KINDNESS

The bible teaches Christians to be kind, loving and affectionate one toward another.{Rom.12}. we are to “love one another with a pure heart fervently”{1Pet,1”22}.we should use every opportunity to be encouraging and edifying, like Barnabas was to his brethren{Acts4:36}. We will regret many things as we review our sojourn here below, but we will be glad for every act of kindness and genuine concern. A very wise person blessed us with these words:

I have wept in the night

For the shortness of sight

That to somebody’s need made me blind;

But I never have yet

Felt a tinge of regret

For being a little too kind.

Sometimes it is gracious and thoughtful for a brother to rebuke a friend, as Paul did with Peter {Gal.2: 11}. Or, to exhort daily those who are in serious spiritual traits, as Heb.3: 13 explains. However, on most occasions, we need to exercise the principles of kindness in compliments and cheerful expressions of gratitude and deep appreciation. We can give no greater gifts to a fellow pilgrim than that of kindness and concern. This epitaph needs to constantly be on our minds:

What I saved I lost,

What I spent I used,

What I gave I have.

God teaches a valuable lesson through the writing of Malachi: “will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me, But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings”{Mal.3: 8}. When we rob the lord through bad attitudes and stingy stewardship, we rob ourselves of the abundant blessings heaven desires to pour out in our lives. The potent reminder of Acts 20:35 should ever ring in our ears, “Remember the words of the lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.” When we encourage others, as Jesus did for Peter in John 21, the Kingdom of God is enhanced and strengthened, but harsh and bitter words are brutal and harmful to both the giver and the receiver of such communication. A person who majors in critical, negative, and discouraging words cannot possibly be the pleasant to others or helpful to himself. Our Savoir made it clear in Matt.12 that the overflow of what is inside our minds is reflected in the words we speak. Death and life are in the power of the tongue {Prov.18: 21} and we need to guard carefully the door of our lips {Psa.141: 3}. To allow our mouths to be a cesspool of hatred, gossip and slander must not be the thrust of our speech. James 3:1-10 graphically denounces such in these emphatic words,” My brethren, such things ought not so to be!” Conversely, the sweet spring of encouraging and uplifting thoughts, words and deeds produce joy and peace.

We can learn something valuable, however, when we observe that sharp words and angry looks of others in the heat of the battle. Is that the way we look and sound when under pressure? Why should we allow such attitudes and actions to twist our faces and warp our personalities and hurt our influence? Let us determine to be considered of others and the Christ-like in loving our enemies and brethren who are not easy to like! None of this means that we are to overlook sin and try to compromise Bible teaching under a banner of love and compassion. Jesus loved the rich young ruler {Mark 10}, but He did not change His demands for him. It is kinder to rebuke someone who is in error than to disregard error that must be overcome lest our friend die in sin. Remember the wisdom of Prov.27: 5,”open rebuke is better than secret love.”

The kindest thing we can do for sinners we love is to encourage them to obey the Savior {Matt.25: 46}. When a brother is overtaken in a fault, faithful Christians restore such in a spirit of gentle compassion {Gal.6: 1-2} kindness demands it!

In loving –kindness Jesus came,

My soul in mercy to reclaim;

And from the depths of sin and shame,

Through grace He lifted me.

Let us learn from the kindness of Jesus, and strive always to be like him who died that we might live.

GOD OF COMPASSIONWe should ever be mindful of the concern and compassion of our heavenly

Father. Truly, as 1 Pet. 5:7 so powerfully affirms, He careth for you.” No verse of the bible states it better than Psa. 86:15 “But thou, o lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Earlier in that same Psa, the inspired writer had gratefully acknowledged this principle in these cogent words: ” In the days of my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou wilt answer me” (v. 7). Because God is great and “doest wondrous things” (Psa. 86:10), we ought to learn to rely wholly on Him who has created heaven and earth (gen. 1:1). As the beautiful hymn phrases it.

