That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still. (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 NAS)
The convenience of reading documents and other written or typewritten materials using mobile devices is said to be one of the greatest inventions that revolutionize the way we live today. Yet what is considered a new way of doing things is really nothing new except that it has been made more convenient—an upgrade or improved version of the old. Beside the advantages associated with reading books electronically, for example, reading ebooks differs little from reading them in print media.
Many circumstances in life are like the things of old repackaged to look different. We may feel the situations we are facing now more intense or problematic than before, yet we need not fret because what has been is what will be, unless we choose to respond differently (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
The story of Abraham’s life is an example of what it means to choose to respond differently. When sojourning in Egypt, Abram, fearful for his own life, chose to say of his wife she is his sister (Genesis 12:10-20). Later on when sojourning in Gerar, Abraham did the same thing again (Genesis 20:1-14). Some years later, when tested by God to offer up his only son, Abraham responded in acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty and was willing to give up his son even in such a dreadful situation (Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:17-19).
Like Abraham and many other people, I too have faced situations in life that frequently is a repeat of the old, repackaged to look and feel different with greater intensity. Some years ago, when I was faced with the loss of a job, I prayed and asked of God for sustenance while struggling to make ends meet through freelancing and working on project assignments. Later on when I was to encounter the same circumstance again, I asked of God for an open door to a job of my interest and ability that pays sufficiently to care for my loved ones. After God granted me my request—though just for a few months to tie through a tight situation—I am once again faced with the same situation. This time around, I choose to wait upon the Lord and seek His direction, thanking Him for the much needed rest.
How we respond to repeated situations is what makes a difference. There are many lessons in life we can learn over and over again, but unless we respond to God in greater trust, we fail to grow in maturity to deal with similar situations. Like temptation, no situation can overtake us but such as is common to man. Our God is faithful who will not allow us to be tested beyond what we are able to handle, but will provide us the way of escape that we will be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Are we facing a difficult situation today that seemingly keeps coming back? Unless we choose to respond differently, few things in life will ever change. Like Abraham, let us grow in our faith to greater maturity in facing the many situations in our lives by putting our complete trust in Christ.
Dear Lord, thank You for molding us to grow in spiritual maturity to trust You more and more each day. We know Lord that it is through repeated circumstances that we can do better the next time around. Direct us Lord on the right respond we should go with when faced with situations that seem so intense when we are in them. Help us remember how You have seen us through such difficult situations time and again that we may not fret or run away. In You O Lord we shall prevail and overcome all circumstances by faith.
It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. (Psalm 127:2 NAS)
Just a month into a brand new year and I am totally exhausted, badly in need of rest. Every day I rise up early to rush to work, spending almost the entire day laboring for my bosses. At the end of the day, I stay up late to catch up with the things I need to do, and then spend a little time to share a word of encouragement or two online. The weekends are also not spared from doing the things that are necessary besides serving the Lord and His people through devotional writing.
Like me, many of us are rushing all the time and it is not uncommon we take busyness as part and parcel of life. Such frequent rushing however is not good because it often leaves us exhausted and deprived of badly needed rest.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” This He said because the disciples were so busy serving the people that they did not even have time to eat (Mark 6:31). God’s word makes it very clear that it is in vain that we should rise up early and retire late to eat the bread of painful labors, for God gives to us even in our sleep (Psalm 127:2).
Are we too busy doing too many things and finding ourselves not having enough time to study God’s word, pray, and rest? If we are, we need to consider making some serious changes in the way we live. We need to slow down and go away to a secluded place and rest a while. Taking breaks between the rushes is important because it helps replenish our energy and refresh our minds for better concentration.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,” said Jesus. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matthew 11:28-29).
Dear Lord, thank You for granting us rest, and for showing us the vanity of waking up early and retiring late. We know Lord there is no reason for us to lose sleep over work or ministry because You give to us even in our sleep. Keep us focused on You Lord that we may not in our busyness neglect the more important things You intent for us. Help us find time to go away to a secluded place to rest and pray Lord, especially amid the rushes. You O Lord are an understanding God, gentle and humble in heart, and in You we find complete rest.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38 NIV)
Government change often and seldom can get to the root of the problem of poverty, but the church does. This is according to an article ‘Christians Really Do Reduce Poverty’ published on March 8, 2012 at ChristianityToday.com.
