So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. (I Samuel 17:38-39, NKJV) When Saul consented to allowing David to fight Goliath, he thought it would be best if David would fight him with his armor and in his way. If all it took was armor and a battle…
YOUR testimony ROCKS. In the fourth chapter of Joshua, we read about the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River by the children of Israel. We remember that God instructed that each of the twelve tribes of Israel take a large stone from the riverbed, and Joshua set up those stones—each tribe, a stone—on the riverbank at Gilgal as a monument to God’s faithfulness to their family tree. It was to remain a LANDMARK—a tangible testimony to the power of God so that they, and their children … and their children’s children … would always REMEMBER. As a Jesus-name, Spirit-filled believer, you are a living landmark. Your faith is a tower of testimony declaring the goodness of God and the truth of His Word to the flat habitat of unbelief in our world. Every healing, deliverance, and victory adds to your faith, and every declaration of that faith is a stone that raises your praises a little higher for all around you—and those who come after you—to see. “They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness and shall sing of Thy righteousness.” (Psalm 145:7 KJV) What about YOUR FAMILY’s “memorial of faith”? Is yours a multi-generational family of believers?…
I love rocks. Take me to a rocky beach and I’m happy as a clam for hours. I love to look at them, study them, find the prettiest ones, and stack them up as high as I can as a monument to say that “I was here.” I don’t think they have any special powers—I just like rocks. Always have. I’ve heard that it’s not kosher to stack up stones on the beach and leave them that way—it changes the natural setting and habitat for others who chance to visit the area. Forgive me. I know that rocks don’t naturally stack themselves on one another. They normally just lay around on the shore, not in any particular order—right where the waves or the river rolled them. Until someone like me comes along and chooses to use them to make a statement. Of course, stacking stones is not my original idea—it comes right out of Scripture. Joshua 4 records that God instructed Joshua, after Israel crossed the Jordan River, to take twelve large stones out of the river—one for each son-brother-tribe of the family of Israel. Joshua then set up the twelve stones on the shore at Gilgal—presumably stacking one on…
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9 As we come to the end of Paul’s admonitions to Timothy, we see the word “purity.” Paul knew that Timothy would face many temptations and by hiding the Word of God in his heart, he would be able to overcome them. In II Timothy 2:22, Paul advised him to “Flee also youthful lusts.” Today we live in a world that seemingly has cast aside all morals and the word “purity” has almost disappeared from society. Ways of life that once were hidden…
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” II Timothy 1:5-6 As we continue in our study of I Timothy 4:12, we see that “faith” is an important attribute for those who desire to be an example to others. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul was nearing the time of his death and perhaps he wanted to see his son in the faith once more. He senses that the young evangelist may be facing difficulties, and he desires to encourage him and stir up his desire to serve God. He reminds him of the faith he had learned as a child from his mother and grandmother and wants to see him grow in this aspect. We all have received a measure of faith: Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder…
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 David was guilty of breaking many of the Ten Commandments. He had coveted, lied, committed fornication, and even murder. When God sent the prophet, Nathan, to confront him with his sin, he no longer tried to cover it but cried out to God in repentance. He acknowledged that he was wrong and pleaded with God for mercy and forgiveness. He realized the need for cleansing and renewal of his spirit. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psalm 51:12-13 When Paul added the next attribute Timothy needed, he may have had this scripture in Psalms in mind. If Timothy were to become a good example to those he ministered to, it would be important for him to have the right “spirit.” This would mean shunning evil, resisting temptation, and being obedient to the Word of God. How does this apply to us as women who desire to please the Lord in all that we do, and to be an example to others?…