“My eyes fail with longing for Your word, while I say, `When will You comfort me?’” (Psa 119:82).

The Bible comforts the soul where no human help will do.

Psalm 119 is an acrostic Hebrew poem, with eight lines in 22 stanzas, with each line in each stanza beginning with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This memory device would aid memorization for the Hebrew reader. “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psa 119:97).

The following several verses from Psalm 119 promise God’s comforting help in our troubles, if we remember His Word. The power of God’s truth in the heart, mind and soul draws the troubled life closer to God, gives help to cope with difficulties, and helps to put things in a calming spiritual perspective. Bible reading, meditation, prayer, praise and scriptural application before God build greater trust and spiritual peace. When feeling troubled, it is good and empowering to memorize and meditate on these verses during the day. “This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me” (Psa 119:50).

v. 25 “My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word.” When I feel low, God’s truth can lift me up.

v. 28 “My soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word.” Scripture offers divine relief for my innermost grief.

v. 31 “I cling to your testimonies, do not let me be put to shame!” Like a mountain climber hanging on for dear life, so God’s holy word is a lifeline testifying to His faithfulness, so we can hang on.

v. 52 “I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD, and comfort myself.” God’s eternal truth is unchanging, which gives my soul security and stability.

v. 54 “Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” Through life’s up’s and down’s, God will is so wonderful that I always have the song of eternity in my heart.

v. 57 “The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.” When God is all I have, I discover that God is all I need.

v. 59 “I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies.” Trials are marvelously mind-expanding exercises that prompt reflection and needed reforms.

v. 62 “At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.” When I cannot sleep, I can always remember to be thankful that God’s ways are always right.

v. 65 “You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.” Whatever happens to me, I can accept that God’s dealings with me are good.

v. 71 “ It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” Problems are my teachers, which show my need for God.

v. 76 “O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, according to Your word to Your servant.” In life’s twists and turns, I always stand in need of God’s grace and mercy.

v. 77 “May Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight.” When I feel like I’m at death’s door, I need to still delight in God’s will as being the right thing to do; then, trust His tender mercy to give what is best.

v. 81 “My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.” I must learn to wait patiently on God’s timetable, not my own, for His deliverance.

v. 82 “My eyes fail with longing for Your word, while I say, `When will You comfort me?’” When there are no quick solutions or easy answers, I can be honest with God in prayer about my hurts; the solution will come in God’s good time, with grace to bear it in the meantime.

v. 83 “Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes.” Even when I feel exhausted and used up, my only hope is to cling to God’s directions.

v. 87 “They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.” When others hurt me, this is no excuse to disobey God. If God says I can do it, He will give me the strength to perform it.

v. 88 “Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.” How wonderful that God’s grace is greater than my sins, as well as my troubles.

v. 92 “If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.” In my trials, what’s inside my character comes out under pressure, so I want to fill the reservoir of my heart with God’s Word.

v. 93 “I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me.” God has the power, if I have the faith that He can pick me up when I am down.

v. 101 “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.” Regardless of the pressure of the moment, it is never right to do the wrong thing.

v. 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s revealed word is an all-weather, all-terrain beacon that floods my soul with enlightening hope.

v. 107 “I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.” In the worst of times, I can still rely on the rejuvenating power of Scripture in my soul.

v. 111 “I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” Even if I lose everything physically, I am still rich spiritually with the treasures of eternal truth.

v. 114 “You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word.” When the storms of life strike, God is always there as a refuge for my soul; in Him I learn the valuable lesson of relying on His uplifting word.

v. 116 “Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” Without Scripture, I am weak and hopeless; with Scripture, I can press on through the ordeal.

v. 129 “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul observes them.” Despite changing circumstances, a positive attitude toward the thrilling story of God’s unchanging plan of redemption motivates me to want to be a part of it.

v. 135 “Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.” God’s favor is available for the asking, if I have a teachable, obedient spirit to His will.

v. 141 “I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.” Even if I feel low, I can still look up to God’s heavenly light of His revelation.