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,

It is interesting to note that the omnipotent one is also the most compassionate Friend we shall ever know. Strength and empathy mesh in the wonderful heart of Deity. In Jer.13: 15, we learn that Jehovah weeps when men are filled with pride. Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Matt. 32:37), and Abraham had tears for the city of Sodom. It ought to stir and sadden us when we observe the shame of worldly emphasis about us, as it said of the apostle Paul in Athens: His spirit was provoked within him when he beheld the city full of idols” (Acts. 17:16). No verse tells of the loving, longing nature of our creator better than Rom. 5:8, “God commended his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Truly, the love of the Father was such that he sent His beloved Son into the world, not to condemn us but to redeem us (John 3:17). With a nail-pierced hand, Christ pointed to the world filled with iniquity and commanded His servants, ” Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believed and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:15-16). No greater love and passion for souls could ever be found! A. L. Murray wrote pungent words:

Though all the world be shattered,

The privilege we mortals have in regard to prayer, the availability of the Bible, the blessing of the Lord’s church, the fellowship of the brethren and the hope of heaven are all clear manifestations of the caring, compassionate nature of God. As the prophet Daniel so aptly stated, so we believe, “There is a God in the heaven” (Dan.2: 28). When we seriously contemplate the gracious and benevolent hand of our make, we ought to respond in loyalty and devotion that would make the angels rejoice. Meditating upon these matters cause the Psalmist to exclaim, Bless the lord, O my soul. All that is within me, bless his holy name”{Psa.103: 1}. The gratitude brought forth these excellent words,” thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift”{2cor.9: 15}

Be ye imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love”{Eph.5:1}. The compassion of the Father should be seen in His children. For us to lightly pass by a world lost in sin, or to ignore the aged, the infirmed, the lonely and the unlovely is a trait that ties us not to the Savior but to Satan. May we learn to be more compassionate, so that the beauty of Jesus will be seen in us!

His truth remains the same;

His righteous laws still potent

And ‘Father” still his name.

Though we face wars and struggles,

And feel their good and rod,

We know above confusion

There will always be Gods!

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak but Thou art mighty,

Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

What Is The Church Of Christ?

The church of Christ dates back to the days of the New Testament (Romans 16:16). It was founded by Christ on the
Day of Pentecost, A.D. 33 (Acts 2), not long after His resurrection back to heaven. In the years that followed the, it
rabidly grew to fill Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria, and finally the whole Roman Empire (Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:23). In
America, the first churches of Christ were planted in the late 1700s as the result of a movement begun to go back to
the Bible and do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names (cf. 1 Peter 4:11).

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:30-31), that the Bible is inspired of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and
that Christ will return to take His kingdom home to God (1 Corinthians 15:24). We emphasize sincere worship (John 4:
24), every-member evangelism (Acts 8:4), godly living (Titus 2:11-12), love for each other (John 13:34-35), and
helping those in need (James 1:27). We believe the Bible teaches that sinners are saved by learning of Jesus, faith in
Jesus, repentance of sin because of Jesus, confession of Jesus, and baptism into Jesus (John 6:44-45; 3:16; Mark 16:
15-16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:38). The church of Christ is organized with elders, deacons, preachers, and members,
as in the New Testament times (Philippians 1:1). It has no governing body on earth higher than the local congregation.

The church of Christ is noted for its emphasis upon returning to New Testament Christianity and for its desire to
unite all Christians into one body (1 Corinthians 1:10). We believe that the New Testament is the only rule for faith and
practice in religious matters (2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3), and that God’s Word must authorize all that is done in
Christian worship (Colossians 3:17; Revelation 22:18-19). Thus we try to strictly follow the New Testament. We believe
that it is possible to have religious unity in a day of division by simply following the New Testament pattern and putting
aside human traditions.

To put it simply, the church of Christ is seeking to be the same church one reads about in the New Testament. We
aim to restore its doctrine, its practice, its lifestyle, and its zeal.

HAVE YOU BEING TO JESUS?

Much is said today about Christians. For many people, Christians are just a bunch of rigid judges, which want to run their world in their own way. To some people, Christians are superstitious duckers who want to believe in something that will make a dreary life seem better. Others have more extreme views some more moderate. But mention the name of the Son of God or his followers and you will get many various and differing reaction.

Jesus is much talked about, even among religious people. Jesus is seen as a shaman, one who could perform miracles and could easily sway people. Some see him as a philosopher or a marvelous teacher. To others, Jesus is the Son of God, both divine and human.

In the many arguments and discussions about Jesus of Nazareth, it would be easy for non-believers to be confused. It can be easy even for someone who professes a faith in Jesus to become confused. Is Jesus a judge who is eager to condemn? Is he a genie who will provide all of our wishes?

