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November 30 ThinkOnIt...Equipped and Commissionedsince it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do
not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His
saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among
you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NKJV
The righteousness of God is sometimes difficult to understand. When that conflict occurs, we
need to remember, He is God and we are not. We do not know the full picture otherwise we’d
side with God every time. In the verse above, it tells of God’s vengeance on those who refuse
Him. The punishment for denying the Lord during our life time, will mean “everlasting destruction”
when we do see Jesus Christ in that Day.
What does that stir in you? Do you shudder at the thought of people you love, who have not
accepted Christ yet, being “punished with everlasting destruction”? What about others you don’t
know? Does it bother you at all they may be going to a place of torment?
Believers, these verses should affect you immensely. If not, you may want to stop, think and pray
about why it doesn’t affect you. Jesus Christ equipped and commissioned us to share His good
news with the world.
Equipping
Acts 1:8 NKJV “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
When God calls us, He also ensures we have everything we need to carry out that calling. Notice
in Acts 1:8 how power is combined with the Holy Spirit. His Spirit now dwells within us giving us
the power we need to live for Christ, fulfilling all He has desired for us to do.
Commissioning
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Amen.”
What does He want us to do? I think it’s pretty clear from the Matthew verse above. He wants
us to make disciples, baptize them and teach them to observe all the things Christ commanded us.
How do I make a disciple? First off, you begin by asking God to lead you to someone who wants
to grow in the Lord. Next, you might keep your eyes and ears open for people around you that
show signs of wanting to know the Lord more intimately. You, then, might strike up a conversation
with them about the Lord and begin a relationship with them. Maybe you invite this person to a bible
study for deeper look at God’s Word. As your relationship grows with this person, so does your
conversation about the Lord and over time both of you will grow in your walk with the Lord.
Regarding the baptizing, while I have not personally baptized anyone, I usually leave that to my
church pastor’s to do. Although, scripture indicates that we all can baptize when we’re called to.
Remember, Philip and the Eunuch? He baptized the Eunuch besides a road in the middle of the
desert. There’s nothing magical or sacred about baptism that only certain people within the
church may perform it. It’s simply an outward symbol of the change that occurs within the heart.
It’s an external declaration you now belong to Christ.
About teaching others what the Lord commanded us, this one is easy as long you, yourself are
following His commands. We lead by example. We are role models for all who want to know
what it means to be a Christian. Those on the outside are watching us to see if really believe all
that we say about the Lord. We also teach through bible studies, and one on one mentoring.
Start with living out His commands, like “Love the Lord with all your heart and Love your neighbor
as yourself” and whether you go on to teach bible study or not, you are still teaching others about
the Lord with your life.
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the courage to activate the power You have given us
by Your Holy Spirit. Let us obey Your commands and make disciples, baptize them and
teach them Your ways. In Your precious name, Jesus we pray these things. Amen.
Let’s review. The Bible is very clear there is a place of torment for those who refuse, deny and
reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also clear that we, believers, are giving power to carry out God’s call in our lives to make disciples, baptize them and teach them to observe all His commandments. May we go on to share God’s Good News with those around us for His Glory and His Kingdom.
November 28 ThinkOnIt...Faith, Love and PatienceWe are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because
your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds
toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches
of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations
that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of
God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you
also suffer; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 NKJV
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Thessalonians had many
of these fruit visible in their walk with the Lord. Look at what Paul says in today’s verse.
Their faith was growing exceedingly. How do you know when someone’s faith is growing?
way to tell is how quickly they turn to God in prayer. Just the other day, I was explaining to
my 12 year son, how God proves Himself real to me through answering my prayers. If we
don’t pray, we’re not giving God the opportunity to answer us and then how can He make
Himself real to us? Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And
lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct
your paths.” I’m not saying that’s the only way God does things. However, I’ve found turning
God and acknowledging Him in prayer is definitely how He increased my faith, little by little with
each answer He provided.
The Thessalonians’ love for others was apparently very noticeable as well. How do you recognize
love in someone’s life? Rather than us guessing what love is like, let’s look at how the Bible defines
of love: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NKJV “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does
not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Does it mean they had all these things evident in their
lives? We don’t know. But we do know that they suffered because of persecutions and tribulations.
Notice the first element of love described above is about suffering and kindness. So it’s quite possible,
they handled the trials appropriately – without blame, rudeness, or taking revenge.
Patience was obvious through all the trials they endured. Patience is mentioned in both the fruit of the
Spirit list and in love’s definition. They had patience as they endured the difficult times in life. Patience
is a result of living out of the Spirit, instead of walking in the flesh. I don’t know about you, I always
seem to fail when I “try” to have patience. The harder I try to be patient, the harder it is to reach patience.
That’s because it’s not something we can do on our own. We need the Spirit to guide us into patience.
If you find yourself lacking in patience, stop and do a quick inventory of yourself. Do you see the fruit of
the spirit or attributes of love in your life? If not, drop everything and pray. Ask God to humble your heart,
show you where you’re trying to take control in your life and ask Him to help you depend whole heartedly
on Him. Then rest knowing our God is good and will answer your prayers that are aligned with His will.
The Thessalonians exhibited faith, love and patience that were evident to everyone around them. Are you
seeing faith, love and patience in your life? If not, turn to the Lord, acknowledge Him and He will show
you what needs adjusting in your life.
Lord, thank you for loving us and taking the penalty of sin away from us. Thank you for your
Holy Spirit to guide us back to you. Help us live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Let us
acknowledge you in all our ways, so You will direct our paths. In Jesus’ precious name we
ask these things. Amen. In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks  http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following:    Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 27 ThinkOnIt...Upside DownNow may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 25
Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I
charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 4:23-28 NKJV
God is the one who sanctifies us. It is by His power, His love, His mercy and
worked through His Spirit that we are set apart for Him. When God gets a hold
of your heart, you’ll never be the same. There are changes that take place.
You might not do the same things you used to. For example, you may find it
uncomfortable to watch R rated movies or hang out with friends who are getting
drunk all the time. You might find your thoughts on certain subjects have changed.
For example, before you might have believed living with someone who wasn’t your
spouse was okay. After Christ came to live in you, you realize sex outside of
marriage is sin. Notice what 1 Peter 4:4 NLT says “Of course, your former friends
are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things
they do. So they slander you.”
These are all outward symptoms of an inward change of heart. The disciples were
charged with turning the world upside down because of their beliefs. Acts 17:6 NKJV
“….These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” Are our
beliefs causing others to think about their own fate? If not, why? In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 25 ThinkOnIt...Cling to What is GoodAnd we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over
you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for
their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren,
warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with
all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good
both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in
everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not
quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is
good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 NKJV
There’s a lot to cover in today’s verse. However, we’re going to focus on just a few related
items.
Pursue what is good
We are told in 2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith,
love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Also in Romans 12:9 NKJV
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” In everything, we
are to be wise considering whether a thing is good or not.
Test all things
The Bereans, after hearing Paul’s teaching, searched scriptures to verify what they hear against the
Word of God. Acts 17:11 NKJV “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether
these things were so.” We’re called to do the same thing. Don’t believe everything you read or hear,
but check it out against God’s Word. I heard a quote the other day that explains this: “The best way
to determine if the stick is crooked or not is to lay a straight stick next to it.” God’s Word is our
straight stick.
Hold fast to what is good
In order to hold fast to what is good, one must know what is good. Jesus teaches us only God is
good in Mark 10:18 NKJV “So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good
but One, that is, God.” In the Old Testament, the Lord tells us to hold fast to Him alone.
Deuteronomy 10:20 NKJV “You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him
you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name.”
Lord God above, You are all we need. Help us be wise in all things, testing them out through
Your Word. Help us cling to what is good and run from anything that would draw us away
from You. In Jesus name Amen.
To wrap this up, we are to pursue God, test all things and hold fast to God alone. How’s it going for
you? Are you pursuing God? Are you checking out what you hear to see if it aligns with God’s
Word? Are you clinging to the Lord? In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 24 ThinkOnIt...Edify One AnotherBut let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love,
and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we
wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other
and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 NKJV
Have your wits about you. Apply common sense. Be sober minded. What do all of these
saying have in common? They all speak of using your mind. Here again in today’s verse the
Bible is instructing us to use our minds by being sober and by putting on the breastplate of faith
and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
God has given us several pieces of armor to use. Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV explains:
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the
shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance
and supplication for all the saints.”
We are reminded that it’s the Lord’s power we are to be strong in and when we put on the whole
armor of God, we are able to stand against the enemy. Look at Ephesians 6:10-11 NKJV: “Finally,
my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. What a powerful
verse! This one should be tucked away in our minds and hearts. When trials come, we should take it out
and mediate on it. That’s what the last verse of today is saying to do – edify one another.
What does edify mean?
moral, or spiritual improvement.
When we edify one another, we encourage our faith, help build a solid foundation on God’s Word and
establish an immovable stance against anything trying to weaken our faith. Remember the tools God has
given us to over come our enemy and use them! In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com ThinkOnIt...Being ThankfulWhat does being Thankful really mean?
Being thankful, for me, is an automatic response to knowing I’m forgiven when I know I don’t deserve it.
Recognizing God’s grace causes me to have a thankful attitude. Look at the next verse. See what the
Bible says about spreading grace causes thanksgiving to abound.
2 Corinthians 4:15 NKJV “For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many,
may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.” It’s the grace of God that causes thanksgiving to
flow. For if we truly understand God’s sacrifice for us we would never cease to praise Him. The next
verse gives us a clue as to how far God would go to extend His grace to us.
Romans 5:8 NKJV “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.” Can you imagine dying for someone who doesn’t even recognize your sacrifice for
them? I know I couldn’t! But that’s what God did for us! He came down to earth 2000+ years ago,
lived as a sinless man, and died to pay the penalty for all who would ever sin! We weren’t even born
yet, and He chose to die for us, in advance, for the sins He knew we would commit. As we grew up,
we were enemies of God, doing our own thing, rejecting God by living out of our own self-sufficiency.
But God waited patiently for us to come to a saving knowledge of His grace.
Oh what joy when that day comes! However, it’s not that one particular day that’s so great. It takes time to develop a robust appreciation for all He has done. Why not start today? Pray. Tell God how thankful you are for His grace given to you. Tell Him you accept His sacrifice for you and want Him to help you develop a rich and robust appreciation for all He’s done for you. Then watch how your thankfulness grows. One way to acknowledge the good that God’s done in your life is to make a list. Start a gratitude journal by listing out the things you have to be thankful for. Reviewing the list periodically can help improve your attitude too. A gratitude list might look something like this: 1) I’m thankful God chose to save me.
2) I’m thankful God changed my heart.
3) I’m thankful God restored my marriage.
4) I’m thankful God gave me a godly husband, who loves me.
5) I’m thankful God gave me my two boys.
6) I’m thankful God brought godly friends into my life.
Of course, once you start a list like that, it may be difficult to stop writing. Something happens when we focus on all that we’ve been given. Realizing that everything comes from God helps us continue to give thanks to the One who deserves it! So what do you have to be thankful for today? Take time this Thanksgiving to share with others exactly what you’re thankful for and praise God, for He is good! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 22 ThinkOnIt...Discern the TimeBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you
as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the
night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us
watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get
drunk are drunk at night. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-7 NKJV
As believers, we are no longer living in darkness. God’s marvelous light has come into
our lives. We have the Holy Spirit living in us guiding along God’s pathway and revealing
the things to come.
Having this light means certain responsibilities. Today’s verse reminds us we are not of
darkness but rather we are sons of light and sons of day. Therefore we do not live our lives
on “auto-pilot”, instead we are to watch and be sober. We are discern the time and watch
for signs of His coming.
The disciples asked Jesus what the signs were of His coming. Here’s what Jesus said in
Matthew 24:4:14 NKJV “And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one
deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive
many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in
various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to
tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then
many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false
prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of
many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of
the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end
will come.”
Verse 6 hits home for me in today’s day with us being in Irag, the concern over Iran and North
Korea. But it’s not the end not. We’ve seen famines, pestilences and earthquakes all around
the world, but that’s just the beginning of sorrows Jesus says. Therefore, be watchful and sober
minded, not disturbed by the things that are happening. Know Christ is seated on the Throne of
God. He rules over all of this. He will bring us safely out of it in His timing.
In the meantime, we continue to be obedient to what God has called us to do. Continue steadfast
and faithfully sharing His message of love, grace, mercy and forgiveness with others, until He comes
to take us home.
In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 21 ThinkOnIt...The Day is Coming Are You Ready?But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that
I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!”
then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 NKJV
The Day of the Lord will be a joyous event for some. Unfortunately, for a lot of others it
will be terrible day. Can you imagine how you might feel on that Day, if you were not a
believer? You’re minding your own business, working hard, and doing your own thing.
Wham! The Lord shows up in a way that doesn’t seem possible. Finally, you realize there
is a God and you’ve been rejecting Him throughout your life! What would you do?
That’s why it’s important for us, as believers, to share our faith whenever possible. The people
working right along side you need to know the truth. Your neighbors need to know there is a
day of judgment coming. Your friends and family need to know this life isn’t about living for
themselves.
David had gotten his eyes off of God and starting looking at how easy his enemies had it. He
complained how the enemy didn’t seem to have his kind of problems and how they had everything.
However, God touched his heart and helped him remember what’s coming for the wicked in the end.
Psalm 73:18-20 “Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh,
how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As
a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.”
Have you ever considered why, the Lord allows the wicked to seemingly have everything they need?
Let’s think about it. God is good. God wants all His creation to come to Him and not perish. God
honors our decisions, whether we choose Him or not. Perhaps God’s mercy gives them the best this
life has to offer because for them it’s the closest they’ll ever get to experiencing heaven. Jesus taught
in Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of
your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust.” Therefore, let us carry out the command “Love your enemies” by having
compassion on them. We know what awaits those who shun God. Pray for them, maybe your
influence can help turn them to God.
The Day of the Lord will come “as a thief in the night”. Does a thief call before hand to make sure
you’re at home? Of course not! He comes when you’re not expecting it. The bible teaches the
Day of Lord will occur when we all least expect it. For the Christian we are to be ready.
Are you ready? In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 20 ThinkOnIt...A Different Family ReunionFor this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain
until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NKJV
The Lords return will be a spectacular thing. He will descend from heaven again, but this time
with a shout heard all over the world! His voice will carry so much power and authority it will
be unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before. Every person on the earth will see and hear
this happen.
Think about those who are still alive when the Lord comes (and it could be you and me!). They’ll
get to see it all. Not only will they witness this event first hand, they’ll be part of the unfolding scene.
It says in today’s verse those “who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air”. The people of faith who died before the Lord’s return, will be
with Him when He comes for the rest of us. Some family reunions get pretty high, on alcohol, when
they’re together. None have gotten this high before! This reunion will be flying high in the sky with
our Lord, Jesus Christ holding us up! Talk about a family reunion!
Why talk about when the Lord comes back? What’s the big deal? I came to know Christ through crisis.
As a result, it was hard for me to think about heaven and what it would be like when Christ came again.