v. 143 “Trouble and anguish have come upon me, yet Your commandments are my delight.” The worst of times is the best time to rejoice in the enduring delights of Scripture.

v. 145 “I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will observe Your statutes.” God will listen to me in prayer when I am careful to listen to His Word.

v. 147 “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words.” In restless nights, God is just a prayer away and the Bible promises His help.

v. 148 “My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.” Amid life’s hectic distractions and distresses, I need quiet time to focus on Scripture’s soothing voice.

v. 153 “Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I do not forget Your law.” I can confidently rest in the assurance that the Almighty God of heaven is not unmindful of my struggles; He can powerful intervene to deliver me.

v. 154 “Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.” When no human help will do, I can serenely hope in God’s providence and precepts to give just what I need.

v. 156 “Great are Your mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your ordinances.” God’s revitalizing mercy to the lowly is coupled with our trusting respond to His commands.

v. 159 “Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.” How precious the thought, even amid even depression, that God’s grace is available to me, not for perfect performance, but loving Him and His will with perfect intent.

v. 164 “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances.” Regardless of how hard the times, it is always appropriate to extol God’s greatness, because His moral perfection in Scripture guides me aright.

v. 165 “Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.” A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.

v. 170 “Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word.” God’s Word provides a faithful escape hatch from overwhelming problems.

v. 173 “Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.” God aids those who actively seek Him.

v. 175 “Let my soul live that it may praise You, and let Your ordinances help me.” I read God’s Word to remember that I am not alone; the praise of Almighty God lifts me above the shadows of this dark world.

v. 176 “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.” I am weak but God is not. He is near to help and mighty to save.

God bless you in your Bible study and meditation. If we hide the word of God in our hearts, we will never lack strength and power for living.Similar Posts:

• Scripture Memorization Challenge / June 5, 2010 / Frank Walton
• The Blessings Of Solitary Devotion / March 5, 2009 / Todd Stickler
• The Precious Word Of GOD / November 4, 2011 / Frank Walton

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“The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Psa 119:72).

Hand-written Chinese copy of the Book of Acts made in 1975. (Printing the Bible was illegal in China until 1978.)

How valuable is God’s written Word to me? Before the printing press, copies of the Bible were made by hand. One estimate is that it would take one copyist 3 years to copy the entire Bible. If copied onto vellum (animal hide), it would take 250 sheep to make one Bible. Such would make it extremely expensive to own an entire copy of the Bible.

Do we appreciate the great sacrifices of those who brought the Word of God to us? The English scholar William Tyndale was the first to translate the English Bible directly from the Greek and Hebrew. In 1526, his New Testament was printed in Belgium by the recently invented printing press and smuggled into England and Scotland. His goal was to bypass the clergy telling the people what God’s Word means by giving each person the word of God in clear English, so each can study it for themselves. He said, “I defy the Pope, and all his laws; and if God spares my life, ere many years, I will cause the boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou [a priest] dost!” He was charged with heresy, among other things, “that the traditions of men do not bind the soul.”

In 1536, the ecclesiastical authorities killed him by strangulation and his body was burned at the stake. His last words, with a loud voice, were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

It is estimated that about three-fourths of the 1611 King James translation by 54 scholars was drawn directly from Tyndale’s translation. In AD 200, the Bible was translated from the original Hebrew and Greek into seven languages; by 1400, 28 languages; by 1900, 537 languages; by 1980, 1,100 languages; by 2006, 2,426 languages have some portions of the Scripture. Indeed, God’s truth “is the living and abiding Word” (1 Pet 1:23).

Someone has said, “Someone who does not read the Bible is no better off than one who cannot read.” When we read the Scriptures, we are reading the mind of God in human language. When we study the Scriptures, we can think the thoughts of God. This, when received by a heart of submissive faith, is the power of human transformation. “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psa 19:7-8).Similar Posts:

• The Comfort Of God’s Word / December 29, 2011 / Frank Walton
• The New Testament Preserved / June 3, 2010 / Frank Walton
• Interpreting The Book Of Revelation / March 12, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army” (Ezek 29:19).