“This week I have been eyewitness to the inadequacy of governments alone to solve the problems of poverty,” wrote Richard Stearns, president of World Vision US, and author of the article. “… over the past week I have visited the poor in Cambodia, and I can attest that while economic growth in Asia has been tremendous, government efforts are not enough to change the lives of the poor. The church and private nonprofits, on the other hand, can do exactly that.”
According to Stearns, World Vision spends roughly $2.8 billion annually to care for the poor, and that is just a portion of the American church's effort to alleviate poverty. In the U.S., private giving to international causes exceeds government humanitarian and development programs.
Yet poverty is extensive, and despite the progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, roughly 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day, according to the article by Stearns. Should we then be unconcerned for the poor in our midst and count on government policies alone to work their way toward meeting their needs?
Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38).
Are we among those who are doing well? If we are, then we ought to search our hearts and ask ourselves why we should hog the riches God has given us? Perhaps we do not have much and are thinking how we can help while we are struggling to make ends meet. Well, in whatever small ways we can, without reluctance or hesitation, we should give to those who have greater needs than us and to the ones who are dying of poverty.
As followers of Christ, let us consider carefully what we hear and should do, for in the same way we treat and judge others, we shall be treated and judged. By the measure we use to help the poor, the same will also be measured to us and even more (Matthew 7:2; Mark 4:24). Instead of just meeting the spiritual needs of others, therefore, let us take a step further to meet their physical needs as well, for all is lost if a person dies of hunger before receiving Christ as Lord.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us good gifts. We know Lord that every good and perfect gift is from above, and it is of Your own we give to those who have greater needs than us. Help us Lord not hesitate to go beyond meeting spiritual needs to also meet physical needs as well. Bless us Lord that by the measure we give, the same will be measured to us and more.
and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20b NAS)
On October 29, 2012, Terrence T. McDonald of The Jersey Journal reported at NJ.com chaos in Jersey City as flood waters rose, amid officials investigating reports of building collapses. Downtown Hoboken and most of the Jersey City waterfront had seen significant flooding due to Hurricane Sandy, and by evening, water was quickly spreading throughout the streets of both cities along with widespread power outages.
Fire Director Armando Roman told the press he was on his way to 31 Newport Parkway where there were reports that the building's facade collapsed between the sixth and 16th floors. His vehicle however got trapped in rising waters on his way to the emergency.
In a news update on January 1, 2013 at NJ.com, Eugene Paik and Erin O’Neill of The Star-Ledger reported that the October 29 storm battered New Jersey, causing tens of billions of dollars in destruction. It damaged more than 72,000 homes and businesses, uprooted the lives of Polites and thousands more. At least 50,000 households in New Jersey qualified for temporary shelter as a result of Sandy.
Despite the best laid plans of architects and engineers, it is not unusual for us to hear from time to time about houses and buildings collapsing. Some are destroyed by earthquakes, fires, floods, and other natural disasters. Some structures are destroyed by deliberate acts. Faulty design can also lead to structural collapse. This is according to the article ‘Disasters and Collapses—How and Why Buildings Fall Down’ at Architecture.About.com.
In Joshua 6, the Bible recorded for us the account of how the wall of the city of Jericho fell down flat after the priests blew the trumpets and the people of Israel shouted with a great shout (Joshua 6:20). This falling of the wall was not a result of architectural or engineering flaw but faith in action and obedience to the LORD’s instruction (Joshua 6:1-5; Hebrews 11:30).
Like the wall of the city of Jericho which became an obstacle to the Israelites getting to the Promised Land, we may at times also face obstacles in our lives. If the Lord’s instruction to us is clear and verified according to the word of God, we need not fear or turn away because of hindrances or obstructions. Jesus said, “… if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you” (Matthew 17:20).
Let us therefore listen to the words of our Lord and put them into practice, for such is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. When the rain comes down, the streams rise, and the winds blow and beat against the house, it does not fall flat because its foundation is built on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25).
Grant us dear Lord the faith to obey Your instructions without wavering even when we face obstacles. Strengthen us Lord that we may not turn away from doing Your will because of opposing views or objectionable sentiments among the people we know or care about. Help us put in practice what You teach us O Lord that we may be wise to build our faith on You, our Rock and salvation.
How to deal with waiting on God
The fat, juicy tomatoes beckoned me from the garden in my backyard.
