Oops, My Bad…

Exodus 2:1-10

In the war against evil, believers must remain strong and vigilant at all times, because our adversary, the devil, desires that all who love God, be turned against Him, and he’s literally working overtime to see his dastardly plan be manifested. This is evident today, and was recorded throughout Scripture, as men and women of God had to go against the grain, at times, in order that the greater good be accomplished.

The first and second chapters of the book of Exodus give an example of how God can look past a small error or flaw in the life of a believer, in order that His will be done. After the death of Joseph, and the generation he brought to Egypt, the children of Israel grew more prosperous, and increased abundantly. Unfortunately their increased population in the land wasn’t well received by the new king who arose over Egypt. Rather than appreciate the growth of God’s people, and join with them to fulfill His purpose, the king decided that enslaving them, and afflicting them beyond the norm, would be a wise choice. To his surprise, the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. When God begins to bless you, don’t expect everyone to be happy about it.

The king became grieved with the children of Israel, and commanded the midwives to kill all male newborns, but spare the females. Exodus 1:17 reads, “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.” It takes deeply rooted faith and trust in God, to willfully go against a higher authority, especially when that authority gives a command to go against God’s authority. The midwives were confronted by the king, and questioned as to why they disobeyed his command. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the women embellished a little on the details of their actions. They told the king, the Hebrew women were lively, and delivered the babies before they arrived to assist. I’m not sure what color that lie was, but it was used to protect the lives of God’s people. The following verses read that God blessed the midwives, because they feared Him, but were they blessed for lying? No, they weren’t. God undoubtedly forgave them for lying, but blessed them because they saved the lives of many innocent children. One of those little boys who were saved, was chosen by God, to become great, and eventually lead His people out of Egypt.

“When your motives are righteous, God will bless you.” – Ell

Hopeless Eternity

Galatians 3:6-9, 13-14

If Jesus never came to die for the sins of mankind, all would be lost, and any thought of spending a secure eternity with the Father would be impossible. Every person on the earth owes thanks and praise to the Savior, for the simple fact that their sins can be washed away, and their only requirement to receive salvation is to confess their sins, and believe on the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Following confession and conversation, the believer has a duty to love God, and keep His commandments, the rest of their lives.

Fear of the unknown is frightening on its own, but dying without Christ in your heart is more fearful than anything I can think of. If there was no begotten gift, no master teacher, no flawless godly example, no sacrifice, then all men would be living this life to die, only to suffer the second death in the life to come. There are some religions that believe this is the only life we have, and after this, there’s nothing. So, they teach men to live their “best lives” now. Others believe in reincarnation, and other teachings that are contrary to biblical doctrine. Whether a person believes in God, or not, it’s obvious this present world is decaying at an increasing rate, so it’s wise to start believing in the truth of God’s Word, and take advantage of the time we have in the earth.

This life is temporal, but eternity is neverending, so to avoid a hopeless eternity, men ought to give their lives to God, and join in with all who are presently spreading the Gospel message throughout the world.

“Put your hope in the risen Savior, not in men who need the same salvation.” – Ell

Lawbreakers

Matthew 12:1-8

In most societies, laws were established to keep order, and control over all who inhabit governed lands. There are laws against driving too fast on the highways, as well as regulations in financial markets. Following the rules will usually keep a person free from unnecessary punishment or judgment, but is there ever a time when laws can be broken, without a person being judged for doing so? Is it lawful for an ambulance carrying an injured passenger to the hospital, to go over the speed limit, so that the wounded person can receive immediate treatment? Or, is it wrong for an anxious husband to run a few red lights and stops signs, so that he can hurriedly get his expecting wife to the hospital? While laws are intended to serve their purpose, there are times when the rules can be bent for the purpose of an individual’s wellbeing.

In our text, Jesus and His disciples were criticized for plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath. I’m almost certain, Jesus knew the annoying Pharisees were spying on Him, and He purposely led the hungry disciples through the corn fields. Sometimes, God will allow things to happen in your life, to prove what’s in the hearts of your haters. The Pharisees told Jesus, “Aren’t you aware of your disciples breaking the law?” In all His wisdom, Jesus reminded the wicked Pharisees of two instances in Scripture where men violated the sabbath, for necessary purposes. David’s need for sustenance was more important than the legal technicalities of the law, and even the priests of the past had once profane the Sabbath, when doing work by performing sacrifices and conducting services for worship.

