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Saturday, February 24, 2024

Trust Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Trust


A Person’s Favorite Song is Purely a Matter of Taste

Stephey Belynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to guess how many beans are in the jar, and on a big pad of paper writes down their estimates. Then, next to those estimates, he helps them make another list: their favorite songs. When the lists are complete, he reveals the actual number of beans in the jar. The whole class looks over their guesses, to see which estimate was closest to being right. Belynskyj then turns to the list of favorite songs. “And which one of these is closest to being right?” he asks. The students protest that there is no “right answer”; a person’s favorite song is purely a matter of taste. Belynskyj, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Notre Dame asks, “When you decide what to believe in terms of your faith, is that more like guessing the number of beans, or more like choosing your favorite song?” Always, Belynskyj says, from old as well as young, he gets the same answer: Choosing one’s faith is more like choosing a favorite song. When Belynskyj told me this, it took my breath away. “After they say that, do you confirm them?” I asked him. “Well,” smiled Belynskyj, “First I try to argue them out of it.”

Tim Stafford, Christianity Today, September 14, 1992, p. 36

Survey on Absolute Truth

In the survey taken in early 1991, interviewees were asked, 'do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with the following statement: There is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define truth in conflicting ways and still be correct.? Only 28% of the respondents expressed strong belief in "absolute truth,? and more surprisingly, only 23 percent of born-again or evangelical Christians accepted this idea! What a telling revelation! If more than 75 percent of the followers of Christ say nothing can be known for certain, does this indicate, as it seems, that they are not convinced that Jesus existed, that He is who He claimed to be, that His Word in authentic, that God created the heavens and earth, or that eternal life awaits the believer? That's what the findings appear to mean. If there is no absolute truth, then by definition nothing can be said to be absolutely true. To the majority, apparently, it's all relative. Nothing is certain. Might be. Might not be. Who knows for sure? Take your guess and hope for the best!

James Dobson, December 1991 letter, quoting George Barna, What Americans Believe

Devotional Thoughts


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Proverbs 26:28 Liars hate their victims; flatterers sabotage trust.
Proverbs 19:1 Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.
Proverbs 21:31 Do your best, prepare for the worst— then trust God to bring victory.
Proverbs 16:20 It pays to take life seriously; things work out when you trust in God .
Proverbs 14:22 Isn’t it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust?
Proverbs 28:25 A grasping person stirs up trouble, but trust in God brings a sense of well-being.
Proverbs 29:3 If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents, but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes.
1 Corinthians 2:5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
1 Peter 1:9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
1 Timothy 6:17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
Hebrews 2:13 - And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
Luke 18:9 - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
Philippians 2:24 - and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Logos Dictionary Themes
Reliance on and confidence in a person. Scripture affirms the total trustworthiness of God, especially in relation to his promises to his people. Christian faith is, essentially, trust in the person and character of God. While Scripture insists that believers should be able to trust one another, it also provides examples of false or misplaced trust.



You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


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Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Pressure Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Pressure



Edmond Church Family,

Hope you're having a great week!

We got an Instant Pot for Christmas. It’s great, you can cook frozen chicken in a matter of minutes, and it’s edible! I even eat something called Quinoa cooked in this modern multi-cooker, and it actually tastes good.

The Instant Pot looks like a reinforced crockpot with a bomb timer slapped on the front of it. Evidently, it cooks using extremely high pressure. When the timer goes off, and the food is done, we release the pressure valve and watch as a steady flow of steam spews into the air. Without removing the pressure, opening the pot would be disastrous.

It appears that some of us are like Instant Pots right now. After a long year of uncertainty and unforeseen challenges, there seems to be a lot of pressure building up.

Many of us are just holding it all in and may not even know it. Unless we have a healthy and safe way to release the pressure, sooner or later we will explode. Maybe you’ve been there recently.

You lose your patience with a store clerk.

You rant and rave about something unimportant. 

You explode at your spouse or child.

You feel a wave of road rage wash over you.

You burst into tears.

You scream and yell. Or just the opposite, you shut down emotionally.

You say things you later regret.

You react impulsively. 

