A Year in Review: January to March – Wisdom that is From Above

    We spent the first part of this year taking a closer look at the facets of wisdom that is from above (James 3:13-17).

We learned that wisdom from above is…

…first pure; pure to its very core, and not in any way defiled by sin, selfish interest, or harmful intent. Wisdom from above, at its very Source, is pure (I John 3:3). Its path is pure; it will not lead us astray or away from God. God’s pure words/commands will enlighten us (Psalm 19:8), chasten us (Hebrews 12:3-11), warn us, and correct us (2 Timothy 3:16-17); they will purify us to the very core when we, in wisdom, hear His words, obey His commands, heed His warnings, and make the necessary corrections.

…then peaceable; undisturbed and undisturbing. This wisdom wants to bring peace (pacificatory) and to calmly resolve the conflict (conciliatory). Having/using wisdom from above helps us to be at peace in conflict (consider 1 Peter 2:20-23, James 1:19-20) and, as much as depends on us, it helps us to bring peace to the situation with a God approved (aka scripture-based) resolution (Romans 12:18, Matthew 5:21-26; 44, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

…gentle; helping us to respond to situations appropriately, with mildness, patience, and moderation; it does what is suitable, fair/impartial, mild, and merciful. Think of God’s gentleness when we ask Him for wisdom when we are lacking; He is not disappointed or disapproving, but gives liberally to all who ask Him in faith (James 1:5-8), and consider His longsuffering patience with mankind because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Read and take note of the benefits of gentleness in 1 Peter 3:1-4.   

…willing to yield; ready to obey, willing to yield your former thoughts and beliefs for the truth that is set before you. Willing to yield your pride, your notions; your own self (Matthew 10:37-38, 16:24, Luke 9:23, 2 Corinthians 5:15), to obey the true and proper way. Every time you choose God over self you are showing yourself wise in your willingness to yield, in your willingness to present your body a living sacrifice, in your willingness to choose holiness and acceptability to God over selfish, carnal desires, and your willingness to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1-2)!

…full of mercy and good fruits; when we are full of mercy and good fruits our faith and service to God will be evident to all (1 Timothy 4:12-13, 15-16), even to those who hate us, curse us, persecute us, and spitefully use us, because we will not limit our love and care to only those who are loving and caring toward us (Matthew 5:44-48, 25:34-40, Titus 3:8-14).

…without partiality; unwavering, undivided, unambiguous. Wisdom from above is consistent, steady and unbiased; without favouritism. It is not influenced by personal opinions or external pressures. Everyone, and every effort we put our hand to, will receive the very best that we can give - every time. Others will be able to count on us to be consistently upright, above board, and immovable in the practice of doing what is right (1 Corinthians 15:58).

…without hypocrisy; the quality of being genuine, sincere, and without pretense. Wisdom from above is seen in us when we are genuine people who honour God with our lives; when we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16-17), when we walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:3-6), and prove ourselves to be His disciples in every aspect of our lives. We will not carry a basket to cover up our light when we are around certain people (Matthew 5:14-16), but will remain true to God and His way and happily and consistently work as though we are working for Him (Colossians 3:23). We will also be humble and openly acknowledge our dependence on God, His mercy, and His grace. We will confess our sins to God in repentance (1 John 1:5-10), determine to do our very best to flee those things that made us stumble, and reinvigorate our pursuit of those things which are good and right (2 Timothy 2:22, Romans 12:9).

We also learned that Jesus is our perfect example of wisdom that is from above; He had it, and proved it through unwavering use throughout His life. If you want to know more of what this wisdom means and how to apply it, you need only look to Him and His Father, our Lord and Creator – they have provided all we need to know, they have given us both example and instruction, and we have access to more wisdom that is from above simply by asking God in faith!

“For the LORD gives wisdom, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV)

    Now with these facets of proper wisdom refreshed in your mind, I would like to bring a few verses back to your attention. Please consider all that you have learned about wisdom as you read and meditate on these passages:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” (Psalm 111:10 NKJV)

“If you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding…. If seek for [wisdom] as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly...” (Proverbs 2:1-7 NKJV)

“When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness…” (Proverbs 2:10-13 NKJV)

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain that fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare to her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.” (Proverbs 3:13-18 NKJV)

“…Keep sound wisdom and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet… For the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Proverbs 3:21-24, 26 NKJV) 

“The wise will inherit glory…” (Proverbs 3:35 NKJV)

“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from my mouth. Do not forsake [wisdom], and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal things; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring your honour, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.” (Proverbs 4:5-9 NKJV)

“I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:11-13 NKJV)

    Ask God for wisdom – He is ready and willing to give it to you liberally! Let’s ask for it, and receive it with a heart fully determined to apply it, as we follow Jesus’ example each day in both deed and in truth! As you can see from the passages we read, it is worth our every effort and our every sacrifice to obtain it and retain it!

