God rescues the godly

2 Peter 2:4-10

Why do bad things happen to good people. If God loves His children, then why won’t He come down and deliver them from the pressures of sin and temptation? Were we created only to suffer and take the blows of wicked and perverse men, or is there something more to us that satan hates so much, until he can’t stand to see us walk the earth, and makes endless attempts to break our faith? First of all, no one is exempt from bad experiences, because the world has changed into something God did not intend. Therefore, the good, as well as the bad, will encounter unpleasant circumstances during their lifetime. Secondly, God can do anything, but He allows things to take place for a time, and for different reasons. The mercy of God is everlasting, and He cares sincerely for everyone He created, but there are just wages due to those who perform works of evil, and those who produce works of goodness.

In the same way a good parent encourages and warns their children to be obedient to their words, in order to avoid discipline and punishment, God gave His Word to all men, and expects them to live according to it, or else there will be strict discipline and punishment to follow. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God desires that all men surrender their wills for His own, so that their existence can be counted worthy, and purposeful in His sight. Unfortunately, many will fall short of God’s glory, and willingly remain there to face the inevitable second death. God’s love is amazing, and stretches out as far as the east is from the west, but if He didn’t spare the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartarus), bound them in chains of darkness, and kept them there to await their judgment, how much more will He punish sinful men who refuse to turn away from their evil ways? Even during the time of Noah, God wiped out everything, and everyone, but spared the righteous few. All of God’s children who may be in the midst of the effects of evil men will soon be delivered, according to His timing. The following passages of Scripture support the aforementioned statement, and should strengthen the faith of all who are experiencing hard times:

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

1 Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

Walk in love,

Ell

Pleading justice for the righteous

Genesis 18:30-33

Is it wrong to question those in authority? If I feel that a situation is being handled unfairly at home, work, or in the community, can I freely speak my thoughts without fear of being punished? What about from a spiritual perspective? Is it wrong to question God about situations that seem unfair? Well, there are many examples of men who questioned God in Scripture, but most were for good reason.

In our text, God was preparing to bring the hammer of judgment down on Sodom and Gomorrah for their relentless efforts in practicing sin. Not only were they denying the power of God, and willingly embracing the powers of darkness, but they completely ignored the fact that they would soon be judged for their rebellion. God revealed to Abraham His intention to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but before that judgment was implemented, Abraham considered the fact that there may some who are righteous, entangled amongst the wicked, and God should spare the cities for their sake. He was bold enough to question whether or not “the Judge of all the earth” would do right by sparing the just, and not punish them with the wicked. He asked God if there were 50 righteous people in the city, would He spare everyone. God replied, if 50 righteous people could be found in the cities, He would indeed spare everyone for the sake of the righteous few. From 50, to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20, and all the way down to 10, not one was found righteous, yet God spared Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his daughters.

After reading this lesson, it got me to thinking that some people are still alive, because we abide in their presence. God is sparing the lives of some, simply because they are connected to our lives in some way. As a Christian, continue living a holy and separated life for God, and pray that in time, He’ll change those around you from walking in darkness, to living in the light of His Word. Just as Abraham interceded for those in Sodom and Gomorrah, take time daily to pray for the lost in your community. God loves everyone the same; the just, as well as the wicked, but until confession is made unto salvation, the wages for sin will be death.

Wall in love,

Ell

Concerned about the family

Genesis 18:16-21

When was the last time you took a moment to actually consider how awesome God is? Are you consumed in your day-to-day agenda, until you forget to acknowledge God in all your ways? I must confess, I’m guilty of working so much, to the point I forget to even pray at times, but my forgetfulness doesn’t deny the fact that the God who created the entire universe is simply amazing! There are times, in Scripture, when God would inhabit a body capable of standing, sitting, looking, eating, and performing other human actions. God is a spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship in spirit and truth, but God sometimes visits mankind, for purposes of bringing instruction, direction, or correction.

Our text continues from the previous lesson, when God and His angelic companions, visited Abraham, to give him good news that Sarah would soon bring forth a son. After spending quality time with Abraham and his wife, God looked toward the city of Sodom. It’s been noted that the purpose of His visit to earth was to see if Sodom was as wicked as His scouts had reported to Him. God also considered whether or not to tell Abraham His intentions for the wicked cities He was planning to visit. God is not too big where He can’t come down to the level of men, and receive knowledge of true conditions, while becoming acquainted with facts of things that are taking place. In verse 21, God said, “I will go down, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know”. In other words, I know all things, but I want to go see what’s going on from a human perspective. That’s actually pretty cool, if you ask me. God can do anything, so why not come to earth and check things out for himself?