While you may feel better in that instant (see what I did there?), your actions and words cause damage. Relationships suffer. People get hurt. Unity and progress are impeded. Damage is done.

Maybe right now is a good time for an honest self-assessment. How are you doing…how are you really doing? 

Do you feel overly stressed? Are you allowing challenges and adversity to gnaw at you? Are people getting under your skin? Is there a chance you are stuffing all the anxiety and uncertainty of a challenging year or a difficult situation deep inside as you try to keep moving forward?  

Sooner or later—unless you deal with the sources and symptoms of your stress and find a safe way to release the building pressure—you’re going to explode. 

Before you say or do something harmful, please do something helpful. 

Talk to a trusted friend or counselor. Pray, fast, and participate in other spiritual disciplines. Get moving and get some sleep. Build in Sabbath rest. But most of all, lean on God.

A short verse in the passage I plan to preach on this Sunday as we conclude our “Exiles” series tells us, very simply, what to do with all that pressure, all that stress and all that frustration: 

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

In one short inspired verse of scripture we are told what to do and why to do it. Recognize the pressure building up inside you and the burden of stress you are carrying, and let go of it. All of it.

More specifically, give it to God. Let him take it off your shoulders and out of your heart, and let Him replace it with healing and hope.

Cast your anxiety on him. That’s the what, but even more notably, here’s the why: “…because he cares for you.” 

God cares deeply for you. He cares that you are carrying what feels like the weight of the world. He cares that you are going through a tough time. God cares that you are hurting, or grieving or struggling. He cares that you have experienced great loss or that you can’t seem to catch a break.

He hurts with you and cares for you. 

God wants to carry what is weighing you down. Jesus already bore your greatest burden when he willingly went to the cross. He removed the sins that separate you from God.

Not only is God’s care for you unmatched, his strength is unequaled. No burden you are trying to carry is too heavy for him. So give it to him, and leave it with him. Don’t take it back. You can trust God.

Letting pressure continue to build will only result in a destructive explosion. God wants to help you, so just let him. 

Hope you’ll join us for worship Sunday.
Grace & Peace,
Randy 


*Clickable Quick Links Are Below:

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2 Corinthians 9:7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
2 Corinthians 11:28 - And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
Proverbs 24:10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.
Psalms 32:4 (MSG) The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.
Psalms 32:5 (MSG) Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God .” Suddenly the pressure was gone— my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared.
Judges 20:45 (MSG) Five divisions turned to escape to the wilderness, to Rimmon Rock, but the Israelites caught and slaughtered them on roads. Keeping the pressure on, the Israelites brought down two more divisions.
Revelation 2:13 (MSG) “I see where you live, right under the shadow of Satan’s throne. But you continue boldly in my Name; you never once denied my Name, even when the pressure was worst, when they martyred Antipas, my witness who stayed faithful to me on Satan’s turf.
James 1:2 Trials and Temptations Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Romans 5:3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance;
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Pressure
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/search?q=Pressure
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/words/Pressure/sort/popular

Logos Dictionary Themes
A state of personal anxiety, strain or tension resulting from the pressures of human life. 
But God cannot ignore sin and will not. He brings pressure upon us, often very acute pressure, until we acknowledge the sin, confess it, and return to him. --James Montgomery Boice

You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


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Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Angels Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Angels
Picture


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#Angels

Matthew 4:11 ESV - 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Matthew 13:41, 49 ESV - 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ... 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
Matthew 16:27 ESV - 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Matthew 22:30 ESV - 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Matthew 24:31 ESV - 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Acts 7:53 ESV - 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."
Romans 8:38 ESV - 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,


Logos Dictionary Themes

Notes:

Angels
    Angels carry out God’s judgment (2 Samuel 24:16–17)
    Angels serve God (Psalm 103:21)
    Angels praise God (Psalm 148:2)
    Angels are messengers (Daniel 4:17)
    Angels protect God’s people (Daniel 6:22)
    Angels do not marry (Matthew 22:30)
    Angels do not die (Luke 20:36)
    Angels will be judged by people (1 Corinthians 6:3)
    Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)
    Angels encourage Christians (Hebrews 1:14)
    Angels who sinned were thrown into hell (2 Peter 2:4)
    Angels are holy (Jude 1:14)
    Angels are in the presence of God (Revelation 4:8)
    Angels should not be worshiped (Revelation 22:8–9)

Angels

THE NATURE OF ANGELS

1.    Angels are spirit beings (Heb. 1:14; 1 Kgs. 22:19-21)

§  Angels are sexless and do not marry (Matt. 22:30)

§  Angels are never represented as females

§  They are created beings (Ps. 148:2,5; 1 Kgs. 8:27; Deut. 10:14; Ex. 20:11). 

§  They are not equal with God. (Note Job 38:4-7 where angels are pictured as shouting for joy when the foundation of the earth was laid).

§  They have distinct personalities and possess names such as Michael and Gabriel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21, 10:13-21, 12:1; Lk. 1:11-38; Matt. 1 & 2; Acts 8:26; 10:3ff, 27:23; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7ff).

2.    Angels are "heavenly hosts” (2 Kgs. 21:3; Jer. 33:22; Dan. 7:10; Zeph. 1:5; Lk. 2:13-15) 

§  Called "sons of God" (Job 1:6, 2:1; Ps. 29:1, 89:6)

§  They are 'elohim or godlike beings (Ps. 8:6, 97:7, 138:1; cf. Heb. 2:7). 'elohim is translated aggelos in these passages.

3.    Angels are regarded as "holy ones" (Job 5:1; 15:15; Psa. 89:5 7; Dan. 8:2,13; Matt. 25:31; Gal. 4:14; Jude 14)

§  These holy ones assemble in a council (Ps. 89:5-7)

§  They may be regarded as of unquestioned integrity, goodwill and obedience (cf. 1 Sam. 29:9; 2 Sam. 14:17-20, 19:27).

4.    They are subject to Christ (Heb. 1:4, 13)

Not to be worshipped, they are fellow servants (Rev. 19:10).

5.    They almost always take human form when in contact with men

§  At the tomb: Matt. 28:2-6 “angels” compare to Luke 24:4-8 “men"

§  With Abraham and Lot (Gen. 18:2, 33, 19:1-2)

§  With Joshua (Jsh. 5:13, 6:2)

§  With Gideon (Judges 6:11-13)

§  With Manoah and his wife (Jdg. 13:3-6)

§  The "man" Gabriel speaks to Daniel (Dan. 9:21)

 

Angels were capable of making themselves both visible and invisible (Num. 22:31) and to appear under circumstances obviously miraculous in nature (Ex. 3:2).

 

1.    Angels are capable of sin (2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7).

(See also Job 4:18; Ez. 28:12-19; 2 Cor. 11:14; Gal. 1:8-9).  Eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41).

2.    While angels are never pictured as having wings, cherubim and seraphim do have wings (Is. 6:2; Ex. 25:20). 

The living creatures around the throne of God have wings (Ez. 1:6; Rev. 4:8).

§  Cherubim function as throne bearers and custodians of the sacred places (see Gen. 3:24; Ex. 25:18-22; 26:1, 31; Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Is. 37:16; Ps. 80:1, 99:1).  Compare the four living creatures of Ezek. 1:5ff.; 10:20.

§  Seraphim appear only in Isaiah 6.  Their reverence is graphically depicted and they praise God.  They are described as winged creatures.  The root word seems to signify "to burn," and is found in Numbers 21 as "fiery serpents."  Note the burning coal in Isaiah 6.  Seraphim have six wings.

§  Angels do have the ability to cover vast distances immediately (Ex. 12:29-30).  Gabriel came from the presence of God into the presence of Daniel.  Angels are pictured as flying (Rev. 14:6).  Artists have assumed that they have wings.

3.    Number of angels: innumerable company (Dan. 7:10); camps or army (Gen. 32:2-3); myriads (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11).

THE FUNCTION OF ANGELS

·         God's Messengers (malak, aggelos)

§  At the conception of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:11-20)

§  Gabriel appeared to Mary (Lk. 1:26-38) to announce the news to her that she would conceive. After the conception of Christ, angels appeared to Joseph (Matt. 1:20-24).

