WATER AND LIFE

WATER AND LIFE

READ:  John 4:1-15

Jesus answered, “Everyone who 

drinks this water will be thirsty

again, but whoever drinks the 

water I give them will never thirst.”

John 4:13-14

As Dave Muller reached down and turned the handle, water rushed from the spigot into a blue bucket.  Around him people applauded.  They celebrated as they saw fresh, clean water flowing in their community for the first time.  Having a clean source of water was about to change the lives of this group of people in Kenya.

Dave and his wife, Joy, work hard to meet people’s needs by bringing them water.  But they don’t stop with H20.  As they help bring people clean water, they also tell them about Jesus Christ.

Two thousand years ago, an man named Jesus stood at a Samaritan well and talked with a woman who was there to get clean drinking water for her physical health.  But Jesus told her that what she needed even more than that was living water for her spiritual health.

As history has marched on and humanity has become more sophisticated, life still filters down to two truths:  Without clean water, we will die.  More important, without Jesus Christ, the source of living water, we are already dead in our sins.

Water is essential to our existence-both physically with H20 and spiritually with Jesus.  Have you tasted of the water of life that Jesus, the Savior, provides?                              DAVE BRANON

Thank You, Jesus , for being our living water.  Thank You for Your willingness to die on the cross and for Your power to rise from the dead in order to provide us that water.

Only Jesus has the living water to quench our spiritual thirst.

INSIGHT

First-century Jews avoided traveling through Samaria.  Making the journey from Galilee to Judea meant crossing the Jordan RiVer and following the east side before re-crossing toward Jerusalem to circumvent Samaria.  Why?  Because Samaritans were seen as ceremonially unclean.  Jesus had no such qualms and broke tradition to meet a Samaritan woman in need.  BILL CROWDER

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

REPAIR OR REPLACE?

REPAIR OR REPLACE?

READ: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new

creation. -2 Corinthian 5:17 NKJV

It was time to fix the trim on the windows of our house.  So I scraped, sanded, and applied wood filler to get the aging trim ready for paint.  After all of my efforts-including a coat of primer and some too-expensive paint-the trim looks, well, pretty good.  But it doesn’t look new.  The only way to make the trim look new would be to replace the old wood.

It’s okay to have weather-damaged window trim that looks “pretty good” to our eye.  But when it comes to our sin-damaged hearts, it’s not enough to try to fix things up.  From God’s point of view, we need all things to become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

That is the beauty of salvation through faith in Jesus.  He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin and rose from the dead to display His power over sin and death.  The result is that in God’s eyes, faith in Christ’s work makes us a “new creation”(2 Corinthians 5:17) and replaces the old with a “new life” (Acts 5:20).  Looking through Jesus and His work on the cross for us, our heavenly Father sees everyone who has put his or her faith in Him as new sand unblemished.

Sin has caused great damage.  We can’t fix it ourselves.  We must trust Jesus as Savior and let Him give us a brand-new life.  DAVE BRANON

Heavenly Father, I understand that sin has damaged my heart.  I put my trust in the Savior’s sacrifice and ask You to wash away my sins and make me a new person.  Thank You for what Jesus did for me.

Only Jesus can give you a new life.

INSIGHT

Paul, the author of 2 Corinthians, had founded the church at Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-17) and spent 18 months there in ministry.  This was a church that was struggling with a number of problems.  Paul had addressed many of those problems in his first letter to them (1 Corinthians).  Now, some within the assembly-egged on by false apostles-were attacking his authority as an apostle.  This letter was written to defend his apostleship and to provide a level of pastoral correction to the continuing problems at Corinth.  His defense is most clearly seen in his transparent record of his own suffering for the message of the cross (2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10).           BILL CROWDER

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

THE STORMS OF LIFE

THE STORMS OF LIFE

READ:  MARK 4:35-5:1

You may have had to suffer grief

in all kinds of trials.  These have

come so that the proven genuineness

of your faith…may result in praise,

glory and honor when Jesus Christ is

revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

In the book of Mark we read about a terrible storm.  The disciples were with Jesus on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee.  When a “furious squall came up,” the disciples-among them some seasoned fishermen-were afraid for their lives (4:37-38).  Did God not care?  Weren’t they handpicked by Jesus and closest to Him?  Weren’t they obeying Jesus who told them to “go over to the other side:” (v.35).  Why, then, were they going through such a turbulent time?

