Privileged Opportunity

PRIVILEGED OPPORTUNITY

Part three of five in Serving God Series

Matthew 5:11-16

Matthew 5:11:  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”

                                    

            Inspiring the Righteous devotion showed how early Christians suffered for their faith.  “Rejoice and be glad,” Jesus continues in verse 12, “because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

            Jesus warns us that we live in dark times.  But that should not cause us to “shrink back” from serving God when life gets tough.  It doesn’t take much to serve God.  Little acts of kindness show love to one another.  Holding a door open, even a smile serves God.  Followers of Jesus are empowered against darkness.

            Every time we pass on God’s love to another is a privileged opportunity.  We ought never to shrink back from that.   Every good deed is our power against the darkness.  Every good deed is a spark of light penetrating the darkness.  Every good deed is a privileged opportunity.

            Why are good deeds privileged opportunities?  Jesus says in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

            There is only one force that the darkness cannot swallow up: the force of loving kindness done in Jesus’ name.  It is God’s kids who turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile and forgive their enemies.  Ten year old Cassie chooses her classmates, Jeremy and Brad, to play dodgeball at recess.   They in turn, choose Scotty—who mocks them—to join the team.   

Our light to the world is often the only bright spot around.

            Peter wrote to early Christians who were tormented, harassed and oppressed.  He encouraged them to “live such good lives among the pagans [nonbelievers] that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”  (1 Peter 2:12). 

            That could happen any day!

             Pinpricks of Jesus’ light (believers) push back the darkness. 

Take Home Nugget    

            Privileged opportunities are how regular people participate in shining light into a dark world.  Find out more from the lesson, linked below.

May this dark world sparkle with God’s light.

Each pinprick of God’s kid shines with good deeds.

Stand tall and show your might

By helping those who have needs.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Privileged Opportunity

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Inspiring the Righteous

INSPIRING THE RIGHTEOUS

Part two of five in Serving God Series

Hebrews 10:32-39

Hebrews 10:37-39:  “For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.  But My righteous one will live by faith.  And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

 

            Believers in Jesus are righteous and holy.  Really.  That’s you!  Need proof?  1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “It is because of Him [God the Father] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

            New Christians are excited with their faith.  Eager to show it off and share it with others—even when they suffer for Jesus’ sake—they smile.  What is so special about faith?  Faith is the assurance that things will get better.  Even when being mocked, bullied or tortured for being a Christian, believers aren’t worried.  Jesus promises the righteous salvation when they stand firm to the end in Mark 13:13. 

            Seasoned Christians are wise to revive their excitement about Jesus.  We should never take redemption, His righteousness, peace and joy for granted—for that is the kingdom of God!  (Romans 14:17).

            Believers endure life without grumbling.  We press on, always doing what’s right.  We urge fellow believers to “hang in there” during tough times.   

            Early Christians show us victory in Christ while living in a fallen world:  They stood their ground when being publically insulted, often put in prison for their faith.  Some even lost their property.  They sympathized with others living through hardship.  They joyfully shared their faith—knowing they had better and lasting possessions in the Lord.  (Hebrews 10:32-34). 

            They didn’t “shrink back.”  (Stop serving God when life gets too hard…what the opening Scripture says displeases God).  See the lesson linked below to learn what happens to them.

            And we’re not to shrink back, either.  Hebrews 10:35 warns, then promises:  “So do not throw away your confidence: it will be richly rewarded.”  That confidence comes from Jesus, not ourselves.  By God’s power, the righteous press on in faith.

            Remember the opening Scripture:  “My righteous one will live by faith…we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”     

Take Home Nugget    

            The righteous please God when we live by faith while serving Him.  That includes waiting patiently and trusting in the Lord’s sovereignty.  Believers are saved by grace through faith (Isaiah 26:2-4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Ephesians 2:8). 

The righteous carry a heavy load

Upwards on this winding road.

Every day, let me see

Jesus walking next to me.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Inspiring the Righteous

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Preparing For Greater

PREPARING FOR GREATER

Part one of five in Serving God Series

1 Kings 17:1-24

Matthew 17:20:  “He replied, [answering why the disciples couldn’t drive out a demon from a man’s son in Matthew 17:14-16] ‘Because you have so little faith.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to his mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”

 

            I hope that you learned from what ten year old friends Jeremy, Brad, Cassie and Missy grew through in previous devotions.  Every person has to start somewhere, and we continue growing each day where we left off yesterday.  The goal is to grow spiritually a tiny bit every day because: spiritual growth takes a lifetime!