And even though some were finally ripe, it was taking me a while to get out there to harvest.
“Pick me, pick me!” their chubby selves would have chanted if they had mouths.
It was a wet day when I finally found the time. I donned my yellow slicker and braved the elements dropping glistening tomatoes into my collection bags.
We were into September already with our first frost quickly approaching. And less than half my crop was what I’d call “harvest ready.” This season has been a slow one for ripe tomatoes—even for me.
You see, I’m used to late tomatoes.
For some reason, mine always seem to ripen at a snail’s pace while my friends have long since “put up” their season’s best. And after several years of home gardening, I’ve learned that lateness is one thing I can count on with my beefsteaks, romas and cherry berries.
I have a friend who is new to the area who also enjoys home gardening, and I heard that he was having the same problem I was—waiting on slow-ripening tomatoes.
But, long before my tomatoes were ripe, I heard that his wife was busily canning and putting up loads of spaghetti sauce. I jokingly told her that I’d be doing the same … in about a month.
Recently, I was at my friend’s house and he showed me a table full of ripe tomatoes – offering them to me. He said that his tomatoes were being so slow that they went out and bought bushels of tomatoes for their canning. Now that they were done, their tomato crop decided to show up!
We’ve all had our own personal trials with waiting haven’t we? And sometimes when things don’t develop at the pace we want them to we choose step in and “help out.”
Something similar happened to Sarah. After hearing that she and her husband Abraham were going to have a child in their old age, Sarah waited … and waited.
And then she waited so more.
Finally, Sarah felt that she had waited enough. And she came up with a plan that would bring her husband a son a whole lot quicker. She took herself out of the equation and provided Abraham with a “substitute wife” (see Genesis 16).
But Sarah’s plan wasn’t God’s plan was it?
God wanted the promised child to come from Sarah’s womb. And Sarah would just have to wait.
Does Sarah’s “waiting game” sound familiar to you? I know it does for me. Sometimes I want to “help” God along in answering my prayers and sometimes, I just want to quit.
Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. And in 1952, she set out on another long distance trek swimming from Catalina Island toward the California coast.
It was a 26 mile swim in numbing cold water.
But thick fog had set in and Chadwick, after 15 hours of swimming, asked to be taken out of the water. The shoreline was close, she was told, but, because of the fog, she couldn’t see it and gave up. Chadwick later found out that she was just a half mile from shore. And she told reporters that if she could have just seen land, she might have been able to keep on going.
Waiting on God is a lot like that sometimes isn’t it? God doesn’t always give us the “inside scoop” on how and when he is going to answer our prayers. And when we can’t see clearly how things are going to turn out, we are tempted to give up like Florence Chadwick.
Are you in a “holding pattern”right now? God’s saying wait and you’re wondering how long? Be careful not to move forward on your own or even quit without prayerful consideration.
Sometimes things, like ripe tomatoes, take time. —Debra Torres of MyChristianDevotionalBlog.com
Helpful Bible Verses on Waiting
Psalm 52:8-9; 62:5-6; 130:5-6
We all have those times in life when we find ourselves dealing with the ugly consequences of neglect and procrastination. Truth is we all have areas of neglect we need to deal with. The problem is realizing we have a problem! Our big neglect problem was our landscaping.
When we moved into our home many years ago, the hedge of Burning Bushes was below the fence line. Not knowing much about that particular type of bush, we were afraid to prune it.
Over the years, we’ve tried to ignore it. Consequently, it grew and grew and grew, until it was over our heads. Then we trimmed it lightly. Unfortunately, despite our pitiful efforts, it kept on growing taller and taller. Plus it started popping up all over the place! Every time we pruned a new stalk, it grew back with multiple branches!
Our Burning Bush is beautiful in the fall when its leaves turn scarlet, but it has been a major stress factor in our lives. It has symbolized all the other areas where we had neglected work that needed to be done.
This year we finally took the plunge and pruned this monstrosity almost to the ground. We were at the point where we didn’t care if it lived or died. It had to go or become more manageable!
After we discovered how easy it was to take a chain saw to cut it down to size, we kicked ourselves for being so timid and neglectful. This bush had not brought joy, but misery, for it was a constant reminder of our failure to maintain control over our landscaping.
The Bible says in Luke 16:10, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much …”
Neglect is not visible at first. In fact, it is easy to become neglectful because no one does notice at first. So many factors come into play when we start trying to figure out where we went wrong.