Are you ready to flourish in wisdom that is from above?

You can do it! So can I!! 

WORD OF THE WEEK: HALLOWED

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing.

hallowed (halōd) from the Greek word ‘hagiazo’ meaning ‘to make holy, purify, consecrate, sanctify.’ It comes from the Greek word ‘hagios’ (where our word ‘holy’ comes from) meaning ‘sacred, most holy;’ ‘to render or acknowledge to be venerable.’ Side note: venerable means ‘accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character’

    ‘Hallow’ and ’hallowed’ appear thirty-five times in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament we find its use limited to one statement made by Jesus which was recorded in both Matthew 6:9 and Luke 11:2.

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…” (Matthew 6:9 NKJV)

    God’s name is to be holy, set apart as sacred, and special. It should be spoken only in reverence and sincerity as we approach His throne with thanksgiving (1 Thessalonian 5:17-18) and for help (Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 4:16), or when we make mention of His goodness and declare His greatness to others around us as we share the joy we find in Him.

    Consider the ten commandments that God wrote on the tablets of stone (which Moses taught to the Israelites), the first three pertained to properly reverencing Him (see Exodus 20:2-6 for the first two), and the third is this:

“You shall not take the name of the LORD you God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7 NKJV)

    Pronouncing God’s name preceded by “oh my” has become so common an expression that I’ve even heard those who deem themselves atheists using it without thought of what they have actually said. Some have attempted to lessen the wrongness of the phrase by replacing God with ‘gosh’ (a worldly euphemism for ‘God’), ‘goodness,’ (consider Mark 10:18 and Psalm 16:2), or the more recent three-letter short-formed version, but all are still thoughtless statements sprouted from the original.

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36 NKJV)

    We must be careful of every word or phrase we use in our daily speech, and most importantly, we must be careful to hallow God in our mind and heart – hallow His name and hold it in proper reverence – so that we speak it carefully.

When speaking God’s name, make it your A.I.M. to:

• Give it your full ATTENTION; you are speaking of/to your heavenly Father and Creator.
• Speak of/to Him with sincere INTENTION, remembering all He has done and continues to do for you. 
• Make specific MENTION of His wonderful goodness, majestic greatness, and awesome glory (proclaim His praises, 1 Peter 2:9).  

    Read and consider how the psalmists spoke to/of God, begin with Psalms 100, 105, and 78.

    Let's do all we can to remove mindless words from our speech and teach ourselves to truly hallow God and His glorious, sacred name! It is worthy of our every effort!!

You can do it! So can I!! 

WORD OF THE WEEK: LEAVEN

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing

leaven (levən) from Greek word ‘zume’ (Strong’s G2219) meaning to ferment (as if boiling up). A persuasive influence that modifies something or transforms it.

    Although we don’t use this word much anymore, women often have the advantage of understanding what it means. We can grasp Jesus’ parables pertaining to it because of our own culinary experiences or from those gathered from our mothers or grandmothers.

    Leaven, as used in the Bible, refers to yeast. Many of us are familiar with the commercially produced yeast that comes in jars or packets; tiny round capsules of activity ready to transform our baked goods into pillowy clouds of deliciousness. Stop and think of that for moment. These granules of yeast are as small as this punctuation mark à . ß yet a few of them can modify an entire mound of dough!

    Jesus refers to this when He describes the kingdom of heaven in both Mathew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” (NKJV) The granules of yeast are the small beginning of the church: 12 apostles teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ in Jerusalem (Acts 2) where 3000+ souls were added to the church (Acts 2:41-47), then it continued to grow as the gospel was preached in all Judea and Samaria (Acts 8), and to the ends of the earth (Colossians 1:23, just as Jesus said it would in Acts 1:8). The three measures of meal is the world and the church, though small at first, grew and developed throughout it.