God chose Abraham to be the beacon of truth to his children, and the nations that would be birthed from his offspring. God knew that this man would indeed obey His commands, and teach his family to follow in the ways of holiness, so He contemplated spoiling his thoughts with His judgment on the neighboring cities. Sin has consequences, and God judges everyone accordingly. Even in our own families it is wise that we teach the Word diligently, and not allow sin to creep into our homes unawares. The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were great and grievous, to the point where they were no longer conscious of true repentance. What a sad state to be in. Never allow sin to dwell in your heart long enough to make you comfortable in it, while causing you to drift away from God to the point of no return.

Walk in love,

Ell

Abraham and Sarah – Becoming parents

Genesis 18:1-15

Abraham experienced many changes in his life, as God prepared him to be the leader of a great nation. From instructing him to leave his family and travel to unknown lands, to changing his name, God blessed Abraham for his obedience, and willingness to abide by his words. Abraham’s faith was indeed strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, but that faith would soon be tested during the latter years of his life.

God spoke to his servant one day, and told him that He will bless his wife, and give him a son. This was ironic, because Abraham and his wife tried for years to have a baby, but their efforts were futile, because Sarah was barren, and at this point, had passed the productive age of childbearing. Like many who focus more on their problem rather than the problem solver, Abraham laughed at the words of the Lord, and reminded Him of their old age. Abraham went on to promote his illegitimate son, Ishmael, that God would bless him. While God had a plan in place for Ishmael, the promise was to come through Isaac.

In the next chapter, God revisited abraham, and brought a few angels with Him on the trip. When Abraham saw the Lord, he ran out to greet Him, then offered to show a little hospitality. After washing the men’s feet, and presenting them with a meal, God asked about Sarah, and where she was. Like most women, she was eavesdropping behind the door of the tent, and heard the conversation between God and Abraham. Just as Abraham did when God told him Sarah would bring forth a son, she laughed also, when she heard God mention that He’d return according to the time of life, or after Isaac was born. After witnessing some of the great things God had already done in their lives, how could they doubt that anything else would be too hard for Him to accomplish? Many of us today are the same way, because we’ve seen God do the impossible for us, then doubted Him later on when we were faced with another seemingly impossible odd.

Our faith must be mature, and consistent, so that God can get the most out of us, and we can get the most out of Him. I’m thankful God isn’t like men, because even though He heard Sarah laugh, and knew she and her husband weren’t fully convinced that His word was true, He blessed them inspite of their doubts.

Have you been made promises that have yet to manifest? I have, but I’ve seen God work many miracles in my life, so I know in time, He’ll come through just as He promised He would. The waiting game is far from easy, and there are times I want to throw in the towel, but waiting on God builds strength, faith, character, and spiritual endurance that helps to make the journey of life a bit more manageable.

Walk in love,

Ell

Remember Lot’s wife

Luke 17:22, 26-37

Have you ever forgiven someone more than once, but for the same thing? How does it make you feel when the person you love, constantly hurts you, but your love for them extends beyond your pain, and you willingly forgive them for every mistake? It’s unfair how we’re treated, at times, by those we were commanded to love, but the power of love is so potent, until it gives one the ability to forgive, and forget.

Have you ever considered how many times you’ve hurt God, by constantly falling short of His glory, yet He continues to forgive you? For God so loved the world, He gave us Christ. There’s no greater gift one can receive, than the gift of salvation. Since the beginning of time, until now, the world has become more and more wicked, but God is still in the forgiving business. It matters not how many times we slip or mess up, God’s love never runs out, and is available to cover our mountain of mistakes. I’ve made countless mistakes in life, some of which were even repetitive, but God forgave me of them all, after I confessed, then turned away from those unfruitful activities.

God is truly merciful, and His grace is sufficient, but the day is coming when His love will close up shop, and relocate to a new, and better territory. The end-time prophecies are nearing their completion, and Christ is soon to return to the earth, so it’s time for us to prepare ourselves to soon leave this troubled, and sin-sick world. I know some people dislike discussing the revelations of Scripture, because it tends to frighten them, but the end of this heaven and earth is inevitable, and the only way to see God in peace is, to ensure that you’re engrafted into the body of Christ.

History is soon to repeat itself, just like during the time of Noah, when God sent a great flood to destroy all the wicked people who refused to turn their hearts to Him, and in the time of Lot, when God destroyed the irreparable Sodom and Gomorrah, after he and his family (except his wife) had fled safely away from those wicked lands. Similar to these historic events, Christ will return and destroy multitudes, leaving some to go into the Millennium. My mind often wonders, what was so important that Lot’s wife couldn’t let go of, to receive her salvation. Her simple command was to run, and don’t look back, but there must have been something in her heart that wasn’t godly, that she couldn’t release. Such a sad position to be in, thinking that your wife, your heart, your rib is in sync with your walk with God, but turns out she was keeping secrets that caused her to miss her deliverance.