Neglect is not something we plan for; it’s a condition that occurs when we do nothing. Other activities take over our lives before we even realize what’s happening. It’s the small things that tend to trip us up the most. Then we begin to form a habit of procrastination and neglect of our duties. We are unfaithful in carrying out our responsibilities.
For some the biggest area of neglect is their spiritual life. Forgetting to read the Bible daily or to spend quality time in prayer contributes to spiritual neglect. We can’t attend church on Sunday and expect to have all our spiritual needs met.
If we want a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus, we must plan time with Him. When our focus is not on Him, we are prone to becoming entangled with worldly pleasures and entertainment, leaving no time for Jesus or His work for us.
It is time to repent of our sin of neglect, realizing that being faithful in all our ways is pleasing to our Lord. Let us discipline ourselves to take care of issues as soon as they crop up, lest we procrastinate and leave our duties undone.
Dear Lord,
We thank you for reminding us how important it is to be faithful in the seemingly small things of life. We ask your forgiveness for neglecting our relationship with You. We confess we have not been faithful to pray and read our Bible regularly. We haven’t relied on You, but have exercised our own will and failed miserably to accomplish all we must. Help us to prune out the sins of unfaithfulness and procrastination. Help us tackle our daily tasks with zeal and enthusiasm, refusing to allow ourselves to be tempted to put them off. Help us to be faithful servants in every aspect of our lives. We look to you, O Lord, for strength to persevere when we are tempted to seek our own way. Thank you for your constant faithfulness! —Linda Hull of Words of Encouragement
Who doesn’t enjoy receiving an unexpected word of encouragement, a pat on the back, or a reassuring hug? I certainly appreciate times I have received such. Even more thankful for them when I found myself watered my the praise and encouragement of others during intense seasons of drought or doubt in my life.
David in 1 Samuel 30:1-8 found himself in need of encouragement. Yet it was not to be found around him. After traveling for three days, he and his men returned home to find their homes demolished and their families kidnapped. Seeing the devastation, they all grieved but his men grief quickly became anger toward David so much so that they desired to stone him. Now that seems pretty bad—certainly nothing uplifting about his current situation. In the midst of loss of home and family, he now was facing abandonment from men, who were suppose to be on his side.
David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 1 Sam 30:6 (AMP)
Being distressed in such a situation is understandable but that last portion of the verse seems almost out-of-place when you first read it.
His situation was bad but …
He had experienced great loss but …
His soldiers now wanted to kill him but …
But he accessed something beyond his environment and beyond the people who accompanied him. David didn’t rely on the externals of life to be his source of encouragement. While most of us may never experience a loss to the extent of David, we have all found ourselves in situations that looked bleak. And we may have encounter voices of negativity rather than support from those closest in our circle. Even still we don’t have to allow ourselves to confined to distress, disappointment, or discouragement. The externals of our lives aren’t always rosy but internally we can find strength and encouragement in God just as David did. —Wanda Ward
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. (Romans 14:19 NAS)
Living in the city has its ups and downs. While some of us find it convenient to travel by way of the subway train, there are times in the day we need to practice tolerance while onboard, especially during the rush hours. One of the ways to do this is to keep oneself preoccupied, such as to play a game on the smartphone or computer tablet. No doubt, not all of us are into electronic games, but sometimes such a practice can help keep one sane and less incline to pick up unnecessary tension that comes with the squeeze.
Like some of the people traveling onboard public transport, I too at times keep myself occupied on the smartphone texting messages or playing games. This practice of defocusing myself from the surroundings while onboard the subway train has helped me many a time to keep my cool and my blood pressure down. Nevertheless, I try not to become oblivious to my surroundings or be insensitive to the people around me. As a practice, I strive to live by the principle of Philippians 2:3-4 to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard also the interests of others.
As much as playing an electronic game can help reduce tension, it can also destroy a person who keeps at it to the point of senseless living and insensitivity to others. Violence and crime resulting from ardent devotion to video gaming have been reported in the news and we know what worrying effects some games can do. As followers of Christ, therefore, we ought to always keep a watch of our loved ones, our attitudes and minds when it comes to playing online, video or digital games. Always be conscious not to indulge, become addicted, or be oblivious to our surroundings.