All of my thoughts were spent on my current pain and trying to find a way out of that pain. However, as
the Lord began to heal, it was as if a veil was lifted and my eyes could now see beyond the pain. Slowly
and consistently, He began teaching me about eternity.
Now, after almost 6 years of walking with Christ, I rejoice as thoughts of heaven pass through my mind.
What a blessing, to be freed from the pain and able to see the wonderful future the Lord has in store for
us after this life is over! Look at the last part of today’s verse: “Therefore, comfort one another with these
words.” Oh, what comfort they are!
November 19 ThinkOnIt...Death - Doorway to Heaven13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have
fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep
in Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NKJV
No reason for sorrow that’s what the bible teaches regarding the death of our loved ones
who believe in Christ. This doesn’t mean we won’t be sad and miss them terribly when
they’re gone. But it does mean we don’t have to be overwhelmed with grief, sorrowing
about their fate because we know where believers go after this life over – directly into the
arms of Jesus!
I didn’t always have this attitude towards death. Early in my walk with the Lord, a co-worker
friend of mine was battling cancer. She was young, vibrant, cheerful, helpful and always friendly.
While she was with us, I often shared with her what I was learning about the God. She had
shared with me she was saved, but at the time it did not reassure me. I wanted to know for sure.
When she died, I went to her funeral and I’m ashamed to say, I wasn’t joyful that she was now
with the Lord. Rather I was sorrowing and would not receive the comfort that others tried to
give me at the time.
Examining what God’s Word says about this topic helped me understand. Let’s take a look
at some of the verses I studied.
2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the
body and to be present with the Lord.” This verse couldn’t be any clearer. If we’re in our
body here and now we are absent with the Lord. On the other hand, if we’re absent from
our body, we are in the presence of the Lord.
Philippians 1:21 NKJV “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain”, this was Paul’s motto
for his life. We live to please the Lord. We die to please the Lord as well. For when we die,
we go to Him. When we see Him face to face in heaven, all our questions will be answered.
Every doubt we ever had, will no longer exist. There will be no more pain, no more tears, He’ll
wipe them all away! If we could fully grasp this, surely we would rejoice when our beloved enter
into His Kingdom! How great that day will be!!
Our God is so good and He knows what each of us needs to go through, in order to know Him
on a deeper level. This experience brought me to a deeper realization that even when I want to
know for certain if someone is saved or not, it’s not my responsibility to ensure they are saved
– it’s God’s. I am called to share God’s message of love and what the Lord has done for me
and leave the rest to God. He knows our hearts. He knows who are His.
Now, I have a deeper faith in God and trust He will save those who put their trust in Him.
How about you? Are you trusting Him? Are you rejoicing when a loved one go to be with Him? In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 18 ThinkOnIt...As We IncreaseBut concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you,
for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed
you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge
you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire
to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own
hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those
who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 NKJV
Taught by God not by man but taught by God Himself through His Holy Spirit.
One of the things we always prayed when opening up our bible studies, was
“Lord, thank you for teaching us by Your Spirit. We are not taught by the words
of man, but through your Holy Word by Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for giving
us Your light to guide us.”
It’s good to remember as we learn more about God, His character and His ways
the Holy Spirit is the one revealing it to us. Romans 8:16 NKJV says “The Spirit
Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. It’s not by our
effort that we now understand. It is simply because God choose to reveal Himself
to us by His Spirit.
It’s much like how we’re saved. It’s not because we did anything to deserve it.
We can not work to be saved. We can not earn salvation by doing good deeds.
Salvation is a gift from God by grace, accepted by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV says “For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”.
As we increase more and more, as Paul mentions above, our lives should
reflect more and more of our Lord Jesus Christ’s character. From today’s
verse, let’s look at the three examples:
1) Aspire to lead a quiet life. That’s a good goal. When the aspiration is
to live a quiet life, there’s no striving to get ahead at the office, do demanding
your own way or arguing your point with others. Instead, the priority is on living
a quiet life, getting along with others. Doesn’t that sound peaceful? I believe
when we live out what Matthew 22:39 NKJV says “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself”, we will be living a quiet life.
2) To mind your own business. Oh, how difficult that it for some who like
to gossip. My pastor once taught us an easy way to tell if you were involved
in gossip: If you not part of the problem or the solution, you shouldn’t be talking
about it. That’s pretty easy. If it’s not your problem and you have no part in the
solution, keep your mouth shut. Oh, by the way, trying to pass on the juicy details
as prayer request still counts as gossip! The scripture that comes to mind regarding
brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you
say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is
in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then
you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
3) To work with your own hands. You demonstrate your commitment to
supporting yourself and your family. The bible says those who are lazy
shouldn’t eat. That means each one must pull his/her own weight. We all
need to work.
