Know Your Bible
VOL. 10                           March 27, 2011                           NO. 13
 What Are You Thinking About Right Now?
 
     Every morning at work I receive an e-mailed “Thought For The Day” from a lady in our office. The following encouraging item was circulated just last week, “God is fully trustworthy. Whatever we entrust to Him, He can take care of better than we can. Nothing under His control can ever be out of control.”
 
     I thought it was something I should share with you. It is truly good for us to dwell on such a positive message as this just like the Apostle Paul wrote to the brethren at Philippi. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, what ever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8). It is indeed a good thing for man to meditate upon trusting in God.
 
     It baffles me why men just don’t trust God. Starting with Adam, who trusted the words of Eve more that those of God, and continuing throughout the history of the nation of Israel and is demonstrated throughout the world everyday, mankind does not put its trust in God. But, isn’t that how God made us with the freedom to choose to trust in him or not? Having the advantage today to study the scriptures, tells me God has always delivered what He has told man. Trusting God is probably a big reason why Joshua and his house chose to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Please note Joshua told the children of Israel that they, too, had the freedom to choose to trust in and “serve the Lord” or “the gods their fathers served…”
 
     Do you fully trust in God, believing He can take care of whatever we entrust to Him? Then put your life under His control so it will never be out of control.
 
     How can you show your trust in God? The first thing that comes to my mind is what the writer of Ecclesiastes sums up the whole duty of man to be. After years of chasing every pleasure under the sun, he recognized the vanity of it all.  “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, For this is man’s all“ (Eccl. 12:13).
 
---Wade Mullins
 
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Husbands
 
     One of the most touching remarks about a woman’s basic needs was spoken by Jacob’s unloved wife Leah. Upon giving birth to her firstborn son, she said, “surely now my husband will love me” (Gen. 29:32). What Leah yearned for is actually the birthright of every wife, that is, to be loved by her husband. No believing wife with a believing husband should ever feel compelled to say about this subject, “surely now…”
 
     According to the Bible, a husband’s love is not measured out, based on his wife’s performance. It is a constant anchor in a covenant relationship, expressed in word and deed.
 
     It is an easy thing to love someone on your wedding day. In the first bloom of marriage, who cannot obey the wise man and “rejoice in the wife of your youth” (Proverbs 5:18)? But honeymoons give way to anniversaries, and children’s birthdays soon supersede them both. Over time, expensive weddings can not mask cheap marriages. And over time, husbands can forget what God says about loving their wives.
     A husband must leave and cleave (Genesis 2:24), but it is much more than merely sticking with the marriage arrangement. In fact, God has so defined a husband’s love that we husbands should squirm uncomfortably when we read it.
 
     Elkanah claimed to treat Hannah better than ten sons would treat her (1 Samuel 1:8). But neither Elkanah, nor Abraham, nor Peter are our models as husbands. Our model is how Jesus (the husband) loves the church (His bride).
 
     Paul insists that we love our wives as our own bodies - as ourselves. It is a self-sacrificing love, independent of her response and attitude, that many men are just not willing to give (Ephesians 5:25ff).
 
     Look closely at how you treat your wife. If the words “nourish and cherish” don’t come to mind, perhaps you need to repent. Perhaps most of us should!
 
---Jim King 
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Parents: Consistency Is A Key!
 
     All godly parents are concerned about bringing up their children to be good, God-fearing people. In fact, we are commanded to do so (Ephesians 6:4).
 
     There are lots of negative influences in the world that make this an increasingly difficult job. We worry about the impact of the schools, peer pressure, wickedness in the media, etc. In the face of all these forces that seek to ruin our kids, how can we succeed in teaching and training them to do what is right?
 
     While there are many Scriptural principles that might be mentioned here, we want to emphasize just one --consistency. A key in bringing up faithful children is to be consistent.
 
     An obvious area where this consistency needs to be seen is in attendance at the assemblies. If you allow your kids to miss the worship services in order to be at a ball game, you are teaching them that the ball game is more important than the Lord. If you let them skip the assemblies for school functions, band trips, dramas or plays, or to go camping, fishing or hunting, in all of these ways you are demonstrating that there are things that are more important than God.
 
     If you fail to worship when you are traveling or on vacation, you are showing them that serving God is something you do only when it is convenient. If you let them take part-time jobs that interfere with their attendance, you are giving them a clear sign that work and career considerations are higher in priority than spiritual things.
 
     Many parents who are violating the principles stated above will scoff at these warnings. Yet the personal experiences of many people, as well as the plain teachings of God's Word indicate that this is the truth.
 
     Joshua had it right when he said, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). There would be no compromise in his family. He would LEAD them in a consistent, faithful path. Let's imitate his example of consistency!
 
---Greg Gwin
 
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