    Jesus used leaven to describe something else, something His disciples needed to be aware of and something Christians today need to be very aware of – bad/evil influences. Jesus warned His followers of the influence of the Pharisees and Sadducees (the religious leaders in the Jewish synagogues) and their corrupt doctrine (Matthew 16:6-12, Mark 8:13-21), we find out in Luke 12:1 that their doctrine is hypocrisy – commanding others to do one thing while they did something different (consider Matthew 23:3 – the whole of chapter 23 shows the depth of their hypocrisy).

    We see this warning issued again by the apostle Paul in Galatians 5:9 and 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, where he instructs Christians to rid themselves of the old leaven (our old ways: malice and wickedness) so it can no longer influence nor modify us; it only then that we can be truly unleavened (without evil influence of any kind) and living a life that is true and sincere!

“I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. …  Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 101:3-4; 119:11 NKJV)  

    Beware of the leavening of the world (Ephesians 5:15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:33-34). Consider your companions, are they helping you seek God or are they hindering your efforts to follow Him? Are you doing all you can to keep yourself from bad influence? Take time each day to examine your heart so you can identify and remove the granules of bad influence before they begin to ferment and modify your thoughts and behaviours. Throw away that book, turn off the TV, shut off the computer, put down your phone, shred or compost that newspaper/magazine, and instead fill your heart with God’s word, put on His armour, and continue to do whatever is necessary to live a life that is sincere and true, and influences others to turn to God!

You can do it! So can I!! 

 

 

WORD OF THE WEEK: PECULIAR

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13-14 KJV)

peculiar In Hebrew (Strong’s #H5459 ‘cegullah’) it means jewel, treasure, proper good, special, to save/protect as with wealth. In Greek (Strong’s #G4041 ‘periousios’) it means beyond usual, special. This Greek word comes from ‘peripoiesis’ (Strong’s G4047) which means acquisition (the act or the thing) and by extension, preservation – obtain purchased possession, saving.

    Do you know how special you are?

    To God, you are beyond special! You are a precious jewel, a treasure worth saving!!        

    ‘Peculiar’ appears only seven times in the Bible (5x in OT/2x in NT). With the exception of one usage (Ecclesiastes 2:8, in which Solomon describes his acquired wealth as king of Israel) this word is used to describe God’s people (in the King James Version); and is often translated in newer versions as “special.”

    We are special! Beyond usual or common – we are peculiar! We are loved beyond measure, and therefore treasured!!

    With this status comes responsibility. In the two New Testament verses in which we find this word, we also find instruction for those described as “peculiar”:

    In the Titus passage (at top of this post), we see that we are to be “zealous for good works.” God loves us SO much that He goes above and beyond to provide all that we need so that we can be zealous for good works  - see 2 Corinthians 9:7-11, particularly verse 8, take note of the words: “all,” “always,” and “every”!  

    In 1 Peter 2:9 we find that we are “His own peculiar people,” that we may proclaim His praises because He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light! We are to declare God’s greatness, speak of His goodness, behave in such a way to bring glory to His throne (consider Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12, 2 Corinthians 9:12)!

    Doing these things will definitely make us appear peculiar to the world, but now we know the true meaning of the word! So let’s continue to do these things, because to God we are peculiar - His own beloved treasure, that is beyond special! And knowing that He acquired us through Jesus’ sacrifice (purchased us with His blood, Acts 20:28, Hebrews 9:11-15) let’s joy in being peculiar, and make use of every opportunity to do good works with zeal and proclaim God’s praise to all!!

You can do it! So can I!!   

 

WORD OF THE WEEK: HEARKEN

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing

“And when He had called all the people unto Him, He said unto them, “Hearken unto Me every one of you, and understand…”” (Mark 7:14 KJV)

hearken (härkən) verb: to hear, give audience to, come to the ears, understand, give self wholly to listening

    The now archaic word, “hearken” is used five times in the King James Version of the New Testament, six times if you include the alternate use of hearken that is ‘listening as a subordinate, be obedient, and obey’ as found in Acts 12:13 when Rhoda hearkened to the door when Peter knocked.

    N.T. uses of the word ‘hearken’: Mark 4:3, Mark 7:14-23, Acts 4:19, Acts 7:2, Acts 15:13, and James 2:5, translated as “listen.”