In the news, we hear of changing political fortunes, as well as unrest and uncertainty in many nations. We need more faith to remember that God is still on His heavenly throne overseeing the rise and fall of nations.

Nebuchadnezzar left Tyre after an unsuccessful 13 year siege.

In Ezekiel’s text, God makes reference to the thirteen sieze of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (585-572 BC). “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre; every head was made bald and every shoulder was rubbed bare. But he and his army had no wages from Tyre for the labor that he had performed against it” (Ezek. 29:18). The Babylonian king was God’s agent in punishing Tyre for their pride and greed, which partially fulfilled Ezekiel’s prior prophecy of God bringing “many nations” against Tyre (cf. Ezek 26:1-3, 28:2). The mainland city of Tyre was eventually destroyed by the Babylonians but they shipped their wealth to the safety of an offshore island (later years captured by Alexander the Great). So, Nebuchadnezzar had no spoils from Tyre to pay his soldiers or compensate him for doing God’s work of judgment.

“I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor which he performed, because they acted for Me,” declares the Lord GOD” (Ezek. 29:20). God took note of this inequity of coming up empty against Tyre. In appreciation and just compensation for the Babylonians’ work, God gave Nebuchadnezzar the land of Egypt, which also was judged by God for their pride (Ezek 29:3-9). God rules in the nations still today!

In the time of national political campaigns in the United States, we should remember the words of Benjamin Franklin from 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in an appeal for prayer to God to begin their deliberations, which had become contentious:

“We have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings…. The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel.”

This is the background of U.S. Congress beginning each session with prayer to God.

We need to remember God’s sovereign words to Ezekiel that He is in ultimate control of the fate of nations, whether they prosper or fall. He has a greater plan of redemption that transcends whatever the latest political headlines are. We can cease fretting and “recognize that the Most High is the ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (Dan. 4:25).Similar Posts:

• Trust God with Spiritual Investments / March 11, 2011 / Frank Walton
• The Lost Diary of Nadab and Abihu Found! / February 22, 2009 / Frank Walton
• Moving Self Out Of The Center / May 29, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Priorities are like the sail of a ship—the way they bend determine where you go. No issue is more fundamental to life’s destiny than determining your priorities.

Yet, I am convinced that most of us do not examine our priorities. We mindlessly plug into the flow of life and go where circumstances take us. We are so busy meeting the responsibilities of the day we fail to consider the destiny of our lives. We’re like a man who hurriedly fixes his car just to drive it off a cliff!

As citizens of heaven we know where we are going, and we constantly examine our values to ensure we arrive. We determine not to mindlessly plug into the flow of this world, because we know it is destined for destruction. We believe God has saved us for a greater purpose than just living a “busy life.” He wants us to live a meaningful life.

We must recognize that busyness does not equal godliness. There are all kinds of people who are out of their minds busy,
but they are spiritually stagnating. Some of us seem to wear our busyness as a badge of importance, when, in fact, our
schedules simply reveal a deep preoccupation with self!

Jesus gave His disciples a statement that rights the ship and sets the sails to living a life of joyful significance, He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). This statement complements what Jesus called the “first and greatest commandment,” “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). There is an “all-ness” and a “foremost” to living for the Lord. We want His rule to be
evident in every part of our lives.

The Lord’s people do not have a top 10 list of priorities, of which God is one. We have one overarching priority through which we filter everything. When we see our priorities in terms of a list it is easy for us to think of the Lord as an important part of our lives, but not the whole of our lives. For example we might say, “I put God at the top of my priority list. That is why I go to worship on Sunday. But, the rest of the week I’ve got to get to my other priorities.” No!

“Seek first the kingdom of God” is more like a coffee filter for living. You know how a coffee filter works. You put all this “stuff” on top of the filter. Then you run water through it, and only what is suitable for consumption is allowed through. That is what Matthew 6:33 is for our daily lives. It is THE priority through which we filter everything. We constantly ask ourselves, “Is what I’m thinking, saying, doing, and planning demonstrating that I value God’s kingdom above anything else?” If the answer is “yes,” we do it. If the answer is “no” then leave it. There should be a kingdom reason for all of living!

