Lord's Day Devotion - Kindness

We always want people to be kind to us.  It touches our heartstrings when they are.

King David was very kind to Mephibosheth.  He was his best friend Jonathan's son.  He was also his worst enemy King Saul's grandson.  By rights, for those ancient times, all of the previous king's progeny would be extramininated.

However, due to David and Jonathan's promise to each other, David showed kindness upon kindness to Mephibosheth.  Not only did he keep Mephibosheth alive, he brought him to Jerusalem, allowed him to sit at his table as if he was one of the king's sons, and he restored his lands among other kindnesses.

Mercy and grace joined hands once again in David's actions of kindness.  It often takes that for us to be kind.  We are asked to be kind to one another.  Humility, love, mercy and forgiveness are often intertwined when it comes to being kind.  It's not aways so easy to do.

The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Teatament, penned to the Ephesians,

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32 ESV).

Ah, that's the key for us followers of Jesus Christ ... "... as God in Christ forgave you ...."  Jesus is always our perfect, exemplary example of how to live kindness.

To Titus, Paul wrote,

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us ..." (Titus 3:4 & 5).

In humility, Jesus came from heaven to earth, suffered, bled and died to bear the penalty of our sins.  His mercy and grace prepared the way for God to forgive those of us who by faith, repented of our sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.  God's goodness and kindness in action.  He took my (and your) place on the cross.  Jesus is our hiding place, made so by His kindness towards us.

Praise and thank our Lord and Savior for His extreme kindness this Lord's Day as you partake of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine in rememberance of Jesus' death and resurrection on our behalf.  Then go out to show our gartitude by being kind (and including all that entails), to another borther or sister-in-Christ, and to all you meet in the run of a day until He comes.  Perhaps, today.

Thank You, Jesus.  Your loving kindness is better than any human life and love that could ever be bestowed upon me.  

                                                       ~ ERC January 2025 ~ 

Based on 2 Samuel 2 and 9; Ephesians 4:32 and Titus 3:4-5 ESV.

Sing, Thy Loving Kindness is Better Than Life, along with Maranatha Singers and Hiding Place, along with Desparation Band.

A Better Listener

Listening is so important when another person is sharing deeply about personal issues and situations.  Listening, not only with your ears but also with your eyes and mind.  The heart needs to be engaged,  showing your care, respect, compassion and empathy by listening intently.

If your mind is wandering, wondering when the person will be finished, or of what to cook for dinner or where you will go for a drive on the weekend, you are hearing the sound of your friend's voice but you are not listening.

When the listener is using her eyes she will be able to discern whether the sharer is happy, sad, angry, in pain, irritated and so on.  Maintaining eye contact will show the sharer you are indeed listening and do care.

The listener will be able to discern to a certain extent how much truth there is in the person's story.  Is the person's problem physical, emotional or spiritual or a combination thereof?  The observant, listening couselor a.k.a. friend, who has prayed and asked the Lord to give her wisdom before hearing out her friend, will be Spirit - led, most often, towards a discerning diagnosis.

God has a plan for each of our lives.  When we run counter to it, trouble will inevitably ensue.  Our sin will find us out (see Numbers 32:23).  

Godly counsel is needed to help the friend in need to find God's will in the midst of their pain and consequences.  Although I'm quick to insert here, not all suffering is the consequence of our particular sin but of The Fall, in general.  Or, it could have been from someone else's sin against the one telling the 'story'.

If it has been from sin in the person's life then guidance towards repentance will be needed.  Counciling from God's perspective and Word rather than society's 'fixes' and general beliefs, and although some of them could also be helpful, the God-centered guidance is best.  This can set the person in stress, distress and angst on the road to greater healing and health.

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a good place to start.  Repentance in general and then specific scenario.  Remember that as Harold J. Sala remarks in his book Counseling Friends In Need that the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of a human being inter-relate and spill over into each other similarly as to how osmosis operates.

When a person is sick physically, the emotions often become affected.  This in turn affects the spiritual.  And so it spirals round and round and down.  So as one listens to one's friend, ask the Lord to show you where and/or how this vicious cycle started.  Finding the root cause will help.