Is he a man or is he God? Each of us should ask the question: “Have I been to Jesus?”

FOR HIS WISDOM

Jesus was indeed a wonderful teacher. He brought a whole new    style of teaching that refreshed His world. “The multitudes were amazed at his teaching: for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29). Jesus was a gifted thinker and teacher. But his words were packed with practical wisdom on how to make life better. When Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and to turn the other cheek when affronted, He was not merely suggesting ways to please God, but was giving us skills that will make life more successful. Even the most atheistic person would have a happier life if he or she would follow the great wisdom of the Lord. To live without holding grudges, to forgive, to be willing to accept injustice without acting unjustly were not merely spiritual words of God, but are words of wisdom that can empower any life.

Any person who wants to find a better way to live can go to no better source than Jesus of Nazareth. Even if you have a hard time accepting Jesus’ divinity, you will quickly find His teaching makes practical sense. Jesus taught us long ago of the need to stay married for the life (Matt. 19:4-6). Now  “experts” are beginning to grasp the great damage done by divorce. Jesus taught us long ago to not be anxious (Matt. 6:25-34), now science tells us that calm people live longer and happier lives. Have you been to Jesus for His wisdom?

FOR HIS COMPASSION

Ours is a cruel and harsh world. Wars are waged over issues like territory and race. Violence is rampant in our cities and in our news coverage. The cost of living rises daily and taxes wear us down. Meanwhile, most people seek entertainment and comfort from sitting in front of televisions. Families don’t talk much. Friends don’t drop by much any more. By all standards our society is becoming more and more indifferent, a cold technological world.

Jesus came into a world just like that. Yet He stood out. When confronted with a terrible and incurable disease, Jesus acted not just to heal the body, but to bind the broken spirit of man. “and a leper  came to Him, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying to Him, if you are willing, you can make me clean. And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand and touched Him, and said to him, I am willing: be cleansed” (Mark 1:40-41). Jesus saw a man afflicted with a dreaded illness. This skin disease was so oppressive and so hated that a person who suffered from the disease was also ostracized by Jewish society. God had commanded lepers to stay apart and to never again enjoy the touch of a healthy human hand. But now God comes in the flesh and is moved, not by judgment, but by compassion. Jesus could have healed the man without the touch, but knew the man needed more then just healing. He needed to know and feel human contact once again. Jesus’ compassion moved Him to do more than heal the body, He healed the spirit as well.

In a cruel world, there is still a Jesus who is moved by compassion. He cares deeply about your life and how you live it. He wants you to be happy and successful. He wants you to be whole, emotionally and spiritually. Whatever the state of your life when you come to this Jesus you can know that He will take you back. His compassion will move Him to accept and helped that leper. Have you been to Jesus for His compassion?

FOR HIS MERCY

Some people are misled by the confusion and misconceptions that surround Christianity. They think that once sin has become common in a persons life, God can no longer accept that person. But Jesus lied and taught differently than that. “There was a woman in the city who was a sinner … she became to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing then with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, if this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner” (Luke 7:37-39). Jesus was more than willing to accept sinners. He was willing to dine with them (Luke 19:1-10), He was willing to forgive them (as he does with this same woman, Luke 7:48). Jesus was even willing to forgive His friends when they denied Him at the end of his life.

When Jesus taught us to forgive those who sin against us, He was not merely giving advice. This was the nature of His life. His whole mission was to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus knew Hw could not do that and stay aloof from the sinners. When you come to Jesus seeking mercy you can rest assured that you could be forgiven; that was the whole mission of Jesus Christ. There is no reason not to come for mercy. Our lives are not perfect. You and I both have wounded others, rebelling against what we knew   was right. Both you and I can find mercy. Have you been to Jesus for mercy?

FOR HIS DIVINITY

Although some may not believe in Jesus as the divine Son of God, when you look for that you will see what a difference it can make in your life. “not that any man has  seen the father, except the one who is from God: He has seen the Father” (John 6:46). No man can know God intimately. But Jesus came from God and was able to bring from God the message mankind needed to hear (John 12:48-50). In coming from God, Jesus shows us the way to know God.

In a world that is evil, a world full of corruption, a world that seems devoid of hope. The divinity of Jesus brings relief. We now know that there is a God. We also know that this God cares for us and is interested in our welfare. And the world became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In the life of Jesus we can come to know God. We can see his grace, the power of his wisdom, the joy of his mercy, the relief in his compassion. To know Jesus as God’s divine Son is to come to know God.