Is there anything on this earth, worth you missing eternity with God? It hurts to know that there are people who will look back when Christ comes, and will miss their deliverance. Just like the rich ruler who found it rather difficult to give up his wealth to follow after Christ, many in the last days will become so in love with their material possessions, that they’ll miss the opportunity to accept Christ as their Savior. Many have yet to taste, and see how good the Lord is, so they are left believing that their possessions hold more value than Christ’s salvation. On the contrary, being rich in Jesus is worth more than silver and gold, and is the only way to truly live a life that’s purposeful and meaningful on this earth.

If you stop and think for a moment, you’ll notice the subtle, yet effective strategy of satan in this time. He allows distractions, including politics, wars and rumors of wars, and the like, to keep our attention long enough to distract us from focusing on preparing ourselves to meet God. Even our careers are set up to keep us overwhelmed to the point we can’t wait to take a vacation, and relax. The devil is very cunning, and knows what it takes to get us off guard, but we must be cunning as well, yet humble; recognizing that time is nearing its end, and we will all face God for ourselves. What will He say when you finally see Him face to face? Will you hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord”, or will God’s final words to you be, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”? The choice is up to you. Either choose Christ and accept His free gift of salvation, or hold fast to the things of this world, and suffer the consequences that come with it.

Walk in love,

Ell

Marriage: A covenant of mutual love

Ephesians 5:21-33

Everything God does follows a specific order. From the orchestration of Heaven and earth, to the roles of all living things, everything, and everyone was design to abide by the order God set in place, so that His will could be accomplished through them. Just as a car is set up to run a certain way by its designer, and if one of the many intricate parts falls out of order, the car won’t run properly, men and women who live outside of the order of God, are also living outside of His will. Thus, their lives will be out of order, until things are properly set in place.

Submission is one of the most relevant aspects of the order of God. The church is subject to Christ, as He sits at the head. Not only is Christ the head of the church, but He also protects it, and even gave Himself for it. Christ loves the church as His own body, and for this reason, He never thought twice about saving and protecting it. In the same way the church is submitted unto Christ, wives are subject to their own husbands. Although husbands and wives are to submit to one another, the order God set in place for marriage is, the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. To the average Bible reader, this command may seem unfair to the wife, but as you continue to read, you’ll see where God made certain that a submissive wife is well-taken care of.

The order of marriage was the result of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. After eating of the forbidden fruit in the garden, the woman was to then be subject to her husband, and consider his word before making decisions. Also, the husband was then set to have rule over the wife.

In marriage, man is the head of the woman, but the godly man is to follow a strict order as well. Husbands are to love their wives, and protect them, in the same way that Christ loves and protects the church. Think on that for a moment. Christ gave His life for the church, rose again with all power, left the Holy Spirit with us, as He sits on the right hand of God, making intercession for us. That is a representation of love in its full manifestation! The husband is to also love his wife, as he would love himself, and protect her as he would protect his own body. Think of how many marriages would have never ended in divorce if husbands and wives followed God’s order.

The husband should never do anything contrary to godliness, because Christ would never do anything to cause harm to the church. The husband who follows God’s order treats his wife as if she’s the best thing since sweet cornbread! He cares for her needs, without question. He keeps her full of God’s Word, protected from all evil forces, and lives a life that exemplifies what holiness stands for.

The godly wife who’s submitted to a godly husband is proud to stand by his side, as the two are one, and are under the covenant of mutual love. The woman is to reverence her husband as the head, and the man is to love his wife, even as himself. The easiest way to tell how a man feels about himself is, to monitor how he treats his wife. The man who raises his hand to his wife, abuses her, uses fowl language toward her, or mistreats her in any way, usually suffers from low self-esteem, or influence from an evil spirit.

Woman are the single-most beautiful thing God ever created, and men are to treat them as the jewels they are. Husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it. Wives, submit to your own husbands, and reverence him as the head of your union. Only then, will the marriage between a godly man and woman be able to function as God designed, and produce to its full extent.

Walk in love,

Ell

Masters and slaves together

Ephesians 6:5-9

As a child, whenever I heard the word slavery, my mind would instantly think of the 1977 TV mini- series, Roots. This was a story about a young African boy who was sold into slavery, and went through a series of unpleasant events throughout his journey to the Americas. Slavery carries a bad stench, as many throughout the centuries have been bought, sold, used, abused, and even killed because of the greed of men. Although slavery, as depicted in American history books carries a bad stench, it wasn’t always a system rigged to take advantage of a person’s rights and freedom.

