Filipino Expat Encouragement 3/22/2023

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Sins of Believers

ABRAM “went down.” When we do not trust God, we also go down. As a result of Abram’s failure to trust God, he does one of the lowest, most despicable, meanest things we find recorded anywhere in the Bible. One sin always leads to another. We’ve mentioned this incident from Genesis chapter 12, earlier:

And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” – Genesis 12:11-13.

Here we have an incident that is tremendous in its lesson. A believer who is out of fellowship with God can do meaner and lower things than the sinner who has never been saved. That happens to be the experience of many of us, and we know that it is absolutely true. When we become saved we are new creatures, but God does not repair the “old man,” or do a thing to it. He does not even try to repair it, because that which is “born of the flesh is flesh” and will never be any different. He lets others try it. We have the evidence here that Abram in a moment of doubt showed that the old nature and the old doubts were still present within him: he went down into Egypt. Other Biblical characters had similar experiences. We have but to recall the case of Noah and his drunkenness, David and his sin, Solomon and his wives, Peter and his denial of our Lord. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

All these things were written for our admonition and for our instruction. The record of Abram is placed here in order that we may profit by his experience. May the Lord bless to our hearts the lessons from the life of this saint of God. May we profit by his experiences, grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not make the same mistakes that Abram or the other saints of God have made.

Only trust Him.

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Adapted and Excerpts from Studies in the Life of Abraham by M. R. De Haan (1891-1964)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Forsaken to Delight

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“My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from helping me, far from the words of my groaning?” (Psalm 22:1).

These are some of the darkest words in Scripture. It’s almost painful to speak them, to imagine a feeling of complete abandonment by God. These are also the words we hear Jesus say when He is hanging from the cross (Matthew 27:46). When He utters them, He makes Himself one with this ultimate sufferer, this true lamenter, in Psalm 22. He is essentially saying, “I am He: the one who has suffered the most for God’s cause and thus knows what it means to be human.”

The plea in this psalm becomes even sadder, but then it is followed by a surprising affirmation of complete faithfulness in God: “O my God, I call by day and you do not answer, and by night but I have no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:2–3). The very nature of crying out to God, even in a time of feeling like He has completely abandoned you, is an act of faith. When we cry out in His name, we affirm His presence and the reality that He can intercede. Even if we’re not sure how He will intercede, crying out to Him is an act of faith. It is always the right solution; it’s what Jesus did in His time of greatest need and pain.

The psalmist goes on to depict just how dire the situation is: “All who see me mock me. They open wide their lips; they shake the head, saying: ‘He trusts Yahweh. Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him because he delights in him’ ” (Psalm 22:8–9).

Jesus does precisely this: He trusts in Yahweh to be His rescuer. What the mockers—both at the cross and those depicted in this ancient psalm—don’t realize is that God is delighted in the suffering for His cause. God sees the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ suffering—the redemption of His people (compare Isaiah 52:13–53:12). And likewise, God sees the ultimate purpose of our suffering. He will delight in it when it is done for His purposes—His kingdom. This psalm is a model for us of what to do in those times.

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Adapted and modified excerpts from Connect the Testaments
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Lexham English Bible, LEB © 2012 by Logos Bible Software.
Links open in new window and are in the Lexham English Bible®, LEB, unless otherwise noted.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Filipino Expat Encouragement 3/21/2023

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March 21, 2023

Psalm 119:10-11
With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander
from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden
in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

What do you treasure most? Is it a special piece of jewelry? A photograph album? A chest filled with mementos of days gone by?

Jesus spoke of treasures once when He said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:20–21. The psalmist said that he had treasured God’s promise in his heart so that he would not sin.

The best way to treasure God’s Word in your heart is to learn it and memorize it so that it’s ready at hand when you need it. By taking a verse or two and patiently working it into your mind and heart, your responses and attitudes begin to change. They will line up with God’s way of doing things.

Take an index card and write down a verse that is relevant to your life today. Put the card in your purse and carry it with you this week as you work to memorize the verse. After a short time, you’ll find that God’s Word will begin to saturate your mind and influence your behavior.
When you take the time and effort to memorize the Bible, it means that you treasure God’s Word. And that treasure is for keeps.

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Quiet Reflections of Hope (Revell, 2009)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Sins of Omission

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There’s that moment when you’re asked to do something you know is wrong, but you feel like you should respond. It’s almost as fleeting as the decision to not stand up for what is right, even when no one asks for your opinion. Many wrongdoings occur in these moments—these chances for sins of omission. Being silent is as bad as committing the wrong action, which is why the American court system prosecutes all the people committing an armed robbery for murder when only one gunman pulls the trigger.

Balaam, the prophet from Moab, had such an opportunity. After he was asked by Yahweh to bless the people of Israel—in opposition to his own king’s request (Numbers 22:1–6)—he could have done nothing at all. Or he could have made Yahweh like the gods of Moab—subjecting them to his will instead of their own—but he instead follows the orders of Yahweh and blesses the people of Israel (Numbers 24:3–9).

The psalmist addresses what can happen when things go differently: “Though they have plotted evil against you [Yahweh], though they have planned a scheme, they will not prevail. For you will turn them to flight, you will aim arrows on your bowstrings at their faces” (Psalm 21:11–12).

We can hinder or help the work of God. Often this work can be done by much subtler means. Consider how you act or choose not to act in key moments, whether big or small. Today, choose to do the work that God has called you to do.

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Adapted and modified excerpts from Connect the Testaments
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Lexham English Bible, LEB © 2012 by Logos Bible Software.
Links open in new window and are in the Lexham English Bible®, LEB, unless otherwise noted.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Filipino Expat Encouragement 3/20/2023

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Giving Birth to Trouble

DAVID is an illustration of the fact that success in a career does not necessarily translate into success in personal and family life. While the “house of David {his position and stature as king-designate} grew stronger and stronger” (1 Samuel 3:1), his family life was headed for serious trouble.

Evidence for that can be found in the list of David’s six sons born at Hebron (2 Samuel 3:2–5). Each was born to a different wife, which indicates that David was strengthening his political ties through marriage, a common practice for ancient kings. But we see that in David’s case it was a foolish practice. Not only did David’s polygamy violate the Law (Deuteronomy 17:17), it also led to enormous problems as he tried to blend his various families together. For example, David’s son Amnon violated his half-sister Tamar, then was killed by her avenging brother, Absalom. That led to a bitter estrangement between Absalom and his father that resulted in the treason and, ultimately, the death of Absalom—all to David’s great regret (2 Samuel 13–18).

David’s polygamy also set a poor example for his successor, Solomon, who expanded his kingdom while marrying 700 wives and 300 concubines. Just as the Law had predicted, these women turned his heart away from the Lord to idols (1 Kings 11:3). The Lord judged him for that sin by allowing the kingdom to be divided after his death (2 Samuel 11:9–13). David demonstrates the biblical principle that the sins of the parents can extend “to the third and fourth generations” (Exodus 20:5).

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