This week write Matthew 6:33 on a piece of paper (or better yet on a coffee filter) and carry it around with you. Whenever you make your schedule, spend your money, or dream your dreams, ask yourself, “Does this show I value God’s kingdom above all else?” It is THE priority which will set your sails toward a meaningful life.Similar Posts:

• Spiritual Focus This Week! / July 10, 2008 / Frank Walton
• Remember Who You Are / March 12, 2009 / Todd Stickler
• Seeking God Amid Life’s Problems / February 22, 2009 / Frank Walton

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Radical Islam that advocates killing innocent people is evil.

September 11, 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the evil attack by radical Muslim terrorists on our country. Four airplanes were hijacked by suicide pilots to be used as missiles, laden with innocent American lives. With the attack on the Washington D.C.’s Pentagon and New York’s Twin Towers, nearly 3,000 Americans cruelly perished in a wicked, carefully planned attack. One plane, which crashed in Shanksville, PA, was thwarted when the passengers discovered by cells phone what was happening, as their plane headed to Washington, D.C. to destroy either the Capital building or the White House. Some bravely rushed the cockpit and downed the plane, killing all aboard, before it could reach the terrorists’ intended target. Evil was successfully resisted.

Some have a hard time calling such radical Muslims terrorists. Al Qaeda is a religious movement to radically restore the original intent of Mohammed’s teaching of jihad against those who do not accept the Koran or Mohammed as Allah’s prophet. Moderate Muslims say that jihad in the Koran is merely “warfare” against evil within one’s self.

No, Mohammed was very clear about the “holy war” Muslims should wage against “infidels” (Christians and Jews): “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush…Fight those who do not believe in Allah…O Prophet! Make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites. Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell” (Surah 9:5, 29, 73).

The Greater War Waging Around Us

Let us also remember the greater spiritual war going on daily between Satan and God. Satan has attacked and will continue to attack our souls. “The dragon [Satan] was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 12:17). Satan has declared war on each member of the Lord’s church. He is daily on the prowl, looking for prey, as a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).

What shall we do? How shall we stand?

We must be on the alert to stand firm in Jesus Christ for final victory. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph 6:10-13).

In Ephesians 6:13-19, Paul describes this armor as: the underlying belt of divine truth, the breastplate of righteous character; we stand firm with the sandals of the gospel’s peace; we hold up the shield of faith to quench Satan’s fiery, destructive temptations; we fight with confidence wearing the helmet of the assurance of salvation; we wield the Spirit’s weapon of the revealed Word of God to combat Satan’s error; we put this all on with diligent prayer for victory. In the war of the worlds, a Christian is not dressed without their armor and ready to fight the good fight of faith.

“Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). Through Christ, we will always win over the forces of Satan!Similar Posts:

• Lessons From The Whirlwind / May 5, 2011 / Frank Walton
• Keys to Perseverance / October 26, 2010 / Jerry King
• The Time Element in Revelation / April 14, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“The Everlasting God…gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint” (Isa 40:28-31 HCSB).

In context, God addresses to the remnant of Judah that had been languishing in Babylonian captivity for 70 restless years. They were down and out, dispirited and dispersed from their home. Yet, out of the grasp of the world’s mighty Babylonian empire, God’s providence would act to rise up the Medo-Persian Empire to defeat Babylon and release Israel.

Isaiah had predicted about 150 years in advance that news would finally come that they could go home to restore and rebuild the Jewish nation. They would soar on the heights of joy in anticipation of the long awaited trek homeward.

However, before they could finally arrive home, there would be the long, arduous journey of over 600 miles. It would be a hard journey that could break the unaided efforts of the strongest “young men” or defeat the most vigorous “youths.” Yet, God promised them that they could, by patiently trusting in Him alone, rise above the journey’s obstacles and soar on the wings of faith. “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11; cf. 29:10-14).

