GROWTH

Paul, Silas and Timothy thanked God for the believers at Thessalonica. The reason they were so thankful was "because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing." (2Thess 1:3)

I wonder if Paul, Silas and Timothy would have had the same thankfulness for us if they had heard about our faith and love? Would they have seen our faith and love growing?

Let's think back a year, ten years, or since we first gave our lives to the Lord. How much has our faith and love grown since then? How much has it grown recently? Sometimes we can find ourselves stuck in the routine of being a Christian, doing what needs to be done, but not really growing. We need to make sure we have consistent growth in both faith and love in our lives all the time. If we are find that we are becoming more exclusive in our Christain lives, we may find that we are feeding our faith but our love is dying. Or if we are full of compassion but the hope of the return of Christ is no longer a reality, then our love may be strong, but our faith needs some serious work.

Let's make sure our faith and love are works in progress, growing, no matter what stage we are at, to the glory of God.

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

REACTION TO TROUBLE

It had been a whole week that the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom had been tramping through the desert. Now they discovered that they had run out of water and were defenseless against the armies of Moab. The reactions of the king of Israel and the king of Judah can be very typical of our response when we are caught in similar situations.

The reaction of Joram, king of Israel was to instantly turn and blame the LORD for the situation they were in - although it was not as if they had asked the advice of the LORD in the first place. "What!" exclaimed the king of Israel. "Has the LORD called us three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?" (2 Kings 3 v 10) When things don't go as well as we expect they should, do we blame God as our first port of call even though we did not seek his advice earlier?

Jehosophat, the king of Judah, had a more noble reaction. Seeing no way out of his predicament, he turned to the LORD. "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD through him?" he asked. (2 Kings 3 v 8) Why did he wait until he could go no further before asking for the LORD's advice? Do we?

Let's not blame God for our problems or use him as a last resort, but seek his guidance first, getting him to show us the right way.
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

LUCKY

A few days ago someone at the place where I work had a potentially fatal accident. As he reached across a machine to adjust it, his clothes got caught and dragged into the machine. He was fortunate to escape with cuts, bruises and burns and without any more serious injuries. One word has been used to describe his fate over the last week: Lucky.

Maybe there was more to it than luck. Perhaps it was an invisible hand that saved him, a hand or an angel much stronger than the forces that could have killed him. But in a godless society people refuse to admit that such a thing could happen. Instead they prefer to believe in a random event of chance called Luck.

Even Israel had that problem, and they should have been the ones that believed in God. God said, "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realise that it was I who healed them." (Hos 11:3) It was not luck that healed Israel, or even their own strength that gave them the basics of life. It was all provided by God.

Life is not a matter of random chance or luck, especially for those of us who believe. God's hand is at work in our lives because he loves us. Attributing our fortune to luck is bordering on blasphemous. Instead let us recognise God's work in our lives and give him the credit and thanks for what he does.
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR

Ahab had four hundred prophets who all prophesied the things that Ahab wanted to hear. They all told Ahab to go into battle and be victorious. But Jehosophat was not convinced by the numbers and unity of Ahab's prophets, so he asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?" (1Kin 22:7) Eventually a lone prophet of the LORD, Micaiah, was called. His message was very different and foretold the death of Ahab and the scattering of Israel. It was the message Ahab was afraid to hear, yet it was the message of the LORD. Having heard it, Ahab instead decided to follow the predictions of the four hundred other prophets while taking precautions to try and foil the fulfilment of Micaiah's prophecy. It didn't work, and Ahab died in the battle.

We often need advice. We probably don't have multitudes of prophets to ask - or even one prophet. But even in asking advice from friends, family or work colleagues, we need to be careful. As Ahab discovered, the advice we want to hear is not always right nor is it always the majority who are right. But advice from the LORD will always be right. Let's make sure we do what is right and listen to the advice of the LORD above all else. Let's not base our decisions on the philosophy, opinions or wisdom of mere man.

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER

When the prophets of Baal called to Baal, they used every way they could to get Baal's attention. They called on him, then they called louder, then they cut themselves to make him take notice. They frantically called to Baal all day, from morning to night, and still they had no response. But when Elijah prayed to the LORD it only took one short, relatively quiet prayer, for God to hear and respond to Elijah.

Elijah did not need to shout or draw attention to himself. He did not need to cry to God all day or choose the right time in case God was busy else where. He did not need to offer frantic prayers or have lots of speaking. Elijah knew that his God could hear and answer prayer from anywhere, at any time, even though the prayer might be said in just a whisper for only a second. Elijah had the confidence that the LORD his God was alive and cared enough to listen to his people and to respond to their prayers.

Elijah's God has not changed, and neither has Baal. Baal still will not hear, but the LORD our God can hear us no matter how short or quiet our prayers are, wherever they are said, and whenever we say them. Let's be as confident in the LORD our God as Elijah was.

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

Omnipotence of God

I am sure that never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our Revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them.

George Washington

Thomas Was Not Speaking Of Christ's Deity

When Thomas referred to Jesus as “My God” he was not speaking of his deity.

John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Thomas, a Jew, used a mode of expression common to the Old Testament. Angels are called God in Gen. 16:7 cf. vs 13. Often accredited representatives of God are referred to as “God”. Elohim translated “God” in many passages, refers to the judges of Israel in Psa. 82:1,6. Elohim is also translated Judges in Ex. 22:28.

Notice earlier in this chapter, Jesus told Mary, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.” (vs. 17) Since Jesus was ascending to his God, then clearly he could not himself “Very God”. This passage clearly does not speak of the deity of Christ.