July 31st 2009
Time And Chance
“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
Ecclesiastes 1:11 (KJV)
This scripture can be troubling if it is taken to mean that no matter how hard you run your race of life, you may not win, and that everything is a matter of chance. I don’t believe that and I hope that you don’t either.
*Jesus said that the very hairs of our head are numbered.
*He said not even a sparrow falls to the ground without him knowing, and that we are worth more than sparrows (Matthew 20:29-31).
*He is our ever-present help in time of need, who will never leave, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
*Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Also look at Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
I believe that the title scripture can be a warning not to judge others who suffer, and serves as encouragement that if things go wrong, it is not a sign that we have sinned. In Luke 13:2 & 3, Jesus is talking to a group of people and says, “Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
God allows bad things to happen but promises that all these things will work together for good, and as it says in Hebrews 12:11, “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness”.
Someone sent me a thought-provoking piece of prose that goes:
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
Prayer
You say that I am worth more than sparrows, Father in Heaven, and you know every hair on my head. Help me not to get discouraged, but to deal with the bad things that happen in life as a challenge to learn to be more like you.
Amen
Study by Nancy Silcox
July 30th 2009
The God Of Surprises
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
John 1:1-3 (NIV)
Just under 1,500 years ago a monk named Dionysius Exiguus invented a year numbering system to assist in his publication of the dates of Easter. He started with (what he thought to be) the birth year of Jesus which he numbered as 1 Anno Domini (AD).
Anno Domini is a Latin expression, which translated means “In the year of our Lord”. I can certainly see why he would choose such a numbering system. Something really remarkable, even incredible, in fact quite fantastic, splits human history into two.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:8)
God, who inhabits eternity, is not limited by time and is self-existing. This God came into history and became human. How this is possible is a mystery to us – but God made it happen.
Then came a shock that no one expected: Jesus died. Followed by the incredible miracle: Jesus was raised back to life.
We often talk of events that change the world. Well, Jesus did more than that – he transformed the world.
The flow of life into death was reversed and the grave saw resurrection. How wonderful this is! Interestingly, God performed this in such a way that you can ignore His salvation if you wish. He won’t force you. But he does desire that you will take notice so that you too will receive everlasting life.
So why not take notice?
Prayer
Dear Father, show me how I may gain Christ and be found in him so that I, like Him, will attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Amen
Study by Ian Woodley
July 29th 2009
Two Eyes, Two Ears, One Tongue
“My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak.”
James 1:19 (NCV)
Surely there is a pointed lesson in the construction of our heads. We have two eyes, two ears and two nostrils-organs that are receptors of information, means by which we can gather knowledge-but only one tongue. By the use of the tongue we can impart feelings, beliefs, attitudes and moods. Isn’t it obvious that we must take time to sift through all this information that is coming to us through three pairs of sensors before we exercise one means of expressing what we make of it?
It has been said that we get too much exercise jumping to conclusions. It is true that once something has been said it cannot be unsaid. Perhaps the picture of our head gives a key to how we should handle the information we receive. If we took three times as long to consider before we spoke, we probably would say a lot less and what we did say would be more a way to peace than to anger.
Someone who is quick to respond is bound, from time to time, to say the wrong thing, and to regret it. But once it is said it is very difficult to put the matter right. Our words should seek to remove the heat from a situation and to produce peace in its stead. This is the righteous use of the tongue.
James concludes his thought with these words, “Do not become angry easily, because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.”(verse 20) God would have us live in peace with one another and the proper use of the senses, listening, considering then speaking words of righteousness , would go a long way in producing this desired result.
Prayer
Father in heaven, thank you for the wonderful gift of all my senses and the joy that they can bring. Help me to use them wisely and in such a way that they can bring joy to others. Help me to resist the temptation to respond without proper consideration and, instead, to be a peace-maker through the words that I speak.
Amen
Study by David Stirk
July 28th 2009
Shout With A Whisper
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”
Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)
There are three elements needed to start a fire-oxygen, heat and fuel. Take away any one of these elements and there will be no fire.
It could be viewed that there are also three elements needed for an argument, two people as minimum and something to argue about. Take away one of those elements and there will be no argument.
You may not be able to eradicate or avoid the subject of discussion, and the other individual will only cease to argue if they choose to. So you remove the third element, yourself.
This doesn’t have to be physically; that is not always possible, although it can help for a time-but don’t be one of the elements that fans the flames, that keeps the fire burning.
Here in Proverbs we can see that the way to do this is to respond to others with a gentle answer. The Message Bible puts it this way-‘a gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire’.
God wants us to live in peace with one another and to encourage peaceful living in others, which is best achieved by setting the example of a quiet and gentle existence -free from the destructive power of arguments and strife. We will still be able to make a stand, to make our point heard-we can whisper as though we are shouting, hopefully about Our Good and Gracious Eternal Father in Heaven.
Prayer
Father, help us to have love and compassion in our hearts for all mankind-as you do, and to live peaceably with everyone we know and meet even when they try to stir up strife. Give us the strength and wisdom to lead by your example.
In Christ’s name we pray.
Amen
Study by Sinead Templeman
July 27th 2009
Consigned To Being An Outsider
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men–robbers evil doers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)
I can still remember the searing pain of humiliation. I was so excited about playing Under 8’s Football that I hardly slept. Just as I had hoped, Sunday was a most beautiful day. Anticipation was in my every step as I walked toward the park. Then suddenly my memory fast-forwarded so quickly that all I could remember was that same little eight-year-old boy running home with his boots and sobbing.
After years of replaying this unresolved event in my mind, I learned from my mother exactly what had occurred. She said that one of the junior soccer coaches required that I had to have my father sign the registration form. But my parents had divorced. Without a father, I felt utterly and hopelessly inadequate to be part of the team. I thus was consigned to being an outsider.
In Jesus’ day, such people as tax collectors were despised by self-righteous Jews and thus consigned to be “outsiders” by the religious authorities. It’s no wonder that the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable looked at the tax collector with such disdain (Luke 18:9-12). But guess what? It was the humble and repentant tax collector, not the proud Pharisee, who returned home justified before God (vv. 13-14) because God sets Himself against the proud but shows favour to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Pride is at the heart of all prejudice. And humbling yourself under God’ s mighty hand is the first step in combating the prejudice in your heart (v. 6). After all, the humble person realizes that there is no basis for thinking of himself as better than someone else, for all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). Likewise, all of us have been made right with God through faith in Christ (v. 25).
God’s desire is that no one be barred from His kingdom just because of his or her race, gender, social standing, or economic status. All who believe are saved.
Now that’s good news worth sharing!
Prayer
Father, thank You that Jesus died for the whole world. Every tribe, nation and tongue. Burn away in me any hint of prejudice, any racism, any bigotry, or sectarianism. Fill me with love and compassion for all people.
Amen
Study by Fraser Murdoch