Restore

Mat 18:15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

There are times when a fellow believer may trespass or sin against us.  If this happens, we are to go to that person alone, one on one, to point out the error.  The purpose of our going is always to resolve the problem and see that one restored.  The goal is not to just expose, to just convict, but rather, as privately as possible, to try to resolve and restore.  If we would follow this commandment of Jesus, rather than go around to everyone else soliciting support, the family of God would be much stronger.  Love demands that we work to rescue and restore our fellow believer when they stumble and fall.

Truth

(John 17:17 KJV)  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Truth is God’s revelation of Himself and His way in His Word.  God’s Word is truth.   Truth is the means by which we are made holy, sanctified.  Truth will always lead us to a holy life.  Any teaching which tends to draw us away from a life of holiness is not truth.

Buy the truth

(Prov 23:23 KJV)  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

This passage tells us to buy the truth, obtain the truth, and then don’t let it go, hold to it.   Don’t sell it; don’t give it up for something else.  What is truth?  Truth is that which is correct, that which is right.  Truth is reality, the way things really are.  Truth is that which God has revealed to be right, to be correct. The purpose of God’s revelation of Himself was to lead us to know Him, to know about Him. It was also to instruct us how to live in harmony with God and in harmony with one another; how to live as love demands, how to live a holy life.  Hold to the truth you know.  Hold to God’s Word.  Don’t allow this world’s reasoning to cause you to give up the truth.

Character

.  Luk_16:10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Our character shows in the everyday things of life, not just the big crisis events.  Character has been described as who we are and what we do when we think no one is watching.  If we are willing to be dishonest when it is small and we think there are no consequences, then we are really dishonest in our heart.  If we can’t be depended on in the small things of life, we also can’t be depended on to be faithful in the more important things of life.  Character is built in the small decisions of everyday life, as well as the biggies.  Let’s determine to do right in everything, everywhere, all the time. 

Close at hand

Jer 23:23Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Jer 23:24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

God is not far away in heaven, unaware of what is going on here on earth.  God is present everywhere, all the time.  God fills all the heaven and all the earth.  God knows all and sees all, both good and bad.  As God’s child, your situation has not gone unnoticed by God, nor is He unconcerned.  He hasn’t forgotten or forsaken us.  He knows all about us and has already prepared the way ahead of us.  God also sees the evil that is committed.  Nothing is done in secret that He doesn’t know about, none can hide from God.  We can trust our future to the God who is everywhere, who sees all and who knows all.  Trust Him.

The presence of God

Psa 84:1How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! Psa 84:2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. ……...    Psa 84:10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

How pleasant is Thy dwelling place, O Lord!  What a thrill to be where the presence of God is!  My whole being desires to be in the presence of the living God, to experience the joy and assurance of His very presence. It is better to be in His presence for just a day, than to live a thousand elsewhere.  It is better to be at the lowest servants place in the Lord’s house than to live large in the tent of the wicked.  How we ought to value and long for the presence of God!  How careful we should be to live in a way that invites His approval and presence!

God is good

Psa 119:68  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

God is good, altogether and completely good.  God is good all the time, in everything, all the time.  God is good, He is holy, He is just.  He is pure in every thought, every intention and every action.  Everything He does is good.  Everything He does is right. Everything God does is absolutely the best in every way.  Therefore, we should want to know His ways.  Our heart should desire to know His commandments so that we might do them.  We should seek to be taught His ways in order to incorporate them into our lives, so that we also may then do what is good.

God directs our life

Psa 37:23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

What a blessing to know God directs our life!  God establishes the overall course of our life.  God providentially cares for us in the course of our life.  There is a security that comes from our life being under God’s control. The control, care and supervision exercised by God over His children is called the Providence of God. The Providence of God refers to God’s wise planning – in advance.  God knows the beginning from the end.  God sees the future, nothing takes Him by surprise.  Therefore, God is able to successfully plan the course of our life. There is a confidence, a sense of safety and protection knowing that the God who looks out for us is both wise and good.  There is a joy that comes from knowing God is directing our life.  We can delight, or find joy in living our life under His direction. 

Generosity

Pro 11:24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Pro 11:25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Generosity is a Christian attribute; it is a Christian attitude toward the needs of those who are around us.  We are cautioned against selfishness. Notice the Proverb; its bit of a riddle: “Scatters but increases, holds tight but tends to poverty”. Verse 25 tells us why:  God is at work.  God takes care of those who take care of others. We are called to be generous in meeting the needs around us; it is a visible example of love.  History tells us this was one of the great witnesses of the early morning church.  This is not a call to give away all, but a call to generosity: “withholdeth more than is meet”.   Our heart ought to be moved with compassion on the needs around us.  One of our responses should be generosity, sharing what God has blessed us with.

Fear not

(Isa 41:13 KJV)  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

There are many things in life that can cause us to fear and worry.  The promise of this passage is that we need not fear because God will help us.  Like a parent takes hold of a child’s hand, God takes hold of our hand and says “Fear not, I will help thee.” There is no fear when we have His very presence with us to protect us and to guide us.  There is no fear when He is guiding and directing us.  There is no fear when God is keeping us.  There is no fear though we are in the very midst of danger when our hand is help tightly by His.  Keep reaching up; keep your hand in His.

My God shall supply all your needs

(Phil 4:19 KJV)  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Paul was thanking the church at Phillipi for remembering him and helping supply his needs. Paul was unable to repay them for their love and care, but he was confident that God wouldn’t overlook what they had done.  The promise was that “My God shall supply all your needs”. This isn’t limited to things spiritual. My God shall supply all your needs, ALL our needs. ALL our needs, all those things we are tempted to worry about. God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. Does God have enough to get the job done?  Enough wealth, enough wisdom, enough love, enough grace? Resist the temptation to worry. Resist the temptation to focus your time and attention on the things of this world. Continue faithful, continue to trust God. My God shall supply all your needs.

