BIBLE WOMEN

2 Kings 4:8-17

Our Bible reading today tells us about a woman in the city of Shunem. This woman asked the prophet Elisha to stay at her house. So every time Elisha was in town, he stopped there to eat or stay.

The woman even ask her husband if they could build a room for Elisha. "Let's put a bed in this room, let us put a table, a chair, and a lampstand in there. Then when he comes to our house, he can have this room for himself." (verse 10) Because this woman and her husband showed hospitality to Elisha, God blessed them with a son.

This is a great example of hospitality. God wants Christians to show hospitality to other people. We can do this in many ways: from preparing or buying a meal, inviting people to stay in our home, giving a ride ...Romans 12:13 says, "Share with God's people that need help. Look for people that need help, and welcome those people into your homes."

Look for opportunities to show hospitality today, and look for opportunities to show your faith through obedience today

~Philip

BIBLE WOMEN
1 Kings 17:8-24

We don't know the name of the woman in our Bible reading today, but we do know her husband had died. God's prophet, Elijah, asked her for a cup of water and some bread. The woman told Elijah that she only had enough flour and oil for one meal.

Elijah told the woman to go home and use the flour and oil to make bread. Then Elijah told her, "the Lord God of Israel says,. 'that jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always have oil in it. This will continue until the day the Lord sends rain to the land.'" The woman went home and did what Elijah told her to do. Read verse 16...the jar and jug were never empty.

This woman obeyed God's message and God blessed her. We should also obey God's message, we can find it in the Bible. If we faithfully obey, God will bless us too!

~Philip

BIBLE WOMEN

I Kings 10:1-13

In the Bible we can read about many women who served God. Sometimes the Bible gives us a lot of information on/about these women, and some are only mentioned in a few verses. Today, and for the next few days, we will talk about some of these women and learn from their lives.

Our Bible reading today tells us that the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon. The Queen asked Solomon. "all the questions she could think of." Solomon answered all the questions. None of her questions were too hard for him to explain. (v.2&3)

Then the Queen looked at everything Solomon owned, and was amazed."...it took her breath away" (verse 5). By verse 9 of our reading, she praised God, understanding that God loved Israel and that He had blessed Solomon with many good things.

As we look around us and see God's blessings every day, today...then we should praise and thank God for what He has done.

~Philip

SELF-CONTROL

I Peter 5:6-9

I have three children. They can be happy one minute and upset the next. I have told them to "Get Control" and we will talk or "Hey Hey Hey....wait a minute". I want to teach them to be self-controlled, and most of the time they can turn it on and off.

Many time adults are like the kids. They react quickly to something, become upset, and find themselves out of contorl. Instead, we need to be really good at self-control.

Our Bible reading today says that the devil is like a roaring lion. He is looking for people who are not self-controlled. Satan says, "It's okay to be that way, they have no right to do that to you. You should let them have it." God tells us to be in control, verse 9. "Refuse to follow the devil. Stand strong in your faith."

If you want to be self-controlled, give your life to God. Then let His Holy Spirit work in you!

Faith + Obedience= Salvation

~Philip

FAITHFULNESS

3 John 2-8

Remember the book "Where the Red Fern Grows", or the movie, "Old Yellow"? When I think about faithfulness, one of the images is of a boy and his dog. The dog thinks he has the best master in the world, and he would do anything for him. The boy feels the same way about his best friend.

God is faithful to us, and we should be to Him. When the Holy Spirit is living in us, other people should be able to see our faithfulness. If we are faithful to God, we will obey His commands and try to be like Christ.

When we read our Bibles, attend worship, give, teach others, pray, etc., we show our faithfulness. Also, in the things we say and do. Our Bible reading today tells us about Gaius. He was a man who was faithful to God, even though some people were doing bad things to him. Today you will have opportunities to show your faithfulness to God. Choose to obey Him and turn away from sin.
~Philip

GOODNESS

2 Peter 1:3-9

One of the first things parents tell their children is : "Be Good!" (I have already started with Brewer.) As children grow up their parents tell them over and over again, just ask Brantley and Bryson. But, what does it mean to be good?

Sometimes being good means doing what is right. Often, being good means doing something extra, and other times, being good means doing a job well.

Goodness for a Christian is even more. For us it means "God-like-ness", it's the idea being like good....GOOD! God's goodness is His blessings that we can share with others. Verse 5 of our Bible reading says, "to your faith add goodness." We need to :"Be Good" and show others God's love and greatness.

God works in our lives every day. He changes us,and helps us become better servants. It gets easier and easier to be good when God is in control.

