Versaday

Peace Like A River

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3:18

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He never led His disciples on horseback waving a sword and shouting ``death to the infidels”.  Think of it. No other religion in the world says ``Love your enemies”, or ``He that takes the sword will perish by the sword”, or ``Resist not evil’’, ``Pray for them that despitefully use you”.  As Jesus is the Prince of Peace, so He produces peace and joy in the lives of those who truly follow Him and obey His Word. He said, ``Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you”.  Have you experienced  the peace and joy of having  your sins forgiven,  having your name written down in God’s book, and knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He gives ``Peace that passes all understanding’’.

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1 Timothy 6:11

Immorality and vice lead to ruin in an individual and in a nation. Paul says that we are to Flee from these things; don’t hesitate, parley, or linger about temptations and vices,  but FLEE like Joseph fled the adulteress leaving his coat in her hands. The distress in our nation, the economic turmoil, the drug scene, the broken homes are the direct result of turning from God, taking God out of the schools, and rejecting the plain teachings of God’s Word. America was founded on Christian principles, and as a result became the greatest nation in the world. Early in our history Alexis de Tocqueville analyzed our phenomenal rise as a nation and said: ``America is great because America is good. If it ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.” Let us FLEE covetousness, lying, false dealing, drugs, fornication, (moving in together without being married), and all the abominations that God tells us to avoid.  ``Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14: 34. Above all, let us seek the only true salvation, Christ crucified, the only cure for a troubled soul, a troubled nation, or a troubled world.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 1 Thessalonians 5:14

This word disorderly was used to refer to soldiers that were disorderly, not keeping in rank or insubordinate. When a Christian brother is disorderly, or ``out of line,”  a rebuke administered in love is what Paul is  teaching. Comfort and support those that are sorrowing, doubtful and downcast, give encouragement to those that have doubts, fear or distress and finally the capstone, or as we say colloquially, to cap it off, use patience in a spirit of love. This passage is not a call to be meddlesome or superior, but to love and support one another as we look to the eastern sky for the soon coming of our Savior and the events proclaimed in the book of Revelation of John. The countdown has already begun.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14

It is frustrating when we witness to someone about the Gospel and they will not receive the gift of eternal life and give themselves to Jesus. It is more frustrating when they get angry or scornful. But when they get abusive or hurtful in any way, it is human nature to want to pay them in the same coin. The key word here is HUMAN nature. But this was not the way Jesus taught us to respond. He said ``Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven’’.

In one village where Jesus and the disciples were not well received, James and John (Sons of Thunder) wanted to call down fire from heaven and consume them. Jesus said ``Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Therefore, Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14

Waiting in God's Presence

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalms 130:5

This was soul waiting; he repeats himself.  This word wait means earnest expectation.  The context makes it clear that the object of David’s sincere longing and watching expectantly, was the Lord Himself; a deeper experience of the presence and acceptance of God, and an assurance of forgiveness of sin and restoration to closeness with God. Here we have a glimpse into the soul of David, and a potent reminder of why David was called a man after God’s own heart; he had a rich devotional  life in God’s  presence. Notice the MANNER  of David’s waiting; in His WORD  I HOPE.  Let us follow David’s example and set aside time for spiritual refreshing and fellowship with God, reading His word, praying, and just sitting quietly in His presence.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2

In the Gospel dispensation, all are to be witnesses for Christ. God has committed the Gospel to Preacher and layman alike. ``Ye are my witnesses”. The congregation leaves the Sunday worship services and spreads out into the community, daily reaching thousands of persons in the daily pursuits of business, instruction, recreation, etc. that the pastor can never see or reach. We carry the flame of the Gospel and Jesus said ``Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.  Paul tells us the manner of doing this. We are to be constant, ready at all times in bearing witness to Christ, in season and out of season, that is, when it is opportune and easy or when it is discouraging and difficult, in good times and bad, spreading the good  news  of a full, free, eternal salvation bought and paid for by the blood and suffering of our Savior Jesus Christ. If we faithfully fulfill this mission, we will have no need to be ashamed before Him at His return to judge the living and the dead.

Go, Stand, Speak

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. Acts 5:20

The disciples had just been miraculously delivered from prison. It would seem natural to want to lay low for awhile, sort of keep a low profile. But God commands them to continue the work, and the words used can be applied to us. GO. This is a command to all Christians. Jesus said `` GO ye into all the world. This entails inconvenience, but fellow human beings are dropping off into eternity daily, without God and without  hope. The LORD says GO. You say, ``what does this mean to me?  I’m not a missionary. You can pass out Gospel tracts, walk in the Spirit so that others see Jesus in you. You can pray for the lost, let your light shine instead of hiding it under a bushel, feed daily on the Word of God, and  you can attend worship services on the LORD’s day. In other words, be a testimony to the truth of Jesus saving grace.

There are three things commanded here: GO, STAND, and SPEAK,  and may God  bless you and go with you as you let your light shine for Jesus.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:17 

The decaying structures of past civilizations  bear witness to the truth of today’s verse. Pictures of the Parthenon in Greece, their old Olympic  stadium, or the Roman colosseum  and the ruins of the old Roman Forum and all the monuments that are crumbling and decaying with time, impress us that the things of this present moment will perish in like manner. Very little is left of the ``Glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome”.  The World passes away, but also ``the lust thereof”. If all our most fervent desires and plans could come to fruition, how short would be the period of our rejoicing and exultation. In the words of Omar Khayham: ``The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon turns ashes—or it prospers; and anon, like snow upon the Desert’s dusty face lighting a little hour or two—is gone.”   Your world, your hopes and dreams as well as mine are rushing to oblivion.  ``It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb. 9:27   I counsel you to invite Jesus into your heart before it is everlastingly too late.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:21

From the point of view of fellowship with God, Jude is saying, keep the flame burning bright, exercise the graces of faith, hope and charity, feed daily on God’s Word, and pray always. In other words, walk in the Spirit. This verse can be viewed as a solemn warning against falling away, or apostatizing, but it must be remembered that GOD KEEPS US. Jesus says of His disciples that we ``shall never perish,” ; that we are in the Father’s hand ``and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Think of it this way. A father is walking near a steep cliff with his five year old son. He warns him, ``Now if you pull away from me and run off, you will fall over the edge of this cliff.” All the while, the father has a firm hold on his son’s hand. Do you think the father will let go?  So we see that the warning is real and necessary but the child is secured by the father. All those that are truly born again WILL CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, while the  hypocrite and false disciples will be revealed in the day of Judgment. It won’t be long. Get ready.

Brotherly Love

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:21

The previous verse explains this one. If we don’t love our brother whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen? This love involves feeling and compassion, but it also means to desire and seek our brother’s welfare: it is good willing toward them. In another place the Bible says that love is the fulfilling of the law, so that all the other laws and commands in the Word are comprehended in this command to love one another. Paul says`` let us do good unto all men,” Gal. 6:10. Can you imagine what kind of world this would be if we all obeyed  this command to practice love toward one another? One day we will not have to use our imagination, because that is the way it is in heaven. The day draws nigh. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen.