Category Archives: Bible Stories

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July 10, 2015

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Bible Stories, God's Promises, Knowing Him, Obedience, Temptation & Sin

WICKEDNESS BRINGS PUNISHMENT

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“The Last Judgment” – Munster Cathedral, Bern, Switzerland


Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. [Exodus 43:6-7 (NLT)]

If asked to draw a picture of God, many would probably draw a pleasant old gentleman with a gentle smile. Looking a bit like Santa Claus, he’d be dressed in a long white robe instead of a fur-trimmed red coat and hat. This kind-looking grandfatherly man would be seated on a throne with several little children in his lap. Reading the Old Testament, however, makes one rethink this picture. While we meet a loving and forgiving God, we also encounter a judgmental and destructive God: a God who sends plagues to his people, destroys whole towns, and sends his people into slavery. This is not the “warm and fuzzy” God about whom we want to think. He’s certainly not the good-natured God of my Sunday school classes.

It certainly is more comforting for us to think of God as loving and merciful and, indeed, He is. But, as the Old Testament reminds us and the New Testament warns us, God can get angry with his people. He hates sin and he is ready to hand out punishment to those who defy him. Fortunately, we also have a loving and forgiving Heavenly Father who hasn’t lost faith in his children. He saved Noah and his family from the flood. He rescued Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He saved Jonah from the whale after Jonah said he’d obey God’s directions. After telling Nineveh they would be destroyed in forty days, God relented when they repented their sinful ways. After punishing the Israelites for their disobedience, God finally led them to the Promised Land. Later, He rescued them from their exile in Babylon. Although we continually disappoint God with our disobedience, He mercifully gave us his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

The righteous character of God includes both his anger and judgment along with his love and mercy. It is not enough to read and hear only God’s comforting words. We must remember that His justice goes hand in hand with His love.

Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord your God and not to fear him. I, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken! [Jeremiah 2:19 (NLT)]

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July 6, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Fear & Doubt, Love & Works, Obedience, Trusting God

THE BURNING BUSH

Now I am going to send you to Pharaoh, to demand that he let you lead my people out of Egypt. “But I’m not the person for a job like that!” Moses exclaimed. [Exodus 3:10-11 (TLB)]

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Flame Vine

Things were going well for Moses in Midian: he was happily married, with a family and tending his father-in-law’s sheep. Then God interrupted his comfortable life with a burning bush and a major task: free the Israelites. Moses reacted the way most of us would by questioning God. Who am I to do this? Who do I say sent me? What if they don’t believe me? He then told God he simply wasn’t up to the task. God, not one to be thwarted, responded to all off Moses’ concerns. He would be with him, provide the words, the proof, and even Aaron to do the talking. In short, God promised to provide and Moses obeyed.

God sends all of us burning bush moments that interrupt our comfortable lives. While not history-making assignments like freeing people from slavery, they are, nevertheless, important to the people involved. A few years ago I had a burning bush moment and, like Moses, I questioned God about my ability to respond.

My mother-in-law had suffered a mild heart attack and we were in a treatment room in the local ER. Resting comfortably, she’d been diagnosed and treatment had started. We were simply waiting with her for a hospital room to become available. Suddenly, a young man on a gurney was wheeled past our room. Surrounded by paramedics, an automated CPR machine was pumping on his chest. As doctors and nurses sped past, I said a quick prayer for him. Not much later, I saw a young woman being consoled by a nurse. There was no doubt in my mind that this woman had been married to the man brought in by the EMTs. Clearly, the outcome had not been good; while she’d started the day as a wife, she would be ending it as a widow. This tearful woman was being given papers, directions and some small solace before the nurse turned away. It was a busy night in the ER and other patients called. This was my burning bush moment. Alone in her grief, did she need someone to be with her?

Like Moses, I had questions and excuses. I’m not a grief counselor, what would I say? What if she rebuffed my offer? What if she’s not Christian? Would I have to drive her home? If so, how and when would I get back to the hospital? What if I got sucked into all sorts of family drama? Unlike Moses, however, I didn’t trust God’s provision. In fact, I didn’t even listen for His answers to my questions. While busy thinking about me and pondering various difficult scenarios in my mind, the opportunity passed. When next I looked, the woman was gone.

Unsure of what to do and hesitant to get involved, I should have prayed for God’s guidance. Instead of thinking of all the reasons I wasn’t qualified, I should have trusted His provision. I may have been told to mind my own business or been slightly inconvenienced. I’m a big girl and I could have handled that. Like Moses, I didn’t know what I’d say. It probably wasn’t relevant Bible verses, however, that this woman needed. She just needed God’s love and compassion and I have plenty of that. I could have offered a little help, prayers, sympathy and a shoulder on which she could cry.

Without a doubt, there will be other burning bush moments in my life. I pray that I will respond with an open and trusting heart the next time that happens. Keep your eyes open; there may be a burning bush in your path today. How will you respond?

Among the early difficulties of our early ministry, my brother Charles often said, “If the Lord would give me wings, I’d fly.” I used to answer, “If God bids me fly, I will trust Him for the wings.” [John Wesley]

Help me to do your will, for you are my God. Lead me in good paths, for your Spirit is good. [Psalm 143:10 (TLB)]

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July 1, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Nature, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

WEEDS

He [Jesus] answered, “The one who plants the good seeds is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seeds are those who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil.” [Matthew 13: 37-39 (NLT)]

7-1-15thistle (Canadian)-LGenWI572-cropwebI love thistles—when I’m taking their pictures in the woods. I discovered I don’t much care for them when they’re in my garden. But, there they were, along with dandelions, knotweed, clover, sorrel, mint, chives, prickly lettuce and other unidentified weeds in what used to be my rose garden. Months of neglect had taken its toll on our plant beds and only a few pink rose petals were even visible in the tangled mess. At one time, this had been a well-established and properly tended garden, but our more than nine month absence for two years in a row allowed the weeds to prevail.

My husband and I were faced with a dilemma similar to the one God faced with Sodom: in ours, far too many weeds and in His, far too many sinners. Because Abraham pled with God, the righteous Lot and his family were saved from destruction but the rest of the sinful city was destroyed. In the case of our garden, however, the two remaining stunted rose bushes had no one to plead for them and were pulled up along with the weeds. Unlike God, we swept away the innocent with the guilty! After thoroughly removing every plant, we started fresh, only this time with zebra grass that, hopefully, will better survive our neglectful gardening.

As we worked, I thought of Jesus’ parables about the farmers who sowed their seeds. One farmer planted seeds on different kinds of ground. The seeds sown on the quality soil produced a good harvest and represented those who heard and understood God’s word—people of faith. In another parable, Jesus told of a farmer who had planted good seeds in quality soil only to learn that his field had weeds. The weeds, planted by the enemy, were scheduled for future destruction. Looking at my garden, I knew it wasn’t Satan, but rather neglect, that had caused my weeds. It suffered from lack of attention; there had been no cultivating, watering, pruning, fertilizer, or weed pulling.

We can have a firmly established faith but, like our garden, faith can’t be ignored or neglected; it must be nurtured. Without cultivating our faith with church and fellowship, watering it with His word, pruning it with prayer, fertilizing it with service, and vigorous weed pulling with confession and repentance, our faith can’t thrive. The enemy will be able to take over and destroy the garden of our lives. Without consistent care, our faith won’t flourish; it will be weak or die like my roses.

As for me, now that I’m done with the house garden, I plan on doing some serious work in the garden of my faith. I don’t want to give the enemy a foothold and end up being swept away with the wicked or burnt with the weeds. How about you? Do you have any gardening that needs to be done?

The Lord remained with Abraham. Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? [Genesis 18:22b-23 (NLT)]

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. [Hebrews 6:7-8 (NLT)]

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June 30, 2015

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Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works

JOB’S FRIENDS

In trouble like this I need loyal friends – whether I’ve forsaken God or not. But you, my friends, you deceive me like streams that go dry when no rain comes. [Job 6:14-15 (GNT)]

My closest friends look at me with disgust; those I loved most have turned against me. [Job 19:19 (GNT)]

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Job was enduring unbearable suffering; surely he could count on his friends for some support! His friends came to him but, instead of the compassion and encouragement that Job needed, they opened their mouths and began to criticize the poor man. They immediately assumed the worst of their friend. It was all Job’s fault; God was angry with him and punishing him for his sins! Surely, Job’s past behavior hadn’t given his friends reason to suspect him of sinfulness; in fact, Job is described as a “blameless” man—a man of “complete integrity.” His friends, however, were quick to believe the worst of him. They became accusers instead of comforters and judges instead of supportive friends. Granted, there are a few nuggets of Biblical truth hidden in their long accusing speeches but Job needed sympathy and reassurance rather than theological arguments.

Friends like Job’s aren’t the kind we need in a crisis. They are the people in the basements of our lives: the ones who jeer and yell catcalls. Instead of helping us up, they kick us when we’re down and may even delight in our failings. Nevertheless, we tend to keep basement friends around, probably because they often praise us when we don’t live up to our potential and offer encouragement when we’re on the wrong path. They frequently tempt us or distract us from God’s plan. They may be interesting and fun, but they’re of little use when trouble hits.

