Jonah 1:9-16 (NLT)
9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” 3 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.
Jonah knew the Lords intent as He was running from his purpose. God had commanded him to go to Nineveh and he was heading the opposite direction. Jonah was even willing to pay to board a ship to keep from fulfilling the Lord’s purpose. So Jonah slept in the hold of the ship at peace knowing the Lord would do with him as He wished. When the sailors became of aware Jonah may be the reason for the storm they pleaded to God. They didn’t want to throw Jonah over, but they finally had no choice. And when they did the storm stopped and they acknowledged God’s power and vowed to serve Him.

Casting Crowns has a song “Does anybody hear her” that starts out with these verses:

She is running, A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction, She is trying But the canyon's ever widening, In the depths of her cold heart. So she sets out on another misadventure just to find, She's another two years older, And she's three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see? Or does anybody even know she's going down today, Under the shadow of our steeple, With all the lost and lonely people, Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me, Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

It’s a story of a woman running from God just as Jonah ran. The further she runs the more difficult life becomes and her heart grows colder. And she keeps running only to find out life is passing by and she is not gaining any ground. The question becomes does anyone see the desperation in this woman and recognize she needs someone to bring her back to the love of Jesus. There are so many people running from God because they have hit difficult areas in their life. Are you running from God and His plan for your life? Pray someone will reach out and lead you back to the Lord. Pray that God ministers to His people leading them in the direction they should go.

1 John 5:18-21
18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

John writes about the privileges of being a true believer in Christ. He says Satan cannot bring death upon such a person and God is with them. He tells us as believers we understand we are God’s and God is in control of everything around us. God has opened the believer’s mind to understand and discern God’s true self. God has also placed us in fellowship with Him and His son where we receive both favor and love. John reminds us to keep away from anything that might cause us to forsake these privileges.

Some of you have probably joined a discount club before like Sam’s Club, Costco or something similar. When you obtain a membership they give you a brochure that lists out the privileges. Anything on the list is yours to obtain because you decided you wanted to be a member. On the other hand anyone who is not a member is denied entrance at the door. They do not receive the privileges available to members. For those who have placed their faith in Christ they have gained a membership to God’s family. They receive all the privileges John discussed and more. Take a look at all the privileges God provides you and thank Him for each one. Pray for those who don’t know Christ that they may become members of the family of God. Praise Christ who brought you in as a member by freely giving Himself as payment for your membership.

Proverbs 12:10 (Holman Christian standard)
10 A righteous man cares about his animal's health, but [even] the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel.

In these words of Solomon he declares a righteous man is concerned for more than just human life; he extends his concerns too even animals that he cares for. In comparison to a righteous man a wicked man is cruel and his actions are wicked.

A person can commit acts which are against God’s word, yet they may not be seen by others. These acts can be hidden from many, even though God always sees what is taking place. Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” God’s creatures knew what it meant for sin to be unleashed upon the world. They knew man’s heart could be cruel in secrecy and they would not be able to speak out against the injustice. Animals are God’s creatures and the extent to which one shows mercy to them shows how much they respect God. Balaam beat his donkey even though it was trying to save his life. When given the power to speak by God the donkey said, “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times? But I am the same donkey you have ridden all of your life. Have I eve done anything like this before?” Even man’s most tender mercies can be cruel. Pilate’s made this clear in his statement concerning Christ, “I will chastise him and let him go.” How can one be cruel and yet pretend to be kind? Pray the righteous prevail in life. Pray for those who are cruel that they might know Christ. Pray sin which delights in wickedness will be replaced by the love of Christ.

John 9:35-39 (NLT)
35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

Jesus had healed a blind man in the presence of others. Now Jesus was asking him “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man could not even see Jesus at the time of the healing because Jesus told him to go to the pool of Siloam and wash off the mud from his eyes; yet all the others around Him saw the miracle. The Pharisees did not believe in the miracle, yet they were angry Jesus had healed someone on the Sabbath. The parents were afraid to even speak about the incident, blinded by fear. Yet this man said, “Yes, Lord, I believe!”