    When we read/hear the word hearken it should alert us to pay attention to what is about to be said. It is an instruction telling us to give our full attention to the words, to not only hear them, but listen to them so that we may understand what is being said.

    Do we hearken unto Jesus’ words as we should? Do we try our best to listen as we read the Bible so that we may comprehend His Truth? Do we truly hear the words spoken by His apostles, those sent out by Him to teach people to observe all things that He commanded them (Matthew 28:20), to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)? Do we hear attentively so that we can obey the instruction?

    Let us hearken unto Jesus, and let us hearken unto the apostles – every word in the Bible is important! Let’s determine to listen in such a way that we may properly understand and wholly obey God’s instructions and commands (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17)! It is a worthwhile endeavour to make every effort to truly hearken unto God’s word and will!

You can do it! So can I!!

  

WORD OF THE WEEK: SUCCOUR

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing.

    This is a word we simply do not use anymore, but it is a wonderful word to understand and think on!

    We find the word ‘succour’ (and its variations) only six times in the whole Bible (3x in OT, 3x in NT) and only in the older versions, like the King James. Today, we will focus only on its New Testament usage.

succour (səkər) from ‘boetheo’ (Strong’s G997), to aid or relieve, help, particularly assistance that relieves and delivers from difficulty, want, or distress.

succourer from ‘prostatis’ (as used in Romans 16:2), a patroness, i.e. assistant. A feminine derivative of ‘proistemi’ (Strong’s G4291) meaning to preside, to practice, maintain.

    The first time we see this word it is used by Paul in quoting the prophet Isaiah, instructing the brethren in Corinth (mainly Gentiles) of the help God has granted them through the apostles preaching of the gospel of Jesus. “For He saith, “I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV)

    God, because of His great love for all mankind, has granted us aid; He has given us particular assistance that delivers us from the difficulties and distress of sin because we were/are in need of forgiveness. God has given us succour or aid through His Son, Jesus (John 3:16-21, Romans 5:6-11, Matthew 28:18-20)! Through Jesus, and in Jesus, we have hope and confidence in salvation (1 Peter 1:3-9, Colossians 1:3-6)!

“For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.”(Hebrews 2:18 KJV)

    Jesus, Himself, provides succour to us; He helps us when we are tempted. He, too, was tempted like we are, so He understands (Hebrews 4:14-15); He knows the struggle, and He wants to help us endure and overcome just as He did, without sin (consider James 1:14-15). How does He help? Jesus is our Advocate and Mediator (1 John 2:1-2, 1 Timothy 2:5), and because He knows the extent of our struggles He instructs us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16) – just as He did so frequently in His time here (Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:13, John 6:15; 17:1-26)!

    We, too, can be a succour to those around us! A Christian woman named Phoebe was noted by Paul as a “succourer of many” and of Paul himself (Romans 16:1-2). This lady helped, aided, and assisted those around her in the church in Cenchrea, just as Priscilla is noted for aiding both her husband, Aquila, and Paul as well (consider Acts 18:2-3; 24-26, Romans 16:3-5, 1 Corinthians 16:19); just as Dorcas (Tabitha) is noted for good works and charitable deeds, helping the widows in Joppa (Acts 9:36-41) – we can be a succourer to the brethren with whom we worship! We can hold up the hands of those who labour in the gospel (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) and “be careful to maintain good works.” (Titus 3:8, also consider the ways we can provide in Titus 2:3-5).

    As God the Father and Jesus the Son have succoured and continue to succour us, let us look for opportunity to also be a succourer, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:9-10)!

You can do it! So can I!!  

WORD OF THE WEEK: CLEAVE

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing

“…For this reason a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife: and the two shall become one flesh. So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:5-6)

Cleave (klēv) verb: from Greek ‘proskooloa’ (Strong’s G4347); to glue, to adhere, join one (self). It comes from two other Greek words, ‘pros’ (Strong’s G4314) meaning by the side of, motion towards, you-ward (moving toward the other) and ‘kollao’ (Strong’s G2853) meaning to glue, to stick, to join (self), keep company.

    This word appears four times in the New Testament when you read from the King James Version. The New King James version has updated the old word 'cleave' with “cling” (Matthew 19:5-6, Mark 10:7-9, Romans 12:9) and the phrase “continue with” (Acts 11:23).

