Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” (Proverbs 31:10)
For years and years this well known passage has been read, quoted, used as a text for Mothers’ Day sermons and is used as an example of a Godly woman. There are so many outstanding traits here it is difficult to know which one is best. A sermon could be preached from each of the twenty-two verses beginning with our text.
When my mother died a few years ago and my siblings and I were deciding what inscription to have engraved on her memorial stone, we all agreed on the latter half of Proverbs 31:26. It reads, “…and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Only because we could not find a stone large enough, we could not include the entire passage of Proverbs 31:10-31. Like many of my readers with strong, loving feelings for your mother every trait of the virtuous woman would be an appropriate description of our mothers.
My desire is for the mothers who read these lines today to have a happy Mothers’ Day. If your mother is still living do whatever you can to help her have a wonderful day.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Harvest Time
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)
Last fall farmers were in their fields planting wheat in anticipation of reaping a harvest sometime in June, the season for harvesting wheat. Now that we are almost half way through May, harvest time is coming in three to four weeks.
We Christians in the harvest of souls must be faithful and stay at the task. We must teach, preach, witness, pray and live a Christian life before the lost. Just as the grain farmers have not given up, we Christians cannot give up. Faithfulness is called for.
It is too soon to quit. I have heard true stories of people being faithful to pray for a lost husband, brother, father, friend or neighbor. They faithfully shared the gospel with that person. One day the harvest came. The person was saved by the grace of God because someone refused to be weary in well doing.
Last fall farmers were in their fields planting wheat in anticipation of reaping a harvest sometime in June, the season for harvesting wheat. Now that we are almost half way through May, harvest time is coming in three to four weeks.
We Christians in the harvest of souls must be faithful and stay at the task. We must teach, preach, witness, pray and live a Christian life before the lost. Just as the grain farmers have not given up, we Christians cannot give up. Faithfulness is called for.
It is too soon to quit. I have heard true stories of people being faithful to pray for a lost husband, brother, father, friend or neighbor. They faithfully shared the gospel with that person. One day the harvest came. The person was saved by the grace of God because someone refused to be weary in well doing.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Burden Bearers
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Folks all around us have burdens of different sizes, shapes and content. Some are burdened with sickness, while others have financial burdens. Family issues are burdens for many folks. There are multitudes of burdens all around us.
We Christians are to be burden bearers. We are to help others through their hard times. The idea is that we are to put our shoulder under the burden of others. We are to be “Load Lifters.” We are to do this through love as Christ loves us.
An old song I have loved for many years, since the first time I heard it, illustrates well the idea of burden bearing. The song is entitled simply, “Others.”
Folks all around us have burdens of different sizes, shapes and content. Some are burdened with sickness, while others have financial burdens. Family issues are burdens for many folks. There are multitudes of burdens all around us.
We Christians are to be burden bearers. We are to help others through their hard times. The idea is that we are to put our shoulder under the burden of others. We are to be “Load Lifters.” We are to do this through love as Christ loves us.
An old song I have loved for many years, since the first time I heard it, illustrates well the idea of burden bearing. The song is entitled simply, “Others.”
Others
Lord, help me live from day to day, in such a self forgetful way,
That even when I kneel to pray, my prayer shall be for others.
Help me in all the work I do, to ever be sincere and true,
And know that all I’d do for you must needs be done for others.
And when my work on earth is done, and my new work in heaven’s begun,
May I forget the crown I’ve won, while thinking still of others.
Chorus
Others, Lord, yes, others, Let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others, that I may live like Thee.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
The Blessing of Christian Assembly
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Some Christians assemble in humble, small one room buildings. Others assemble in a huge, well decorated building with stained glass windows, the latest sound equipment and an organ and piano that would be the envy of Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately, some professing Christians never assemble with other believers at all.
The purpose of the assembly of the believers is to worship the Lord, hear a challenging message and to encourage one another in the Christian walk. When believers are absent they neither give nor receive encouragement.
The day of the return of Christ is fast drawing on. Knowing this, we have all the more reason to assemble with other believers so we can exhort one another in the Christian walk.
Why not let this coming Lord’s Day be the beginning of a renewed commitment to assemble with fellow believers? Not only will you receive a blessing, you will be a blessing to others.
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Rightly Divide the Word of Truth
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)
The story goes of a preacher who never studied his Bible, never prepared his sermons in advance and just stood behind the pulpit and allowed his Bible to fall open at random, placed his finger on a verse and then he would preach on that verse.
One Sunday morning his Bible fell open to Matthew 27:5 which says, “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” Well, he hardly knew what to say, so he tried again. This time his Bible fell open to Luke 10:37. He placed his finger on the latter part of the verse which says, “Go, and do thou likewise.” By now he was desperate. He tried again, his Bible falling open to John 13:37. His eyes focused on the words, “Then said Jesus unto him, ‘what thou doest, do quickly.’” He dismissed the congregation.
If the Bible can be “rightly” divided, as our text admonishes, obviously this little story illustrates how it can be “wrongly” divided.