Better yet, we can now approach God through Jesus. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me” (John 14:6). Jesus shows us the Father in His life. Today we can come to the Father through Jesus. The same compassionate and merciful Jesus will open the door of heaven so that man can enter into God’s presence. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). When God seems distant, Jesus is the way God comes near to man today. Have you been to Jesus for His divinity?

FOR HIS LOVE

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for His friends” (John 15:13). Jesus willingly died on the cross for those he loved. The greatest thing about coming to Jesus is the full experience of His love. He died for people who did not care, who were living for themselves, who had ruined their lives and society. Yet his love was so great that He gave His life in an effort to redeem all mankind. “God demonstrates his own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom.5:8). While you and I were without hope and without strength to save ourselves from our foolishness, God and Jesus loved us enough to sacrifice Jesus’ life in our behalf.

Jesus taught with wisdom. He was moved by compassion and mercy. He opens the door of Heaven so man can once again know God. But the greatest thing about coming to Jesus is to come to know the great love He offers. It is a love so immense that a lifetime of effort will not grasp it. It is a love so wonderful that just a glimpse of its grandeur will change us. So Paul says, “that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Eph.3: 18-19). Paul prays that we will come to know the unknowable! He wants us to see the greatness of Jesus’ love, knowing that seeing its immensity will compel us to live for Jesus (2 Cor.5: 14-15).

When you come to realize how much Jesus loves you, you will then want to respond to His call. His love moved Him to die for you. He now calls on you to die as well. This should be motivated by your love for Him. If you will die to self and accept His death in your behalf, then you will have come to Jesus. That is why Paul taught us to remember our death in baptism and the new life the death of Jesus brought us when we were immersed (Ro,.6:3-4). Have you been to Jesus for His love?

COME TO HIM TODAY

Jesus was a great teacher, offering the greatest wisdom in history on how to live a successful life. He was full of compassion and eager to forgive. Jesus introduces us to the will and presence of God himself. Best of all, this same Jesus died for you because he loved you. Have you been to Jesus? Why not come to Him   today?

LIVING OUR FAITH IN THE REAL WORLD
OVERCOMING WORRY
Matthew 6:25-34.