No one is exempt from the storms of life.  But just as the disciples who initially feared the storm later came to revere Christ more, so the storms we face can bring us to a deeper knowledge of God.  “Who is this,” the disciples pondered, “even the wind and the waves obey him!” (v.41).  Through our trials we can learn that no storm is big enough to prevent God from accomplishing His will (5:1).

While we may not understand why God allows trials to enter our lives, we thank Him that through them we can come to know who He is.  We live to serve Him because He has preserved our lives.  ALBERT LEE

Lord, I know I don’t need to fear the storms of life around me.  Help me to be calm because I stand secure in You.

The storms of life prove the strength of our anchor.

INSIGHT

In Mark 4:35-5:43 the gospel writer tells of four miracles to prove that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” and therefore has absolute authority over the forces of this physical world (4:35-41), over the powers of the spiritual world (5:1-20), over physical illnesses (5:24-34), and over death (5:35-43).  Theses miracles were designed to answer the question, “Who is this?” (4:41).  The first miracle was Jesus calming the storm on Galilee.  Because the Sea of Galilee is in a basin about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by mountains, sudden and violent storms are common (v.37).  That Jesus was tired and soundly asleep showed that He was fully human (v.38); that the store instantly obeyed Him showed He was divine (v.39). 

SIM KAY TEE

Have a blessed night.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

WHAT DO PEOPLE READ IN YOUR LIFE?

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

What do people read in your life?

"Your lives are a letter written in our hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you."

2 Corinthians 3:2 NLT

My Utmost for His Highest

Oswald Chambers was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1874, the son of a Baptist minister.

Chambers and his wife Gertrude, known to all as Biddy, were dedicated to a life of ministry. When World War I broke out, they were sent by the YMCA to minister to English and Australian troops stationed in Egypt. They set up "study huts", places where soldiers could come and relax — and hear teaching from the Bible. In Zeitoun, up to 400 packed in each night to hear him, and hundreds came to Christ. In 1916, the YMCA planned evangelistic crusades throughout all of the Egyptian military camps with Chambers as evangelist.

On October 17, 1917, Chambers returned from a Wednesday night prayer meeting feeling ill. Within two weeks, his appendix had been removed. Chambers began to recover, but on November 4 he developed a blood clot, and on November 15, 1917, he died.

Chambers had written just one book before he died, Baffled to Fight Better, but he kept a journal. Biddy was a trained stenographer and had taken down word for word many of his hundreds of messages.

Several years after Oswald's death, Biddy began editing his material into 365 daily readings and named it My Utmost for His Highest. She completed it in 1927, and it remains among the top-ten Christian titles sold annually. Biddy edited 12 more books from Oswald's material and published them under his name, never once mentioning her own.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale) p 640-41

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

DON'T TOUCH THE FENCE!

DON’T TOUCH THE FENCE!

READ:  Jeremiah 18:1-12

The LORD…sent word to them…
again, and again, because he had
pity on his people.  2 Chronicles 36:15

As a young girl I went with my parents to visit my great-grandmother, who lived near a farm.  Her yard was enclosed by an electric fence, which prevented cows from grazing on her grass.  When I asked my parents if I could play outside, they consented, but explained that toughing the fence would result in an electric shock.

Unfortunately I ignored their warning, put a finger to the barbed wire, and was zapped by an electrical current strong enough to teach a cow a lesson.  I knew then that my parents had warned me because they loved me and didn’t want me to get hurt.

When  God saw the ancient Israelites in Jerusalem crafting and worshiping idols, He “sent word to them…again and again, because he had pity on his people” (2 Chronicles 36:15).  God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, but the people said, “We will continue with our own plans” (Jeremiah 18:12).  Because of this, God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and capture most of its inhabitants.