Is this world blind in regards to Christ? When Jesus is presented to the world, many are unwilling to put aside their “lifestyles” to follow Him. The story of the rich young man illustrates this as Jesus told him to give away all his possessions and follow Him. The rich young man walked away disappointed, still hanging onto his earthly wealth, and spiritually poor. There are many who will stand in a church hearing a call to repentance and faith in Christ, but they hang on to what they have because they are blind to the greater rewards Christ offers. They don’t see their sinful life as nothing to hold on to. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” Is there more for all of us to see? Christ offers us more that we could ever imagine yet we often turn Him down because we don’t see what He is offering us. Pray our eyes will be open to what Christ has in store for us. Pray our spiritual blindness will be removed that we may understand the glory of God. Pray God’s light shine unto others so they may also see.

Genesis 3:6-10 (NLT)
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

These verses recount the fall of man to sin. The same desire that caused Satan to fall from God’s grace caused the fall of man; it was a desire to be like God. Adam also participated with Eve; and as sin entered into their lives they felt shame. They were exposed and vulnerable to the damage sin wrought. They tried to hide from God the things they had done, but God was there calling them unto Him. Shame caused Adam and Eve to hide their sin from God.

Steps of transgression lead us away from God. First one turns their eyes toward the temptation looking upon it with pleasure. The sin seems pleasing and desirable. Like Job, Eve should have made a covenant with her eyes not to look upon sin. The second step of sin is to take hold of it. The temptation may be present, but nothing is there forcing the sin to take place. Satan did not place the fruit in Eve’s hand, nor did he force it towards her mouth. After taking hold of the sin, the third step is when the person takes the sin into their life. There may have been no intent on Eve’s part to sin when she looked at the fruit, nor when she went to take hold of it; but she did eat and that is where sin entered. But sin does not end there, it propagates itself to others. Sin is like water poured out on the ground and a person trying to say “stop here and come no further”; it continues to move forward. So the fourth step of sin was Eve involving her husband. Eve shared Satan’s temptation with Adam and even added to the temptation by her admission of eating the fruit, giving it to him and encouraging him to eat. You have to wonder if Eve wanted Adam to share in her misery of sin; for this was a great unkind act. The last step of sin is leaving the person with shame where they want to hide from God. Instead of turning to God for help, Adam and Eve hid hoping their sin would not be exposed. Shame and fear entered the world with sin and is still present with us today. Pray your eyes would be turned from the temptations of the world. Make a covenant before God you would move from the temptations that are easily available. And when you do sin, pray God would forgive you and restore you to fellowship with Him.

Matthew 11:18-19 (NLT)
18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

John the Baptist was in prison and heard about the things Jesus was doing. So the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah or should they expect someone else. Jesus told them to take back word of what they had observed to John and then He began to speak to the crowd about the work of John the Baptist and compliment him. Then Jesus turned in his conversation and explained it didn’t matter what was seen on the outside of someone’s life there would always be someone critical of their actions.

We should not be quick to judge others for we cannot clearly see the goodness or faults of our own self. Conversely we should not be so quick to judge ourselves by the words of others because they also have been clouded in their perception. John the Baptist and Christ demonstrated two different ways of serving God. John held to strict disciplines; he lived in the wilderness; he isolated himself; and his dress did not keep in style with others. There were people who accepted his teachings and there were those who did not. Jesus conversed with many types of people and did not display a cold and hard nature like John. Instead Jesus was easily accessible, not afraid to be in the company of others, and would attend feasts with either the strict religious leaders or the politicians of the day. Yet there were those who accepted his teachings and there were those who did not. Jesus, the Son of God, complimented John for his work, because Jesus understood both were doing the will of The Father. It is more important to follow the will of God than to follow the desires of others. Who have you been following? Have you been trying to live by others opinions or by what God would have you do? Pray you would not focus on what others say about you, but instead focus on God’s desire for your life. Pray to do God’s will and live a life pleasing to Him.

John 3:1-3 (NLT)
1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

An important man of Jerusalem, Nicodemus was a religious leader and teacher. Nicodemus sought Jesus out in private so that he might be able to talk with him freely and not have other leaders enraged at Christ because of him. He called Jesus Rabbi, speaking honorably about Him as a great man. Going against what other leaders thought, Nicodemus realized the miracles performed by Jesus was genuine and could only be performed if God were with Him. Jesus then responded to Nicodemus that unless he was born again he could not see the Kingdom of God.