§  At the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8-15)

§  Joseph warned to go to Egypt (Matt. 2:19-20)

§  At the resurrection of Jesus and the tomb (Matt. 28:2-6)

§  At the ascension (Acts 1:10-11) 

§  At the birth of Samson (Jdg. 13:3-23)

§  "you have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." (Acts 7:53)

§  "The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator" (Gal. 3:19)

§  "For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment . . ." (Heb. 2:2)

·         Agents of Divine Judgment (destroying angels)

§  Genesis 19:1,13 – two angels sent to destroy Sodom

§  Exodus 12:21-23; Psalm 78:49-51 – band of destroying angels killed firstborn in Egypt

§  2 Samuel 24:1-17 – the pestilence sent for David's sin killed 70,000 (cf. 1 Chr. 21:9-16).

§  2 Kings 19:35 – the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrians (cf. 2 Chr. 32:21; Is. 37:36)

§  Acts 12:23 – Herod struck by an angel because he did not give God the glory.

§  Exodus 33:2 – God sent an angel to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites

§  Present at the Judgment: Matthew 13:39-41 – angels will weed out of the kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, throw them into fiery furnace; Matthew 13:49 – angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace

§  Genesis 3:24 – angel guarded way to the tree of life

§  Revelation 20:1-3 – angel binds Satan and throws him into the abyss for a thousand years

·         Unseen protectors of those who fear God

§  Psalm 34:7 - "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Isa. 63:9 "In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them." 

§  Genesis 48:16 - Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons:  "the Angel who has delivered me from all harm; may he bless these boys."

§  2 Kings 6:15-17 - chariots of fire surrounding Elisha at Dothan

§  Matthew 26:53 – Jesus could call more than twelve legions of angels (cf. Ps. 91:11)

§  Revelation 12:7 – Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (devil) and his angels

§  Daniel 6:22 - “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions." (cf. 3:25, 28) angel rescued three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace.

§  Matthew 18:10 – Little ones' "angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

§  Jude 8-9 – archangel Michael disputed with devil over body of Moses

§  Angels assist nations (Is. 37:36-37, 63:9; 2 Kgs. 18:13-19:37; Dan. 10:21, 12:1).

·         Ministering spirits

§  Hebrews 1:14 – “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Cf. Psalm 103:21 where the heavenly hosts are regarded as servants or ministers.)

§  Serving Jesus (1) at Jesus' temptation (Matt. 4:11; Mk. 1:13) and (2) at Gethsemane (Lk. 22:43)

§  Serving Peter by opening the doors of the jail (Acts 5:19) and waking Peter up in prison and removing his chains (Acts 12:7)

§  Serving Paul by encouraging him during the storm (Acts 27:23)

§  Serving Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19:15-22)

§  An angel secured Isaac a wife (Gen. 24:7)

§  Angels met Jacob on his way to Esau (Gen. 32:1-2)

§  Angel fed Elijah (1 Kgs. 19:3-7).

§  Angel directed Philip to Eunuch (Acts 8:26)

§  Angels rejoice when sinner repents (Lk. 15:7-10; cf. Heb. 12:22)

§  Confession and denial of Jesus will be done before the angels of God (Lk. 12:8-9)

·         Angels take away our souls to God at death (Luke 16:22 23)

·         Duties before God

§  They praise God (Ps. 91:11, 103:20, 148:1-2).

§  Members of the heavenly court (1 Kgs. 22:19-20; cf. Job 1:6ff, 2:1ff; Ps. 89:6-8).

CONCLUSION:

In his book, These Things Speak, Hugo McCord has written concerning angelic help: 

"From what we know by sight and feelings and experience, we cannot affirm that angels are real.  But from what we know by faith, the faith that comes by God's word, we are positive that 'for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation' angels are 'ministering spirits sent forth to do service' (Heb. 1:14).  Christians rejoice because the angel of the unchanging Jehovah 'encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them' (Mal. 3:6; Ps. 34:7).  Specifically what the angels do is an untaught matter, but the reality of their help for Christians is a positive and encouraging doctrine of revealed religion."

 


You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


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