Isaiah teaches that the believer in God can soar above challenges like an eagle! It is a strong and a majestic bird. I’ve read that it relies on thermal currents in the air to glide gracefully through the air, spreading its God-given wings to soar high above the perilous storms. Its God-given instinct uses the updrafts produced by rough terrain to fly with efficient effort. When the eagle rests, it nests in the high, rocky clefts, trusting it for protection.

God made us to soar over our difficulties to great heights in our heavenward journey. However, the long and wearisome journey of life can wear down our faith and weaken our hope. If we trust mainly in our finite, puny selves, we will grow weary and fail. Our faith must instinctively look up to God and His Word always. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6).

Faith remembers to focus on God, who dwells above the clouds, where the sun is always shining (2 Cor 4:16-18). God rules at the center of the universe, in the calm light of eternity.

God is an awesome God. No situation is totally bad, if we remember to keep on relying on the Lord. He can lift us up! Our God can lift us up above the shadows sorrow of this life into the light of His joyous presence. Our faith and study of His faith-building Word is a renewable resource for the journey home (Rom 10:17).

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).

Similar Posts:

• Confident Joy In The End / December 19, 2010 / Frank Walton
• Jesus’ Resolve: Set Like Flint / June 21, 2011 / Frank Walton
• Until We Have Ears / February 28, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“For the Lord GOD helps Me, therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isa 50:7).

This verse is part of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs” that progressively points away from Israel (Isa. 42:19, 44:1) to the Suffering Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Isa. 42:1-7, 49:1-7, 52:13-53:12; Matt. 12:18-20, Acts 8:34-35).

Isaiah predicted the rock-like resolve of Jesus. Picture: Passion of Christ © Paulo Duque Frade

Isaiah describes the obedient submission of the Messianic servant (Isa. 50:5). “I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting” (Isa. 50:8). During the unjust arrest, trial, beatings and crucifixion of Jesus, He was subjected to vicious cruelty and humiliating contempt by His religious enemies. The Romans scourged Him unmercifully, ripping open the skin of his back. He allowed the hypocritical religious leaders to contemptuously pull out the hairs of His beard, as Isaiah predicted, and to spit in His face (Mk. 14:65). He foresaw this gross, humiliating abuse (Mk. 10:34), yet He did not flinch from it. Jesus courageously persevered through it all.

Isaiah’s prophecy gives a rare glimpse of Jesus’ attitude. He deliberately set His “face like flint” to trust God during the ordeal, which ultimately was to save us. Flint is extremely hard. He hardened his mental resolve like a rock to let nothing defeat Him.

He knew in submitting to God’s will that His Father would bring Him safely through the ordeal. “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (Jn. 16:32). His trust in God’s greater purpose enabled Him to persevere, in order to save us, against all odds.

After enduring the agony of crucifixion, He triumphantly said, “’Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Lk. 23:46). God honored His faithful determination and raised Him from the dead. Without Jesus’ faithful determination to persevere, the resurrection would have never happened. What a wonderful Savior we have who endured so much for us!

Let us resolve to “look to Jesus” (Heb. 12:2) and persevere to the end in doing the will of God. “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” (Heb. 10:36). At the cross, Jesus showed that suffering can be overcome through God.

Despite difficulties, look to Jesus and let nothing deter or discourage you. “In God’s will, we find our greatest peace and highest happiness” (William Barclay).Similar Posts:

• Until We Have Ears / February 28, 2009 / Todd Stickler
• The Comfort Of God’s Word / December 29, 2011 / Frank Walton
• Wait Upon The Lord / August 11, 2011 / Frank Walton

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“He sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, whereby we cry, `Abba, Father’” (Gal. 4:6).

Somebody once said that it’s easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father. About 34% of children at home in the U.S. (that’s 24 million children) live apart from their biological father, which has tripled since 1960. The breakdown of society is directly linked to the absence of fathers as a guiding influence on children.