My wife saw a disturbing bumper sticker the other day on the back of a car. The bumper sticker read, BEING BORN ONCE WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. If you have faith Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again to life you are born again. Any denial of this is a statement against the salvation God so freely offers. 1 Peter 1:3-5 tells us “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.” This is an eternal life, a priceless inheritance with Christ. Yet there are many who deny this eternal life and choose to ignore it. Peter goes on to tell us, “For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.” Pray for those who deny Christ and His gift of eternal life in a place that is pure and undefiled. Pray for those who attempt to hinder the Kingdom of God that they might see the real truth.

Psalm 119:1-8 (NLT)
1 Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. 2 Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. 4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. 5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! 6 Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. 7 As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! 8 I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!

Psalms 119 is a special psalm in that it is twice as long as many of the others. Its contents reflect David’s thoughts over a period of time. It is though he amassed links of a chain and then properly fit them all together in this psalm. David expresses in these verses the joy that comes from following God’s commands. David desires his own actions would reflect the obedience of those commands. There is no shame for the righteous. David’s desire is to be righteous in God’s sight. David then asks God not to give up on him for he knows he is not perfect and needs God’s help.

Shame is a powerful emotion caused by the consciousness of guilt. One therapist once said shame is the emotion that lets us know we are finite. It is possible to feel shame and no one else around you even know the pain you are going through. When shame is revealed there can also an associated feeling of embarrassment. But shame and embarrassment differ in that shame relates to morally wrong qualities, while embarrassment can be morally neutral, but socially unacceptable. Genuine shame is a reflection of our own guilt knowing others will not approve. For those who believe in God shame comes from knowing God does not approve and our actions are in opposition to His commands. There is a false shame or toxic shame that comes from the sin of others but is passed on to another person. The false shame creates the feeling of guilt for a sin not committed, but endured by the hands of another. An example of false shame is the feeling of shame created in a victim by an abuser. The person feels as though they did something to cause the abuse and are therefore ashamed of what happened. How can a person who was following in the path of God and then abused be responsible for the shame of another? They are not. David says those who walk in God’s ways have joy and therefore have no need to be ashamed. And even if we turn from God for a moment, God is not going to give up on us. We may feel the shame of our sin, but God forgives, heals, and removes the shame. Is there a shame in your life you are not responsible for? Ask God to release you from it and place it on the person responsible. And if you have sinned, ask God to release you from the shame of sin and restore you through His grace and mercy.

Job 31:35-37 (NLT)
35 “If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me. 36 I would face the accusation proudly. I would wear it like a crown. 37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince.

Job was speaking out about his misery and that it was undeserved. He had recounted all the good he had done and denied all that wrongly accused him. Job was ready to stand proud before a judge and jury knowing in his heart his own innocence.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 says, “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.” God had listened patient and quietly to Job and his friends. They did not even know God was present as they went through their discourse. Job may have even felt like his cry for charges to be presented before him was going unheard, but God was listening. His friends tried to convince Job there was sin in his life he just didn’t want to recall it. They made their case and their attempt was to push him towards the Lord. But it was not their work to perform; it was God who needed to talk to Job. Sometimes we think we have to be the ones to push a person back towards God; but God is fully capable of handling the situation, He does not even need us. We can become arrogant in our belief that without us a person will not find the hope in God they need. But as God later points out, who are we to question God and His works. Pray the arrogance of our heart will be removed. Pray and acknowledge there is none like God and that He is fully capable to handle everything. Pray we might examine our own hearts and be honest before God.

2 Timothy 1:8-11 (NLT)
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.

Paul says no one should be ashamed of what Christ did for them and they also should not be ashamed of those who are suffering because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person should always be ready to face suffering for the sake of Christ. Our salvation so freely given yet so undeserved, but it was always God’s plan to make it available. Death gave way to life and Paul was chosen to be a preacher, an apostle and teacher of this great salvation.

“Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed.” For those who have faith in Christ they are no longer wretched, lost, unfearful of the consequences of sin and blind to its power over us. If there should be any shame, the shame should have existed prior to the amazing grace we accepted. There is no shame in Christ who set us free, unchained us from sin and gave us life eternal. God saved us and called us to live a holy life. No longer does one failure mean we are condemned to sin. No longer does the weight and guilt of sin hold us back from what we need to accomplish for God. We are free due to the amazing grace placed upon us once and for all by our coming to faith in Jesus Christ. Be ready to share the Good News with others and if necessary become teachers and preachers of God’s Holy Word. There is Good News in Christ, do not be afraid to share it. Do not hold back the power of life over death for those who are awaiting the fires of ******. And live your life grateful, without shame because you are no longer facing the same punishment. Praise God and His Son Jesus Christ. Praise His mercy, love and amazing grace.