Faith + Obedience = Salvation

~Philip

Kindness

1 Peter 2:1-3

Recently I was watching some children from here at church play. The nursery seemed to be at peace, and everything was okay until one little girl wanted a toy that someone else had. Things started getting louder, and soon one boy wanted to climb the side of the door, standing on a table. Children were upset and so was our nursery worker. The children were even doing unkind things to each other.

Why are children unkind to each other? It's simple. When they don't get what they want, they stop being kind. It's the same with adults. When we become selfish and greedy, we stop showing (or growing) kindness to others.

God wants us to get rid of all selfishness and greed in our lives. Verse 1 of our reading says, "So don't do anything to hurt other peole, don't lie, don't do things to fool people, don't be jealous, don't say bad things about people." Instead, God wants us to be filled with His kindness.

You wil have opportunities to be kind to people today. At work, in the grocery store, at the game as you drive, or even at home. Show kindness!

~Philip

PEACE



Bible Reading: II John 3

Wars are happening in the world today. Countries are fighting to prove a way of thinking of life is right. People talk about finding a way to stop the fighting and have peace.
Our Bible reading today talks about God's peace, but God's peace does not happen when people stop fighting. God's peace happens when we give our lives to Him.
You see, all people have a war happening inside. This war is between right and wrong, between God and the devil. We have two choices: we can do what God wants or we can do what the devil wants.
When people choose to follow God, they can have true peace in their lives. Why? Because they know that God will take care of them. They can have this peace even if there is a war happening out side their door.
Think about your life today. Don't fight against God, instead give Him you life and enjoy His peace.

~Philip

JOY

Bible Reading: I Peter 1:3-9

I Peter 1:8 is a great verse. It says, "You have not seen Christ, but you still love Him. You can't see Him now, but you believe in Him. You are filled with a joy that cannot be explained, and that joy is full of glory".

Often we think the words "JOY" and "HAPPY" mean he same thing. In ASL, we sign both words the same way, but we can have joy even when we are not very happy. Or, a person can be happy and not have joy.

Joy is knowing that God is in control of our lives. Sometimes bad things happen, and we are not happy, but we have a joy growing from inside. Why? Because we know God knows what is best and wants that for us.

Some people may have many good things happen to them: wealth, possessions, good health, success. Things that make them happy, but only people that let God lead them ever have real joy.

God wants you to be full of joy today! Trust and follow Him!

~Philip

LOVE

Bible reading: Luke 10:25-37

In our Bible reading today, we find God's most important commands. Verse 27 tells us, "You must love the Lord your God. You must love Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. Also, you must love other people the same as you love yourself."

When I worked with a youth group, I would tell the kids there were two rules: Love God, and love other people. I told them if we all did these two things, we would get along fine.

Really, that is what we need to do, too. If we love God, we will live for Him and do things that please Him. And, if we love God, we will love other people. Sometimes that is hard...people hurt us or do not treat us right, but Jesus said we should love them anyway.

Show your love for God and for other people..

~Philip

Running A Marathon

Bible Reading: Philippians 3:12-21

The Comrades Marathon, which began in 1921, is the oldest ultra-marathon. Covering 90 km (56 miles), it is held annually in South Africa. Bruce Fordyce completely dominated this marathon in the 1980's, winning it nine times between 1981 and 1990. His 1986 record of 5 hours 24 minutes and 7 seconds stood for 21 years before it was finally broken in 2007. It's amazing to me that he has continued to run in this race every year.

In a sense, we as Christians are all in a marathon. It takes endurance to run and finish the race of life. When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he spoke of how he was "reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (3:13) and pressing on "toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (14).

Our Lord Jesus has set an example of how to run life's marathon. The Bible tells us that Jesus "for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2). Despite "hostility from sinners," He completed His race (v.3).

The secret to finishing well is to look forward to the joy that awaits us after life's race--eternal life with Him.

~C. P. Hia

T-Shirts

Bible Reading: John 13:12-17

If you wear a T-Shirt with the name of a place written on it, people thnk you have been to that place. Or if you wear a shirt advertising a sports team or product, people assume that you support that team or use the product.

The clothes we wear, the places we go, and the things we do are important. Why? Because these things show who we really are, or "Whose" we really are.

As Christians, we need to set a good example for other people to see. Our Bible reading tells about a time when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. In verse 15, Jesus said He did this as an example, and we know He wanted His disciples to follow. His T-shirt would say..."Servant".

What would your T-shirt say? Be a good example for other people to follow, and they will know Jesus is important to you. As you go through this day, think about what you do, where you go, and what you stand for. Make sure you are trying to be like Jesus.

Faith + Obedience Salvation

~Philip

Enemies

Bible Reading: Romans 12:17-19

When my brothers and I were younger, sometimes we fought with each other. One always started it and the other tried to "get them back".