            Unfortunately, spiritual growth (increasing one’s faith for service), is learned through trials and tribulations.  Hardships are unpredictable.  We can’t see them coming.  We can’t make them magically disappear.  We just wish they’d go away.  But don’t whine too loudly, you’re in good company.                                                                                                                              

            Elijah was one of God’s greatest prophets.  1 Kings chapter 17 shows Elijah enrolled in God’s faith-growing program.  The Lord challenged him with increasingly hard lessons to grow from.  In 1 Kings 17:2-6, Elijah learned total dependence on God.  He drank water from a brook, and ate bread and meat that the ravens brought him every morning and evening.

            Then the brook dried up.

            The Lord sent Elijah to meet a poor widow.  Elijah asked her to bring him water and a piece of bread.  She insisted that she only had enough flour and oil to make one last meal for her son and herself.  She figured that they would starve after eating that.

            Elijah convinced her to do as he asked; promising that her flour and oil wouldn’t run out until the Lord allows it to rain (1 Kings 17:14).  Elijah passed his midway test.  They had food every day.  Yah!

            Then the woman’s son died.  The woman wailed to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God?”  (1 Kings 17:17-18). 

            Big sigh. 

            Elijah took the boy to his room.  He cried out to God, then stretched himself over the boy three times.  The Lord heard Elijah’s cry and gave the boy his life back in 1 Kings 17:18-22. 

            First Elijah learned to depend on God for his own survival.  Then he depended on God for the survival of the widow and her son.  Finally, Elijah cried out to God to bring the boy back to life.

Take Home Nugget    

            Elijah’s resurrecting the boy wasn’t his grand finale.  That just prepared Elijah for even greater service.  See the lesson, below, to learn more about Elijah.

God uniquely challenges us to surpass every challenge He brings for our growth.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Preparing For Greater

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Be the Exception

BE THE EXCEPTION

Part two of two in Trust God series

Numbers 13:30

“’Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’”

 

            The first part of this Trust God series showed that ten of the twelve  explorers who God said were to check out Canaan were scared.  Their report added the seemingly insignificant word but.  After that word, the spies and the people who heard the report ignored the good news. 

            What scared them?

            “We even saw descendants of Anak there.”  Numbers 13:28b added this phrase, almost as a matter-of-fact.  The Anakites were said to be the Nephilim.  Mentioning the “descendants of Anak” intended to scare the Israelites—because those explorers were scared of descendants of Anak.

            Wouldn’t God ensure the safety of whomever He offers a promise? 

            Genesis 6:4 says, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days [before God brought a flood to earth, saving only Noah and his family from destruction]—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them.  They were the heroes of old, men of renown.”  (Numbers 13:33 shows that Nephilim were giants, too).

            People love heroes.  We invent them, write about them, then make movies about them.  Spiderman and Superman are heroes.  But Hancock can do stuff they can’t, so he’s a super-hero.  God created heroes once-upon-a-time.

             But after mankind became too wicked, He destroyed everything and started mankind over with Noah and his family.

              So, Nephilim descendants scared the Israelites from entering their promised land.  Only Caleb wasn’t scared.  He hushed the crowd.  Then he urged the Israelites to enter Canaan.  I’ll bet that you could have heard a pin drop when Caleb dared the Israelites to obey God. 

            When God gives people a direction to go, they often find excuses to disobey.  They have no idea what they lose.  They may even receive God’s wrath for disobeying!  I dare you to check out the lesson, linked below, to see how God dealt with the rebelling Israelites compared to how He blessed Caleb for obeying.

            Joshua also agreed with Caleb.  But Caleb spoke out first.  He boldly stuck out his neck and stood up for God.  Both men dared to go against the crowd and stand firm to claim the land God promised to the Israelites.  

Take Home Nugget 

            “The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd.  The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.”  Albert Einstein      

Walking with God always stands on truth.  But we often walk alone—as the exception—going where the crowd can’t go.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Be the Exception

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Nothing But God

NOTHING BUT GOD

Part one of two in Trust God series

Numbers 13:27-28

“They gave Moses this account: ‘We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!  Here is its fruit.  But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large!’”