    In both Matthew 19 and Mark 10 Jesus quotes the very first instruction given for marriage from Genesis 2:24. A man is to cleave to his wife – join himself to her, figuratively glue himself to her, adhere to her, be always moving wife-ward, stand beside her, keep company with her. Jesus adds in both accounts, “What God has joined together let not man separate.” That is what cleaving means – a permanent joining together – no paper clips or staples, but permanent bonding glue!

    My Dad (a gospel preacher of 50+ years) often uses the illustration that when you use wood glue to bond two pieces of wood together you will never again break the wood apart where it was joined, you may be able to break it elsewhere along their length but never where it was joined – the bond holds strong and true! That is what marriage is! Circumstances can happen, but the bond holds through it all!

    Now that the meaning of the word ‘cleave’ is established, I would like you to consider the other two occasions in which this word is used: Acts 11:23 and Romans 12:9

    In Acts 11:23 Barnabas encouraged the Christians in Antioch “to cleave to the Lord, with purpose of heart” – determine to glue themselves, adhere themselves, always be moving closer to the Lord!

    Paul gives instruction Romans 12:9 to “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cleave to what is good.” Be repulsed by evil – do all you can to separate yourself from it, but adhere yourself to goodness and doing good, always be moving closer to what is good, keep company with it and with those who engage in goodness (consider 2 Timothy 2:22)!

    When you married you made this commitment to your husband. When you were baptized you made this commitment to the Lord.

Are you cleaving as you should? Always drawing nearer to these?

You can do it! So can I!!   

   

WORD OF THE WEEK: ALLELUIA

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing

“…I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honour and power belong to the Lord our God!” (Revelation 19:1 NKJV)

Alleluia (al-le-loo’-yah) a Greek word (Strong’s G239, ‘allelouia’) that literally means, ‘“Praise ye Jah!” (or in modern language, “Praise the Lord!”), an adoring exclamation’ Formed from the two Hebrew words ‘hawlal’ (Strong’s H1984) and ‘Yahh’ (Strong’s H3050.) which respectively mean, ‘to be clear, to shine, to make a show, celebrate, commend, make a boast, sing, praise, cause renown’ and ‘”Jah, the sacred name,” “Jah, the Lord, most vehement (to the highest degree)”’

    Although most every Christian is familiar with the word, “alleluia” only appears in the Bible four times – all in one chapter! Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, and 6.

    Alleluia exclaims a celebration of God’s renown! It commends His goodness, His greatness, His might, His majesty!! It is often followed by a direct mention of His doings that have caused joy in the heart of the one exclaiming His praise! 

    To further your study and understanding, make time this week to read Psalms 146-150. These psalms are not very long and you will find them very uplifting! You will see how the psalmist uses the Hebrew word “Hallelujah” to declare God’s greatness, making his boast in the Lord’s magnificence, everlasting love, and constant care!!

    Consider adding the word “alleluia” to your prayers – you can begin today, a day on which the whole of Canada is encouraged to thank God for His blessings* – follow your exclamation with specific praise of God – something wonderful He has done and continues to do - magnify His greatness in your heart and mind by recalling His blessings and His continual goodness, so that your lips may utter His praise!!

“PRAISE THE LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” (Psalm 146:1-2 NKJV)

You can do it! So can I!! 

*On January 31, 1957, the Governor General of Canada, Vincent Massey, issued a proclamation stating: "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the second Monday in October."

WORD OF THE WEEK: BEAUTIFY

    There are several old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing. If the Lord wills, over the remainder of the year, I would like to highlight a word each week so that we can enter the New Year with increased knowledge and a better understanding of the words found in the Bible.  

    This week, let’s take a closer look at the word beautify.

“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4 NKJV)

beautify (byut’-e-fi) verb: to make beautiful or add beauty to: embellish: to grow beautiful (synonym, adorn) (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, 1986 edition)

beautify  (byut’-e-fi) verb: from the Hebrew word pa’ar (H6286) to gleam, embellish, glorify. It is from this word that the Hebrew word ‘pehora’ came which means ‘foliage (including limbs), as bright green’ (Abingdon’s Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1983)

    God made man in His own image (Genesis 1:27) – something already wondrous to consider – but because we falter and sin, we fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23), our souls become dingy and dull in the darkness of sin, and we are lost.

    What can we do in such a state as that? There is no soap or detergent on earth that can cleanse a soul from sin; how can we be washed and cleansed from all unrighteousness?

    By humbly submitting to God!

