Obey the Teacher

Are you good at obeying rules, policies, and the law? How do you feel if someone who is telling you the rules does not obey them? Do you want to justify your disobedience with their disobedience? Do know justifying your actions by someone else’s actions doesn’t fly?

We may experience in our jobs bosses who spout policies but do not follow them themselves. It likely burns us to the core. We wonder how anyone can proclaim a policy and not follow it. The same goes for the law and rules. It angers us to see someone disobeying when they help set the law.

We have seen in recent years more of our lawmakers, CEOs, and other leaders being held accountable for disobedience. We applaud it. We relish their squeamishness as they go before the court. We may even say, “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” Yet, we are to continue to obey the law, policies, and rules regardless of what the leaders have done.

Jesus tells his disciples and those in the crowd to obey the Jewish leaders, even when they do not do what they teach. That makes it challenging for us when the leaders don’t set a good example to follow. Challenging or not, it is the right thing for us to do. After all, a person can state what the rules are, even if they don’t follow them. Don’t we do that? How often do we break the speed limit? How many times have we taken a little too long for lunch?

Jesus tells us to follow the teachers of God’s law, commands, and guidance, even if those teachers do not follow it themselves. It is not for their good that we follow it, but it is for our good. Obeying God’s Word brings us peace. We experience the joy of the Lord. God blesses us as we obey.

I pray we all obey the teaching of God’s Word. I pray we obey whether our teacher does or not. I pray each one of us will experience the peace, joy, love, and blessings of God through our obedience. Obey God’s Word. Learn as the teacher teaches. Be blessed by God in your obedience.

Matthew 23:2-3 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”

Accept God’s Word

What do you believe? Where do you get your most dependable information? Is it on social media? Is it on national news broadcasts? Do you have your favorite internet news source? How do determine if the news source you choose is reliable?

We can get news from more sources than we can count. There are several television channels dedicated to news. There are news feeds on social media. There are news websites. There are news podcasts. The challenge is to find news sources we know we can trust.

Ensuring we trust the right sources is very important. If we believe the wrong sources, we become misinformed, misguided, and ultimately fail to live in the truth. The truth can be hard to decipher in today’s world. Even hearing news from our family and friends has become suspect, simply because we don’t know where they got their information.

There is one source for truth we can trust. That is the Bible. We should trust the truth within it as God’s Word. As the Apostle Paul tells the church in Thessalonica, trusting its message as God’s Word and being believers is not a matter of human understanding. It is the Holy Spirit that guides us in the truth of the Bible.

We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. He will help us to properly interpret God’s Word, if we will seek his guidance. If we rely on our own interpretation, we run the risk of misinterpreting it. Having the Holy Spirit help us is a matter of us asking for his guidance and getting used to listening for his voice. It may take a little time, but it will happen if we are persistent in it.

I pray we all seek the truth of God’s Word. I pray we ask the Holy Spirit to help us interpret it. I pray each one of us will learn to listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to us and follow his guidance. Seek the truth. Read God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. Know the Holy Spirit will help interpret. Follow his guidance.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

Blameless Conduct

How is your daily conduct? Do you take your conduct seriously? How do you treat others? Do you treat them with respect? Is your conduct and treatment of others beyond reproach? Do you see others as Jesus sees them? Are you willing to change your conduct?

We all have our normal conduct. We have learned it over a lifetime. But we also adapt our conduct based on the situation. Our conduct is different with our family and friends than it is when we are attending a high society ball. But our conduct should be consistent.

When we were growing up, we were probably told to act a certain way when we are in church. While at school, we would also act a certain way. As we grow into our teens and early adulthood, we may change our conduct when with friends. We like to “let our hair down.” We may even allow ourselves to progress toward unacceptable behavior.

As the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, he reminds them that his and his companions conducted themselves well when serving them. He provides an example of how we all should act. His had pure thoughts while being with them. He was upright and honest with them, but also tactful and loving. There was nothing offensive in his behavior for it was blameless.

We can take on his approach when interacting with others. It will require a concerted effort to make a change. But that is one reason we were given the Holy Spirit. Paul imitated Jesus’ conduct. We can, too. To take on that type of conduct, we must ask God, through his Holy Spirit, to work within us and change our heart and attitude to change our conduct.

I pray we all decide to strive for blameless conduct. I pray we follow Paul’s example in how we treat others. I pray each one of us ask God to work in us to change our hearts and attitudes. Be willing to improve your conduct. Follow Paul’s example. Seek to be blameless. Ask God to effect the change.

1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.

Springs of Water

Are you need of refreshing? Do you feel as though you have been soaked, wrung out, and hung out to dry? Do you desire a fresh start? Are you looking for someone who can point you to a place of safety and comfort? Where are you looking? Are you looking to God?

Sometimes we get ourselves into a quagmire. Sometimes we are a hot mess. It may of our own doing that has put us where we are. It may be bad decisions by someone else. Honestly, it doesn’t matter. We are where we are, and we need to get to a better place.