Perhaps the most difficult command in the bible to obey is not “Do not kill,” “Do not steal,” “Do not commit adultery,” “Repent and be baptized,” or “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.’
Perhaps the most difficult command is not to worry – not to be anxious. This is certainly difficult for me. How about you?
Worry is defined as troubling or tormenting oneself. It is uncertainly; it is faithlessness—the opposite of faith. Worry and faith are mutually exclusive. In English the word “worry” comes from a root word meaning to choke or strangle. The Greek word for worry literally means to have a divided mind or heart. Worry is an internal tug –of-war pulling at our faith.
There are two things wrong with worry. First, worry robs us of the good life. It keeps us from enjoying the journey. Secondly, scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. These are two good reasons for us o learn to control worry. The dictionary defines anxiety as uncertainty, dread, fear. Here is something we must recognize about fear: fear does not occupy just a part of the mind. It does not divide it. Fear demands all or nothing. Fear chokes out the joy of life. In a real sense worry is a lack of faith, and fear is the direct result of uncontrolled worry and anxiety.
Someone once wrote, “feed your faith, and your fears will starve to death. Feed your fears, and your faith will die.” Worry and anxiety are powerful tools of Satan. And worry and anxiety are sinful. They can, and are, destroying our faith.
What can we learn from Jesus’ statement in our text?
Worry is unreasonable.
“… Do not be worried about your life. As what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Verse 25)
Worry is unreasonable because we focus on the wrong things. I’ve seen people have coronaries because they spilled something on their tie or dress. We get upset about the silliest things.
What or whom, did Jesus tells us to fear? Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell” (matthew10: 28). Worry is unreasonable because we focus on things we cannot change. If we can change it, then change it! If we can’t why worry about it? The important thing is to know the difference. We need to ask God to give us the wisdom to know the difference between the things we can change and those things we cannot change. And then not worry about the things we can’t change.
Worry is unreasonable because it always exaggerates the problem. Have you ever noticed that when we worry about something, it has a tendency to get bigger until it consumes us with doubt and fear? Worry often makes mountains out of molehills.
Jesus is saying worry is illogical and unreasonable because it throws things all out of proportion.
Worry is unnatural. Note verse 26. “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” verse 28 says, “observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do toil no r do they spin….”
We must realize that worry doesn’t come from God; worry comes from whom? – Satan. Worry and anxiety are products of the fall, and that’s when sin was introduced into our journey. Friends, if anybody are on God’s welfare role, it’s the birds – it’s the flowers. And God says, I take care of them – you’re more than them.” Jesus said animals don’t worry, plants don’t worry. The only thing in creation that worries – the only thing in creation that doesn’t trust his Creator is people.
Listen to psalm 145:16, “you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living things.” Does this verse hold true in my life and yours?
Worry is a learned response, and since worry is a learned response, it can be unlearned. Worry is unhelpful. Jesus says worry doesn’t work. We can’t add a single inch to our height or an hour to our life.
You see, worry can’t
. Make us taller….
. It can’t make us skinnier….
. It can’t make us healthier…
. It can’t help us live one day longer…
Worry doesn’t accomplish anything!
Worry is stewing without doing. It is like sitting in a rocky chair. There is a lot of motion, but there is no forward progress. When we worry about our past, does that change it? When we worry about the future, does that control it? Worry and anxiety are unless baggage.
Worry is unhealthy. Worry not only makes miserable mentally, it also affect our physical health. Have you ever heard anyone says, “Man I am worried sick!”? They’re right; worry can make us sick. Look and see what this verse says:
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad (Proverb 12:25). A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones (Proverb 14:30). A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverb 17:22).
In the preface to this book, none of these Diseases, S. I. McMillan says that 60 to 100% of all of our illnesses is caused by our emotions—by now we think in our hearts. Then the lists the most damaging emotions in this order: fear, sorrow, envy, resentment, and hate.
Indeed, worry can—and is—killing us.
Worry is unnecessary. ‘But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Verse30).
Remember what Paul says in Philippians? Do not worry or be anxious about anything. Then he tells us why: God will meet all our needs according to his riches. All our needs. Is there anything outside of all?
When we put Matthew 6 and Philippians 4 together, we find God saying He will supply all our needs – emotional needs, physical needs, spiritual needs, relational needs – if we trust Him. God says, “You don’t have to worry. It’s unnecessary. I’ll take care of you.”
Worry is unchristian. Did you know that when we worry, we are acting like atheist? We’re acting as if God doesn’t exist. We’re acting like God won’t do what He has promised to do. Faith is a confidence and trust in God and in His promises. Worry is really a lack of trust in God.
Isn’t it amazing that we will trust God with our eternal salvation, yet we won’t trust Him with our family problems, our financial problems, and our health problems?
So, the issue really becomes worry or faith – which will it be for me?
Roman 8:28 gives us this assurance: “and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Worry is indeed unchristian.