 

            Milk and honey.  Nutrition and sweetness.  God chose this land for His people, the Israelites.  They wandered in the wilderness forty year before arriving at Canaan.  The young generation, poised to enter their promised land, had buried their parents and grandparents on the way.

            Israelites were grumblers.  Nothing was good enough for them.  God provided them water, manna and even quail.  They disobeyed God and were ungrateful…so God allowed a new generation to receive His promise.  God told Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.  From each ancestral tribe, send one of its leaders.”  (Numbers 13:1-2). 

            Will the young generation grumble less?  See the lesson, linked below, to see who requested specific details for the explorers (spies) to include in their report.   

            All the good news in the world can’t make up for the three letter word, “but.”  Every word after the opening Scripture’s “but” negates the glowing review of the land. 

            The Hebrew word for but is efes, which means “zero.”  The power of that tiny word turns everything positive to negative—or nothing at all.  Suddenly, the promised land lost its appeal.  It became dangerous.  Conquering it became unlikely.

            That opinion made God out to be a liar; His people’s destiny unsure.

            The word but has the same effect today.  I’m a good student, but can’t play sports makes me appear a terrible student.  My dad’s patient, but he yells when I don’t listen makes dad look like a bully.  Try one for yourself.  Admit that you use the word but when you’re specifying a difference between what comes before and what follows that tiny word.   

            Ten of the twelve spies were against possessing Canaan; only two urged taking possession of their promised land.  One of the two was Joshua who led the Israelites into Canaan after Moses died.  “Let’s go!” he insisted.  Later, Joshua wrote a prayer that praised God for the land.  He used the phrase efes zulato that means “there is nothing but Him (God.”

Take Home Nugget

            This same word, (efes), debated with his fellow spies over the land, is what Joshua used in his praise prayer.  He showed one way to use the word “but” to mean something positive.

            Try it:

            “There is nothing but God, so anything is possible.”

We are children of the living God, but we know there’s nothing better.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Nothing But God

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Race for Success

RACE FOR SUCCESS

Hebrews 12:1-3

 Verse 2:  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand at the throne of God.”

 

            When you woke up today, did you lace up your sneakers, stretch your muscles and begin running?   Me neither.  But I did pray to glorify God today.  I put myself into Jesus’ hands and asked Him to lead me by His Spirit.

            That wasn’t always so.  My days used to belong to ME, not Christ.  Then I grew up (in Christ) through trials and hardships.  Apostle Paul characterized the Christian life as being a race—enduring through hardships.  (Paul survived shipwrecks, beatings and stoning [2 Corinthians 11:25]).  He’s right.  People can learn how to live successfully before their time runs out.  Many cross their finish line before they’re ready.

            If life were easy (the wide road Jesus talks about in Matthew 7:13), anyone would find success.  Not necessarily financial success.  I’m talking about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit—what Romans 14:17 calls that the kingdom of God.  I know of nothing more successful than the kingdom of God living within me.  When I’m out of money with no place to stay, I don’t freak out.  I fix my eyes on Christ—“the author and perfecter of my faith.”

            Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before Him.”  The joy Jesus envisioned was believers like you and me living successfully—the kingdom of God within us.  But how many believers understand that this was also the point of Jesus “enduring the cross?” 

            Believers are adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5).  We have resurrection hope (1 Corinthians 15:19-21).  Our eternal citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).  Believers in Christ have eternal life—not eternal death (John 3:16).  We’re encouraged to build a relationship with God.  Pretty cool, huh? 

            Believers are also the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).  ME?  YOU?  Yes!  If that isn’t success, I don’t know what is!  Regardless of our living in a fallen world, believers can have PEACE.  Jesus promises us peace—not as the world gives (John 14:27).  He is correct!  Nothing surpasses the peace that comes from Jesus.

            Joy is different from being happy in a situation.  Joy is deep-down happiness, regardless of circumstances.  Believers know we are righteous, saved and dearly-loved in Christ.  Our soul remains happy—even when life circumstances make us sad. 

Take Home Nugget

            No believer must run alone.  Jesus runs alongside us as our guide and our destination!  Tomorrow may be too late for unbelievers to trust in Jesus! 

Thank You, Jesus, for leading us to success in life!

