VIDEO Honestly!

Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His work. Proverbs 16:11

Online romance scams took more than five hundred million dollars from victims in 2021. Often the scammers’ lives seem mysterious and intriguing to the victims, and the interactions and requests for money occur without the individuals ever meeting in person.[1]

Those of us who know Christ aren’t interested in scamming anyone. We’re committed to honesty and integrity. But think of this: When we gossip about someone, we’re robbing them of their reputation. When we miss an appointment, we’re taking their time. When we don’t help them in time of need, we’re robbing them—and ourselves—of a blessing.

When we live in obedience to God’s commands and manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, our lives will display integrity. We will reflect Christ in all we say and do. Ask the Lord to help you live a life of greater integrity every day.

Integrity characterizes the entire person, not just part of him. He is righteous and honest through and through. He is not only that inside, but also in his outer actions. R. Kent Hughes

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Weights And Measures Division – Proverbs 16:11

Reading Backwards

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. John 2:22

Reading the last chapter of a mystery novel first may sound like a bad idea to those who love the suspense of a good story. But some people enjoy reading a book more if they know how it ends.

In Reading Backwards, author Richard Hays shows how important the practice is for our understanding of the Bible. By illustrating how the unfolding words and events of Scripture anticipate, echo, and throw light on one another, Professor Hays gives us reason to read our Bibles forward and backward.

Hays reminds readers that it was only after Jesus’ resurrection that His disciples understood His claim to rebuild a destroyed temple in three days. The apostle John tells us, “The temple he had spoken of was his body” (John 2:21). Only then could they understand a meaning of their Passover celebration never before understood (see Matthew 26:17–29). Only in retrospect could they reflect on how Jesus gave fullness of meaning to an ancient king’s deep feelings for the house of God (Psalm 69:9; John 2:16–17). Only by rereading their Scriptures in light of the true temple of God (Jesus Himself) could the disciples grasp how the ritual of Israel’s religion and Messiah would throw light on one another.

And now, only by reading these same Scriptures backward and forward, can we see in Jesus everything that any of us has ever needed or longed for. 

By:  Mart DeHaan

Reflect & Pray

What difficulties concern you about your future? When reflecting on your life, how are you learning to understand and believe God’s story that’s best understood and loved when read with eternity in view?

Father in heaven, thank You for letting me live long enough to see Your ability to show up and reveal the wonder of Your presence in ways I could not have foreseen

Know What You Believe

The Bible is our protection against deception 2 Timothy 1:12-14

All people have a belief system, whether they realize it or not. Even those who claim there is no God have faith that He does not exist. Some base their convictions on what fits their lifestyle, reasoning, and desires. Jesus’ followers, however, are called to base their lives on the authority of God’s Word. 

Any time we add other philosophies or ideas to Scripture or pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe, we create our own version of faith based on personal reasoning. God’s Word is a true and reliable foundation for belief because it contains the recorded thoughts of an eternal, all-knowing God. Any other concept must be measured against God’s Word to determine its validity. 

Knowing what the Bible says is essential for developing a sound system of beliefs founded on the truth and wisdom of the Lord. This world will offer you a variety of philosophies, but a faith anchored in the Bible is your protection against deception. 

Each time you face a problem or decision, search the Scriptures for help in coming up with the answer. Begin your day by reading the Word, and ask God to help you understand what He is saying. He loves communicating with you, and He will make Himself known.

The Names of the Men

“And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.” (Numbers 1:5)

These are the first entries in several long lists of names here in the book of Numbers—all names of men in the 12 tribes of Israel. We know nothing about most of these men except their names, so it’s natural to wonder why God had Moses include them in the inspired Scriptures.

In fact, this is one of the objections that skeptics and liberals have raised against the doctrine of verbal inspiration of the Bible. What possible spiritual or doctrinal or practical purpose could be accomplished through these lists of names for any future readers of the Bible?

And there are, indeed, many such lists of names. For example, the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles consist almost entirely of names. Then there are the lists in Ezra 2; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 7, 11, and 12; Romans 16; and others.

Information is included about some of these people, of course, and even the meaning of the names may warrant speculation about their parents’ hopes for the children.