The Pharisees in our text were so concerned about religious rituals, they missed the whole purpose, which is to bring people to God. Jesus is greater than rituals, and more people can be brought to God through Him, than following laws. The Pharisees had lost the spirit of the law, and only desired that men obey their interpretation of it. Be watchful and prayerful as you dedicate yourself to a ministry. While the doctrine of Christ is enough on its own, men have selfishly implemented their own laws and doctrines, that have caused many to error. Measure your obedience by the Word of God, and not by the flawed doctrines of men.

“The Word of God is enough on its own, there’s no need to add anything else to it.” – Ell

Against All Odds, Be Bold!

Acts 4:23-31

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “Against All Odds, Be Bold!” Starring, Peter, John, the Crippled Beggar, and the Priests and Sadduces. I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

(Crippled Beggar sits outside the gate called Beautiful, asking for alms)

Crippled Beggar: Pardon me madam, but can you spare a little change… excuse me sir, I am in need, can you… sigh…

(Men pass by the crippled beggar, ignoring his cries for help, but Peter and John now approach)

Crippled Beggar: Excuse me kind sirs, but please, can you help me with a little something… to get food. I don’t ask for much, but please…I am in desperate need.

Peter: Look at us.

(The crippled beggar fastening his eyes on them, expecting to finally receive alms)

Peter: Unfortunately, I don’t have any change to spare, but what I do have, I’ll give to you without hesitation.

(The crippled beggar looks with a gaze of confusion)

Peter: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

(Peter reaches to grab the man’s hand, and pulls him up. Immediately, his feet and ankle bones received strength. He jumps up and follows them into the temple, praising God.)

*This miraculous act caught the attention of nearly 5,000 men, many of which knew the man had been lame since birth. Peter wisely took advantage of the opportunity, to preach the Gospel.

Peter: Why do you men look so amazed, as if we did this of our own power? This man was healed by faith in the name of Jesus, who you all delivered up to Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But, your ignorance was all a part of God’s divine plan for man’s redemption.

(While he continued to preach, the priests, captain of the temple, and Sadducees came in to see what was going on.)

Priests and Sadducees: Alright, enough of this, bind these men, and take them in hold! It’s already late, so keep them there until tomorrow.

(The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, so they were no doubt more disturbed of all those who weren’t in favor of the disciples’ message.)

*No matter how hard the enemy tries to hinder the Gospel, it is still powerful enough to change lives. Many of the 5,000 men who heard Peter’s words, believed in them. All your labor in the works of the Lord, are not in vain. When men attempt to silence you for doing good, keep going… don’t stop… don’t give up.

High Priest Committee: “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”

Peter: (being filled with the Holy Ghost) “…by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom he crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.”

*Sometimes, a Christian can be intimidated when evil men come together against them, but despite the number of those opposed to your beliefs, trust that God alone is powerful enough to outnumber, and overcome any group of wicked men who desire to hurt or harm your bold faith in God.

(“And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”)

High Priest Committee: Give us a moment to talk things over. (Whispering among themselves) What should we do to these men? It’s obvious that a miracle has taken place, and everyone has witnessed it, and we cannot deny it. Let’s threaten them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, so the people won’t be convinced to believe in Him.

High Priest Committee: Hey, you men come over here. Listen, it’s cool what you guys did for the lame man and all, but we command you not to speak at all, or teach in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John: Whether you think our action was right or wrong, that’s on you guys, but we can only speak the things which we have seen and heard.

*Peter and John would not bend, no matter how much pressure was applied to them by the high priests.

(“So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.”)

(After being released, Peter and John returned to their own company of believers, and shared their experience. They then prayed so intense, that the place they inhabited was shaken, and all were filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.)

*There will be moments in our lives when we be afraid to share our faith in God, because people will make us uncomfortable and try to stop us. But like Peter and John, we must maintain our zeal for the Lord, and boldly confess Jesus before men, and He will confess us before the Father.

This concludes the exciting episode of, “Against All Odds, Be Bold”! Thanks for tuning in.