Having been called to freedom, therefore, we should not let our freedom turn into an opportunity for the flesh, for although everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial (Galatians 5:13; 1 Corinthians 10:23). We should instead pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19).
Dear Lord, thank You for keeping us calm even amid tense situations. We know Lord that while tools such as online and digital games can be helpful, they can also be harmful if we are not careful. Help us therefore Lord to know how we should keep the balance between enjoying a game and at the same time not fall into excessive indulgence or insensitivity to others. Protect our loved ones and our minds Lord that we may not come to a point of putting something more important than You. Wherever You place us O Lord, grant us Your peace at all times.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25 NIV)
When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior some thirty over years ago during an evangelistic meeting, I was given a small booklet by a counselor on the first steps for new Christians. In the booklet, I got to understand the basics of how to stay assured of my salvation, grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus by studying the Bible, and to pray.
Years later, God granted me the opportunity to serve as a counselor for several large scale gospel events, including those organized for speakers like evangelists Billy Graham, Luis Palau, and Reinhard Bonnke. During these events, the people in the crowd receiving the Lord were one by one directed to a counselor for briefing after prayer. My task as a counselor was then to go through with the new believer the steps to peace with God using a booklet that explained God’s plan, man’s problem, God’s remedy and man’s response. After that, it was all administrative stuff for follow up arrangements.
When the new believers were eventually assigned to the various participating churches, my role continued in following up to guide them in the first steps as new Christians. This systematic approach to follow up new believers before they join a Bible study or cell group had helped kept many in the faith.
The task of guiding new believers on the right steps to take to grow in Christ is critical, especially for those who were previously from another faith. As Christians, we have been called to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything our Lord has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). To this we have been called, since Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21). If we therefore live by the Spirit, we should also keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). And if anyone should fall or be caught in a sin, we who are spiritual ought to restore that person gently, keeping watch at the same time that we ourselves are not tempted (Galatians 6:1).
Dear Lord, help us not neglect the following up of new believers in the faith. Teach us to be sensitive toward them Lord that we may not be too quick to point a finger at them when they falter or fall into sin. Place within us a gentle spirit Lord that we may correct, restore and nurture those who are weak, and help them grow strong in You. We thank You Lord for readily suffering on our behalf to die on the cross to redeem us. Henceforth Lord, we purpose to walk in Your ways and keep in step with Your Holy Spirit.
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:1-2a NIV)
Crocuses are among the first plants to burst into bloom even while snow is still on the ground. According to an article at GardenersNet.com, these hardy flowers begin to grow with a warm spell in late winter or early spring, and blossom into bright colors of impressive beauty within a few days of growth.
One of the good things about crocuses is they are easy to care. Even if snow falls again before they bloom or during bloom, the crocuses remain unharmed and come back year after year to brighten up the winter gardens with colors in large display. Bumblebees and butterflies hungry after hibernation love to feed on the nectar from the crocuses. Yet despite such beauty and value, crocuses disappear soon after flowering and do not leave behind any ugly aftermath of dying foliage. This is according to Nigel Colborn in his article on the magical powers of crocuses at DailyMail.co.uk.
The crocus is described in the Bible as a plant that bursts into bloom and brings much rejoicing to a deserted land. The parched land exemplifies the ‘dried up’ lives we live in during the times we run away from God or are not walking in Him (Isaiah 35:1-2). Yet even then, God promises us if we are to turn from our wayward ways and return to Him, He will restore us. Our lives will be like water gushing forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool and the thirsty ground bubbling springs. Gladness and joy will overtake us and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isaiah 35:6-7, 10).
Are we down and out feeling all dried up in our spiritual lives? If we are, let us come back to God that He may refresh us and quench our thirst. Like the crocuses that bloom to brighten up the gardens and feed the bumblebees and butterflies, let us also ‘bloom’ to reveal to the world the beauty and glory of our God in and through our lives. No matter how long or short our lives may be on earth, let us not leave behind anything with regret or sadness, but let us be found faithful to the end in showing faith in the way we live.
Dear Lord, thank You for not turning away from us even when we run away from You. Restore our souls O Lord and quench our thirst in our times of spiritual dryness as we return to You that we may with gladness and joy show to the world Your great mercy and love. Take our lives and make them wholly Yours Lord, for we desire to do Your will and live in You all the days of our lives through eternity—life forevermore.
