TLEE's Daily Devotion for June {11,407 words}

The inscription of Psalm 86 describes the psalm of David as a prayer. Some people do not pray very much, some only pray when they are in trouble, and many of those that do pray do not do so in a manner that is consistent with biblical teaching. From Psalm 86:1-17, a person can gain valuable insight into prayer and also identify some key ways to improve on his or her own prayer life.

In looking at David's prayer, four distinctive characteristics contributed to his ability to get through to the Lord. First, he was quick to admit his own personal need for God. In Psalm 86:1, he saw himself as "poor and needy" and as being unable to meet his own spiritual and physical needs. Second, in Psalm 86:7, he approached God with confidence, but at the same time, his confidence was not based on the assumption that God would automatically be quick to answer. Instead, he spoke of his personal relationship with Him and expressed his knowledge of God's love for him. Anyone, that has trusted Jesus as Savior, can have the same rest in Him and also place his or her hope, trust, and confidence in Him and in His love. The third characteristic of David's prayer was that he was eager to praise the Lord. In Psalm 86:10, he said that God is great, that God does marvelous things, and that God alone is God. How true were each of those statements, and when they come from a pure heart, such words bring joy to the Lord. The fourth distinctive feature of David's prayer was that, in Psalm 86:16-17, he asked God to meet his needs.

A church is both organism and organization. As an organism or living body, it needs to be ministered to, and it needs to minister to others. As an organization, it needs to tend to various logistical matters and leadership issues. In an Episcopal form of church government, one man rules or oversees the church. This form of government is typical of the Episcopal Church, and it takes full advantage of a gifted leader. The Representative form of church government means that the church is run by a group of elders, and this is typical of the Presbyterian Church. The Congregational form of church government is democratic, and it is more concerned with majority rule.

A church should be organized so that it can establish times to meet, make critical decisions for the body, collect money for the Lord's work, help widows, and perform the two ordinances. Churches should be independent because every believer is indwelled by Christ, every believer is free to interpret Scriptures, every believer is responsible for correct doctrine and purity of life, and most churches are self-supporting, self-propagating, and self-governing. Within the community, however, churches should fellowship with one another because church fellowship puts forth a good step toward church growth. It shows the unity that Christ sought in prayer, and it recognizes the leaders. Church fellowship shows cooperation during times of trial and persecution, it increases the vision for everyone, and it creates a sense of identification.

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is identified as deity and as the third Person of the Trinity. He is equal with God in nature but separate from Him in persons. He is spoken of as God, He possesses the absolute and comparative attributes of God, He does the works of God, and He receives honor as God. According to Dr. Elmer Towns, in his book Theology Today, the Holy Spirit has numerous titles of deity, the early Church recognized Him as deity, and the development of the words of God are ascribed to Him. Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, in his book A Survey of Bible Doctrine, said that the Holy Spirit is completely God. According to him, the Holy Spirit has the characteristics possessed only by God, He did and does the things that only God can do, and He is always associated on an equal plane with the other two Persons of the Trinity.

In Judges 2:11-16, the author presented a cycle that was often repeated in the Book of Judges, and the use of that cycle shows how Jewish children learned and remembered the Old Testament. First, the people of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forsook God, they followed after the false gods of the people around them, and they provoked the Lord to anger. Second, God would not be with them in their struggles against their enemies, so they would be defeated in battle. Third, they would repent of their evil and turn back to God. Fourth, He would have mercy on them, forgive them of their sins, raise up a new leader for them, and restore them to their former position.

Cycles, like the one above, are constant if they resemble a stretched out spring that rises and falls each time to about the same highs and lows, and they are deteriorating if they are like stairs that start out high and gradually drop lower and lower. In the Book of Judges, the cycles were deteriorating. Judges 18:1 and 19:1 say that there was not a king in Israel. Judges 17:6 and Judges 21:25 say that there was not a king in Israel and that the people did what was right in their own eyes. Judges 2:11-16 set the stage for the deteriorating cycle, and the other references showed Israel's steady decline. The use of repetition, in those cases, showed emphasis, and it was also a good memory aid.