But there is also another very cogent reason for God to have included all these names of relatively less significant people in His book. He wants to assure us that He is interested not only in the Abrahams, Daniels, Pauls, and other great men in His Kingdom, but also in the Elizurs and Shedeurs and Bills and Kates in His spiritual family.

There are many millions of names “written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27), and the heavenly Lamb—the Lord Jesus Christ—is also the Good Shepherd that “calleth his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). The names in His book here on Earth are an assurance that He knows and calls us by each of our names in His book in heaven. HMM

Rejoicing with the Bride

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. —Song of Solomon 2:4

Holy feeling had an important place in the life of our Lord. “For the joy that was set before him” (Hebrews 12:2) He endured the cross and despised its shame. He pictured Himself crying, “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost” (Luke 15:6).

On the night of His agony He “sang a hymn” before going out to the Mount of Olives. After His resurrection He sang among His brethren in the great congregation. (See Psalm 22:22.)

And if the Song of Solomon refers to Christ (as most Christians believe it does) then how are we to miss the sound of His rejoicing as He brings His Bride home after the night has ended and the shadows have fled away? POM111

Walk in the light! and you shall know

That fellowship of love,

His Spirit only can bestow

Who reigns in light above. HCL291

This God Is Your God

Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the days when I deal with you?—Ezekiel 22:14

God is powerful in judgment. When He smites, none can resist Him. The flood of Noah’s day is one such example, when the entire race—with the exception of eight people—was swept away (Gn 6:1-9:18). When a shower of fire and brimstone fell from heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah, all the cities of the plain were destroyed (Gn 19:1-29). Pharaoh and his hosts found themselves impotent when God blew upon them at the Red Sea (Ex 14:1-31).

What does the contemplation of God’s power do for us?

First, it causes us to tremble before Him. The trouble with many modern men and women is that they do not tremble before God. To treat with impudence the One who can crush us more easily than we can a tiny ant is, as someone put it, “a suicidal policy.” “Pay homage to the Son,” said the psalmist, “or He will be angry, and you will perish … for His anger may ignite at any moment” (Ps 2:12).

Second, contemplating God’s great power causes us to adore Him. Who can consider the might of this awesome God without wanting to worship Him? The rebellious heart will resist this, but the heart cleansed by the blood of Christ will bow in homage and say: “Who is like You, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?” (Ex 15:11). No prayer is too hard for Him to answer, no need too great for Him to supply, no predicament too great for Him to solve. Lay hold on this great and gripping truth: this God is your God.

Prayer

O Father, I see that contemplation of You tilts my soul in Your direction. I realize that without You I am nothing. May I tremble before You until my trembling turns to adoration and ever-increasing trust. Amen.

Further Study

Ps 114:1-8; 1Ch 16:30-31; Isa 66:1-3

What can the presence of the Lord do?

Who does the Lord esteem?

When God Blesses Others

When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him.—1 Samuel 18:15

Jealousy is a destructive attitude that poisons the way you view life. It is so harmful that God condemned coveting in two of the Ten Commandments. King Saul was a jealous and insecure man. He had been elevated to the highest position in Israel. He had been blessed in numerous ways. But Saul saw that David was gaining the attention and praise of the Israelites. The Israelites recognized Saul’s accomplishments, but they also praised David, whom God was using to accomplish even more (1 Sam. 18:7). Rather than rejoicing that God had empowered another to defeat their enemies, Saul became murderously jealous and sought to destroy David.

Jealousy is an abomination in the life of a Christian. God has made us His children. None of us deserves to be God’s child, so there is no need to compare our blessings with those of other children of God. Jealousy is self-centeredness at its worst. Jealousy robs us of joy and chokes out contentment. Jealousy hardens the heart and stifles gratitude. Jealousy assumes that God’s resources are too limited for Him to bless another and still bless us.

Saul grew so preoccupied with his jealousy toward David that he neglected important things, bringing suffering and pain upon his people. Because of his jealousy, Saul’s family was destroyed.

Watch over your heart! If you find yourself unable to rejoice in the success of others, beware! Do not let jealousy taint your heart. Repent before it robs you of any more of the joy and contentment God desires for you. When you are tempted to compare your success in life to that of another, ask God to remind you of all the ways He has blessed you undeservedly.