Maybe God is warning you today about some sin in your life.  If so, be encouraged.  That is proof of His compassion for us (Hebrew 12:5-6).  He sees what’s ahead and wants us to avoid the problems that will come.  JENNIFER BENSON SCHULDT

Lord, give me the ability to hear not just Your words but also Your heart.  Help me to learn from the mistakes of those whose stories You have given us.  Help me to honor You with my life.

God’s warnings are to protect us, not to punish us.

INSIGHT
We sometimes wonder whether God can change His mind.  Today’s passage in the book of Jeremiah helps us answer this question.  God tells Jeremiah that sometimes His actions are affected by our actions.  God has decided to act in certain ways depending on how we act.  This is God’s freedom.  He is not changing His mind; He has simply determined how He will respond to our stubbornness or our repentance.  We don’t determine what God will do; in His goodness He has told us how He will respond to us.                J.R. HUDBERG

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator’s Love Always.
Unity & Peace

A WARNING TO A FRIEND PLANNING AN INTERFAITH CONFERENCE

Your Brother Daniel

For more great blogs as this one go Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

A WARNING TO A FRIEND PLANNING AN INTERFAITH CONFERENCE

While I am so glad that you want to build bridges, you need to be aware of the Islamic doctrine of Taqiyya, which authorizes Muslims to deceive the unbeliever (the infidel). Why do they do this? They believe that they are in a perpetual state of war against the infidel until the entire world is an Islamic Caliphate and all non-Muslims, who remain alive, are degraded into a diminished status under shariah law:

Ibn Khaldun, the 15th century Tunisian historian, states:

• In the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and the obligation to convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force... Islam is under obligation to gain power over other nations.

Here’s the Koranic basis for this:

• “Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion (Islam) reigns supreme.” (Koran 8:37)

• “When the Sacred Months are over, kill those who ascribe partners [like Jesus] to God wheresoever ye find them; seize them, encompass them, and ambush them; then if they repent and observe prayer and pay the alms, let them go their way’.” (Koran 4:5)

• “…kill the disbelievers wherever we find them” (Koran 2:191) and “murder them and treat them harshly” (Koran 9:123), and “Strike off the heads of the disbelievers” (Koran 8:12, cp. 8:60).

To achieve this, deception is mandated, even in the form of feigned friendship:

∑       [3:27] “Let not the believers take the disbelievers for friends rather than believers. And whoever does this has no connection with Allah unless it is done [deceptively] to guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully.

∑       [5:54] O ye who believe, take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other.

Consequently, we find in the following fatwa which quotes the Koran in support  (www.koranqa.com; fatwa 59879):

∑       “Undoubtedly the Muslim is obliged to hate the enemies of Allaah and to disavow them, because this is the way of the Messengers and their followers. Allaah says: [60:4] “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah Alone’”

∑           “Based on this, it is not permissible for a Muslim to feel any love in his heart towards the enemies of Allaah who are in fact his enemies too. Allaah says”:

o   [60:1] “O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth”

The Koran even specifies immigration as a tool of Islamic conquest:

∑       [Koran 4:100-10] He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allah [Jihad], will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salat (prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you, verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.

Just today, I received this link. Please read it. It confirms what I have been warning against: http://constitution.com/egyptian-woman-warns-america-wake-up-or-wipe-out/

One other thought – While in the West, the Imam will always be open to interfaith assemblies, you will not find such assemblies openly conducted in Islamic nations where Islam has already accomplished their goal of the domination of the infidel under Islam.

While I would be glad to participate in such a gathering, please understand that my participation in regards to Islam might not be conducive to your purposes. Instead, I would be conscience-bound to expose Islam and its murderous plans as I would, had I been invited to a Nazis interfaith conference in 1932.

POSTSCRIPT:

My friend did not respond in a positive manner to this warning. Therefore, I responded:

As a Christian, I am duty bound to find ways to love all people, to put their needs first. However, I do not put their needs first by enabling them to deceive and to promote their murderous agenda, but rather by exposing it, demonstrating the error of their ways.

If I meet a youth intending to join ISIS, I do not invite him to be a participant in an interfaith conference. However, I might invite him for meal to discuss his choice and to reason that his choice is not in accord with rationality or even with his best interests.