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Race for Success

 

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

 

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Hope Boat

HOPE BOAT

Psalm 42

 Verses 11:  “Why are you so downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

            Devotion 714, Through God’s Eyes, showed how to begin understanding what is God’s will.  This empowers believers to pray with confidence for the things that we want in life.  Our heavenly Father wants all good things for His kids.  And He welcomes hearing our dreams and goals.

            What happens when our dreams and goals are left unfulfilled?

 

            As children, we begin a hope boat.  We pile the boat high with desires and dreams as we grow up.  Fourteen year old Michael dearly wants to play football in the NFL.  His little ten-year-old brother Jeremy watches with wide eyes how Michael reaches every goal.  Both brother’s expectations are high for football success.

            Michael dreams of making the varsity football squad in eleventh grade…so he began praying for mom and dad to send him to football camp next summer.  Michael knows that he needs to learn and build football skills from now on.  How else would he beat out the other eleventh graders to make the varsity team?

            Eventually, Michael dreams that scouts would watch him play…and he’d be offered a college scholarship to play football.  Surely, mom and dad would appreciate financial help for tuition, room and board.  College is expensive!  That fills Michael’s hope boat of dreams and expectations.  Jeremy also wants what Michael wants.     

                                          

            Naturally, their parents want what would make their sons happy.  But their hope boat for them is filled differently.  Football success is on the bottom of their hope boat of dreams for their sons.  What’s piled on top are faith in and reverence for God.  They add good health, respectfulness, honesty, reliability and decency.   

  

            In short, the boys want success in playing football.  Their parents hope that both sons will be respected and admired.  While these hopes are all admirable, God’s plans are always best.  Wise believers pray for life’s desires, then ask God to shape goals to agree with His will….People’s hopes and dreams change with time.  

            It’s safe for believers to rest in God’s wisdom and keep our hope in Him. 

            Contentment and happiness only comes when hope lies in God.

Take Home Nugget

            Maybe God does want the same thing for the brothers and their parents.  Maybe not.  But hope is secure only when aligned with God’s will.  Feelings, wishes and personal preferences are not reliable for securing hope—and usually end with unfulfilled expectations.  Even when hope is based on a scriptural promise, people may not dictate when or how it’ll be fulfilled. 

Is your hope boat secured in God, or your own expectations?

            J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Hope’s Boat

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Through God's Eyes

THROUGH GOD’S EYES

Psalm 119:97-98

“Oh how I love Your law!  I meditate on it all day long.  Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.”

           

            “I’m not sure if it’s God’s will,” fourteen year old Michael explained to his ten year old brother Jeremy.  “But I’m going to pray for it anyway.”

            Jeremy thought about that.  Then he said, “I think that God wants you to get a college scholarship to play football.  And attending football camp will definitely teach you skills to play better in high school.”  He nodded his head, convinced.  “So I think it’d be okay for you to pray that mom and dad send you to football camp next summer.” 

            People often wonder the same thing that concerns Michael.  How can we know what’s God’s will when we see things through human eyes?   We often support prayer with probable outcomes like Jeremy figured, don’t we?  We often struggle deciding what is wrong, compared to what is right.  Which is a better choice…what is the best choice?  Other things to consider before we pray requests to God:  Is the request selfish?  Would the request harm another? 

            We are urged to ask God only for what is aligned with His will when we pray.  How can we know what is God’s will?  Enter Holy Spirit.  Jesus says in John 16:13-15, “He will guide you in all truth.  He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears [from the Father and Jesus]…and make it known to you.”

            God wants His kids to know His will.  That’s why He gave us His Word. 

            As we mature in God’s knowledge and wisdom, we will be able to pray with confidence.  We will be able to sense, or realize God’s will by how we see Him work and speak in the Bible.  It is the Holy Spirit’s job to help us discern [dis-SERN] means to determine and understand God’s Word. 

            This takes time, though.  We must stick to reading the Bible daily.  Soon, we’ll be ready to follow what we’ve learned about God’s will—and pray with confidence.

Take Home Nugget

            “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 is an often-quoted Scripture when people want something from God. This passage is clear that we’re to delight in the Lord BEFORE He gives us the desires of our heart.  Delighting-in-the-Lord thoughts and behavior is as the opening Scripture outlines.

            What does God love?  What does He hate? Check out Psalms 5:5, 45:7 and 97:10 for starters.  God’s will becomes clear when we form a relationship with Jesus.

Help us to align our thoughts and behavior to your will, Lord. 

            J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Through God’s Eyes

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