Zephaniah 1:15 describes the Tribulation as a time of wrath, trouble, and distress. Revelation 14:7 and Revelation 15:4 describe it as a time of judgment. Amos 5:18-20 says that it will be a time of darkness, and Revelation 6:15-17 and Matthew 24:21-22 say that it will be a time of unparalleled suffering. Israel will be in the process of returning to their homeland, the federated church will dominate, there will be seven Seal judgments, the one hundred and forty-four thousand witnesses will be sealed, and the two witnesses of Revelation 11:1-13 will rise up. But the first half of the Tribulation will only be the beginning of sorrows.

In the second half of the Tribulation, the two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter Eleven, will be slain, and the sacrifices and oblations will be ended. According to Revelation 12:7-12, Satan will be cast to the earth, and he will begin to persecute Israel. Also during the second half of the Tribulation, the seven Trumpet judgments, the seven Bowl judgments, and the battle of Gog and Magog will occur. The apostate church will be overthrown, the mark of the beast will be given so that only those with the mark are allowed to buy, commercial Babylon will be overthrown, and the nations of the earth will be brought together by demons for the battle of Armageddon.

Doing right and following the Lord are always right and never wrong. Proverbs 14:9 says, "Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright." Psalm 106:3 says, "Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right."

Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon wrote, in Proverbs 10:1, that a wise son makes a glad father and that a foolish son brings sadness and heaviness of heart to his mother. The references to gender in that verse, however, were probably more poetic than literal because, in general, all wise children, whether male or female, make glad parents. Similarly, all unwise children, again whether male or female, make sad, heavy-hearted parents. Most parents would like to be proud of their children, but sometimes, their children make that very difficult. The perception among the worldly crowd is that fun and happiness can be found in mischievous, carefree, wild living, but Solomon wrote the exact opposite. He said that wild, carefree living does not profit anything or anyone and that living right delivers from death.

Not working through one’s unresolved anger can cause a person to experience a lot of personal hurt and pain. It can diminish the individual’s Christian effectiveness, and it can also impact his or her Christian witness. In Genesis 4:2-8, Cain became very angry with his brother, Abel, because, God had accepted Abel’s offering but had rejected Cain’s offering. As a result of his rage, jealousy, and uncontrolled anger, he killed his brother. But the godly thing to do would have been to find a more positive way to deal with his anger.

In James 1:19-20, James wrote that people should control their temper. He said that they should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. When a person loses control, he or she usually violates each of those three conditions. The angry individual will usually be slow to hear the views of the offending party. He or she will often be much too quick to speak, and many times, the person will be too quick to become angry in the first place. Not being able to control oneself, and especially one's emotions, is the mark of immature Christianity. When someone has walked with the Lord over a fairly long time period, then he or she should be able to demonstrate God's love and patience in most situations. In Ephesians 4:26-31, the Apostle Paul also wrote about the importance of dealing positively with one's anger, and he said that a person should resolve the matter quickly rather than let his or her anxiety grow and fester. Anger is not sin, but how people handle it sometimes can be.

The lessons of Psalm 119:137-144 are that an individual can learn more about God, learn more about obeying and pleasing Him, and gain valuable insight into His will for their life from a regular, conscientious Bible study. However, to accomplish such lofty objectives, the person's study must be diligent and disciplined. Individuals should never view the Word of God as just another Book, nor should they ever approach their study as just another chore of Christianity. People can usually find ways to do those things that they really want to do, and in that context, Christians should always have a genuine, sincere desire to learn more about their Savior and Lord. Once the individual has settled the issue of doing a regular Bible study, then it should be conducted with the right attitude and in the right spirit of prayer.