    When we submit to God, follow His clear instruction, and are baptized, we will be forgiven of our sins (Acts 2:38). It is in baptism (where we are buried in water, fully immersed) that our sins are washed away (Acts 22:16), and our souls can once again gleam! It is baptism that puts us into the body of Christ (Romans 6:1-14, Galatians 3:27) and we become members of His body (which is the church, His church, Colossians 1:13-18)! It is in submitting to God (in faith and repentance) and being baptized that our souls are beautified by God with salvation!

    As Christians and members of His body, we do our very best to walk daily in newness of life (Romans 6:4), to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:3-6, Colossians 2:6), but when we falter, we will repent and humbly confess our missteps to God, and He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)!   

    Isn’t it a lovely thought that the word ‘beautify’ also means to grow beautiful (consider 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 3:17-18) and it is the basis for the description of bright green foliage  - that is how those who trust in God are described in both Psalm 1:1-3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8 - please take time to read those passages!

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit on old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (Psalm 92:12-15 NKJV)

    May all come to a point of humble submission, while there is still time, so that they too can be beautified by God with salvation!!  And may we who have been beautified, continue to grow in beauty through obedience as we joy in the God of our salvation (Habakkuk 3:18)!

You can do it! So can I!!

A September to Remember… The Poor, the Prisoners, and Those Who Rule Over You

    During this month, we have remembered our Creator and thought of all He has done for us – all the reasons we can joyfully lift our hearts in praise and humbly bow our heads in thanksgiving. We have remembered from where we have come, that we were once Gentiles, “strangers from the covenants of promise and without God in the world,” but now in Christ Jesus we have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13). Last week, we remembered that our former conduct – outside of Christ and away from God – is not to be looked back on with regret (for leaving it) or longing; we are to learn from it and come to see it as having been in opposition to God. We will come to abhor our former conduct as we draw nearer to God and cling tighter to what is good (James 4:8, Romans 12:9, read and consider 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; note that they did not regret their repentance/turning away from sin).

    Taking time to meditate on God, who He is and who we are before Him, will remind us of just how richly we are blessed (Colossians 2:2-3, Psalm 68:19, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 9:8-11) and it will prepare our perspective in regards to sharing our wealth* with those in need of care and support.

*wealth is what we have been blessed with so that we can share: time, energy, talents/abilities/skills, words of encouragement, comfort, mercy/compassion, supplies (food, clothing, shelter), and/or money (see Romans 12:3-8)

Remember the Poor

    In Galatians 2:7-10, when Peter, James, and John gave “the right hand of fellowship” to Barnabas and Paul (accepting them as preachers of the gospel and supporting their ongoing efforts), they encouraged these men to “remember the poor” while they taught the Gentiles – something Paul states as being “the very thing which [he] also was eager to do.”

    Jesus told His disciples that “you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good…” (Mark 14:7). We are to look with care and compassion on those who are in need of help (especially those of the household of faith, Galatians 6:9-10), and we are to do what we can to alleviate their troubles (think on James 2:14-20 and Matthew 7:9-12 – what would you need if you were in their situation? Provide that.) Take time to read and consider Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Timothy 5:4; 16, and James 1:21-27

Remember the Prisoners

    God, through the writer of Hebrews, tells us to remember our brethren who are mistreated in prison – not just think of them occasionally, but remember them as though chained with them – because we are all in the same body (Hebrews 13:3, also consider Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

    Maybe we don’t personally know of any brethren who are in prison for their faith, but do we know of those mistreated for their faith/uprightness at work, at school, or at home? We need to be praying for them, feel for them, and encourage them in every way. We can help them “to set [their] mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). We need to empathize enough that we consider what we would need in those situations, what would benefit us, and do what we can to provide that, so that no part of the body is neglected or forgotten. 

Remember Those Who Rule Over You  

    Again in Hebrews 13, this time in verse 7, God, through the Hebrews writer, tells us to “remember those who rule over [us], who have spoken the word of God to [us].” We are to consider the outcome of their conduct and follow their faith. These teachers/leaders – maybe the elders of the church – should be proving through their words and conduct that God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). They should be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity – we all need to feel the weight of this responsibility – we all need to take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV)

    When we find those within our congregation who serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, who have quietly made sacrifices in order to wholly align with God and to be a benefit to their brethren, whose continuing progress is evident, and whose hope is firmly anchored in the unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28) – follow their example in following God.