Profile: Stephen

Acts 6:8-15

Pros:
– Man of honest report (good reputation)
– Full of the Holy Ghost
– Full of wisdom
– Appointed as Deacon (to serve daily ministration)
– Full of faith
– Full of power
– Did great wonders and miracles among the people
– The glory of God shined even through his face

Cons:
– His godly favor stirred evil in the hearts of certain of the synagogue
– Men were paid to do underhand work against him
– Men set up false witnesses against him
– Men made false accusations against him

Just because a man or woman willingly chooses to submit themselves to the work of God’s kingdom, doesn’t guarantee they’ll be free from trouble. In fact, the closer a person gets to God, the harder the enemy will fight to pull them away from His hand. Oftentimes, those who will bring you the most trouble in the earth will come from the church. God’s way is right, and when men diligently seek His way, evil forces make it their business to hinder their progression. No matter how hard the devil tries to keep you from growing in God, stand firm in faith, knowing that through Christ, you can do all things, overcome all evil, and endure to a more perfect end.

“Fight the good fight, just because it’s right.” – Ell

They Should Have Picked Me!

Acts 6:1-7

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of, “They Should Have Picked Me!” Starring, The Twelve Apostles, and the group of unnamed Disciples! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

(Loud, and disturbing crowd chatter amongst the unsettled church members)

One of the 12: Alright, alright, calm down everyone. What seems to be the reason for all this unusual commotion?

Grecian Disciple: Good sirs, we understand that you are busy doing the Lord’s work; preaching, teaching, and healing, but while you are busy doing all those wonderful things, no one is tending to our widows during the time of daily ministration.

Crowd: YES YES, WE DESERVE TO BE TREATED JUST AS FAIR AS THE HEBREWS.

One of the 12: Hmm… I understand, but we must continue doing as God leads us, and it would be unwise for us to stop teaching, in order to partake of the daily ministration, so to avoid this problem again, we will allow you to select seven men with good reputations, and full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, to manage daily ministrations.

Crowd: Yes, that’s a great idea. Who should we choose?

(The seven that were chosen were Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolas)

One of the 12: Alright, now that we have that situation under control, we will continue in prayer and ministering the Word to all men. To the seven who were chosen, we lay hands on you, and pray that God use you to do His will, and that you fulfill your duties to the best of your ability.

Crowd: Amen. Amen. Amen.

(Crowd disperses, except one ungrateful disciple)

Ungrateful Disciple: Hey!! Wait!! Why wasn’t I selected to be chosen to serve the people? I’ve been faithful since I gave my heart to God?

One of the 12: Calm down young man. What is your problem?

Ungrateful Disciple: What’s my problem? What’s my problem? Do you know who I am?

One of the 12: Umm… not really, sorry

Ungrateful Disciple: I deserve to be among the seven selected to manage the daily ministration.

One of the 12: And why do you feel this way?

Ungrateful Disciple: Well, because I think I meet all the qualifications. And, I’ve served as a faithful disciple consistently.

One of the 12: Although you may meet the qualifications, shouldn’t you be in support of your fellow brethren who were selected, and continue doing those things pleasing to God from where you currently stand?

Ungrateful Disciple: Yeah, well, I guess you’re right, but I feel like I could do the job.

One of the 12: I understand son, but the fact that you weren’t selected doesn’t mean you can’t do the job. In fact, maybe God has something else He wants you to do in the church. Have you considered that thought?

Ungrateful Disciple: Now that you’ve mentioned it, maybe you’re right. Instead of getting frustrated with the fact that I wasn’t chosen to serve in that area, I should be happy for the men who were, and offer all the support they need to be successful. And, if God selects me to do something else, I’ll want the brethren to have my back as well.

One of the 12: You got it son. Well done. Now, keep that positive attitude, and go serve the Lord.

Ungrateful Disciple: Thank you sir, I most certainly will.

*We won’t always be selected to do special jobs in the kingdom, but we should not faint, nor lose heart when others are chosen, instead of us. God can get the most of us no matter what position we hold in His kingdom. Be grateful wherever God places you, and work diligently to see that His purpose is fulfilled in your life. Never hate on those who God calls to do special assignments, rather support them and keep them encouraged, because the work they do always comes with hard challenges.