Although there are exceptions, this is the case with Islam in general. A recent Al Jazeera survey among Arab Muslims found that 81% approved of ISIS! Why? Because they realize that ISIS represents their own belief system.

If there was one Muslim country in the world where non-Muslims live in equality with Muslims, I would find some cause for hope. If there was but one Western nation where Muslims were willing to integrate with their host nation, I might find some encouragement. However, as many Western leaders have acknowledged, their multi-cultural experiment has been a dismal failure.

These observations do not apply to Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Siks... who are willing to with peacefully in their newly adopted nations. They are not calling for the destruction of the West and the imposition of the Caliphate and Shariah Law. Instead, they are grateful for their new-found sanctuary. Islam represents the very opposite.

Friendship is not always possible. It takes two to tango. A faithful Muslim will only be our “friend” for the purpose of deception, as the many citations I had given you show.

Jesus taught that we should live at peace with all people, in as far as it is possible. Sometimes, it is not, and good fences are required.

I hope you will reconsider.

BLOG - http://www.mannsword.blogspot.com

New York School of the Bible: http://www.nysb.nyc/

GOD'S "PROTECTIVE SHADE'

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

God's "protective shade"

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

Psalm 121:5 NLT

Secure with the keeper

It was dark and cold that November morning when the Livingstone family woke up to say farewell to their son David. He was leaving Scotland for the heart of Africa. Mrs. Livingstone made coffee; Mr. Livingstone dressed warmly to walk his son to Glasgow. David got the family Bible and read the comforting words of Psalm 121 with the family.

A dozen years later, Dr. Livingstone was contemplating a trip deeper into the unexplored interior of Africa along with his wife and children. Just before he left, he received a letter from his mother-in-law, Mary Moffat, who was also a missionary. "My dear Livingstone," she began. "Hitherto I have kept up my spirits and have been enabled to believe that our Great Master may yet bring you out in safety." She said that she was clinging to the promises of Psalm 121 and Psalm 91. "Unceasing prayer is made for you." Then she added, "Every petition, however fervent, must be with submission to his will."

Protected? Yes. Submissive to his will? That, too.

Jesus guaranteed us that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33). But no matter what happens, we can never be separated from God's love or God's purposes. He promises to preserve us from evil but not to pave over every pothole in life's road.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Psalms with devotionals by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen (Tyndale) entry for October 17

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HE WHO BEGAN WILL NOT QUIT

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

He who began will not quit

"And I am sure that God, who began a good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again."

Philippians 1:6 NLT

Let this encourage God's holy people to endure persecution patiently and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus.

Revelation 14:12 NLT

About this week's promise:

God's promise to continue working in our lives requires perseverance on our part.

Whether you are an athlete undergoing grueling physical conditioning, an employee struggling under a mountain of work, or a Christian suffering persecution, the key to perseverance is a clear vision of the goal.

While the goal of an athlete is to win the race and goal of the employee is a job well done, the goal of the believer is nothing less than eternity in the presence of the Lord.

The writer of Revelation encourages Christians to keep their eyes on Jesus, who will reward the faithful, and to obey his Word to the end. When you feel like giving up, remember the glory that awaits you as a child of God.

From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 1136

For more on this week's topic, check this Tyndale resource:

I Told the Mountain to Move by Patricia Raybon (2005)

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

YOU MISSED THE CHANCE

YOU MISSED THE CHANCE

READ:  1 Corinthians 13

If I have the gift of prophecy and
fathom all mysteries  and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but do not have love, I am
nothing.  1 Corinthians 13:2

I heard the saddest words today.  Two believers in Christ were discussing an issue about which they had differing opinions.  The older of the two seemed smug as he wielded Scripture like a weapon, chopping away at the things he saw as wrong in the other’s life.  The younger man just seemed weary of the lecture, weary of the other person, and discouraged.

As the exchange drew to a close, the older  man commented on the other’s apparent disinterest.  “You used to be eager,” he started, and then abruptly quit.  “I don’t know what it is you want.”

“You missed the chance to love me,”  the young man said.  “In all the time you’ve known me, what has seemed to matter most to you is pointing out what you think is wrong about me.  What do I want?  I want to see Jesus-in you and through you.”