PSALMS 111 (KJV)
1 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the godly and the congregation. 2 The Lord’s deeds are great, eagerly awaited by all who desire them. 3 His work is majestic and glorious, and his faithfulness endures forever. 4 He does amazing things that will be remembered; the Lord is merciful and compassionate. 5 He gives food to his faithful followers; he always remembers his covenant. 6 He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people, giving them a land that belonged to other nations. 7 His acts are characterized by faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable. 8 They are forever firm, and should be faithfully and properly carried out. 9 He delivered his people; he ordained that his covenant be observed forever. His name is holy and awesome. 10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever.

David wrote this psalm as a psalm of praise. The title it was given is “Hallelujah – Praise you the Lord”. It is a psalm that was to reflect the hearts of those who used it during solemn feasts and times of worship. It was a reminder of God’s holiness, to be obedient to his commands and to praise Him always.

David encouraged others through his words in the psalms he wrote. Some of them were very personal to David and expressed his fears and distress. Yet others he wrote expressed gladness, joy, and acknowledged the blessings he had received from God. David always voiced there should be a respectful fear of the Lord because of His holiness and awesome power. The words were always a reflection of where God was in David’s life and David’s relationship with God. Have you thought lately about where you are in your relationship with God? Have you looked over the past and seen the awesome works of God? Have you acknowledged and given praise for what God has done in your life? Take time to pray and praise God and let Him see what is on your heart. Open up your life and share it with an awesome God.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NLT)
15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Paul was writing to Timothy about the evils of man. He had described how people would fall to sin and that their nature should be avoided. So in these verses, Paul confirms the words Timothy heard all of his life from the scriptures. He reassures him the scriptures are from God and they teach us what is right or wrong.

When an auto mechanic wants to know more about how to repair a particular type of car they turn to a service manual for that make and model of car. A programmer who is trying to understand the internal programming for a computer will turn to the manual written for that specific computer and program. Even appliances in our home come with user manuals explaining their installation and operation. These manuals are often written by the company that designed and produced the item for which they are associated. God who created us, gave use a manual for living called the Bible. Its purpose is to help us realize what is broken in our lives. It provides a way for those problems to be healed through salvation in Jesus Christ. The words of God teach us and correct us. It is standard equipment for our lives to prepare us for the good work we should perform. Have you been reading the service manual for your life? Have you identified the broken areas and found the solutions for living? Read God’s word and pray He will open your eyes with understanding and wisdom. Pray God would reveal through His scriptures the things you should do in your life.

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NLT)
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

Isaiah had previously described how the Gentiles would gladly receive Christ when He appeared. In these verses Isaiah is now talking about the amazing unbelief of the Jews who knew Christ was coming. He describes how Christ will carry the sorrow of the people to the point others thought it was His own punishment. He describes how Christ was punished, pierced on the cross, and crushed by the rejection of the Father as He took on all our sins. Like sheep the Jews wandered away and in doing so also led others astray. Yet God was still willing to give up His son for the hope of all to find salvation.

Sheep are interesting in they have strong flocking instincts. They will gather in the numbers of a 1000 or more without a single leader of the flock. If one dominant sheep decides it is going to move for whatever reason, the rest of the crowd follows. There is one recent report of 400 sheep dying because one sheep tried to cross a 15 meter ravine and failed. The rest followed to their death. Sheep become highly agitated if they are separated from the flock. Sheep have a strong desire to be fed. If a sheep is not eating it is a good indicator it is sick. Sheep have keen senses to detect danger, but they will often put their heads in a corner so they can’t see the danger hoping it will go away. It is no wonder the Bible refers to people as sheep. We try to ignore the dangers of sin by reasoning if we just don’t think about it; the sin will go away. We want to be fed by things of this world, but we need to be fed by the word of God. We huddle around each other waiting for anyone to show us the way. Often it’s the wrong way and we follow them to sin. We should be following the only one that counts and that is the Lord. We become agitated if we can’t have our way of being with the crowd. And yet we should be apart from this world and be lights for others to follow. If you have been a sheep, it is ok. The Lord Jesus Christ is there to be your shepherd. He is there to lead you, to protect you, to show you the right ways. Praise the holy name of Jesus. Praise him for the grace He bestows and the mercy He has provided.

Isaiah 5:11-12 (NLT)
11 What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol
and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. 12 They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.