Why do we need to understand all this? Each of us are living, breathing bibles. We are Christ’s witnesses to the world. When those on the outside look at your life, they should see Christ. Every day we’re alive, we should be growing in Christ-like character. As we examine our walk, we look for ourselves to see Christ in our own life. If we can’t see Christ, stop and ask what’s lacking? Am I depending on my efforts to understand God? Or am I relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to me? Am I aspiring to live a quiet life, minding my own business, working with my own hands? If not, why? In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 16 ThinkOnIt...We're Set ApartFinally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should
abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk
and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through
the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should
abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess
his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles
who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his
brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also
forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in
holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has
also given us His Holy Spirit.1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 NKJV
Paul urges the Thessalonians to walk pleasing to God, for they know the commandments
of the Lord. Last time we read “If we love Him, we obey His commandments”
( John 14:15 NKJV ). When our hearts are genuinely tuned into to God because we love
Him, we will obey His commandments. Jesus taught us His requirements are easy and light
in Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My
burden is light.””
God calls His chosen ones to be holy as He is holy. Leviticus 19:2 NKJV ““Speak to all
the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD
your God am holy.” This process of being holy is called sanctification. It’s a setting apart or
making separate the people of God. How are we set apart? We are set apart by our lifestyles
and our choices.
Let’s take a look at what Paul describes as sanctification or a call to be holy. First he says
abstainfrom sexual immorality. This seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? There’s more to
sexual immoralitythan just the act of sex outside of marriage though. It’s about the condition
of one’s heart and tryingto fill a deep spiritual longing with something it was never meant to be
filled with. Sexual immoralitydoesn’t just happen. You don’t wake up one day and say “I
think I’ll go have sex with the next personI meet”. It’s process of slowly giving yourself away,
starting with your thought life. If we start to think about something, and we allow ourselves to
dwell on it, it begins to motivate us towards action. Perhaps we were hurt by our spouse, we
dwell on the hurt long enough, the enemy plants lies like“you deserve better than this” and “he/she
doesn’t really love you anyway” in your mind. You startlistening to those lies and in time you the
lies become real to you. Your feelings and pride start tokick in and you find yourself acting on
those thoughts and feelings. If you don’t catch this early inthe thought phase, you’re bound to act
out in ways you will regret later. As a man thinks, so he isone proverb says. Have you checked
your thought life lately?
Next, Paul goes on to say we should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification
and honor. The bible teaches us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and our
bodies are not our own. 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV “Or do you not know that your body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit whois in you, whom you have from God, and you are not
your own?” We were purchased by the preciousblood of Christ and now God owns us.
We are His, not our own. If we would remind ourselves thatthis body we live in is not
our own, but rather God’s temple, we might be more willing to keep it clean,pure, and
undefiled. When you go to church (the building you worship in) do you bring your trash
anddump trash on the floor? Of course not! Then, why do we allow garbage to clutter
our minds when ourbody is the sacred temple of the Holy Spirit? Really think about it….
God’s presence, the Holy Spirit, isin you. He’s there when you are entertaining ungodly
thoughts or committing a sexual immoral act. Thatthought alone should help to quench
the desire to fulfill your ungodly passion! We are to walk by the Spiritand when we do
we won’t fulfill the desires of the flesh.
How can a pure and holy God be coupled evil and darkness? He can’t. His light overpowers the
darkness. Think about how darkness flees away, when we flip on a light switch. Does darkness
linger somewherehidden in the light? No way, it’s gone completely. That’s how it should be with us,
who say we arebelievers of Christ and have the Holy Spirit within us. Romans 13:12 NKJV says
“Therefore let us castoff the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” We are flooded
with God’s light, therefore,darkness no longer exists in us. That’s cause for rejoicing!!
Jesus commissioned Paul to turn people from darkness to light in Acts 26:18 NKJV “I now
send you, 18 toopen their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan to God, that theymay receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” We, too,are to be Christ’s witnesses, turning
others from darkness to light, by living our lives sanctified by faith in Jesusand pleasing to God. November 15 ThinkOnIt...All About LoveNow may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.
12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all,
just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before
our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
I Thessalonians 3:11-13 NKJV
Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians is they may increase and abound in love to one another.
Why is loving one another so important? Can’t I just live my life to myself, without hurting
anyone else? Not if we say we’re followers of Christ.
Jesus said we’d be known by our love. By this the world will know we are His disciples,
if we love each other ( John 13:35 NKJV ). If we love Him, we obey His commandments
( John 14:15 NKJV ). If we love Him, we abide in Him (1 John 4:16 NKJV ). If we love,
we put God on display in our life. 1 John 4:12 NKJV “No one has seen God at anytime.
If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” Notice how
each sentence began with “if”. That means love is a choice. If we say we belong to Christ,
love is the evidence.
Love sets the precedent. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NKJV definition of love:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not
puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks
no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Here’s quick test to see how well you are
loving. Try reading these verses again and this time substitute your name in place of the
word love. This will usually point out any areas in your life where you’re not being loving.
When you discover you’re not loving the way it’s described here, don’t get discouraged,
angry or frustrated, but rather take it to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to help you be loving
and by His spirit dwelling in you, He will answer that prayer because it’s aligned with His will.
Try it for yourself!
Paul also prays God will establish their hearts blameless in holiness. Does your heart ever condemn
you? Mine does. But guess what? I don’t have to listen to it, for I know it’s flawed. Even when
my heart condemns me, I remember there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus ( Romans 8:1 NKJV ).
