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Part five of five in Serving God Series

                                                                  Luke 6:27-38

Luke 6:35:  “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

 

            Rarely does anyone read the full text of official contracts.  Legal documents cause most eyes to glaze over.  But one owner of a one-of-a-kind online software has a different strategy for potential users.  He offers a simple blessing for people to use it for good.  It reads:

            “May you do good and not evil.  May you find forgiveness for yourself and forgive others.  May you share freely, never taking more than you give.”

            WOW!

            What if more “terms of service” agreements were like this? 

            Oh wait…Jesus’ contracts are like that! 

            Let’s see:  Jesus offers His believers forgiveness of sins.  Acts 10:43 says, "All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”  Jesus offers believers peace with God.   Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, [accepted by God], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

            And Jesus gives believers the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.   Acts 1:5 says, “For John baptized you with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 

            Our part of the contract is: to serve God doing good deeds.  “Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people; especially those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 5:10).  We’re to forgive as we’ve been forgiven, from Luke 6:37b: “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” 

            And we’re to love others as He has loved us.  Jesus commands believers in John 13:34:  “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  Jesus explains in verse 35:  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” 

Take Home Nugget    

            The really cool thing is that even if we don’t do our part, Jesus will still keep His end of the contract!  Won’t you sign up as a Jesus follower today? 

“Bestowed with benefits daily,

Sent from the Father above;

Mercies and blessings abounding,

Gifts of His marvelous love.”  --Anon.

The information for this devotion was found in Our Daily Bread. RBC Ministries.  Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan. 2014. Julie Ackerman Link.  August 29.

            See the lesson linked below for specific commands that Jesus gives His followers.  They, like the opening Scripture, are radical.  But obeying them give believers an abundant life of victory. 

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Sign Up

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Three Enemies

THREE ENEMIES

Part four of five in Serving God Series

Ephesians 6:10-13

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

 

            Donna drove her car to the shoulder of the road.  The sudden BANG, followed by rumbling and jerky steering, indicated that she had a flat tire.  “Oh no,” Donna groaned.  “Just what I need today!”

            Donna dug out a spare tire, car jack and lug nut wrench from the trunk.  She glanced at her watch and sighed.  She was now officially late.

            There are three enemies that attack people.  An internal enemy is the human heart—that does not naturally seek God.  But, Donna loves the Lord.  She understands that just as easily as God blesses, He can take blessings away.  She chooses to not become angry over situations.   

            Donna called into her interview.  “I’m sorry I’m late.  I just got a flat tire…Really?  Thank you!  I’ll be there as soon as I can!”  After changing the flat tire with the spare, she took off.  

            The external enemy woos people with the world’s values.  Donna could have wailed her misfortune.  Instead of complaining--or cursing--she patiently changed her tire.  She chose to apologize immediately for her lateness and gratefully accepted a later appointment time.  Donna showed God’s light by calling in with phrases like (I’m sorry…Thank you!) then preserving her interview with salt (I’ll be there as soon as I can!).

              Donna arrived at her job interview smiling and with another apology, “I’m sorry for messing up your agenda  today.”  This showed Donna’s sensitivity that her being late affected others.  This softened the interviewer's heart towards Donna. 

            “That’s okay.  Your trouble this morning showed me first-hand how you solve problems.  You're the right person for this job.” 

            “Oh, thank you!” Donna blushed.  “I promise that you won’t regret hiring me.”  She left the realtor’s office praising God. 

Take Home Nugget    

            The infernal enemy (Satan) enjoys driving people away from God.  But Donna never blamed God for her trouble.  She never dishonored God by her attitude or speech.  

            Donna’s struggle today showed that we must all prepare for battle against the three enemies every day.  Don the full armor of God: helmet of Salvation, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel of peace (Scripture), shield of faith and sword of the Spirit. 

            Satan’s raging tug-of-war affects everyone until he eventually loses the ultimate war in Revelation 20:10.

Let us battle for daily victory.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Three Enemies

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

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

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

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

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

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

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

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

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

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

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.