One of the most wonderful things about being a believing father is that we have the perfect example to follow in our heavenly Father. God, through Christ, is “our Father who is in heaven” (Matt 6:9). God is the epitome of spiritual fatherhood and wisdom, for those who are willing to follow His revealed character.

1. Teaching. God revealed the Bible to guide us through life. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Tim 3:16). He is the all-wise, master instructor. “I understand more than the aged, because I have observed your precepts” (Psa 119:100). God, through His perfect revelation, gives His children instruction to guide us to the best life.

Fathers today must also give their children divine instruction through their word and example (Eph 6:4, Col 3:21). Good fathers see home life as a varied field-trip for many opportunities to impart life lessons that will go with our children forever. We never know when we may be making a lasting memory.

2. Compassion. “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust” (Psa 103:13-14). God uniquely knows our individual needs, weaknesses and failings. Yet, He tenderly gives us what is best. He will not allow to suffer beyond what we can handle (1 Cor 10:13).

So fathers should be tender, gentle and encouraging to our children (1 Thess 2:19). We need to be a student of our child in dealing with the unique personality of their child. Shakespeare said, “A wise father knows his own child.”

3. Discipline. God epitomizes wise discipline in being an effective father. God knows how to both lovingly instruct and correct His children. “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (Heb 12:7). Life is a test to develop our character. God mans what He says and says what He means. He doesn’t make idle threats like many weak parents do. He commands obedience and holds us accountable.

So, a father must be strong and confident enough to administer corrective, consistent discipline to his children. “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently” (Prov 13:24). Children need to know where the boundaries are, along with the difference between right and wrong, and that actions have consequences.

4. Patience. God epitomizes patience in fatherhood. He is indeed very longsuffering with us as His imperfect children. When we consider our roles as fathers, we must, “consider that longsuffering of the Lord is salvation” (2 Peter 3:15). The ability to be patient is a critical attribute for a father toward his children. Remember, they’re still children and not adults.

5. Love. God is the epitome of a loving father. One of the most profound statements in Scripture says, “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). Agape love means He always seeks our ultimate welfare. Love is redemptive goodwill. God loves His children, whether it be in sacrifice (Jn 3:16), in nourishing and cherishing family members (Eph 5:29) or in discipline (Heb 12:6). God loves His children perfectly, and we fathers should strive to emulate that divine love toward our children.

The most important gift we can give them is to show them the heart of the loving Father, who yearns for them to be with Him forever in heaven.

In all things, God provides us with the perfect example of what it means to be a father. Children need to find God in their fathers so they might find a spiritual Father in God.

Let us look to that example with a heart to be the kind of fathers our Father would have us to be. Also, let wives and children be thankful if they have a godly father who seeks to be spiritual leader, as God directs.Similar Posts:

• Scripture Memorization Challenge / June 5, 2010 / Frank Walton
• One God in Three Persons / September 3, 2009 / Frank Walton
• The Good Book / March 2, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“Paul…spoke of faith in Christ…discussing righteousness, self-control and judgment to come” (Acts 24:24-25).

The Judgment Seat (Gr. bema) where Paul appeared before Gallio (Acts 18:12)

Some think they can cleverly escape the consequence of their crimes. For example, the U.S. has only a 61% conviction rate for murders.There are many criminals on death row that file innumerable appeals as a delaying tactic, trying to evade their just end. The rich who are guilty of a crime can buy the best lawyers to try to evade justice.

However, “judgment to come” is a coming day when a higher court will render a final, infallible verdict that cannot be evaded, to which no appeal can be made.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

What do we learn about this inevitable appointment before the judgment bar of Christ?

1. Judgment will be Universal: “All” who have ever lived will be there. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We may cancel or postpone an appointment with a doctor or get a “continuance” to delay our day in court, but this is one appointment we will all have to keep (Rev. 20:11-15).

2. Judgment will be Revealing: We must “appear” (“be made manifest,” ASV), which translates the Greek word phaneroo: “to make…visible or known what has been hidden or unknown” (Thayer).