Keep A Date For the concluding section on this topic;
Jesus Antidote For worry & Anxiousness
Place God first in every area of your life. I like the way the Living Bible words Matthew 6:32-33. “Your heavenly father already knows perfectly well what you need, and he will give you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to live.”
Worry is always…
. a warning light on the instrument panel of life,
. an indication of mixed-up values,
. a loss of perspective and direction….
It indicates a loss of faith and trust in God and His ability to work all things out for our good. Worry is an indication that something has taken first place in my life besides God and my faith in Him.
Here it is folks. Any area where God is not number one in our life becomes a source of worry for us. It may be money, a health concern, and grade in school, family problems, job, and religion…
It doesn’t matter what it is. Wherever God is not first, that area will become a source of worry for us. We can count on it, nothing was meant to take the place of God.
What is the commandment? Remember, no other gods before me.
Jesus says if we will put Him first in our lives, we will take care of all our needs. Isn’t this what Jesus said in our reading?
Live one day at a time. Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have its own worries. Don’t open up your umbrella until it starts raining. There are two days of the week we should never worry about: yesterday and tomorrow.
Why should we live only one day at a time? Because in worrying about tomorrow’s problems, we miss today’s blessings. God doesn’t promise to give us grace for tomorrow;
He only promises grace for today. It is okay to plan for tomorrow, but don’t worry about it.
In teaching us to pray, what did Jesus says? “Give us our yearly bread.”? “Give us our monthly bread.”? “Give us our weekly bread.”? No, he said, “Give us our daily bread.
why? Because He wants us to depend on Him one day at a time.
Here is how to genuinely enjoy the journey: live one day at a time.
Trust God to care for things beyond our control. The root of worry is found in verse 30: “O you of little faith.”
We must decide: Are we going to trust our worries, our anxieties? Or are we going to trust God? You see, we can’t either panic or pray when we face the tough situations of life.
Listen to Philippians 4:6-7:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul says don’t worry, but do what?  Pray!
Listen to this! I am told there are over 7,000 promises from God in the Bible. They are like an insurance policy. When we get an insurance policy, we read what it covers. Then we don’t worry about it. We know if something happens, the insurance company will take care if it.
Read the book, study it, memorize it, learn its promises, and then don’t worry about things.
Consider these examples with me.
When Joshua was about to undertake the awesome task of taking the land that God had promised, God admonished him and Israel to “be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
When Jehoshaphat was going to war, he was outnumbered three to one, and there was no way he was going to win this battle. But the message from the Lord was “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).
When Jesus sent out His disciples, he encouraged them and said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).
When Paul wrote the Christians at Rome, he said “and we know that God cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Paul encouraged the Corinthians when he wrote, “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Look at these truths;
When we obey God, he is with us wherever we go.
When we have a battle, we should stop worrying and allow God to fight our battles.
God knows what faces even the smallest of His creation.
As God’s children, whatever we face works out.
Our victory is from God through Jesus Christ.
What are we worried about that appears out of our control—finances, our children’s future, our health, a ruptured relationship, our eternal salvation…?
Let’s put it in God’s hands doing what we can, but allowing Him to extend His grace to us, fulfill His promises, and provide our every need.

THE PENETRATING WORD

As we are being transformed, we must make sure we are being transformed into God’s image and not our own or the world’s. We are continually bombarded by ungodly influences of society and the world. We are over-loaded with sources of information and communication through the media, over the Internet, from Hollywood, even through our government and the people with whom we associate. Not all of this information is bad; however, most of it is not from the mind of God. Satan’s influences that are contrary to God’s ways continually contaminate our thinking, seducing us into believing ourselves to. Be our own gods.

As mentioned in the beginning of this book, many people are desperately searching for some type of transformation. Most are seeking transformation by their own means, trying harder and harder to find meaning and joy in their lives. Because many of these attempts at transformation are man made, they are short lived and without everlasting hope—but this is not something new to man. This search for a new life with new meaning and joy is as old as Adam and Eve. From the moment they turned away from God to follow their own appetite, they fell away from the perfect relationship with God in the Garden of Eden. They believed the lies of Satan. It was the beginning of the search for completion, seeking and being fooled by the philosophies of man. As present in the garden as it was present during the days of Jesus, so it is present in ours lives –today.

The apostle Paul sums it up very well:

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and basic principles of this world rather on Christ. (Col.2:8)

If we really want to be transformed and have greater intimacy with God, we need to be guided by his word and not the world’s word. Think of it this way: in order of our automobile’s engine to run smoothly, we need to regularly change the oil. If we ignore this practice, the oil will eventually become so contaminated and weak that our engine will overheat and stop working.

Similarly, our minds need constant changing and cleaning. Because our faith actually comes from the Word of Christ (Rom10: 17), we need to let the Word of God dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16). When we abide in the Word of God daily through daily Bible study and meditation, our faith is transformed and grows deeper. The Bible helps us clean our minds by revealing tom us the things to think about “…. whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, and whatever is excellent or praiseworthy….” (Phil. 4:8). We need to continually cleanse our minds with God’s Word.

Although the Bible is the largest-selling book in the world, it is the least read. For many Christians, taking or making the time to study God’s Word in a major problem.

Although many of us take the availability of the Bible for granted, countless thousands of others around the world wound gladly give all they have for the opportunity to read a Bible.