“Stay in your lane, and let God bless you from there.” – Ell

Enduring Love

1 John 3:11-24

No matter what comes against you in this life, love one another… regardless of who despitefully uses and persecutes you, love one another… when your money starts to act funny, love one another… when your family turns against you, love one another… when friends are nowhere to be found when you need them most, love one another… when you have questions that no one can answer, love one another… when men hate you without valid reasons, love one another… when the wicked seem to prosper and the good seem only to suffer, love one another… when your test never seems like it’ll become a testimony, love one another… when people on your job misunderstand your righteous lifestyle, love one another… when it seems like God is ignoring your desperate cries for help, love one another… when men even try to kill you for doing only what the Bible teaches, love one another… when you lay in bed at night, wondering what’s the reason for living, love one another… when it seems like all your good works and deeds are going unnoticed, love one another… when you’re up worrying how the bills will get paid, while everyone else is sleeping peacefully, love one another… no matter what comes against you in this life, you are still commanded to love one another, because God is love, and He never stops showing love towards His people.

In all that you go through in this life, be sure to keep your conscious clear, heart pure, and motives set on keeping the commandments of God. In due time, God will reward the diligent for their labor.

“Love all men the same way you want God to love you.” – Ell

The Hard Side Of Love

3 John 1:9-12

How do you hug a porcupine, without getting poked with its pointy needles? It’s virtually impossible to come away injury-free when dealing with a porcupine, because he’s primed and always ready to poke anyone who gets too close. There are men and women in churches around the world, who are similar to porcupines. Rather than get along with brethren, they prefer to pick and poke at all that get too close, who try and correct their ways. The children of God were called to live by godly standards, and that includes behaving with the fruit of the Spirit, on a consistent basis, but how do you handle a person who seeks only to put themselves before others, and slander those who call them out for their wrongdoing? In the same way it’s difficult to hug a porcupine, it’s even more difficult to love an unruly church member. The flesh side of a man desires to slap good sense into those who refuse to humble themselves before the mighty hand of God, but the Spirit won’t allow them to give in to temptation. Instead, we are to continue to show love to those who are prideful and unruly, while making sure the body of believers isn’t affected by their evil doings. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)

“What’s love got to do with it? Everything!” – Ell

Joy Down In My Heart

3 John 1:1-4

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (vs. 4). Wow! What a feeling it must be, to have all your children living according to the righteousness of God, in this fallen and sin-sick world. Men and women today get overly excited and pumped up when their favorite sports team wins a game, or if their favorite actor wins a coveted award, but all the worldly things we get amped up for, pale in comparison to knowing that someone you love, has given their life to God. Do you remember the day when you gave your heart to God, and the warm, bubbly feeling you felt inside? It’s almost as if everything looked brand new from your eyes, and you developed a totally new take on life. Imagine how others feel, when they grow weary of living in shame and misery, then wisely submit to their intended purpose in God. While it’s nice to support a team or person of interest, when compared to living for God, all that stuff is counted as pure poo-poo. Take joy and delight in knowing that your eternity is safe and secure in God, because you made the choice to walk in truth, and shun those things that can do absolutely nothing to help you grow spiritually. Then, support those who have also committed their lives to God, and encourage them to stand firm, and fight well.

“Happiness fades, but joy lasts forever.” – Ell

Choose Wisely

1 John 2:28-3:10

If we don’t abide in God, when Christ returns, we’ll lack confidence in our eternal security, and be ashamed at His coming. If we are ignorant of God’s righteousness, then we’ll never understand the righteous works of those who are born of God, or committed to His purpose.

Have you ever really realized how much God loves us? Well, it was His intentions all along, for His created humans to be called His sons. So, how does a common man become royalty, without being born into the family line? According to man’s tradition, this is virtually impossible, but because of Jesus, all who accept the gift of salvation, can transform from common, to royal.

As sons of God, the world won’t understand they way we walk, talk, live, and believe, because their understanding of biblical doctrines is darkened. But, the hope we have in Christ makes us pure, regardless of what man labels us as. Being born of God, makes it possible for the redeemed to actually live a sinless life. Say what?! The Bible mentions in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”, but it is doable to live sinless in the earth. Although believers slip here and there (with no intentions of abusing grace), the seed of righteousness is planted in everyone who is born of God, and if they consistently adhere to His Word, they can indeed resist the practice of, or temptation to commit sin.

Verse 8 reads, “He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning.” While in Heaven, Lucifer allowed pride to cloud his judgment, thus causing him to rebel against God. His very nature is still influencing many today, but through the power and grace of God, anyone can overcome evil, and commit themselves to His holy will. All it takes to become royalty in Heaven is, a choice. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

“If you ever made a mistake in your life, don’t judge someone else who falls.” – Ell