Therefore, I know condemnation isn’t from God and I reject it. That’s a good example of why we
need to read God’s Word on a regular basis. If our thoughts don’t align with God’s truth, we reject
them. This is what it means to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Without
God’s truth hidden in our hearts and mind, how can we measure our thoughts against them?
In conclusion, we have read that love sets the precedent. By our love the world will see God on
display. Though our hearts may condemn us, we are blameless before God because Christ’s
death on the cross paid for our sins. All charges against us have been dropped, so any
condemnation is also rejected. The more we hide God’s Word in our hearts and minds, the more
we align ourselves with God’s perfect will. How are you doing today? Are you aligned with His will?
ThinkOnIt...When Good People Do Bad ThingsBut now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of
your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly
desiring to see us, as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our
affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For
now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to
God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,
10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect
what is lacking in your faith? I Thessalonians 3:6-10 NKJV
Isn’t it great to hear how others are getting along in their faith? It is when
you’ve been praying for them. What a joy to know those you’ve been praying for are,
still, following the Lord and growing in their relationship with Christ. Conversely,
what a shame it is when you find out they are slipping away from the Lord.
Do you ever let other people’s troubled walk hinder your own? Does the troubling
news spur you on to pray further for them? I guess it all depends on who you are
trusting.
Let me give you an example from my life. I’m a small group leader and have been for
several years. The Lord has given me a shepherd’s heart toward the women in my group.
I would pray for them constantly. After my maternity leave, I thought I would return
to leading the group, but God had other plans. I still kept in contact with my group
via emails and occasional phone calls and they continued on together under my co-leader’s
direction.
One day I got some heart breaking news about one woman in my group. This woman was
committing a sin. As we all do, although, this sin was the same grievous sin as mine.
When I heard of this, I anguished over the situation. I felt like I should have shared
more of my testimony with this woman, so she would know that others go through it too
and then she would have been more likely to turn back to the Lord. I felt like I let
this woman (and group) down by not continuing with them. I wanted to drop everything
and go them. At this point, I was letting another’s walk hinder my own. In affect,
I was being prideful about my influence as the leader of the group - with thoughts like
“if I had just been there, this wouldn’t have happened” running through my mind. I was
trusting in my leadership – instead of God’s.
To make matters worse for the group, some of them wanted to put the woman out of the group
as 1 Corinthians 5 teaches. Others wanted to let her stay, as godly influence is what she
needed. That opened door of sin caused much difficulty and division for the group. That’s
exactly what our enemy planned to do.
However, the Lord had other plans. As I debated over running back to the group or staying
where I felt the Lord was leading me, the Lord impressed upon me everyone is responsible for
their own choices and there was nothing I could have said or done differently to prevent this
shameful situation from occurring in the first place. In addition, He seemed to be telling
me to PRAY. So PRAYED I did, for a solid week!
I prayed this woman would recognize her sin, repent and come back to God. I prayed
God would change this woman’s stony heart and replace it with a tender heart of love,
like He had done for me. I prayed the group would focus on God and His Word following His
teaching and putting it into practice in all situations. I prayed for wisdom and discernment
on what role I was to place in this.
After all that praying, I knew I had to stop all communications with her – I even stopped
sending these devotions. 1 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV says “…deliver such a one to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” When
someone in the church is caught up in sin, the bible teaches we the church body are to put
them out of our fellowship. By doing so, they may realize their sin and repent. This is
very difficult, especially when they are your friends, but if they are allowed to stay it
influences others toward sin. We can not compromise. As God is holy, we are to be holy.
The bible says in 1 Corinthians 5:11-12 NKJV: “But now I have written to you not to keep
company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater,
or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For
what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are
inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the
evil person.”” Galatians 5:9 NKJV says “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” That
means a little sin will affect us all. 2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV says “Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with darkness?”
Sometimes, a person has to fail and experience the consequence of their decisions before they
come back to the Lord. I know this personally, as that’s how it happened for me. I trust in
our Lord, this woman will turn around too. I still pray for her and hope she will repent and
come back to the Lord, but it’s her decision. For now I wait expectantly for the Lord to work
in her life. One day I will rejoice hearing her story of how Christ changed her life, it’s
just a matter of time.
So next time you find yourself in a similar situation, stop to think about who you are trusting
in that moment. Are you trusting yourself, other people or God? Remember to pray for wisdom
and discernment and become a “doer of the word” as James 1:22 NKJV teaches. In Christ's Love, Elizabeth Marks http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThinkonitDevotionsAdd ThinkOnIt Devotions to your personal web page by clicking on one of the following: Come see www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com - where you'll find daily devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more to draw you closer to God. Join me to save a child from poverty. Ask me how or go to www.worldvision.com November 11 ThinkOnIt...Do You Believe?Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in
Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our
fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you
concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions;
for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told
you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it
happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it,
I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you,
and our labor might be in vain. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 NKJV
Have you ever experienced someone saying something they couldn’t possibly know
about and then later what they said actually comes to pass? I’ve had this happen a
few times with my young son. He has said things that he just shouldn’t know anything
about, but he speaks it anyway and with authority too. This is very strange coming from
a child. Then later, the thing he spoke occurs just as he had said. I believe God was
using him to demonstrate how He can use everything for His purpose.