Through Isaiah the Lord talks about Jerusalem and Judah as though they are a vineyard He planted. The caretaker cleared the land of stones; and planted the best of vines. He built a tower to watch over the vineyard and keep it safe. The wine press was put in place ready to take in the full and mature grapes. Yet the vineyard produced a bitter crop, useless for the purpose intended. And now the people who should have been the sweet, delectable wine were filling themselves with alcohol until they were drunk. They partied and carried on in their embittered state never taking notice of God or what He could have done in their lives.

Sensuality is defined as relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite. The fleshy desires become the ruler of a person’s life. As sensuality takes hold, a person becomes preoccupied with filling their senses in such a manner they become deficient in moral, spiritual, and intellectual issues. Nothing matters but the high; and the path God desires for the individual is abandoned to recklessness. Sensuality is often fed from bitterness, envy and self ambition of the heart. “For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.” But he who follows the wisdom of the Lord shows “his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness. But the wisdom from above is pure, peace loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. And the fruit of peace is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Those are the words of James as he spoke of wisdom from above. So the question remains, are you wise in your sight or are you wise in the eyes of the Lord? Pray God would grant you wisdom to avoid sensual desires of the heart. Pray God would strengthen you and keep you from temptation by your own flesh. Praise Christ who dwells within for His mercy and grace that you for the life you can live abundantly and free.

1 Peter 3:10-12 (NLT)
10 For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. 11 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. 12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

Peter quotes the verses from Psalms 34:12-14 as he states a way for a happy life in this world that is quarrelsome and ill natured. It is a responsibility of those who have faith in Christ to subdue their words and turn from evil practices; and they are to seek out peace. Peter’s encouragement is meant to show the Lord will be with them in their goodness, while He opposes those who have evil intent towards them.


The world does not understand the ways of God. Roderick Green, a 6’1”, 245lbs, linebacker for the Baltimore Raven’s was stabbed in July 2006 as he exited from a bowling alley. A 5’10” man with a thin body had bumped into Green inside the bowling alley, which lead to a confrontation by the man. The man then followed Green into the parking lot where he stabbed him in the stomach. Green, who runs a 4.58 in the 40 yard dash, can bench press 350lbs, and squats 500lbs, chose to run from the assailant. After a surveillance video of the attack was released, his teammates made him an endless source of jokes. Even the writers of articles about the attack made jokes, such as saying the NFL should provide self defense courses along with their line defense. But according to God Green did the right thing. Instead of turning to attack his assailant, which he could have easily done, Green decided to turn and move away from evil and worked to maintain peace. He diffused the situation instead of committing battery or even homicide. The man didn’t deserve the compassion Green gave him, but then neither do we deserve the compassion God offers us. Our God is so merciful and gracious He offers us hope of salvation in Jesus Christ instead of returning our offenses against Him. God could easily choose to strike us down, but instead He holds out His hands in love. Do you realize how compassionate the Lord is towards us? Pray you would learn God’s ways and turn to others in peace and love instead of retaliation. Pray your words would honor God and not give Satan a chance to act. Praise God for the wonderful salvation of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:9-11 (NLT)
9 The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

There are three points Paul is making in these verses: one, to remain obedient and stand against tests that might come your way; two, learn to forgive; three, remember Satan’s schemes when we fail to follow God’s word.

Resist and rebuke the devil in the name of Jesus. There are several verses which indicate we should do this:
“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil…dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Jude 1:9

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…” -1 Peter 5:6-9

“… I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” -2 Corinthians 2:9-11

God wants you and I to understand the scheme’s of the devil so we can have victory in life. Think of Job who dealt with the loss of possessions, the loss of family, and then the loss of his health. Job had no clue Satan was against him. But we have been warned and we must be on guard. Satan can use our unforgiving hearts against us. When we don’t forgive bitterness is brought upon us. The bitterness wells up within until we reach a point where we might reach out and sin. We must be willing to confess our bitterness and our need to forgive to the Lord. Pray Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I agree with you word that I need to forgive and remove the bitterness from my heart. I ask for your strength to obey and not fall victim to Satan or my own flesh. It is in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

1 Kings 19:11-13 (Holman Christian Standard)
11 Then He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD's presence." At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard [it], he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Elijah had been on the run from Jezebel after he had ordered the priests of Baal to be slaughtered. He had run to the point of exhaustion. Then he got up again and continued on his journey until he found a cave to hide in. In the verses above Elijah has been called by God to come listen to Him. He looks all around trying to seek out where God is. Then God asks him for the second time, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