Today we sometimes have enemies, and we act the same way. These people hurt us or say some bad thing about us. When this happens , we want revenge. But our Bible reading reminds us that God knows when we are hurt, and He doesn't want us to get revenge on our enemies.

Verse 19 says, "My friends, don't try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with His anger. It is written: "I am the one who punishes, I will pay people back:, says the Lord" If we fight back, then we get in God's way.

If someone has hurt you, remember to trust God and do what is right

~Philip

Good Qualities

Bible Reading: Galatians 5:16-26

Recently, one of our young people told me, "Sometimes my parents say 'No' to me, and then I lose my temper". "Later,." she went on to say, "I realize that I am wrong."

I encouraged her to ask God and her parents to forgive her. I also remindeed her that the devil knows how to tempt us. He even knows the areas in our lives we are weak in, so that's where he attacks. Verse 17 of our Bible reading says, "The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don't do what you really want to do."

In verses 19 through 21, Paul lists some wrong things that we do, then in verses 22 and 23 he tells us nine things that we should have in our lives. These nine things are alled "the fruit of the Spirit", and are qualities that God wants us to have in our lives.

Self-control may be the area where my friend may be weak. She, as all of us, needs to control her temper...we should ask God to help us grow and to fill our lives with these good qualities.

I hope you are a Christian and that you have the Fruit of the Spirit in your life.

~Philip

LORD, SEND ME! Part Two
Man is sinful (Isaiah 6:4-5)
Simply being i the presence of the holiness of God made Isaiah painfully aware of his own sinfulness. The truth is that all of us should live in constant awareness of our own sinfulness as well as all mankind's (Romans 3:10). If we are unable to comprehend the sinfulness of man, perhaps we haven't appreciated the holiness of God.
We must also understand that the holiness of God is offended by the sinfulness of man. The clash between God's holiness and man's sinfulness is the world's greatest problem. This clash brought about the global flood (Genesis 6-7), the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (18:20; 19:24-25), as well as the deaths of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5).
Unfortunately, we do live in a lost sinful world that cannot save itself. Until we come to a full realization of this fact we will not say,"Send me!" as did Isaiah.
Forgiveness Is Possible (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Having seen his own sinfulness contrasted with the holiness of God, Isaiah was overwhelmed and overjoyed that he could be forgiven! The forgiveness he had experienced was both complete and undeserved. He was a ruined man with unclean lips in an unclean land (v.5), yet the infinitely holy and merciful Jehovah had forgiven him! With the same message to tell, we must also say, "Send me!"
To the world we have good news and bad news. The bad news: we are sinners, unclean and unfit in the presence of an absolutely holy God. The good news: He will forgive us. (Hebrews 5:9)!
Isaiah enthusiastically said, "Send me!" only after understanding that, although God is holy and man is sinful, forgiveness is possible. The same is true today. Let us join Isaiah and also say,"Send me!" Preachers, join Isaiah and say, "Send me out of my study and into the lives of the lost!" Elders, follow Isaiah's example and say, "Send us out of our offices and into th homes of erring Christians!" Every Christian ought to be an Isaiah and say, "Send me to my neighbor, to my office, across the street, across town, across this world, or wherever it may be, but send me!"
Let us all join Isaiah in saying, "Here am I. Send me!"

LORD, SEND ME! Daily Update 9-3-09

Artemus Ward, a humorist during the Civil War, jokingly said, "I have already given two cousins to the war and I stand ready to sacrifice my wife's cousin!" It seems many brethren have the same attitude toward the Lord's work, especially toward that of soul winning. Contrast that attitude with the volunteer spirit of Isaiah. "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I, Send me!" ) Isaiah 6:9 NKJV)

We often wonder how we can motivate others to reachout toward the lost and, if we are honest, how we ourselves can be more like Isaiah. We marvel at his willingness, but we must not overlook what precipitated his volunteering to be sent for the Lord. Only after the profound realizations found in Isaiah 6:1-7 die he say, "Here am I. Send me!"

GOD IS HOLY (Isaiah 6:1-3)

Not once, but three times the seraphim called out the holiness of God (v.3) and so clear was the vision that Isaiah feared death for having seen it (v.5). Holiness, defined as "Freedom from impurity" and "absolute moral perfection" is part of the very essence of God. In fact, God's holiness is a major theme of Scripture. Joshua wrote, "For He is holy God" (Joshua 24:19), and the four creatures in Revelation 4:8 said, "Holy,holy,holy, Lord God Almighty."

BUT, WHAT ABOUT US? TOMORROW WE WILL LOOK AT OUR SIDE...