In Psalm 119:137-144, the psalmist did not take the attitude that God owed him anything because of his faithfulness to have studied the Scriptures. Instead, he was satisfied with what his faithfulness and commitment to study had done for him. He possessed a greater knowledge and understanding of God, and he knew that he was rightly related to Him. Those were very big positives for him, and they should be for anyone. Many critics have argued that the Bible is not the Word of God. They have claimed that it is a Book written by unlearned authors, over many centuries, and with many copying mistakes. They have said that it contains words that have been interpreted differently over time. But while those criticisms have some validity, the Bible still stands up to each one. The writer wrote in Psalm 119:89 that God's Word is forever settled in heaven, which means that a person can trust what it says.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus was trying to show the importance of a relationship between Himself and those that follow Him. As the branches can do nothing without the life-giving vine, so the Christian can do nothing without Christ. In John 15:2, Jesus said that He cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit, and that expression comes from a Greek word that means to raise up, to elevate, or to lift up. When a branch does not bear fruit, Jesus will encourage and lift up that branch and try to do whatever He can to produce fruit from it. The word "prune" in that verse means to cleanse of filth and impurity, and that concept comes from gardening. It pictures the vinedresser pruning the branches, or cutting them back, so that they can produce even more fruit. The implied meaning is that Jesus will clean up a person's life so that he or she can be better equipped to serve Him.

The "Infancy Gospel of Jesus," presumed to have been written by the Apostle Thomas, was an example of false extra-biblical literature of the First Century. In that writing, the author wrote about several miracles that were supposed to have been performed by Jesus while He was young, but John 2:11 says that His turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana was His first miracle. The marriage was a symbol for joy, and through His first miracle, He showed His approval of the wedding, He showed His desire to be with the multitudes, and He symbolically demonstrated His first work of Creation. John 1:1-3 and I Corinthians 8:6 say that Jesus was actively involved in Creation, so the first miracle of His earthly ministry also involved a work of creation. The significance of that miracle was that He began His ministry at a level that His disciples could understand, that He began at home, and that He was showing the insufficiency of the old Judaic system.

In Psalm 56:7, Psalm 109:6-20 and Psalm 137:8-9, the psalmists wrote about their desires to see their enemies brought down and destroyed. People might challenge how or why the Holy Spirit would have inspired such language from His biblical authors, but there are actually five possible reasons why He might have done so.

First, the Bible is an honest Book, and the Holy Spirit lets the reader view the genuine frustrations that were experienced by those that wrote Scripture. Life is difficult for everyone, and it was difficult for the chosen writers of the Bible, too. A second reason for having such writings in the Bible is to show that the authors were trusting their situations and their revenge to the Lord rather than taking matters into their own hands. God is not honored when His people make trouble for others, regardless of the situation. A third explanation for the above rebukes against one’s enemies is that the authors were associating their personal attacks with attacks on Israel and the Lord. Therefore, they were asking God to take action against those that were attacking Him and His chosen people, rather than selfishly seeking special favors for themselves. A fourth reason for such writing is that God lets His people hate their enemies, even though such emotions are not godly. The final reason is that the authors were expressing the general belief that good things should happen to good people and that bad things should happen to bad people.

Genesis 17:1 says, "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.'" Isaiah 13:6 says, "Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty." In those verses and in Job 22:23-26, the name, El Shaddai, was used to indicate the highness or majestic quality of God’s character. According to the Introduction to the Book of Job in the NIV Study Bible, that name for God appeared thirty-one times in that Book alone, plus a total of seventeen times in other portions of the Old Testament.

The name, El Shaddai, is important for showing God as the Almighty. It is also significant in the Book of Job for showing the time and authorship of that particular Book of the Bible. According to Mr. Andrew E. Hill and Mr. John H. Walton, the frequent use of El Shaddai for God's name in the dialogue portions of the Book suggests that Job might have been an Edomite. They also indicate that the time period when Job lived was probably the patriarchal period because his lifestyle and longevity were consistent with the people in the Book of Genesis.

Almost from the opening verses of the Book of Proverbs, Solomon wrote that seeking wisdom and understanding and that doing right are the keys to living the good life, and in Proverbs 10:4-14, he added the importance of working hard. God did not create humans to be lazy, and He did not create them to merely be seekers of pleasure.