The Thessalonians experienced the same thing. Paul had explained previously to them
that trials and afflictions were going to occur. When Paul was arrested in Rome, the
tribulation Paul spoke of came to pass. Therefore, Paul was concerned for the
Thessalonians’ faith. He hoped they were not shaken by the situation, but rather
strengthened in their faith by remembering he had told them this would happen.
Jesus repeatedly told His disciples the things that would happen before they
occurred. He predicted His arrest, the brutality that would come on Him and
His death on the cross. At the time, the disciples didn’t get it. They were
too focused on their own stuff to really understand what was going on.
Only after the things occurred, Christ died and was resurrected and appeared
to the disciples, did they finally start to comprehend. Look at what Luke
24:44-49 says: “Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to
you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were
written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
Isn’t that just like us? We’re told exactly what’s going to happen in the Bible,
yet we don’t really believe it, do we? Only when Christ reveals things to us, do
we begin to see the truth. That’s where faith comes into play. We need to
exercise our faith in God’s Word, trusting what it says that hasn’t occurred yet
will, in fact, happen in God’s timing.
So how’s your faith? Do you believe the things in God’s Word will happen just
as He said? If not, what’s holding you back from believing?
November 10 ThinkOnIt...What Hinders You?But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence,
not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan
hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even
you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our
glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 NKJV
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. Before I knew the Lord, absence only
caused me further pain, and my thoughts turned to bitterness and resentment. I’ve found
this saying to be true only when my heart is right with God. When our priority is on God,
the attitudes of the heart become pure and your heart can grow fond when missing someone.
There are many reasons why we become separated from others. We get busy and don’t
make time for connecting with our friends. We work a lot of extra hours trying to make
more money to pay those bills and buy luxuries of this life. Maybe we start to dislike hanging
around anyone who doesn’t think like we do. The list could go on for miles.
Just like the many reasons we let relationships with people falter, we do the same thing with
God. Maybe we get so busy in our ministry that we stop having those quiet times with the
Lord. Maybe we start thinking we can handle the little things in life, so we stop bringing those
requests to the Lord in prayer. We loose our thankfulness, stop recognizing all He’s done for
us and become complacent.
There is another reason that many people fail to realize is working against them. Satan. Paul
mentions in today’s verse that Satan hindered him. This is a very good reminder we have an
enemy that wants us to fail. The bible says Satan prowls around looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.” It also says he is a liar and the father of lies, when he lies he speaks
from his own resources (John 8:44 NKJV). Satan’s primary purpose is to steal, kill and destroy the
things of God ( John 10:10 NKJV ).
Satan is just as real as God. But don’t be deceived into thinking he has as much power as God,
because he doesn’t. Satan is a created being, just like we are. No created thing can ever have
more power than the Creator.
If you find yourself being plagued by unruly, evil thoughts, memories of past sins, doubts fears,
anxiety or worry, bring it all to the Lord in prayer and don’t forget to pray “by the power and
authority of Jesus Christ, get behind me Satan.” As James 4:7 NKJV says “submit to the Lord,
resist the devil and he will flee from you”, I can assure you from my own personal experience,
when you stand firm on the Word of God, doing what it says, Satan will flee from you.
Don’t believe me? Read how Jesus handled Satan’s temptations for yourself in Luke 4 NKJV.
ThinkOnIt...Life and DeathFor this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received
the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men,
but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
“14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in
Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just
as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets,
and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the
measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 NKJV
Change happens. For some it is scary. For others it is joyous. When you receive the Word of
God and welcome it in your heart, it has the power to transform you. Along with this wonderful
transformation are some not so nice consequences. One such consequence is others might treat
you differently.
Look at Luke 21:15-17 NKJV: “for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries
will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers,
relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for
My name’s sake.” Wow! That’s a strong verse, is it not? You mean when I come to know Christ
as my Savior, my family will betray me? Well, not always, but sadly for a lot of believers the answer
to that question is yes.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NKJV tells us: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,
and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance
of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the
aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for
these things?” Once Christ dwells in us, we give off a fragrance to the world. Some people smell death,
while others smell life.
Why does one person see death and another see life? One explanation might be because God has written
His word on our hearts. Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV says: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I
will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Deep down inside we know what is right and wrong. Those
who choose to rebel, know they are rebelling against God. Therefore, those who rebel will have the hardest
time rejoicing with you regarding your salvation, for they themselves are perishing.
Some have a false opinion that when you become born again, you’re troubles will disappear. That is simply
not truth as we’ve discussed above. Sometimes becoming born again brings new troubles into your life.
No matter how we are treated because of our new found faith in Christ, we can choose to love others as
Christ loved us. Look at John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his
friends.” We can choose to lay down our responses to any unkindness towards us, for Christ’s sake, knowing
John 15:14 tells us: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”
Are you choosing to follow Christ’s example today?
November 08 ThinkOnIt..Minister Right Where You AreFor you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day,
that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel
of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and
blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know
how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father
does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you
into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NKJV
If anyone is considering quitting their job to go into “ministry” full time, stop. The first
verse above tells us that Paul worked. He had a job, so he was able to provide for
himself. Yet, he still preached the gospel.