Had this been said to me, I thought, I would have been devastated.  In that moment I knew the Holy Spirit was telling me there had been people I had missed the chance to love.  And I knew there were people who couldn’t see Jesus in me either.

The apostle Paul tells us that love must be the underlying motive in anything we do;  in everything we do (1 Corinthians 13:1-4).  Let’s not miss the next chance to show love.                        RANDY KILGORE

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you today who it is you’ve missed the chance to love.  Then ask Him to give you another opportunity.  Start your conversation with these words:  “I’m sorry…”

Love beats lectures every time.

INSIGHT
First Corinthians 13 is often referred to as “the love chapter.”  Jesus said that love would be the distinguishing characteristic of a Christian.  Hours before He went to the cross He Said:  “A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).  SIM KAY TEE

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator’s Love Always.
Unity & Peace

BIBLE INTERPRETATION CAN BE HAZARDOUS

BIBLE INTERPRETATION CAN BE HAZARDOUS

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

In some ways, understanding the Bible is as plain as understanding how to read the clock or the calendar. The Bible is so plain, that the lay person was expected to teach its truths to their children:

∑       These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

However, for a number of reasons, interpreting the Bible can also be challenging:

1.     IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN ANCIENT LANGUAGES. These languages also arose from different and distant cultures. Even if we rigorously study the Hebrew and the Greek, there are idioms and nuances that we might miss.

2.     OUR UNDERSTANDING MAY BE UNDULY INFLUENCED BY OUR OWN CULTURE.

3.     SOME OF THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN IN FIGURATIVE/POETIC LANGUAGE. Jesus spoke in parables: “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.’" (Matthew 13:34-35, citing Psalm 78:2)

4.     WE OFTEN DO NOT WANT THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION. Often we prefer an interpretation that will affirm us or our worldview: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

5.     THE BIBLE MUST BE UNDERSTOOD IN ITS TOTALITY IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY UNDERSTAND AND APPLY ANY ONE PART: “Jesus answered [Satan], ‘It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4)

Let’s just focus on #5. “Every word” was necessary for not only living but also for understanding. This had been one of Jesus’ critiques of the religious leadership, who would take one verse out of the context of the rest of the Bible. Consequently, they would apply it wrongly.

For instance, the Israelite was forbidden to work on the Sabbath. However, as Jesus pointed out, there were numerous exceptions to this rule:

• Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." (John 7:23-24)

The leadership had failed to understand and correctly apply the teachings against work on the Sabbath in light of the exceptions. One exception was the requirement to circumcise on the eighth day.

In order to interpret and apply a verse correctly, we need to have a comprehensive understanding of Scripture. Otherwise, it might seem that Scripture is contradicting itself. Take the example of Jonah preaching to Nineveh:

• “On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." (Jonah 3:4)

To our culturally bound ears, it sounds as if Nineveh was absolutely doomed to destruction in 40 days! However, we later find that this wasn’t the case:

• When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)

Is this a contradiction? It seems like it is until we read about the conditional quality of many of God’s promises:

• “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.” (Jeremiah 18:7-8)

Some will charge that this is simply an example of Jeremiah contradicting Jonah. However, if we understand Scripture in context, we see that even Jonah understood the conditionality of God’s promise about Nineveh:

• "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:1-2)

Jonah had so hated Nineveh that he would have been glad to deliver a message of Nineveh’s unconditional destruction. However, Jonah knew that his God is one who relents, and therefore, he fled.

Here is another reason why we have to appreciate the entire counsel of Scripture. Any statement has to be understood in context. I often say, “I love chocolate.” While this is true, it doesn’t mean that I always love chocolate. I do not love chocolate after I have already ODed on sugar. I don’t love to eat it when I am nauseous.

Do these exceptions mean that my original statement was wrong? No! It just means that my statement has to be understand within the context of the entirety human experience with its many nuances. No one would call me a “liar” for saying that “I love chocolate” if I declined it when I was nauseous. Instead, they understand that it is perfectly okay to state a generalization without stating each exception along with it.