Perhaps many of us don’t realize that over two thousand years, people have lost their lives struggling to ensure that future generations would be able to read the Bible in their own language (people are still losing their lives over this, e.g. China). Some of the first translators of the bible into English were excommunicated from the church {Wyclif’s bible, A>D. 1382} and ordered by the government authorities to be burned alive at the stake. {Tyndale’s Bible A.D. 1525, Tyndale burned to death on Oct. 6, 1536}.In the fifteenth century, a man named John Gutenberg (A.D. 1454) found a better way to make the holy word of God accessible to everyone by inventing the printing press. Using the printing press meant that Bibles were reproduced at a less costly price, in a more timely fashion, and in greater quantities. Previously, bibles cost a year’s wages and took months even years, to complete because they were all hand copied.

Even in our own country, the main purpose of early public education was to teach the masses how to read and write so that they could read and study the Bible. How far we have come from our appreciation and respect for the Word of God!

Despite the continuous persecution the Bible has suffered throughout its rich history, the Word of God has always prevailed, for the Word of God is eternal and can never be destroyed. Human philosophies and laws come and go, but the Word of God is forever.

It is essential for a child of God to read the Word of God daily— for we cannot live or survive spiritually without it. Through it we are reminded in various ways how God gives us life through his Word. we are told by God in Deuteronomy 8:3. That he humbled the Israelites by causing to hunger and then fed them manna while wandering in the desert for forty years. This was to help the Israelites become dependent on God and not their own ingenuity in order to survive. God says he did this to teach them “man does not live by bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3).

Jesus later quoted this verse to Satan who tried to attempt him in his desert experience (Matt.4:4). Jesus was emphasizing the same principle—that our sustenance must come from God who loves us, and unless we have the spiritual food, which comes from God, we cannot have a healthy relationship with the one who is the Word.

When we realize the power of God’s Word, the Bible, we can have a greater appreciation for the Word. We realize the Word is God in the flesh, even Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John1; 14)

This “Word of God” means God himself, and he came to us in a physical form on thus earth as Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Word existed in the beginning of all time, and the Word will last for all time. Jesus himself said, heaven and earth will pass away, but my Words ever pass away” (Matt. 24:35). The word of God is powerful because it is God, and it is eternal.

Contrary to some beliefs, the Bible will not originate from man. No prophecy or proclamation of scripture came from the will of man or from his own understanding, but the Bible came God who spoke through men by the holy spirit (1 Peter 1: 20-21).

God’s Word, the Bible, comes from the mind of God, and his thoughts are very different from our thoughts and ways. God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).

Therefore when we read the Bible, we are reading the mind of God himself. The word we read in Jesus Christ himself who is God (see John 1:1-2, 14). This makes the Bible an actual, living word that is active and powerful. For the word of God is living and active….” (Heb. 4:12). The Bible is able to penetrate both our soul and spirit. God’s Word is active in accomplishing his purpose of redemption, salvation and transformation.

It was by God’s word that the heaven existed in the first place, and that the earth was formed out water and by water (2Pet. 3:5). God just spoke the word, and it was done. God is true to his powerful word because God is his word (John 1:1). The Word is Jesus the son of God. The Word came to man by the holy spirit of God (1 Peter 1:20-21). The Father, son and Holy Spirit are alive, powerful and active just as God’s Word says. God’s word cannot be taken lightly nor neglected if we want to be transformed and saved for it is the power for salvation to all who believe and obey it.

The apostle Paul said that he was not ashamed of the gospel (the good news), “…because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). If you believe God’s word and obey it, you will be transformed into a child of God. This can only come from God himself if you allow him to do his part on his terms.

Perhaps the main reason for our neglect of God’s word is because we, as with Martha in Luke 10, allow everyone tasks to distract us. And unlike Mary, who made time to listen to the word of God, we become stimulated and enticed by the many noises that drown out the gentle whisper to God.

In Mark 4:14, Jesus compares God’s word to that of a farmer who sow his seed. The seed, of course, is being the word of God, sown throughout the end of time. Jesus used this illustration to show four different reactions people have to God’s word.

The farmer plants the word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the word then Satan snatches away what has been planted in them. And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the word, they response with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all they heard, and nothing comes of it. But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams. (Mark 4:14-20 MSG)

In summary, the Bible is God’s love letter to his children. God is powerful. If we allow it, the Word of God will transform us, but we must be willing to let him in. to be transformed, we need to allow his presence, power and love to overtake us.

When we take time to know God personally, passionately, and powerfully, we will fall deeply in love with him and his word to follow and obey.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern

Of the world, but be transformed by

The renewing of your mind.

(Rom 12:2).