There are more self-help books on bookshelves than we can shake a stick at. Some of them may actually provide good advice for our specific situation. But by and large, most of them are about preventative measures rather than renewal. They tell us how to do things better in life to prepare ourselves for when things go askew rather than giving us guidance on getting out of the gutter.

Do not misunderstand, the Bible does that too. The one thing the Bible does those self-help books won’t do is point us to an almighty God who loves us and cares for us. It points us to a God who performs miracles. Yes, still today. It helps us build our faith in the Creator of the universe. It shows who God is and what he is capable of.

Therefore, when we are in dire straits, we truly need to turn to God and rely on him. He is the one who can take our misfortune and turn it into a blessing. He can pick us up from our groveling in the dirt and lift us up on wings like eagles. Our part? Believe. Have faith. Trust in him. And…be patient. God is already at work.

I pray we all put our trust and faith in God. I pray we turn to him when we encounter misfortune. I pray each one of us will read God’s Word and build our faith in him. Believe in God. Turn to God. Put your faith in God. Be patient. Know God is working on your behalf.

Psalm 107:35

He turns a desert into pools of water, 

a parched land into springs of water.

Forever Love

Sometimes we need reassurance. We need to know someone is in our corner. We need to know we are loved and cared for. We need to know things will work out and good will come of it. We have a God who works all things to the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

What do we need to do to be in his love? Accept his Son as our Savior and love him back. That is the start of it. But just like loving our parents, our love grows as we grow, and we do more for them. This is the way our love for God must grow. As we mature as Christians, we get more involved.

Some will wander after they have become Christians. But just like the parable of the prodigal son, God will accept them back. Some will stumble along the way, but God will forgive them if they repent. Some stagger back and forth between paths of righteousness and paths of sinfulness. And every time they repent, God brings them back into the fold. That is just a small taste of the love God has for us.

Does God desire us to do well? Yes. Does he desire us to obey his commands? Yes. Does he want us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus? Yes. Does he know we are fallible humans and are incapable of being perfect? Yes. Therefore, because of his love for us and his intimate knowledge of us, he will forgive us and continue to love and care for us.

We should do the best we can. We should make the effort to obey God’s commands. We should follow Jesus. We should give God our heart, soul, and mind. But we can rest assured that God will welcome his back into his loving arms when we fail, and he will work it out for our good because he loves us.

I pray we all accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I pray we love God with our heart, soul, and mind. I pray each one of us will our best to obey God’s commands and repent when we fail. Accept Jesus as your Savior. Obey God’s commands. Love God with your whole being. Repent when you fail. Know that God loves you forever.

Psalm 107:1

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Draw Near

What are you attracted to? Are you attracted to certain types of people? Do they need to have a specific personality? Are you attracted to certain types of houses, vehicles, and jobs? Are you attracted to them because someone told you about them? Are you drawn toward God?

Every one of us is attracted to a variety of things and people. There is something about them that we like. Often, we cannot pinpoint what it is, but we know we like them. For that reason, there are a wide variety of products sold in stores and a variety of houses built.

We may be attracted to how well something functions. If it is of good quality and does exactly what we desire, we may not care much for form. However, we may be more attracted to the form than the function. It may be something beautiful that is questionable when it comes to function. Yet, because it is so beautiful, we are drawn to it anyway.

We may be attracted to something or someone because a family member or friend has told us about them. Being drawn to God may occur in this manner. After all, if we know nothing about God, how can we be drawn to him short of a miraculous act on his part? One reason we need to tell others about him.

Joshua tells the Israelites to draw near to him and hear the words God has passed on to him. He has specific instructions regarding their crossing of the Jordan river into the promised land. Joshua was continuing to tell the Israelites about God, just like Moses had done. He received messages and passed them on.

We can pass along God’s Word to others as well. We have it written down and can read it. We have books written by scholars, theologians, and historians that can provide us with a greater understanding of the Bible and the context in which the various books were written. We can know God better so we can better pass to others who he is.

I pray we all seek to draw near to God. I pray we seek to know more about him. I pray each one of us will use our knowledge to tell others about God so they will decide to draw near to God. Draw near to God. Seek to know him better. Tell others about God. Encourage them to draw near.

Joshua 3:9 Joshua then said to the Israelites, “Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.

Face-to-Face

Have you given much thought as to who Jesus is? Or have you simply listened to what preachers and teachers have told you? Is He a personal friend, brother, and Savior to you? How would you answer if He asked you who you thought He is?

There are people in this world who say they know who Jesus is. Yet, when pushed to tell who He is, they are hard pressed to give an answer. They stumble and fumble over words. Unfortunately, some of them claim to be His followers.

If we spend time reading the gospels and learning what they say about Jesus, we should be able to use several words to tell who He is. We should be able to quickly say, “Son of Man, Son of God, Messiah, Christ, Savior of the world, my Savior, my Friend, my Brother, King of kings, Lord or lords,” and more.