Alluding to society's thoughts, is this person thinking money, power or sex or other such desires are solutions?  Has the fulfillment of a dream that is important to him or her become elusive?  They had been promised dream fulfillment was important and well, fulfilling.  Alas, it had all been a disappointing illusion for them.

There are many facets to listening intently to your friend in need.  May our Lord guide you into all truth for the good of your friends as you become a better and better listener.

                                                ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Chapter 5 - Diagnose the Problem But Treat the Whole Person from the book Counseling Friends In Need by Harold J. Salas.  See also Proverbs 19:20, Matthew 11:15 and Revelation 2:29 and 3:22.  If you have ears to hear, let them hear.

Sing, I'm Listening, along with Chris McClarney and The Jesus Way, along with Phil Wickham.

Cross-Cultural Angst

 

Are you a thorn in the flesh or an odd one out in a group you join regularly?  Do they have to accommodate you to some extent?  Is the effort for joining that group worth it, to begin with?  Why do you stay if it is SO difficult, angst producing and certian ones even criticize you for your clumsiness and supposed lack of participation in the group?  What is your motivation for even being there?  Does it outway the negative input?

So many questions flit through the mind.  Missions and cross-cultural missions are a tough call - to say the least.  Peter made it look easy when he got his call to go to Caesarea to visit Cornelius the Gentile.

He had visions and the timing of Cornelius' men knocking at Simon the Tanner's door in Joppa clinched any of Peter's hesitation.  It dovetailed.  Peter lets them in, gives them food and a night's lodging.  Jew meets and greets Gentiles up close and friendly.  

Bing!  Bang!  Boom!

This was HUGE!  A cross-cultural, mammoth breakthrough spearheaded by Peter the Jew.

Peter goes to Cornelius' house where so many more Gentiles await him.  Cornelius explains why he summoned Peter.  Peter explains the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Cornelius and those in the household accept Christ.  The Holy Spirit automatically comes upon them.  Peter orders them to be baptised.

In reality most such experiences are not so 'easy'.  It's tough, teeth-gritting work, full of misunderstanding on the part of both parties.  On top of that there is often the spiritual warfare aspect as the believer trods upon Satan's territory.  

But for the sake of the gospel, here's another question to ask:  In what ways can I become involved in the advancement of the gospel worldwide that could be considered going to "the ends of the earth"?

Pray for God's guidance, and your willingness and obedience to go as Peter did.  Persevere no matter the odds.  God's got you covered.

                                                     ~ ERC January 2025 ~

Based on Acts 10.

Sing, For the Cause, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Fallow Fields

 

"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you"  (Hosea 10:12 ESV).

Commands for the people of Hosea's day were to sow, reap, and break up fallow ground because it was time to do so.  This was not ordinary fallow ground.  I believe it was the peoples' hearts.  The 'seeds' to be sown were 'righteousness'.  They would then reap 'steadfast love'.  It seems the people had neglected to seek the LORD so had to be told to do so.  The benefits were that He would come and rain righteousness upon them.

In the middle of farm country where I once took some daily strolls, there was a huge field lying fallow.  My walking companion who had some memory issues, would repeatedly ask, "Why isn't the farmer planting that field?"  It really irritated him that the farmer was being seemingly slack.

But what farmer needs to be told to sow, reap or even the time to do so?  They have their reasons for letting a field be fallow.  Reasons such as allowing the soil to replenish its fertility, to raise soil pH and even to break pest and disease lifecycles.  If you research it on the internet you'll see some other reasons as well.  There is one warning-like precaution, however.  If the ground is left fallow for too long, the soil can turn to dirt.  It becomes useless and unproductive.

I believe this is what God was getting at through Hosea to His people Israel.  The more wealth they had, the more they let the things of God go fallow.  Their material wealth showed more and more but evil increased.  There was corruption, evil and even hatred in the house of God (see Hosea 9:8 ESV).

God had done so much for Israel, bringing them out of Egyption slavery, through the wilderness wanderings and gave them their gift of the Promised Land.  He had nurtured them, wanting His chosen people to be a righteous nation.  A nation that all other nations would look up to and respect, drawing them to the God the Israelites worshiped.

BUT, look at them now in Hosea's time.  They were immersed in luxury but also evil.  They had turned to dirt - so to speak.  