All men and all women, and especially those that name Christ as Savior, should be responsible and diligent in their labors. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." I Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." I Timothy 5:8 says, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Sometimes, a person will carry a grudge for many years, and those long-term negative emotions can cause mental, emotional, health, and spiritual disorders. In Luke 15:25-30, the parable of the Prodigal Son is an example of someone being willing to forgive and of someone not being willing to forgive. The younger of two brothers had taken his inheritance, left home and wasted all his possessions in riotous living. He, then, returned home broke and in disgrace. While his father openly received him and rejoiced over his return, the older son was not so thrilled by all the celebration. He resented the attention that his brother was receiving just because he had messed up and come back home.

In Luke 17:3-4, Jesus encouraged His followers to be quick to forgive one another. Often, Christians do things that hurt other Christians, but during those times, the offended party should try to be especially forgiving and even try to be an encourager. That does not mean being a doormat for all to walk on, but it does mean that Christians should try to be Christ-like in all their actions and relationships, even when they have been wronged. They should let the Lord have His way in all their relationships, and they should strive to be related to those around them in the manner that He would have them to be. They should never let an unforgiving spirit come between them and what God is trying to do through them. In Ephesians 4:32 and Ephesians 5:1-2, the Apostle Paul wrote about the importance of being kind and compassionate to one another. He said that Christians should be quick to forgive others because their heavenly Father has forgiven them.

Psalm 145:1-19 praises God and shows that He is worthy of worship, that His goodness compels people to worship Him, and that He responds favorably to each person’s worship. In today’s society, most people do not have or take the time to seek and love the Lord as they should. But the psalmist, David, who was a prophet and also the King of Israel, made clear by his words that he was committed to exalting God each and every day, no matter what. He, because of His past experiences with the one true God, had already seen God’s greatness, and he knew that He was worthy of praise and worship. In like manner, when people allow themselves to be drawn closer to the Lord, they, too, will see and appreciate His goodness and greatness.

Psalm 145:8-9 says that God is compassionate, that He cares for each individual, and that He is slow to anger. Those thoughts compare closely to II Peter 3:9, which teaches that the Lord is slow to anger and not willing that any should perish. God is even good to those that have rejected Him, and He showed His greatest degree of compassion and love for others by offering His only begotten Son, Jesus, on the cross at Calvary. Only a fool or a total ingrate could understand the significance of the cross and still not give God all the glory and worship that is due to His name. He is the Master and the Creator. He put together the beauties of this world, and He gave life to each and every person. All that any individual could ever be or ever hope to be will be because of God. But despite those truths, most people still let themselves become too busy to give God the worship and devotion that He rightfully deserves.

II Corinthians 4:5-6 says, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." In II Corinthians 3:13-18 and II Corinthians 4:1-6, the Apostle Paul explained to the people at the church in Corinth how the salvation process works. In the first passage, he wrote about the veil that blinds the heart of the unsaved person. He said that the old covenant, which was based on the Mosaic Law, could not remove the veil that hid the truth but that turning to the Lord would. In II Corinthians 3:18, he concluded that thought by saying that a person would be conformed to the image of Christ, which is consistent with the teaching in Romans 8:29, once the veil is gone.

John 7:1-53 presents many of the details about the Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus attended during the second year of His public ministry. The people stayed in tents to commemorate God’s care for Israel while they had wandered through the wilderness for forty years. The feast lasted for eight days and signified the coming kingdom. In John 7:14-38, Jesus made three heavenly statements that amazed the crowd and angered the Pharisees. In John 7:16, He said that His teaching was from God in heaven. In John 7:28, He said that His mission was on behalf of His Father in heaven, and in John 7:33, He said that He had been sent from God in heaven and that He would soon return to Him. Jesus talked about His preexistence, but the Jews did not understand that He would someday return to His Father in heaven. He said that His doctrine was from God, but they did not know how to receive that, either. In John 7:40-43, the Apostle John wrote that many people believed and that many did not.

In John 1:1-3, the Apostle John said that Jesus is the living Word, that He is God, and that He was involved in the act of Creation. For many years, scoffers and critics have tried to poke holes in the truths of the Bible, but they have not been able to because the Holy Spirit did not leave any stones unturned. Saying that Jesus is God and that He was involved in Creation was totally consistent with Genesis 1:1 which says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." It was also consistent with Colossians 1:16 which says, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."