A man may outwardly appear to be pure and good while inwardly he cherishes and indulges in secret sins which defile his soul and makes him unfit for heaven (1 Tim. 5:24-25). Politicians and public figures are humiliated and disgraced when their private, nefarious deeds are exposed. Others never get caught. Yet no one will escape the all-seeing eye of God (Heb. 4:12, 13). It is foolish to conceal our pet sins from others, only to have them exposed before the whole universe on the day of judgment!

3. Judgment will be Personal: “…That everyone may receive the things done in his body.” We cannot blame anyone else for our fate, because we alone are responsible for ourselves (Rom 14:12). “The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezek. 18:20).

4. Judgment will be Based on our Earthly Life: “…That everyone may receive the things done in his body.” There is no second chance after death (Lk. 16:26). How we end this life is what we will forever be in eternity (Jn. 5:28-29, Rev. 22:12). There is a complete and perfect record being kept in heaven of all we think, say and do.

5. Judgment will be Righteous: “…According to what he has done, whether good or bad.” God’s faithful people can gladly look forward to rewarding rest at the return of Christ, while the disobedient will receive eternal vengeance (2 Thess. 1:7-9). No wonder the Lord is so longsuffering with sinners (2 Pet. 3:9). Those who die lost, by living in disobedience to God, will remain separated from Him for all eternity.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24), be thanksgiving and glory forever through the Lord Jesus!

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, there will be a day of reward and vindication for the saving grace of the gospel. The justified in Christ, who faithfully trusted and followed Him in absolute devotion, will enter the eternal bliss of fellowship with God and all the redeemed forever!Similar Posts:

• Confident Joy In The End / December 19, 2010 / Frank Walton
• What Paul Saw In The Dark / April 1, 2011 / Frank Walton
• Christ Is the Answer / February 28, 2009 / Todd Stickler

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“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind…” (Job 38:1).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced there were 226 tornadoes on April 27th across the southeast United States, which were more tornadoes sited in a single day in America than any other day in weather history. Alabama suffered the deadliest attack of tornadoes in over 80 years, with 238 killed, of which 7 were a few miles from where I lived.

I looked in my back yard at noon when the first of 3 three tornadoes hit, and I saw several large trees being whipped around like little blades of grass. Amazing power! A friend of mine, Tommy Peeler, said that despite man’s brilliance, technology, education, and knowledge, we are still helpless before the weather.

The Bible teaches that due to the sinful fall of Adam and Eve, they were banished from the paradise of Eden and the tree of life (Gen 3:24). Also, the earth was cursed (Gen 3:17), where storms, suffering and physical death are allowed in this fallen world. The world was changed from a perfect Paradise to a contested Battleground for the souls of men, where we must exercise free-will to either serve God or Satan.

So, we look for a new heavens and a new earth, where all is made new (2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1-5). One day, after our times of testing are over, there will be no more pain or problems: “the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4).

Job encountered God in the overwhelming power of the whirlwind (Job 38:1). Earth’s storms reflect a mere echo the overwhelming power of the infinite, transcendent God (Psa 48:7, 107:25, Ezek 1:4). “For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses” (Psa 135:5-7).

If I am stunned by the overwhelming force of 190 mph winds that that rip large trees out of the ground and shred brick houses into obliteration, I must remember that God is infinitely more powerful than all this (Job 26:14). God is the good Creator, and He does not have to explain Himself to my satisfaction. Job learned to trust God fully is to demand nothing.

We may not understand the purpose of all His ways, but this does not mean that His ways are without purpose. Job realized, despite the unanswered questions we may have about the problem of suffering, that what matters to God is: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). Job later realized what we can learn today: “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (Ja 5:11).

God can now give “songs in the night” (Job 35:10) to help us cope by refining our faith in a painful world. One day He will forever dry our eyes from earthly tears (Rev 21:5).Similar Posts:

• The Comfort Of God’s Word / December 29, 2011 / Frank Walton
• What it Means to be Just Christians / June 7, 2008 / Albert Dickson
• The Tester of Hearts / March 27, 2011 / Frank Walton

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