Whether one is reading the Bible for personal edification and divine direction or preparation to teach others, we must take time to read it in its context, comparing it with other scriptures making sure we are not making it say things that it does not say.
The story goes of a preacher who never studied his Bible, never prepared his sermons in advance and just stood behind the pulpit and allowed his Bible to fall open at random, placed his finger on a verse and then he would preach on that verse.
One Sunday morning his Bible fell open to Matthew 27:5 which says, “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” Well, he hardly knew what to say, so he tried again. This time his Bible fell open to Luke 10:37. He placed his finger on the latter part of the verse which says, “Go, and do thou likewise.” By now he was desperate. He tried again, his Bible falling open to John 13:37. His eyes focused on the words, “Then said Jesus unto him, ‘what thou doest, do quickly.’” He dismissed the congregation.
If the Bible can be “rightly” divided, as our text admonishes, obviously this little story illustrates how it can be “wrongly” divided.
Whether one is reading the Bible for personal edification and divine direction or preparation to teach others, we must take time to read it in its context, comparing it with other scriptures making sure we are not making it say things that it does not say.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
No Certain Dwelling-Place
“Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labor, working with our own hands: being reviled we bless: being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things to this day.” (I Corinthians 4:11-13)
Very often when we Christians pray, we thank God for food, clothes and shelter. Paul the apostle had a shortage of all of these but never complained. Even though God had ordained that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel, Paul worked with his own hands and supported himself. He never embraced the “health and wealth” religion so prevalent today.
When he was defamed and gossiped about and his name besmirched he prayed for those who were guilty. He was considered to be the filth of the world. He was considered the off-scouring of all things. Sometimes a stove oven will have baked on stuff where something has boiled over in the oven. The stuff one scrapes off is useless off-scouring. Dead bugs scraped off a car wind-shield are another example of useless off-scouring. The world considers the dedicated, committed Christian to be useless off-scouring. That is part of being considered a fool for Christ: willing to be counted as nothing and of no value in the eyes of the world.
Are you willing to suffer the loss of all things for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the sake of the Gospel of Salvation?
Very often when we Christians pray, we thank God for food, clothes and shelter. Paul the apostle had a shortage of all of these but never complained. Even though God had ordained that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel, Paul worked with his own hands and supported himself. He never embraced the “health and wealth” religion so prevalent today.
When he was defamed and gossiped about and his name besmirched he prayed for those who were guilty. He was considered to be the filth of the world. He was considered the off-scouring of all things. Sometimes a stove oven will have baked on stuff where something has boiled over in the oven. The stuff one scrapes off is useless off-scouring. Dead bugs scraped off a car wind-shield are another example of useless off-scouring. The world considers the dedicated, committed Christian to be useless off-scouring. That is part of being considered a fool for Christ: willing to be counted as nothing and of no value in the eyes of the world.
Are you willing to suffer the loss of all things for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the sake of the Gospel of Salvation?
Monday, May 8, 2017
What Kind of Fool are You?
“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.” (I Corinthians 4:10)
There are a number of fools in the Bible. There is the “atheistic fool” who declares in his heart that there is no God. He believes the universe just happened to come into existence. He does not believe in heaven, hell, judgment or the need for Christ Jesus. The hereafter is just a myth to him. (Psalm 14:1)
Then there is the “educated fool.” He professes himself to be wise and has become a fool, "And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:22-32) God as He is proclaimed in the Bible is inadequate for the “sophisticated” mind of this educated fool.
There are those deceived by alcohol and strong drink. The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (He is a fool). (Proverbs 20:1)
There is the “Rich Fool” of Luke 12:16-21 who lives for his wealth and selfishly hoards it to the neglect of his fellow man.
Our text mentions the “fools for Christ.” They have forsaken all to follow Jesus. They believe the Bible, they love Christ, whom they have not seen and faithfully assemble with other believers Sunday after Sunday. They pray to a God they cannot see and sing praises to the Son of God whom they haven’t seen. When they are mistreated they forgive the offender because they know they themselves have been forgiven by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What kind of fool are you?
There are a number of fools in the Bible. There is the “atheistic fool” who declares in his heart that there is no God. He believes the universe just happened to come into existence. He does not believe in heaven, hell, judgment or the need for Christ Jesus. The hereafter is just a myth to him. (Psalm 14:1)
Then there is the “educated fool.” He professes himself to be wise and has become a fool, "And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:22-32) God as He is proclaimed in the Bible is inadequate for the “sophisticated” mind of this educated fool.
There are those deceived by alcohol and strong drink. The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (He is a fool). (Proverbs 20:1)
There is the “Rich Fool” of Luke 12:16-21 who lives for his wealth and selfishly hoards it to the neglect of his fellow man.
Our text mentions the “fools for Christ.” They have forsaken all to follow Jesus. They believe the Bible, they love Christ, whom they have not seen and faithfully assemble with other believers Sunday after Sunday. They pray to a God they cannot see and sing praises to the Son of God whom they haven’t seen. When they are mistreated they forgive the offender because they know they themselves have been forgiven by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What kind of fool are you?
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