    This is not about elevating the man/woman – all men/women make mistakes and stumble. Instead, this is seeing them obeying the commands and instructions found in the New Testament to the best of their abilities and trying to do likewise. It means that you go to them for help and you dig deeper into God’s word together, and so you can both continue to grow and develop in knowledge of our Lord (1 Peter 3:14-18, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).  We are to help each other draw closer to God (James 4:8) as we learn to walk just as Jesus walked (1 John 2:3-6, Ephesians 5:1-2).

    We should be a reason for joy in those who teach us, rule over us, and lead us, not a reason for grief and/or frustration (read and think on Hebrews 13:17). If we put our best effort into serving God, we will encourage our leaders and brethren, and we, too, may become an example to the believers as our progress becomes evident! Let us remember those who watch out for our souls!

    Please remember all that we have studied this September – take it with you into the rest of the year! Remember your Creator, remember from where you came, remember Lot’s wife and don’t look back to your ‘old life’ with longing, keep moving forward in your faith and obedience! Remember the poor – share with them from your abundance. Remember the prisoners – share comfort and strength, and remember those who rule over you and who watch out for your soul – show them that their effort was not in vain!

God is worthy of our every effort – always remember that!

You can do it! So can I!!

A September to Remember…. Lot’s Wife

    We have taken time this month to remember our Creator (Ecclesiastes 12) and all He has done for us, so that we can speak sincere words of praise, admiration, and thanksgiving when we pray to God the Father, talk to others about His greatness, and develop our spiritual understanding. We have also remembered that we were once “Gentiles” – far from God, aliens, strangers, having no hope and without God in the world – but now in Christ Jesus we have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13); we meditate on this so that we live in appreciation for God’s love, His gift of grace, and His mercy.

    Now, this week, let’s take time to remember Lot’s wife. Jesus, in teaching about His return, told His listeners to be ready for it  - not in the sense of stop all work and wait (as some in Thessalonica thought, see 1 and 2 Thessalonians), but to recognize it when it happens, rejoice in it, and not worry about what is being left behind.

“Set your mind on things above and not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2 NKJV)

    Lot’s wife (Genesis 19, specifically verse 26) was on a path of deliverance from Sodom and Gomorrah, until she turned back to look at the cities being destroyed by God. Was she thinking about her daughters and sons-in-law who laughed at Lot’s warning the night before and remained in the city (Genesis 19:12-14)? Was she thinking of the house she left behind and her belongings? Did she regret leaving behind the familiar for the unknown of the path that she, her husband, and their daughters were now traveling, even though that familiar had been vile and full of corruption?

    We don’t know her motive for looking back, but God knowing her heart turned her into pillar of salt. Lot’s wife looked back at her past instead of to her future; she chose to fix her eyes on destruction instead of God’s deliverance.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 NKJV)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8 NKJV)

    Our Creator loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us from our sins, so we could hear the gospel, recognize our sins and turn from them, so we could be baptized into Christ’s body – the church – and be called children of God, an adoption that is rife with benefits; benefits that help us now and grant us hope for eternal life (Psalm 68:19, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 John 3:1-3, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17). Trust Him. Let your love for Him be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). Cling to God and His way.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)

    Take time to read and reread the following passages today and every day this week, if the Lord wills: Ephesians 4:17-24, Colossians 3:1-4:6, and Psalm 73

    Do not let what was familiar hinder your faithfulness. Don’t let your unbelieving family halt your progress – keep going, keep growing stronger in knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding; you may by your quiet, consistent example win members of your family to Christ (consider 1 Peter 3:1-4). If you stop your progress and turn to look back, you become stuck – no longer advancing yourself, and no longer able to help those who so desperately need the truth – you’ve become a pillar of salt that has lost its beneficial nature/its flavor (Matthew 5:13).    

    Remember Lot’s wife (and her demise) and learn to see sin for what it is: a path that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Taste and see that God and His ways are worth our efforts and our sacrifices. If you are walking on the narrow path that is delivering you from sin, keep looking forward, toward God. Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (see James 4:7-8a, 10). Don’t look back with longing at the life you once lived, look to God and rejoice that He granted you time and opportunity for deliverance from your life in sin! Forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead; press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)!    

“…knowing you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven …do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:34b-39 NKJV)  

You can do it! So can I!!