There are times in life where we are just on top of the world. Everything is going our way and life is running smoothly. It’s during those times we find contentment and peace. But eventually life takes a turn and we find ourselves faced with circumstances which seem beyond our control. Suddenly we go from the contentment and peace to depression and loneliness. Where it seemed like God was taking care of everything, it now seems as though God is absent. Elijah felt that way as he hid alone in the cave. But God is always present and called to Elijah, not once, but twice. God wasn’t going to let Elijah forget He was with him. Then gently God came and spoke to Elijah, because He knew the struggles Elijah had been dealing with. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” It was God’s way of asking why you are letting a difficult situation take over when I am here. Have you stopped lately to ask yourself where you are? Have you been in a place where you forgot God was there? Pray God would take over when circumstances are difficult. Pray God would take you out of the cave of despair and bring joy back to your life.

Romans 9:20-24 (NLT)
20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

The apostle is pointing out we were the ones created by God; God therefore has the right to do with each of us as He pleases. Any creator makes the object of their trade and then chooses whether to keep it, change it or discard it. Paul is saying we have it backwards when we try to argue with God about our lives.

Have you ever taken time to look through all the various clay pots at a pottery shop? There are short pots, tall pots, skinny pots, and wide pots, each of them serving a specific function. Some pots are created with indoor plants in mind, while others are made to standup under the stresses of the outdoors. There are even specialty pots for herbs, tropical plants, and window casement flowers. As unique and different as they are, our creator made each of us very unique and designed each of us for a specific purpose in life. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” Paul goes on to tell us in Romans 14:17-18, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.” Even Christ said he had a purpose He was called to, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” So our faith in Christ gives us a rich and satisfying life, which leads to living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit just as God intended. Pray Christ would fulfill His purpose in you. Pray that you would live out a life pleasing to God.

Romans 15:3-4 (NLT)
3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

These verses are about learning to please others and not just ourselves. Paul quotes Christ in saying the insults meant for God fell onto Him. it was to show Christ dealt with them and still gave of Himself for us in spite of the torment He went through. It gives up hope and encouragement so that we can endure today and tomorrow.

Jesus endured much harshness through his life. When He would expose the sin of the religious leaders their hatred would vent towards Him; but Jesus was only following the will of The Father in His teaching. As Jesus went from city to city telling others about the Kingdom of God, insults were always present. There were comments like what good can come out of small town or He is out of His mind. People would demand signs from Him to prove He was from God. His reputation for miracles preceded Him, but people still doubted. Even the religious leaders acknowledged His miracles, but denied the possibility He was God. Pilate could find no wrong with Him as He waited for death. What if Jesus had decided He was tired of the insults, tired of the criticism, and tired of the abuse He received as He stood there for God? What if Jesus had saved Himself, he could not have saved us. Praise God for Jesus who put us before Himself. Give thanks for the eternal life and hope He gave us. Pray that we might be able to follow His example.

Matthew 5:33-37 (NLT)
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

These verses are a part of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus gave to all the people gathered there. Jesus was validating the law in that He had not come to abolish the law, but that He might fulfill the law. The law was something, which should be taught and practiced. Jesus reminded the people to keep their promises that were made to God. He went on to say a person should not swear by God or the creations of God. Instead the person should give a response that is straight forward.

God is holy because of who He is, not what He does. Jesus said He came not to abolish the law; instead he lived it for others to witness and follow. The law was no longer words to point out righteousness, but was righteousness in the flesh of Jesus Christ. His life pointed back to a perfect and holy God. Men had corrupted their practices of the law using God’s name and creation as their witness. They were likely to take an oath and then break their promise. Jesus wanted everyone to consider what true righteousness meant. It is deep, real, more solid than imagined and takes in every aspect of our life, including our words and thoughts. But only Jesus could fulfill the law and His righteousness far exceeded anything the Pharisees or Scribes could even dream of. The sermon Jesus gave was not to weight down and condemn us; but it was to give us hope that God’s intent is for us to become righteous and holy in His sight. God wants us to have a holy life so He gave His son Jesus to share with us His true righteousness. Praise God Jesus came to fulfill the law and though faith in Him lives in our lives that we might be seen holy and pure.