God tries again and again.  Fallow land is land that has actually been plowed and readied for sowing.  It was like God had done the plowing and readying but the people of Israel had to do the sowing.  

Note God's sovereignty vs man's responsibility here.  Our heavenly Father does not force us to do what He commands.  He wants willing hearts.  Sadly, the people were not interested.  There was no righteousness being sown, nor steadfast love being reaped, even though it was past time to do so.  There were none, or at least precious few, like Hosea, who were seeking the Lord.  If only there were, righteousness would then have rained down upon them!

Instead the very opposite had rained upon them.

Our day and age is similarly going to dirt but we personally do not need to let our lives as individuals, or as a Christian household or as a church, go to dirt.  No, we can be the watchmen, or like the prophet Hosea who continued to seek the Lord and His righteousness even though it seemed no one else was.

Don't let the fallow fields of our hearts turn to dirt.

Abba Father, may I always seek You because I know then, that I'll find You.  In times of rest and fallowness, may I remember to sow and reap at the right time.  May Your righteousness rain upon me.  I ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Hosea 10:12 ESV.

Sign, Hymn of Heaven, along with Phil Wickham.

Lord's Day Devotion - Salvation Belongs to the LORD

 

David's mockers said there was "no salvation for him in God".  What a taunt when David was down and out, and vulnerable once again.  This time he was fleeing from his own son Absalom.

Absalom, who was attempting a coup to take over the throne of David, his father.  David was no longer a spring chicken by this time, unlike when King Saul was seeking his demise years earlier.

It wasn't that David didn't fear for his life this round.  He did.  That's why he fled but reading Psalm 3 shows how he put his trust in God.

He penned that the LORD was a shield to him.  He also cried aloud to Him.  If you are a fugitive, trying to hide, you don't make loud noises.

But he believed God had him covered.  He had peace and confidence that the LORD heard his cries.  He had entrusted his plight and put it into the LORD's hands so then He could rest.  He could sleep and awake refreshed because "the LORD sustained" him.

Even though so many were against him and his living conditions were definitely NOT up to palace standards he believed God would save him.

This psalm does not touch on David's actual rescue but you can see the trust he put in the LORD that his enemies would be struck on the cheek and that his salvation did indeed belong to the LORD.

Through Jesus, we in our day, can be saved through similar faith and confidence in Him.  He is Someone who has earned our trust, so to speak.  We can rely on Him even in dangerous situations or through other troubles we may face.

Certainly our salvation does come from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31 ESV), Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer.

Those of us who have done just that and have become followers of Jesus Christ know personally, that our salvation comes through Him.  We now have forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and a bright future with Him in glory to look forward to.

However, as we journey through life, we can experience other times that salvation belongs to the LORD as David did, over and over again.

As we sit around the table this Lord's Day, reaching for the broken bread and drinking from the cup of wine in remembrance of Jesus' action that brought and bought our salvation on the cross, give thanks, as you remember salvation certainly does belong to Him.

It may well be easier said than done but let's realize He is worthy of our trust, so trust Him.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Psalm 3 (ESV).

Sing, Thou Art Worthy, along with Blood Covenant and Salvation Belongs To Our God, along with Christ Covenant Church (Jeremy Fisher).

Excellent Completion

 

"Fools and bairns see unfinished work" is a saying I've heard from my mother on more than a few occasions.  This is what comes to mind when I consider Philippians 1:6 (ESV).

"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

What a relief!  The work is good and once it's started it will be completed!  A lifetime process but one that will be brought to completion.

It would be a mistake to judge the 'good work' before it's finished.  This ongoing good work is found IN us.  The Holy Spirit's work and empowerment will bring forth His fruit between now and the day Jesus Christ comes for us.

There are times when we feel tired, exhausted, discouraged and overwhelmed yet this assurance of there being good work done can be uplifting.  At times we may feel nothing good is being done. However, God's Word is emphatic that something is happening and it is good.  Furthermore, it will be finished work.

But what is the good work being done?  If you take the verse in context, you'll see Paul's prayer is that the Philippians' 

"love will abound more and more," 

right along side 

"knowledge and all discernment".