Let’s take the example of Jesus’ teaching on divorce. In one contest, Jesus taught:

• "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Luke 16:18)

Does this mean that there weren’t exceptions to the general rule? Of course not:

• But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9).

There is no requirement that whenever we mention a general principle that all of the exception must be immediately mentioned along with it.

Hear is another teaching that requires us to understand the entirety of Scripture. Based upon the Malachi 4:5-6 prophecy of Elijah’s return, John the Baptist was asked if he was Elijah. He answered that he was not! However, Jesus claimed that he was Elijah:

• For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John [the Baptist]. And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come. (Matthew 11:13-14; 17:12-13)

This seems like a contradiction. However, if we understand this claim within the entirety of Scripture’s teaching on the subject, we find that this “contradiction” can be resolved. Evidently, Jesus had taught that John was Elijah only in a spiritual or figurative sense.

This becomes apparent in the Angel of the Lord’s revelation to John’s father, Zechariah:

• He [John] will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:15-17)

It should not be surprising that Jesus had referred to John the Baptist as Elijah in a figurative/spiritual sense. Jesus often taught in this manner. Let’s just take a few examples:

∑       "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Matthew 6:2-3)

• "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)

• And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:30)

Understanding how Jesus taught allows us to better understand His teaching about John. Paul counseled:

∑       Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

It is so easy to incorrectly interpret. Instead, correct Bible interpretation is so foundational to God’s purposes, that incorrect interpretation is associated with not having God’s approval. Let us therefore pray that we might handle His Word correctly!

BLOG - http://www.mannsword.blogspot.com

New York School of the Bible: http://www.nysb.nyc/

WHERE DO YOU TURN WHEN THREATENED?

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Where do you turn when threatened?

"Send your light and your truth; let them guide me

Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.

There I will go to the altar of God, to God — the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!

Why am I discouraged? Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again — my Savior and my God!"

Psalm 43:3-5 NLT

An appeal for guidance

"Being lost in the darkness can be a very frightening situation. But imagine if you were also being pursued by people who were out to kill you!

This was the psalmist's urgent dilemma, and he didn't know which way to turn. But he did know to whom he would cry out for help. He asked God to show him the way, to guide him in the truth, and to lead him to the Lord's presence.

Pray that God will guide your steps.

Set your sights on your final destination — God's dwelling place — and encourage yourself with the prospect of living joyfully in the Lord's presence.

A pray for today…

Dear God, guide me with your light and truth…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton (Tyndale) entry for October 11

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HIDDEN IN MY HEART

HIDDEN IN MY HEART

READ:  Psalm 119:9-16

I have hidden your word 
in my heart. Psalm 119:11

I’m getting used to reading digital magazines, and I feel good that I’m saving trees.  Plus, I don’t have to wait for the magazines to come in the mail.  I do, however, miss the print editions because I like to run my fingers through the glossy pages and cut out my favorite recipes.

I also have a digital edition of the Bible on my reading device.  But I still have my favorite printed Bible-the one I have underlined and read many times.  We don’t know the future of the printed page, but one thing we do know:  The best place for God’s Word is not on our cell phones, electronic reading devices, or bedside table.

In Psalm 119 we read about treasuring the Scriptures in our hearts:  “I have hidden your word in my heart”(v.11).  Nothing compares to pondering God’s Word, learning more of Him, and putting it into practice in our daily lives.  The best place for His Word lies deep in our souls.

We may have many excuses for not reading, meditating, or memorizing, but we need God’s Word.  I pray that God will help us store His Word in the best place possible-our hearts.                                 KEILA OCHOA 

Lord, give me the desire to read Your Word.  Then implant it in my heart and thoughts and help me live it out.

The best place for God’s Word is our hearts.

INSIGHT
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, celebrating God’s law and its importance.  Today’s passage is one of the most well known in Scripture.  Verse 11 is often quoted and memorized and spells out the outcome of knowing the Bible:  “I have hidden your words in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Having knowledge about God is not enough.  Knowing and meditating on God’s law is what leads to changed behavior.                                 J.R. HUDBERG

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator’s Love Always.
Unity & Peace

BEHIND THE SCENES

BEHIND THE SCENES

READ: John 3:22-31

He must become greater; I
must become less. John 3:30

The outreach activities of our church culminated with a city-wide service.  As the team that had organized and led the events-comprised of our youth  music group, counselors, and church leaders-walked onto the stage, we all excitedly applauded and lured out our appreciation for their hard work.