Old Testament theologians could have attested to the Trinity as being involved with Creation because of what Moses wrote in Genesis 1:1-2. In both verses, he used the Hebrew word, Elohim, for God, and in the first verse, he used the Hebrew word, bara', for created. The important point about "Elohim" is that that word was plural. So, when Moses wrote about Creation, he was writing about a plural Creator, not just a single-Person entity. When he used the word bara', he was indicating the act of Creation out of nothing, which is called "Creation ex nihilo," and he was specifically attributing that act to a divine, multi-Person Creator. John 1:2 shows that God and Jesus were both involved in Creation, and Genesis 1:2 shows that the Holy Spirit was there, too. All of these verses, put together, form a perfect picture of the Trinity for present-day Christians, and they were written by individuals who were not even familiar with what they were writing.

In I Corinthians 11:1-2, the Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth that he was pleased by its willingness to observe the ordinances. According to Luke 22:19 and Matthew 28:19, the two ordinances given to the New Testament church were the Lord's Supper and water Baptism. In I Peter 3:20-21, the Apostle Peter wrote that Baptism gives Christians a good conscience before God, so for that reason, they should be baptized as their first act of obedience to Him. The early church baptized its new converts upon their profession of faith in Christ. Then, those new believers were immediately added to the fellowship. The local church typically baptizes those that wish to unite with their assembly because that ordinance gives the believer an opportunity to publicly associate himself or herself with that particular group of worshippers. Water Baptism symbolizes the death of the believer to his or her old way of life, their burial to sin, and then, their resurrection to a new life in Christ Jesus.

Like much of the Book of Proverbs, Proverbs 10:15-22 also teaches about the importance of right living and shows how an individual misses out on God's blessings when he or she forsakes the Lord's ways. Those verses contrasted the differences between right, godly living and wrong, sinful living. Solomon wrote that there is futility in riches. He said that a rich person who relies only on his or her riches will only have those riches, and many times, according to him, they will lack the blessings in life that come from the Lord. In addition, trusting in one’s riches will also lead to turmoil and trouble. Proverbs 11:28 says, "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." Psalm 62:10 says, "Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them." People should do their best to live right because the Bible teaches that the person who lives right is and will be blessed. Doing right honors the Lord and allows Him to rejoice in the individual.

Busy schedules and busy lives can sometimes affect a person’s spiritual attitudes and concerns. An individual, for example, can love the Lord but still be lax in his or her Christian service. A person can go through the motions of living right before others but still fail to exercise the discipline to properly use his or her spiritual gifts. One can see from Revelation 3:14-22 that spiritual enthusiasm and Christian service are very much related. In speaking to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:15, Jesus said, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

Based on Jesus’ clear teaching in that passage, those that name Christ as Savior and Lord should keep their mood swings from affecting their devotion and dedication to His work. They should remind themselves that their spiritual gifts are to be used collectively by Him to do His work on earth, and they should focus their hearts on the tasks before them. The Apostle Paul wrote, in Romans 12:11, that Christians should never allow themselves to become lax. In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus rebuked the church at Laodicea. The people at that church had become very affluent, and they had lifted themselves up in their own eyes because of their affluence. He chastened them because they were neither hot nor cold. He called them lukewarm and said that He would spew them out of His mouth. The people had been so caught up with their own accomplishments that they had forgotten about His work. They saw themselves as well off, but Jesus told them that they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

In Psalm 50:7-13 and Psalm 66:13-15, the psalmist emphasized the importance of giving to the Lord's work by teaching that God’s people should give regularly, devotedly, faithfully, and generously to Him. Many would say that life is uncertain and that those uncertainties justify not making a long-term, personal commitment to the Lord and His work. However, such a statement is not an accurate reflection of Christ's example and attitude. He gave His all, and Christians would do well to do the same. While giving is not a salvation issue, it is a spiritual issue. While God may not need what Christians have, their offerings do honor Him and give His church one more way to minister to others. The secret to correct, spiritual giving is to do so in the right spirit and from a heart of love. II Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

