“For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” Micah 6:4 Once again, a Scripture that I have read many times through the years jumped out at me as I was reading the Book of Micah this morning. We all know that God called Moses to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. We know that because he questioned his ability to speak, God told him to take Aaron with him. But I did not realize that Miriam was part…
“Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:15, NKJV) At the time of this writing, I am experiencing a weed problem in my yard. I have tried pulling them out by the roots and using a weed spray. Yet, they show their persistence by quickly growing back. It may be my imagination that those pesky weeds reappear within just hours—or perhaps even minutes. Why do weeds grow so much easier than my flowers? Bitterness can be as stubborn as the weeds in my flower bed. Once it takes hold, it’s difficult to eradicate. Unfortunately, like weeds, bitterness can spread and affect those around us. Bitterness often results from hurt or offense. Unless we guard our spirit, unresolved hurts turn into anger, resentment, and bitterness. A bitter root (Hebrews 12:15) can only produce bitter fruit. Nothing good will grow in such a situation. Life Reflection: What are some of the root causes of bitterness? What are the long-term effects of bitterness in our lives? Why is it so difficult to overcome bitterness? Let’s look at the life of someone who faced…
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:” I John 3:1 When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, he started out with the words, “Our Father, who art in Heaven.” As I was praying earlier this week, I began to think of what it means to have Jesus as our Father, not just someone far off in heaven, but dwelling with us, listening to our prayers, and guiding us each day. I found this definition of a true father: “protector, teacher, and encourager; a person who picks you up when you fall, brushes you off, and lets you try again; admired and much loved.” We may not all have earthly fathers who met all these criteria, but we can depend on the Lord to meet them all. Protector: Hebrews 13:5 “for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Teacher: John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” Encourager:…
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” I Peter 5:7 I drive a van that is twenty years old. It has a few scratches, dents, and rust spots, but it still runs very well, getting me where I need to go. I am not sure how much longer I will be driving, but trust that this vehicle will last as long as I need it. I recently drove with my sister in a newer car and was amazed at all the bells and whistles it had. She could set things up so that if she just…
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 I have read this scripture many times and often quoted it when I was needing strength for some task or situation in my life. But as I looked at the verses that go before it, I realized just why Paul was saying this. He was commending the Philippians for the way they had supported him whenever they had the opportunity to do so. There were times when he needed food, and they had not been close enough to help him. But just the thought that if they had been there, they would have provided for him, made him glad. In verse eleven, he reminds them that he had learned to be content whether things were going well or not. He had been hungry, and he had been well-fed. The strength in his life was evident in his ability to be content when he was suffering in need. His trust and belief that the Lord was in control gave him the confidence to go on doing what was needed. Paul reminds us that his contentment was not just something he preached about, he lived it. He knew what it…
“She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Mark 14:8-9 There are accounts in all four Gospels of a woman anointing Jesus with a precious ointment. In preparation for writing this, I read different commentaries, and none could agree exactly how many times Jesus was anointed. Since the Gospel writers were all writing from different perspectives, their stories were not always in chronological order. All these accounts have similarities and differences, so it is not certain whether this one in Mark is the same as one of the others. Whatever we want to believe about it, this woman in Mark brought her most precious possession, broke the container, and poured out the ointment on the Lord. It was an act of worship, showing her love for her Master. She went against all the laws of tradition to come as a woman into this gathering of men and even dare to touch Jesus. But Jesus did not condemn her for what she…