8-26-09 Thanks!
Thanks to everyone who is willing to work. We appreciate your help, and hope you will be busy doing God's work.
~Philip

By The Rivers of Babylon
Psalms 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
6 If I do not remember you,
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
9 Happy the one who takes and dashes
Your little ones against the rock!

8-25-09 FAVORITE THINGS
Mark 10:17-22

What are your favorite things? Maybe it's a car, your house, or computer. How would you feel if you had to sell it and give the money to the poor?

Our Bible reading tells about a man who was very rich. He asked Jesus (verse 17), "...Good teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?" Jesus told the man that he should obey God's laws. This man told Jesus that he had obeyed God's laws from his youth.

Then Jesus said to the man "There is still one thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me." (verse 21). Verse 22 tells us that the "man was sad when Jesus told him to give away his money. He didn't want to do this, because he was very rich. So he went away sad." Some versions of the bible say "and wanted to keep his money."
It is okay to have money and stuff, but it is wrong to make those things more important than following God. Look at your life today. Are you willing to give up everything to follow Jesus?

Faith + Obedience + Salvation

~Philip

FORGIVENESS 8-24-09
1 Samuel 16:1-13

There came a time when God did not want Saul to be King of Israel any more. Why? Because Saul had disobeyed God and did not ask for forgiveness. I Samuel 15:35,"...and the Lord was very sorry that He had made Saul King of Israel."

In our reading today, God sent the prophet, Samuel, to anoint another king. The man God chose was David, Jesse's son. Later David would serve as king, and try to always follow God. But...

2 Samuel Chapter 11 tells of one time David chose to disobey God. Chapter 12 tells the story of Nathan reminding David about sin. David's reaction was very different than that of Saul. David was very sorry, and he asked God to forgive him.

Saul sinned and David sinned. (As we all do. Romans 3:21) God rejected Saul, but accepted David. Why? Because David was sorry for what he had done.

What a great lesson for us. When we sin, we should be sorry and ask for forgiveness. God loves us, and wants us to live close to Him.

Faith + Obedience + Salvation

~Philip

Help Each Other (Galatians 6:1-5) 8-21-09

We have got to learn to really help each other. Yes, we need to help each other with physical things, but today I want us to think about helping with spiritual things.

One day,some people asked my friend, who is a Christian, to do something wrong. Then my friend asked me to the wrong thing with them. (Yes, he knows I am a preacher, but he asked anyway.) I thought about it, and even asked myself, "Could we get away with it?" I decided that God, nor Paige, would be happy if I went along with it. I decided I should stand strong, and not be involved. So, I told my friend I would not do this thing, but then I decided I had to be involved.

I had to help my friend! I needed to remind my friend that he should not do this wrong thing. I also had to be involved if they did it...encouraging my friend to make things right.

Verse 1 of our Bible reading says, "Brothers and sisters, a person in your group might do something wrong. You people who are spititual should go to the person who is sinning. You should help to make him right again. You should do this in a gentle way..." This verse encourages us to help each other!

Maybe you will face temptations today, or maybe you will gently help a Christian friend stay away from sin. FAITH+OBEDIENCE=SALVATION

Helping each other go to heaven is part of God's plan.

~Philip

Galatians 6:1-5

Good 8-20-09Book
Psalm 119:97-112
What kind of books do you like to read? Mystery, adventure, romance, history, poetry?
If you enjoy books like I do, there is one book you will love! It really has it all: It is full of adventure and history...romance, mystery, and even poetry.
This book is the number one best selling book of all time, and has been translated into more languages than any other. The answer to life's questions are in this great book!
Are you interested in reading this book? You probably already have it in your home. This exciting book is the BIBLE! God inspired about forty men to write the sixty-six books in the Bible, it is His message to you.
Our Bible reading tells us that God's word, the Bible, is very important. God's word can help us be wise and follow God.
I hope you will join me in taking time to read this good book today.
~Philip

You Are Special Psalm 139:1-16
You are very special. God has made every person in the world. But there is no other person who is exactly like you!
Our Bible Reading today talks about God, and that He knows us. In verse 15, David said to God, "You know all about me. You watched my bones grow while my body took shape, hidden in my mother's body." God knew us before we were even born. Wow!
God did not make us to live without Him. He has a plan for our lives. God wants me to live close to Him. When I accepted His plan for my life, I faithfully obeyed.
Hear - Romans 10:17 Believe - Mark 16:16 Repent - Acts 2:38
Confess - Matthew 10:32
Baptism - Acts 22:16 Live Daily with Him - Rev. 14:13
Think about your life. Remember that God loves you and you arespecial. Thank Him for making you, and let Him help you do special things for Him.
~Philip