Job needed a cheering section, not a jeering section. He needed friends who would lift him when he was down and strengthen him in his weakness. We all need friends in the bleachers of our lives who will cheer for us. Good friends, however, do more than encourage us. While they see our potential for greatness and offer praise, they also tell us the truth. They can be trusted to give us an honest critique of our conduct. Tactfully (and with love), they will tell us when our behavior is inadequate or unacceptable and they’ll hold us accountable. Most important, unlike Job’s friends, good friends know how to sit silently with us in our sorrow, affliction and even shame. They’ll hold our hands, wipe our tears, and pray with and for us. A good friend will help us find strength in our weakness and hope in our despair.

Lord, guide us in our friendships. Lead us to befriend the people who will make us better and show us how to be the kind of friends who, in turn, will bring out the best in others.

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. [Henri Nouwen]

There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. [Proverbs 18:24 (NLT)]

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June 29, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, God's Plan, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets, Trusting God

WHY ASK “WHY?”

I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord! [Job 1:21 (NLT)]

So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny. [Job 23:14 (NLT)]

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Life rapidly went from bad to worse for Job, a prosperous farmer who lost absolutely everything dear to him. In a matter of a few days, Job’s world was turned upside down. His flock of sheep were destroyed, his livestock stolen, his farmhands killed, and his children all died. As if the emotional pain from losing both his family and wealth wasn’t enough, Job became afflicted with boils, causing him terrible physical pain as well.

Job’s greatest torment, however, wasn’t physical or emotional; it was intellectual. He simply couldn’t understand the reason why such horrible events had occurred. In his anguish, he asked why God had turned away from him. Why was he being treated as a God’s enemy? Job, a good man, was positive that he’d done nothing wrong so his suffering couldn’t be punishment for any sins. Why then did he have to endure such woes? Even though he couldn’t understand the why of his misery, however, Job never lost his faith in God. He finally comprehended, as we all must at some point in our lives, that there will never be a satisfactory explanation for suffering and agony; our business is not to ask but to accept. Job finally asked God to forgive him for the questioning of His will. Even without knowing a reason for the tragedies of his life, the faithful Job managed to say, “Praise the name of the Lord!”

Like Job, when tragedy occurs in our lives or even in the lives of others, we feel there needs to be a reason that we can comprehend. Why we keep asking “why?” is beyond me; there is never anything close to an acceptable explanation for the tragedies of this life. We’re simply not ever going to know “why” on this side of eternity. It is a test of our faith to trust in the life a good and loving God has given to us and rather than just to trust in a life that is good. Rather than having faith in God because of what He does for us and the blessings he bestows on us, we need to have faith in God simply because of who He is and what Christ did for us on the cross. God’s plans for us are good ones and that is all we really need to know.

You, child of God, sometimes say, “What can be the design of this cross? What can be meant by that bereavement? Why am I perplexed by this dilemma? Why is this difficulty piled like a barricade across my path?” Well, you know not now, but you shall know hereafter; meanwhile, settle it firmly in your faith that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) [Charles Spurgeon]

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? [Job 2:10 ((NLT)]

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June 27, 2015

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Prayer, Trusting God

PRAY AS IF YOU BELIEVE

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Praying Mantis


Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. [Psalm 5:3 (NLT)]

Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! [John 14:14 (NLT)]

I never wrote a Christmas or birthday present wish list as a child; I was taught that it is impolite to ask for gifts. When I was first married, I remember being somewhat disappointed at the gifts my husband chose for me because he hadn’t selected whatever it was that I’d hoped to receive. Yet how was he to know? I foolishly thought that if he truly loved me he would automatically know what was on my unexpressed wish list. After a few disappointing holidays, I realized that I had to speak up and make my feelings known. Good man that he is, he hasn’t let me down since!

If I can express my wishes to my husband, why do I have so much trouble asking God for what I want? Am I afraid He won’t or can’t answer? The more critical the problem or greater the need, the less likely I am to pray as if He can deliver. When praying for other people’s needs, I can be pretty specific, but when praying for my own needs I often pray a somewhat generic prayer of, “Thy will be done,” without ever expressing my fervent hopes for healing or help. It’s as if I don’t trust God enough to ask for anything that specific. This, however, is the God who created the heavens and earth, parted the Red Sea, made the sun stand still, restored lepers to health, gave sight to the blind, and brought Lazarus back to life. I shouldn’t be afraid to ask God for anything, always understanding that my hopes may not be His will. I should, however, have the faith to ask Him anyway.

Father in Heaven, give me faith; help me overcome my unbelief!

“Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” [Mark 9:22-24 (NLT)]