What God wants

(Micah 6:6 KJV)  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?(Micah 6:7 KJV)  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(Micah 6:8 KJV)  He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

How shall we come to worship God?  What do we bring that will please Him? Our text tells us what God is looking for, what pleases Him.  First of all, it isn’t just about being religious, not just going through the form, the rituals.  It isn’t about doing some great sacrifice, not about self inflicted suffering, pain.  What the Lord requires, what it takes to make heaven our home is still pretty simple:  Our text summarizes it this way:  do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with thy God.  First of all, we are instructed to do justly, do what is right. This is the standard we are to apply to our selves, this is how we are to judge our own life. We need to cultivate a sincere desire to know what is right and to live that way. We need to give serious attention to doing what is right in every situation, with every one, all the time.  We cannot allow those things that are wrong to continue in our life and expect to be pleasing to God.

The first instruction was how we are to deal with our self; the next is how we are to deal with others.  We are to love mercy. This has to do with the attitude in which we view others, how we deal with others.  Not with a hard, harsh spirit or attitude, but with an attitude that loves mercy.  This is a heart like Gods, one that prefers mercy, is bent toward mercy. There is a tendency to grow harsh in our judgment of others if we resent the strong discipline, strict obedience we are to apply to our own life.  We are to be compassionate, kind, merciful toward those around us.  This is not condoning sin, ignoring sin.  But it is an attitude of one who has been forgiven to desire that others find forgiveness as well, patient in our dealing with others. 

Pray

(1 Th 5:17 KJV)  Pray without ceasing.

Don’t let anything keep you from maintaining your prayer life.  This is how our relationship and faith grows, by talking to God, by seeking what we need, by seeing God answer our prayers. We are to be consistent in our prayer, and we are also to be continual in our prayer.  By that, I mean we are to learn to live with God throughout the day.  Talk to God all day long as we live out the day, seeking His help in everything.  This is how our relationship grows and how we experience the felt presence of God in a greater way.

Keep your focus

 Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Living a successful Christian life requires that we keep our priorities in order.  The things which pertain to this life only thrust themselves upon us….things like making a living, acquiring things, taking care of our things.  If we are not careful, we can begin to believe that life consist of things and making a living.  Our life can be consumed worrying about material things, and cause us to forget the most important things of life.  Instead of worrying about and pursuing money and things, our spiritual life and the things of God are to be the most important pursuits of our life.  This passage reminds us that God does a good job looking after the needs of His creation.  If He takes such care of the birds and the flowers of the field, how much more can He be depended on to take care of His children.  Don’t let your life be consumed with pursuing material things….this is how those who don’t know the Lord live.  Instead, let’s give priority to the kingdom of God and God can be depended on to supply what we need.  Let’s keep our priorities in order.    

He is our hope

(Psa 42:11 KJV)  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

There are times when we find ourselves mired down in worry, discouragement and restlessness.  As the Psalmist, we need to remind our self of God’s care and faithfulness. We can revive our hope in the midst of our difficulties by knowing that God is our God and will never forsake us.  We can be praise Him now for who He is and in confidence that He will once again prove faithful.        

God knows all about us

Luk 12:6Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Luk 12:7But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

God sees all, knows all.  He sees everything that happens in His creation.  Even the little sparrows, which have little value or significance in this world, are seen of God.  Not one of them falls to the ground without God seeing and caring.  God knows all about us.  He knows more about us than we know about our selves.  He knows every detail, even insignificant details like the number of hairs on our head.  Jesus reminds us that we need not fear, need not worry.  If God concerns Himself with these lesser things, how much more can He be depended on to take care of His own children.  I pray our faith take in God’s great concern and care, and allow our faith to replace our worries and fears.  

Waiting for the morning sun

(Psa 130:5 KJV)  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.(Psa 130:6 KJV)  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

There are times when disappointment and discouragement seem to come in like a flood.  In such times, our hope is in God and in the promises of His Word.  The Psalmist expresses an intense longing for God’s help.  The expectation and intensity is even more than that of those who are waiting for the dark night to pass with the dawning of morning. We share that same longing during times of intense or prolonged trouble and trials.  Notice in this passage that we have more than hope; we have an expectation.  There is an expectant waiting and looking for His help and deliverance.  Stay steady, continue to trust and expectantly wait; God’s help is as certain as the bright morning of a new day after a long night.  

What makes life good

Pro 15:17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

How easy it is for us to get our priorities mixed up.  Too often we strive to obtain things, to get ahead, to accumulate money, to live the good life.  However, these are not the things that really make life good and pleasant.  What makes life good and pleasant is the warmth and security of being loved, the joy of an atmosphere of love.  It is better to have fewer of the finer things of life and enjoy love, than to live the “good life” and contend with bitterness and ill will.  Let us strive for the best life, to show love, to promote love, to build those things that make life truly good.  

Be merciful

Pro 14:21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Being a Christian is more than just having our sins forgiven.  The experience of salvation changes us from loving our self above everything else to loving God supremely and loving others as our self.  One who despises his neighbor sins; despises them by words, scorn or by ignoring their needs.  On the contrary, one who shows mercy, has compassion on the poor will be blessed.         

Watch your words

Pro 12:18  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

There probably isn’t any area that gives Christian more trouble than controlling our words.  We often talk without thinking, or let our emotions spill out in our words.  Our words are very important.  They can cut and pierce and do much damage.  On the other hand, wisely chosen words can bring health and healing.  Let’s purpose to wise in our words, to build up and not tear down.