But what we say cannot be mere head knowledge. The truest answer comes from our heart. It is deep in our hearts that we believe in Him and know who He is. It is by the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we learn in the depths of our heart who He is to us and who we are to Him.

When Jesus asked some of the leaders what they thought of Him, they gave the book answer. But Jesus isn’t looking for a book answer. He is looking for a heart answer. We should be prepared to say who He is to us.

I pray we all know who Jesus is in our heart. I pray we are prepared to give an answer of who He is. I pray each one of us will take time to read about Him and get to know Him more. Be prepared to answer. Know who Jesus is. Make it heart knowledge. 

Matthew 22:41-42 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”

Keep It Simple

Are you concerned with following the rules? Do you make a concerted effort to follow the law? Would you like it to be easier to keep the rules and obey the law? What if there were principles to help you with that? Would you abide by those principles?

We follow more rules than we can count. There are rules for our schools, workplaces, sports, and even in our families. If we were to attempt to write them all down, it would take far more time than we want to spend on it. Yet, we unconsciously follow them.

In addition to rules, there are laws we follow. There are city, county, state, and federal laws. We, again, unconsciously follow them. Why? We have learned laws over the course of our lifetime, just as we have learned the rules we abide by. Once we have learned them, they are filed away in our brains, and we no longer need to consciously think about them.

God has given laws and rules to follow. Sometimes we think there are too many to remember, and they are too hard to follow. But we have a simple way to go about following all of them. There are only two commandments or principles we need to follow, and by following them we follow the full set. We often boil them down to a simple saying, love God and love neighbor.

If we filter every action, word we speak, and viewpoint through them, we will inherently follow the law. We simply need to make these two principles be our guiding mantra for everything we say, do, and think. It is not easy. It takes work on our part. At first, we must consciously think about them. The more we think about them, the more they become ingrained in us. Once they are fully ingrained, we will no longer need to think of them, we will unconsciously obey them, just as we do with other rules and laws.

I pray we all consciously think about the two commandments Jesus gave us. I pray we filter everything we do through them. I pray each one of us will eventually come to the point of unconsciously following them. Follow Jesus’ commands. Focus on the principles. Make your life simpler.

Matthew 22:37-40 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Gospel Truth

Are there people in your life who you care deeply about? Do you care enough to tell them the truth even if you know it will be tough? Do you care enough to tell them the truth with love? Is the truth you tell them the truth of the gospel?

We all have people in our life whom we care about deeply. It may only be one or two. For those who are very blessed, they may have several they love with a deep, genuine love. When we love someone deeply, we often are willing to tell them the truth they need to here.

Many mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends have had difficult conversations with someone they love. They can be full of tears. The other person may get extremely upset and angry. There may be yelling involved. But there will also be hugs that accompany those tears. When the other person finally realizes the truth has been spoken and they needed to hear it, they will have a deep appreciation for the someone who cared enough to tell them.

The gospel is a truth we all need to hear. We all fall short of the glory of God. We need a Savior. We need to know Jesus lived, died, and rose again for each one of us. We need to know we are loved by God, and we are precious to him. We also need to care enough for others to share the gospel with them. We need to convince them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

I pray we all have people we care deeply for. I pray we care enough to share the truth with them. I pray each one of us will share the truth of the gospel in love with those we care about. Care deeply for others. Share the truth. Share the gospel. Be truthful in love.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Speak Truth with Love

Why do you speak? What are your motives? Do you speak with honest intentions? Do you speak with a pure heart? Or do you speak with deceitful intentions. Do you speak to lead people to your preferences? Is your message from God?

We talk a lot throughout the day. Whether we realize it or not, much of our talking is meant to cause others to think highly of us or to coax them into agreeing with us. We desire to be heard and sometimes simply speak what we think others want to hear.

Do not misunderstand, it is not wrong to talk about the weather or which dress to wear or what we want for dinner. There is nothing wrong with agreeing to eat something for dinner even if it is not what you prefer. But it is wrong to hold back the truth when we know the other person needs to hear it. We do not need to be completely tactless, but we should not encourage a false narrative.

If we are followers of Christ, we have been entrusted with the message of the gospel, just as the Apostle Paul was. We have been sent in mission, just as the early disciples, to tell others about Jesus. We are to stand on the truth of the gospel and proclaim it. But we are to proclaim it truthfully, without malice, with pure motives, and a desire to bring that person to Christ.

Our mission is not to please others, but we are not to present the message in an offensive manner either. We are to speak the truth in love. We are to speak the truth because we care for others. The message of Jesus, when spoken with love, will change lives forever.

I pray we all speak the truth of the gospel. I pray we speak with pure motives. I pray each one of us will tell others about Jesus with love and a desire to bring them into the kingdom of God. Speak truth. Speak with love. Carry the gospel to others. Encourage them to join the kingdom.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.