The church can be described by seven distinct terms. It is a body, so it should function in unity, both when the members are assembled together and when they are not. The church is the temple of God with a foundation, with the Cornerstone in Christ, and with the building blocks or stones that define the division of labor. The church is the bride of Christ, so it is made up of those that are trusting in Him. The bridegroom has unlimited love for His bride, and according to Revelation 19:7-9, He will return for her at the Rapture and take her to be with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

The church is the flock of God, so it comes under the leadership of an under-shepherd. The Great Commission is satisfied when the under-shepherd finds, folds, and feeds the sheep and provides protection and discipline. Finding, folding, and feeding the sheep mean to make disciples, baptize, and teach those that are part of the congregation. The church is the garden of God. It is both organization and organism, so it should grow and produce fruit. Spiritual fruit involves soul winning, and it also entails the life of Christ flowing through each member to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control within his or her heart. The church is the family of God, so it should show how Christians are to fit together. Finally, the church is a priesthood, so it should witness to the lost and serve as a channel between God and each individual.

The process by which the many different New Testament manuscripts were maintained, added to the Bible, and transmitted over time was detailed and meticulous. Despite such attention to detail, however, the various copies and translations, that resulted from that process and that are in use today, were still not without some flaws. In II Timothy 3:16, the Bible identifies itself as God-breathed and as "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness," and that is a true statement. But while the "original" Word of God, as given by the Holy Spirit, did not contain any errors, a few errors and inconsistencies have crept into the copies and translations.

None of the errors or inconsistencies being alluded to above, though, is serious. Of the few flaws that have been identified, most have been simple copying mistakes by scribes, and none have caused contradictions or ambiguities to one's understanding of sound biblical doctrine. When a scribe made a copy of a particular part of the Bible, he would have the text being copied next to the text that he was producing. Because one could easily get disoriented and lose his place when making such a copy by hand, an error could have easily occurred. For that reason, the Masoretic monks developed a very thorough approach for making their copies. They counted the number of verses and the number of words, and they found the middle verse and middle word of each book. Once a book had been copied, if the counts, middle verse, or middle word did not match the original, then they discarded the copy.

The church should baptize believers because, in Matthew 28:19-20, baptism was given as part of the Great Commission. Even though there are not any great sermons in the New Testament about baptism, Acts 2:41 implies that every new believer was baptized and added to the church. Baptism should be viewed as the first act of obedience for the new believer, plus it also follows the example of Christ in Luke 3:21-22. Through the centuries, many people have misunderstood and even abused the simple Bible teaching on baptism.

A belief in baptismal regeneration is a type of misunderstanding and abuse of baptism. Despite the fact that many have believed to the contrary, people are not saved or made cleaner spiritually by being baptized. Another abuse is to baptize someone before the age of accountability. Baptism should occur when the candidate has made a decision to follow Christ, not shortly after birth just because the parents want it to be done. Baptism by sprinkling is a third misunderstanding of the ordinance because the Greek word, "baptizo," means to dip or immerse. Having the wrong symbolism is another misunderstanding and abuse of baptism. People sometimes lean forward three times or perform some other ritual, but those actions do not picture the candidate's death to sin, their burial, and their resurrection to a new life. Other abuses of baptism are that it is not the New Testament form of circumcision and that it is not a sacrament. Baptismal candidates do not receive special Grace or heavenly favor just because they have been or are baptized.

I John 2:15-17, James 3:13-18, and Philippians 2:19-24 teach about being humble and avoiding self-centeredness. Because a person can easily become too absorbed by the cares of his or her own life, seeing selfishness in oneself and others is very common. According to I John 2:15-17, though, Christians should live by different standards. Genuine love is not selfish, and it does not manipulate or mistreat others. The Apostle John wrote that people should put away their individual cravings, that they should not give into the lust of their eyes, and that they should not become overly drawn to what they have or do. The things of this world will pass away, and for that reason, a person would do well to try to do the Lord's will. Only God can be trusted to never change, and only He can be trusted with an individual's future.

