for doing anything other than preach and teach the Word of God and any true minister of the gospel will never attack, slander, or embarrass any person or church. Just like a football player who targets his opponent can be penalized appropriately by the referee, so can a targeting minister be appropriately penalized by our “Great Referee” even to the point of being disqualified.
To be fair and objective, most of the time when God’s “genuine” pastors and teachers are accused of “targeting”, the accusation is groundless. In most of these cases, it was the Word of God that offended, not the preacher. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” If we are honest, we will all confess that, at one time or another, we have all felt like the preacher was singling us out and that someone told him something about us. I know that is true because I’ve been falsely accused on many occasions of doing just that. Please bear this in mind: Game officials in all sports and levels have a higher authority that monitors their performance as well as their conduct. In other words, if they are biased or inept, eventually they will lose their job. It is no different with those who preach and teach the gospel. If they are not fulfilling their duties in a manner pleasing to God, He can depose and replace them if and when He sees fit. He needs no help to do it either. One more thing: Just like every child of God, all God’s servants will one day have to stand before the Lord to give an account of their conduct in their Christian life here on earth as well as their service to Him. Nevertheless, lets take comfort in the fact that, whatever issue may be troubling us, God is fully in control.
God’s word for today: (2 Timothy 2:24) “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.”
Psalm 51 is among David’s best known psalms and is, without a doubt, a confession of sin and a plea for forgiveness. Concerning the specific sin for the which he was seeking God’s pardon, the one involving Bathsheba and her husband, many bible scholars agree that David broke every one of the Ten Commandments just in that incident alone. That God forgave Him should be a reminder to all that although sin is evil and capable of killing people and dooming them eternally, God’s grace is greater. In no way should this imply, however, that we have more leeway when it comes to sin. Paul asked this question in his letter to the Romans: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (Rom 6:1) In the following verse, he answers the question by saying: “By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” If we were released from prison, why should we possibly want to go back to it? Sin will always have it’s consequences. In fact, although David was forgiven, he paid a very heavy price for it throughout his lifetime.
Expounding God’s grace can be a dilemma because it is one bible truth that gets twisted often by those who oppose it as well as those who don’t understand it. We all know how much damage and harm is caused by “extremists” of all kinds on a daily basis, right? Well, the gospel message has its extremists too. One extreme side says that we can live as we please and do whatever we want anyway God’s grace covers it all and we have nothing to worry about. Those who hold this view are in for a horrible shock. The other extreme side, which expounds God’s holiness and justice, has people thinking that every little slip-up or ungodly thought causes them to lose their salvation on a continual basis. Those who hold this view will be robbed of the peace of Christ in their heart and fall short of the abundant life He promised. Constantly looking behind your shoulder is no way to live. Lets make the proper use of God’s grace in our lives. When we stumble and fall, lets rely on it to get forgiven, cleansed, and restored. Better still, lets rely on it to help us to overcome temptation and stay away from trouble. In conclusion, lets always be thankful to God for His amazing grace.
God’s promise for today: (1 Peter 5:10) “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
It is widely accepted that Proverbs, Chapter 3, is the specific advice that David wrote for his son, Solomon. Most bible readers are familiar with the advice in this chapter to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not lean on our own understanding (vs. 5) but the entire chapter is a storehouse of advice for living a meaningful and blessed life. Here are two examples: (verse 3) Advice: “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you.” Result: You will find favor both with God and people and earn a good reputation. Do you have any relationship issues in your life? Perhaps you should consider if you have been a loyal friend yourself and treated others with kindness. (verse 7) Advice: “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Result: You will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
The one thing that most caught my attention while reading this chapter earlier today, however, was verse 21 which reads: “My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion.” Wisdom begins with fearing and honoring God and staying as close to Him as possible. Among the many benefits for doing just that is a sound and restful sleep. Verse 24 says: “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
The manufacturers of drugs and over the counter medications formulated especially for helping people sleep are probably making billions of dollars on a yearly basis. Most of us have turned to these meds at one time or another. In fact, there are many folks who take them on a daily basis. I was reminded today, by the truth of God’s Word, that the surest way of enjoying a sound sleep is by staying in close communion with our God. We all know that God is love but we should also know that He is wisdom. Therefore, verse 21 could also be read this way: “My son, do not let the Lord out of your sight.” If you are they type that has trouble sleeping at night, perhaps you have been focusing more on your situation than on God. If that’s the case, keep your eyes on Him and sleep well.
God’s word for today: (Psalm 127:2) “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”