I had a co-worker and friend of mine tell me she was considering leaving her job,
where we both worked, and finding a Christian job or perhaps work at the church.
She felt like she needed to move in the direction of ministry. I thought this was kind
of funny. From my perspective, I’ve always thought ministry happens wherever you
are. In fact, where I work, I am ministering by being who I am in Christ.
Don’t misunderstand, there’s nothing wrong with working for the church or a Christian
employer. Just be certain that God is really calling you to make a change. Pray, ask
for wisdom. Don’t overlook the opportunities right before you. Remember, everyone
needs to know Christ and be saved. Chances are there are plenty of folks around you
that could use the saving grace of Christ to give them hope for eternity.
After much prayer and self examination, in the end, my friend decided, she was in a way
trying to run away from the ugliness of the secular world. Now, she is ministering right
where she is. It’s beautiful to watch her discover how to use her gifts in her current role
to minister to those around her.
Be who God called you to be. Keep alert and pray for everyone around you. Even if you
never say a single word about Christ, you still can make a difference through prayer and the
decisions you make at work. Be faithful to God, right where He has you. One day, you’ll
heard Him say what Matthew 25:21 says: “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my
good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will
give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’”
Look around, who needs an encouraging word? Who needs some uplifting prayers? Is
anyone really exempt from those questions? The answer: Everyone needs it. Start today,
pray for someone you work with and you’ll be starting your own ministry, right where you are!
November 07 ThinkOnIt...Acceptable in Your SightBut as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. I Thessalonians 2:4-8 NKJVOh how these verses are chalked full of good advice. Paul starts out with confidence saying he’s been “approved by God” to be “entrusted with the gospel”. This speaks of two things: God knows what He’s doing and He trusts Paul to delivery the message. What a great honor and privilege! If you’re eyes have been opened to God’s truth, you are approved by God and entrust with the gospel, too!
Paul is so down to earth. Even though he knows he’s approved by God, he is not a people pleaser,because he knows who tests our hearts – God. ( 1 Samuel 16:7 “but the LORD looks at the heart.”) He lives his life to please an audience of one – he lives for God. Therefore, he uses no flattering words, or cloak of covetousness as he shares the gospel with others. Paul was not one of those guys who said what you wanted to hear, to win you over to his side. He never sought man’s glory, but spoke truth in love. I imagine this psalm was among the ones he memorized: Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”
When you realize God is witness to all that you do, it’s a little easier to stay on the right track. God watches over all of us. For some this can be a scary thought, but only if they choose not to obey. For those who long to obey God, the idea of His ever-presence is comforting and reassuring. David knew God was watching. I pray God would be able to say the following about us: 1 Kings 15:5 “David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life”.
In Paul’s day, the religious leaders were very pious. Jesus had this to say in Matthew 23:5-7 about the religious: “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’” Paul wasn’t like that. His life stood out as being different than the religious leaders. Even so, when he ministered to the churches, he didn’t make demands because of his position as apostle. He was humble and gentle among them. He was also tender – look at the last part of the verse. He cared for the people as a nursing mother who cherishes her own children.
Paul’s attitude was much like Jesus. Do you remember how Jesus felt about Jerusalem? Matthew 23:36-37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” I imagine Paul was like that with those he shepherded.
In summary we need to keep the proper perspective. We can take courage we are approved by God and entrusted with the gospel, holding this responsibility with high regard. As we speak the truth in love, we will remember that God sees everything, so we order our lives to be pleasing to God alone. November 06 ThinkOnIt...Nothings Holds Back the GospelFor you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi,
as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much
conflict. 3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it
in deceit. I Thessalonians 2:1-3 NKJV
Have you ever noticed when the Christians were persecuted how the gospel spread further?
God uses the foolishness of His message, to shame the wise. 1 Corinthians 1:20-22 “For
since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” From human
standpoint, it is foolishness to speak God’s word if all you get is difficulties along the way.
Yet, look at verse 2 above “after we had suffered” and “were spitefully treated at Philippi”,
Paul suffered persecution. He knew what suffering was. Despite that he still spoke the gospel
of God. Even through much conflict. Can you say that of yourself?
The bible tells us how God’s Word spreads through persecution. Acts 12:5-7 “Peter was
therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”
Peter’s capture lead the believers to pray and when the angel set Peter free, can you imagine
how the story of God freeing him was probably spread everywhere! How about the Paul and
Silas example in Acts 16:24-26: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Reading the whole story you find out that the
prison guard and his entire family come to believe in Christ! Through imprisonment, the gospel
was furthered. Look at Paul, had he not been imprisoned we might not have had much of the
New Testament.
Our enemy, who is a liar, wants to plant seeds of doubt in our walk with Christ. Look at what
John 8:44 says about the devil: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.” Just the tiniest sprinkling of doubt can have devastating effect
on our witness. Don’t believe his lies.
God is able to complete the good work He started in you ( Philippians 1:6 ). God wants you to
be bold with the treasures He has revealed to you. As you share with others, you are bringing
God the glory He deserves and quite possibly opening the door for others to believe in Him aswell! |
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