In Scripture, slavery was actually a part of certain societies, as men would hire workers to care for their lands, while they received honest pay for their labor. Those who served, and worked under masters were commanded to be obedient to them, with fear and trembling, as if they were rendering service unto Christ. In the same manner, those who hired men to work for them were required to act in the same affectionate manner toward their servants. Contrary to what is depicted in history books, masters weren’t permitted to threaten their workers, nor treat them in a disrespectful manner. In fact, they were to always fairly compensate those who worked under their supervision.

Modern-day slavery is now considered working for the “man”. Unless a person is prospering from the amazing benefits of entrepreneurship, everyone else is more than likely working for a specific company or business. As a believer, we are commanded by God to work diligently for our bosses, whether they deserve our best, or not, because everything we do, we are to do it as unto the Lord. Although every day won’t be a breezy walk in the park, Christians are still expected to render cheerful service to men, and those who pay us to work. How often do you see men who claim to be “saved” act out in ways that would make God shake His head? Being full of God’s Spirit helps the believer maintain the character of Christ, as they maneuver through worldly work environments. Even in situations where a person isn’t being fairly compensated for their work, one must recognize that while men may not render just pay, God will always take care of His children.

While being a good employee is expected of the believer, it’s more important that the Christian who serves as a boss, or superior, treat their workers just and fair as well. What better way to show an unbelieving world how a child of God operates, than to do it from a position of authority? I must admit, there are many so-called Christians who misrepresent godliness, because they’ve allowed money and power to go to their heads, but when God blesses you to be in a position to give orders and make decisions, you should try hard to do all things with respect and love. Just as God shows no respect of persons, we shouldn’t treat any of our workers different than the other.

Walk in love,

Ell

Parents and children together

Ephesians 6:1-4

Everyone born into this world has a purpose to fulfill, and a role to play in their predestined environments. No matter what stage a person resides in life, there are certain commands God expects all people to obey, so they can grow in His grace, and maintain good standing in His sight. Even children were commanded to obey their parents, but to the extent that their parents live according to godly standards. Children are always expected to honor and respect those who fulfill the role of guardian over them, but when provoked to do things displeasing to God, the child is not required to follow unwise, and unhealthy orders. Obeying those parents who walk by faith is right, and adds blessings to the life of a child, including health and well being, and the promise of long life. This makes me wonder why many children are dying so young. Could it be the result of disobedience to their parents or guardians? It’s a good possibility.

The role of a parent is essential to the development and growth of the child. In addition, God gives special favor to parents who train up their children according to His Word. When they began to flap their wings and attempt to fly on their own, they’ll never forget those valuable lessons they were once taught as children.

The most interesting thing I noticed in this lesson’s text is, God’s command that fathers provoke not their children to wrath, but raise them up according to godly training, education, discipline, warning, admonition, and reproof. God intended for the father to teach their household His Word. While the mother is usually responsible for nurturing, and caring for the physical needs of her children, the father is expected to keep the house filled with God’s Word. What kind of world would this be, if fathers were actually obeying this simple command? One of the reasons I’ve learn why young boys have a disconnect from God the Father is, they also have a disconnect from their earthly fathers as well. The devil’s job is to break up families, and homes, but he works diligently to sever the relationship between a father and son. Young boys need to see godly examples, especially through their own fathers. In this way, they’ll develop a greater appreciation, not only for their natural father, but also for the God of Heaven.

Good parents oftentimes produce good children, while cruel parents usually have not so good offspring (I’m fully aware there are exceptions to both examples). One simple lesson parents should grasp early on in their parenthood is, the difference between correction, and punishment. Punishing children stems from the root of the principle of revenge, whereas correction is from a principle of care and affectionate concern. The minds of children are fragile, yet super absorbent, so it’s important that parents monitor what they teach, and how they deliver it to their children, because kids soak in everything they see and hear. It’s wise to expose young minds to as much of God’s Word as possible, so that they’ll gradually develop a better understanding of holiness as they age.

Psalms 127:3 – Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Isaiah 54:13 – And all thy children [shall be] taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Proverbs 13:24 – He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 17:6 – Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Walk in love,

Ell

Live as children of light

Ephesians 5:6-20

When given the opportunity to minister to a new believer, what advice do you usually give them? Do your words motivate them to build up a desire to run hard for the Lord, or do you spook them with your version of how life is, and cause them to cringe in fear? The apostle Paul cared little for the feelings of those he taught, and more about strengthening their faith and trust in God. Although he was sensitive to their thoughts and curiosities, he never wavered from delivering the God-honest truth.

