Bad Choices - Bad Results

“A certain man went to sojourn in the country of Moab.” Ruth 1:1

This man was Elimelech and he left Bethlehem to live in a country of pagans. Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Savior, was abandoned for a land of idols and perverse practices. What Elimelech wanted was earthly security so he chose an earthly place to get it. Of course, he died in that pagan land as did his two sons. The wages of sin is death. How ironic that he should die in the very place that he sought refuge while those who stayed in Bethlehem, although they suffered need, still survived. 

What is most important to us? Earthly security or Christ? What is most important to us? Earthly recognition or Christ? Do we abandon Bethlehem for fame, fortune, applause, or a simple meal of worldly fare? Do we wish to pay the price Elimelech paid? Jesus said we cannot serve two masters; we must choose. Joshua said the same thing, “Choose you this day whom you shall serve.” That is still the challenge today.

Dear Father, Strengthen me to make the right choice to serve You. Amen.

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Cause and Effect

“Famine in the land.” Ruth 1:1

The Book of Judges ends with this sad comment, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” The book of Ruth states that it begins in the days of the judges and there was famine in the land. The two ideas are firmly connected. When we do what is right in our own eyes we will have a spiritual famine, and possibly a physical one, in our lives. There are only two choices - our way or God’s way. One leads to loss and the other to gain.

God’s way is clear. “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before Me.” That is clear. Putting ourselves before God in time, talent, resources, or expectations, there will be famine. It will be in our lives and in the life of our churches. Famine leads to death in our lives and in the life of our churches. Are we dry spiritually? Are our churches dying? Doing things God’s way is the way out of famine.

Dear Father, Help us set our proper focus on You. Amen

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A Letter of Commendation

“I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church.” Romans 16:1

Paul spends a great part of his conclusion in this letter to the Romans with commendations for the faithful workers in the church. What had Phoebe done? She had been a servant, not a sitter. Anyone can sit, but the faithful will serve. She succored the church. That means she aided it, supported it, comforted it, provided for it, and was a benefactor in many ways. Her heart was in her work. It was not done because no one else would. It was done because she loved the church.

Churches today find it increasingly difficult to find workers, even to find people willing to sit on a committee to oversee one small ministry of the church. This is sad. Romans 16 lists many who willingly stepped forward, who did not claim that they were too busy with the things of this world to be servants in the church. We need to be willing, as they were, to be servant of God and not totally absorbed in ourselves.

Dear Father, Help us to see Your work as truly important and then do it. Amen.

  The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

 

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Helping to Reach the Lost

“I hope to be helped on my where there by you.” Romans 15:24

Paul was a man with a mission. He saw the world through God’s eyes, a world full of people on their way to hell unless someone told them about Jesus and how to be saved. He walked thousands of miles, endured countless trials, worked by day and preached by night that he might reach the world with the saving Gospel of Christ. To assist him along his way he welcomed support from believers to fulfill this task.

The world remains full of people headed to hell because they have still not heard the saving Gospel of Christ. Missionaries still travel to spread the word of God and they still need our help. God still calls us to be supportive, with prayers and finances, to those who obey the call to go and preach. Yet the church spends more and more of its money on everything but obeying that great commission. Paul hoped for support from the church and we should not be slack in providing it to those who will go and tell.

Dear Father, Give us a heart for spreading Your Gospel. Amen.

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I've Told You and Told You

“For whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” Romans 15:4

“How many times to have to tell you!” the exasperated parent laments. “I’ve told you a thousand time!” Then kindlier and with less frustration. “Please listen and think before you do this again.” Wow, this must be just about everybody’s home. We speak to walls, we speak to rocks, we speak to empty air and all the while we think we are speaking to our children. Just think how God feels. That’s right. Just like a parent. He is, after all, our Father.

Year after year, century after century, God sent His prophets to the children of Israel. A few paid attention, but most did not. That is the clear record of Scripture. Now God is telling His church to pay attention. He tells His church that what has been written by the prophets of old, are still important for them to read and know. God has not changed nor have his expectations. We must not neglect to know His word.

Dear Father, Stir us by Your Spirit to listen and obey your voice. Amen.

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Our Brother's Keeper

“Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace, and things that will edify another.” Romans 14:19

While our job is not to focus on our neighbor’s accounts with God, as Christians we are to look after the welfare of our neighbor and help them prosper. This is part of the message of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Instead of stealing from our neighbor, we should help him retain his goods and instead of coveting our neighbor, we should seek his prosperity. This isn’t only in matters of the flesh.

Our Christian neighbors, the fellowship of the saints in our own church, can often find themselves in need of spiritual support. Things happen to all of us that rock our world. Challenges and temptations beset all of us that sap our will and steal our strength. Our job is to edify, to encourage, and to build up those who are suffering from the assaults of the evil one. We need to do this in peace and love.

Dear Father, Strengthen us to be of good service to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

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Our Own Accounts

“So then, everyone one of us shall give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:11

I have a bank account. I have no idea how much is in my bank account because my beloved bride handles all banking. But while I could actually look if I wanted to, I could only look at my own account and not the one of the family next door. How much they have or don’t have in the bank is not my concern. They have to keep the accounts with the bank clear themselves. I am not in charge of their debts or prospered by their assets.

Paul tells the Romans to consider this principle and follow it. They were getting too busy with the other believers’ accounts with God to remember their own balance. When we watch others and ignore ourselves, our accounts often go quickly into arrears. Let us carefully consider our walk with God each day and remain concerned only with our own balance.

Dear Father, Help me to live for you and not try to live my neighbor’s life. Amen

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