According to James 3:13-18, self-centeredness leads to a sinful lifestyle. Wisdom is a gift from God, and it can only be cultivated by a life that is lived in faithful humility. James wrote that the kind of wisdom that displays bitter envy and selfish ambition is not from the Lord. It is of the world, and nothing good can come from it. Bitter envy is when individuals are mostly concerned about their own position relative to others. Selfish ambition speaks to the issue of always seeking to advance one's own agenda instead of sharing the spotlight with others. In Philippians 2:19-24, when the Apostle Paul needed a person to go to Philippi, he needed someone that would unselfishly put the needs of others ahead of his own. Since he could not make the trip himself, he sent the next best person, his beloved friend and follower, Timothy.

In Proverbs 10:23, Solomon wrote that a fool looks on mischief and wrongdoing as pleasure, but God is not pleased with the individual that deliberately practices evil. Concerning the wicked, David wrote, in Psalm 36:3-4, "The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong." The evil person practices his or her evil deeds and thinks that there are not any consequences. But in Psalm 7:11, David wrote, "God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day." Everyone fears something, and Solomon said, in Proverbs 10:24, that the fears of the wicked would come to pass.

An example of one's fears coming to pass can be seen in the life of David, the king of Israel and also the author of the above two psalms. He had committed the terrible sin of adultery with Bathsheba before all of Israel, and the result was that his worst fears came upon him. Much of his family was plagued with trouble, and his own son even tried to take away his kingdom. II Samuel 16:8 says, "The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!" When people do wrong, they cannot escape the consequences.

In Philippians 4:1-3, the Apostle Paul pleaded with two sisters in the Lord, Euodia and Syntyche, to be at peace with one another. He did not elaborate on their dispute, but he did indicate that the two women should not be in their conflict situation. In Philippians 4:4-9, probably as a prescription for their internal conflict, he offered advice on how the Christians at that church should feel and behave. He told them to always rejoice. He encouraged them to be gentle and to not be anxious for anything. He, then, told them to think on those things that were true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and worthy of praise. Given that he was writing his words while in prison, one would have to acknowledge that he, too, was probably being challenged by his own words.

In Philippians 4:10-20, Paul thanked the church for havng helped him meet his needs. Epaphroditus had brought him a gift from the church, so he was expressing his appreciation to those that had helped him. Within that context, he wrote that he was not greatly bothered by having much or by having little. Philippians 4:12 says, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Paul knew that the source of his strength was the Lord, so he was not putting his trust in riches or in the rich and powerful.

Psalm 22:22-31 teaches that witnessing to others with confidence is very important. When Christians talk to others about the Lord and about their relationship with Him, they honor God, and they are able to express to them His concern for all the people of the world. That kind of witnessing can lead those that do not already know Christ as Savior into a personal relationship with Him, and then, by doing that, it can change lives and impact future generations. Two important conclusions from the above verses are that God wants to use His people in various ways to reach others for Him and also that He will do so as they learn to give Him the opportunity.

There are several ways that a person can make himself or herself a better witness for Christ. Based on Psalm 22:28, the first is to realize that the work is His and that He works through individuals. No one can do anything apart from Him. The second is for the person to try to understand how God has already worked in his or her own life so that, when given the opportunity, he or she can share with others those things that He has already done. Psalm 22:25 says, "From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows." The third is that they can let Him work through them "in His time" rather than in their own. Often, people will either let themselves become too zealous and try to make things happen, or they will not be zealous enough and then keep things from happening.

Following are some important dates of the people and events before Jesus was born. Abraham lived around 2000BC, Moses lived around 1500BC, and David lived around 1000BC. Solomon lived up until 931BC, and after his death, Israel began to split into the northern and southern kingdoms. In 722BC, the Assyrians defeated Samaria, which was the capital of the Northern Kingdom, and that turned Samaria into a town of mixed breeds. The Assyrians took the most skilled Samaritans back to Assyria and replaced them with their own unwanted people. Many years later, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-35, and He used a Samaritan in His story because they were mixed breeds and the most hated people in the land. In 612BC, Babylon overthrew Assyria., and in 606BC, they overthrew Judah. When Judah was defeated, the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon. In 586BC, the temple that had been built during Solomon’s reign was destroyed.