This is a boon for me.  So many times I feel inadequate in general and even in particular.  Nevertheless to know I shouldn't judge myself too harshly in the middle of the process because the good work towards these mature attainments is assured.

The "fruit of righteousness" 

is also being grown in me.  This too is a relief.  The unfinished work can be discouraging but to realize it is being grown since it was sown helps one to persevere knowing one does not have to go-it alone.  The Lord will bring it all to complete maturity.  Verse 11 says I'd be "filled" with the fruit of righteousness.  How blessed is that!

For followers of Jesus Christ who have the Holy Spirit and walk in the fear of the Lord, we will know God's graciousness towards us as He does His good work in us as we actively pursue it.

If you read the whole of the letter to these Philippian believers, you'll see other aspects of Christian living that will be brought to completion as well for which we can get the stamp of approval and excellence.

For instance, standing firm in their faith, in one spirit and mind for the sake of the gospel.  this despite the ongoing persecution they were patiently enduring.

Humility - learning to have this same attitude as Christ's.  It can be a toughie but as we ponder on what our Savior and Lord has done and submit to Him, we can learn to develop some humility.

Obedience - also an ongoing charactistic being worked at to do both God's will and work.  Again, obedience for those of us who our own will, may find it difficult to submit even to our Heavenly Father's will at times and go kicking and screaming, so to speak, but do in the end obey. 

Like yesterday, I did not want to go and join a cross-cultural mission event but while doing a Bible study on missions and cross-cultural missions that very morning, I felt the hand of the Lord compeling me to go despite the barriers that needed break-through.  In the end, there was a 'saving grace' the Lord gave me.  It made me feel grateful to Him.  Thank You, Father.

God's 'work' for the sake of the gospel and/or all humanity is a work-in-progress too.  No doubt it can be tough work with obstacles at every hand but again, the assurance that it is HE who works in us who will bring this work to completion can be burden-relieving in one's mind.  The outcome is in His hands.  The good work in us can then be an outpouring to do good work for Him, which can motivate us towards the maturity He so desires for us, should we choose to accept His mission.  He'll be faithful complete us.

So let us rejoice and not be anxious.  Let us pray and give Him our thanksgiving, making our requests known to the Lord.  He's there for us.  May God's peace flood the hearts and minds of each and every follower of Jesus Christ.

Because He lives, we can face today and tomorrow.  Because He works good work in us, we will be brought to completion in our spiritual lives as indviduals and as a church, as did for the Philippians.  In whatever good work He gives our hand to do, let's give of our best to the Lord.  Let's put our hands in the hand of our Master, walk with Him because He'll make His work in us excellent and complete.

Praise the Lord!

Father God, we humbly come to You giving our thanksgiving for the good work You faithfully  do in each of us.  You do not give up on us, for this we are eternally grateful.  In You we trust through our Lord Jesus Christ and it is in His name we pray and praise and give our thanks.  Amen.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~ 

Based on Philippians 1:6-11 ESV.

Sing, He Who Began a Good Work in You, along with Steve Green.

Book Review - This Work of Darkness - By Lucretia Grindle - Publication Date: 16 January 2025

 My heart was in my throat the whole way through this book.  It is not for the faint-hearted reader!  I wanted to tell my mind that this is only fiction.  However, much of the narrative was based on true, historical events.  That is, the witch hunts in Salem Village, and Salem, Massechusetts (1692-1693), with many of the trials held in Boston.

Superstitious Puritans lost reason and hunted down supposed witches on the say-so of very young girls they termed, 'the afflicted'.  Afflicted, that is, by 'witches'.  The story centers around Resolve Hammond, the Englishes, Ned Morrill, Abigail Hobbs, Mercy Lewis, the Putnams and others.

I found the author of This Work of Darkness to be very masterful, as despite it taking me time to read through the story, it strongly held my attention when I was reading.  I'd definitely say it's a page turner that could keep a reader up all night in suspense of what would happen next.  Those happenings with twists, turns and plots that galvanize the reader to the next page.

Truly a very worthwhile read in my opinion.  I give this author a 5 Star rating and thumbs up!  I hope to read more of her work in the future.

                                            ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                         January 2025

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by Net Galley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.