To the Ephesians, Paul gave some of the best advice any Christian could ever receive. Recognizing the times, Paul thought it necessary that the people remain guarded against deceivers, and those who practiced disobedience. During those days, men would try hard to turn people away from following after godliness by presenting false doctrines, and teachings that appeared legit on the surface, but their intentions were evil, and motives set on manipulating the minds of those who hungered after righteousness. As the children of God, we are not to be partakers of, nor participate in the habits of those who have no fear and reverence for God. Only with the mind of Christ, can the body be in sync, and function as a single, purposeful unit. Mixing your godliness with worldliness creates unstable character, and causes you to do things contrary to what you believe.

Paul admonished his audience to not even get involved with those who’s aim is to deceive, distract, and destroy the believer’s faith in God. He continued to teach, although the people were to refrain from joining themselves with those who worked in darkness, they too were once lost in their sins at one point in time, so it’s never good to judge, rather pray that God change evil men’s hearts from wicked to pure. Walking as children of light is a sure way to expose those who operate in darkness. Just as a light that’s turned on in the wee hours of the night exposes all the cockroaches holding meetings in your kitchen, the life of the believer will no doubt cause evil men to feel conviction, simply from the way they live. There are times when you’ll have an opportunity to witness to others with your words, but sometimes your life can speak louder than your words ever could.

Every day a Christian is granted the breath of life, and health, he or she should always be alert, and carry themselves in such a way, that their conduct and character mirrors that of Jesus Christ. We are to remain sober, so that our thoughts are pure, and our actions always please God. Paul touched on a subject that’s sensitive even today. Many Christians believe that drinking a little wine is good for one’s health, and that there’s no sin in doing so, but Paul commanded that the people keep themselves from getting drunk, and entering into all kinds of immoral acts. The Bible teaches that “wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). God has given us the spirit of a sound mind, so that we can make decisions motivated by the Holy Ghost, and not by ungodly influences. The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and we must guard against allowing evil entities to invade, and take residence in our thoughts too long, and potentially cause us to fall into snares of sin.

God is holy, and those who bear His name have a responsibility to live holy as well. The world needs to see a difference between themselves, and those who claim to be in God, because when they finally tire out from running in circles of sin and cycles of iniquity, they’ll look to us to guide them to the Light of the world.

Walk in love,

Ell

Capable wife and supportive husband

Proverbs 31:16-31

One of the most misrepresented, misquoted, and misunderstood passages of Scripture can be found in Proverbs 31. This text introduces the “virtuous woman”, and mentions a list of amazing attributes she can potentially exhibit. The virtuous woman isn’t a specific woman per se, rather an embodiment of all the good things a woman who fears God is capable of accomplishing.

According to the words of king Lemuel, that were taught by his mother, there are 31 characteristics of a virtuous woman. The woman who fears and shows reverence to God is first morally perfect, also invaluable, trustworthy, inherently good and true, proficient, hardworking, considerate, versatile, diligent, joyful, watchful, skillful, charitable, generous, fearless, creative, has good taste, respected, prosperous, honest, confident, wise, kind, prudent, energetic, an ideal wife and mother, honored by her family, excels in virtue, God-fearing, successful, and honored by the public. After reading this list, how many women can you count on your hand, that has at least ten of those noteworthy qualities?

A virtuous woman is focused, and desires only to please God, and carry out her role as a wife, mother, and neighbor. Oftentimes, women are distracted by things that are unimportant, that shift their focus from caring for the needs of their family, to finding ways to enjoy life in other ways. Life can be fulfilling simply by obeying the will of God, and operating in your role as a wife. You don’t have to travel the world, see all the wonders of other countries, or jump from planes to get a thrill, instead, being the best wife and mother can offer a personal satisfaction that is unmatched by anything else.

The husband of the virtuous woman has complete confidence in her. A real man recognizes a real woman, and has the wisdom to understand that rather than keep her from excelling in all her dealings, he shows support and offers assistance as needed. When the wife produces, the husband is blessed as well. In the same sense, when the husband produces, the wife is blessed equally. It’s sad to witness how in these end-times, women are catering more to their outward appearance, than their inner-man. The longer we live, the more our wrinkles appear, and beauty will slowly fade away, but the woman who fears the Lord will be honored, praised, and respected in her latter years.

Throughout today, and the rest of your life, ask God for the wisdom you need to fulfill your role as a wife, mother, and neighbor. It’s also wise to seek advice from other godly women as well, but only follow what God reveals as essential to your purpose and success.

Walk in love,

Ell