One man, however, was hardly noticeable, yet he was the leader of the team.  When I saw him a few days later, I thanked and congratulated him for his work and said, “We hardly noticed you during the program.”

“I like to work in the background,” he said.  He was not concerned with getting recognition for himself.  It was time for those who did the work to receive appreciation.

His quiet demeanor was an entire sermon to me.  It was a reminder that when serving the Lord, I need not seek to be recognized.  I can give honor to God whether or not I’m openly appreciated by others.  A Christ-first attitude can subdue any petty jealousies or unhealthy competition.

Jesus, who is “above all” (John 3:31), “must become greater; I must become less” (v.30).  When we have this attitude, we will seek the progress of God’s work.  It is Christ, not us, who should be the focus of all we do.                                                              LAWRENCE DARMANI

Jesus, be the center of my thoughts, desires, and actions.  Control me and use me.

The spotlight is the place for Christ.

INSIGHT
John 3 focuses on three important personalities.  The early portion of the chapter describes Nicodemus, one of the leading teachers of Israel, coming to Jesus by night to dialogue with Him about things Nicodemus admittedly did not understand (vv.1-21).  The second part of the chapter focuses on John the Baptist and his statements exalting Jesus as the great Bridegroom (vv.22-36).  Central to both of these accounts is the third and most significant person in the chapter, Christ Himself-the mystery Nicodemus couldn’t unravel and the wonder John praised.                              BILL CROWDER

Have a blessed night.
God Our Creator’s Love Always.
Unity & Peace

CHOOSING WHOM TO SERVE

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Choosing whom to serve

"As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15 NLT

A momentous document

"The date was November 11, 1620, and the place was the Mayflower, anchored off the coast of Cape Cod. One hundred and two passengers, including 34 children had spent seven weeks crossing the ocean from England. Among them were 27 adults and 14 children who were Pilgrims, separatists who had fled England for Holland, yet wished to retain their English heritage. They made arrangements with the Virginia Company to settle just south of the Hudson River within the northernmost boundary of the Virginia Charter. However, fierce winds blew them off course to the north — to the shores of Cape Cod.

They realized they would be on their own since they had no agreement with the New England Company. On board the ship some of the non-Pilgrim bonded servants and those hired by contract greeted the decision to settle in Cape Cod as an opportunity for rebellion. The Pilgrim leadership saw that they must act quickly to prevent a mutiny.

The result came to be known as the Mayflower Compact, the first time in recorded history in which free men covenanted together to form a civil government with the authority to enact laws that the people promised to obey.

Before leaving the Netherlands, the Pilgrims had knelt on the dock to ask God's blessing on their voyage. After the first winter on Cape Cod, 47 people died, leaving only three families intact. These humble Christian men and women were to be the seeds of what would become the United States of America."

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale) pp 632-33

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

RESPONDING TO THOSE WHO ATTACK YOU

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Responding to those who attack you

"Lord, have mercy on me. See how I suffer at the hands of those who hate me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death.

Save me, so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me…

Arise, O Lord! Do not let mere mortals defy you! Let the nations be judged in your presence.
Make them tremble in fear, O Lord. Let them know they are merely human."

Psalm 9:13-14, 19-20 NLT

Asking God to relieve our suffering

Life is difficult enough without people seeking to attack us in one way or another. But as David quickly learned when he became king, the more responsibility and power we are given, the more enemies oppose us.

When we are being attacked by our enemies, we instinctively fight back. But as this prayer shows, our first response to opposition should be to bring the situation to God in prayer. Instead of plotting how he could destroy his enemies, David identified how his current predicament could bring glory and honor to God.

What difficult and troublesome situations have you gone through? Submit those situations to God, and ask him to save you so that you may rejoice in him.

A prayer for today…

Dear Lord, you know how I am suffering. Please save me so I can rejoice in you…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton(Tyndale) entry for November 19 "

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House