The Book of Ruth is a very short story that you could finish the whole book in one sitting. Other aspect that could make you read this to end is its interesting plot of all drama and a happy ending. In fact, it could be compared to a fairytale many kids enjoy reading.
Above this truth is the goodness of the Lord being portrayed in the story. We can see that along the stream of the narrative, Ruth’s kindness to her mother-in-law was apparent. She never leave Naomi to lonesome but stayed with her all throughout, helping her in living and obeying her every requests.
God’s eyes are not blind to this kind-heartedness. He rewards every righteousness that a man does. And so He did with Ruth.
After the death of first husband, to being a servant out the field and all, she had a happy ending marrying Boaz, and then gave to a son lining up the genealogy of David, the forebears of Jesus.
In the bible, blessed women are being lined-up in the genealogy of the Savior. And it is like God’s own way of giving them honor for the good works they have done.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
In the Battlefield
Joshua 15 - 16. This part of the Book of Joshua is likely the start of the realization of the promised land of God. After all the battle and tests and learning the Israelites has gone through, God is just so faithful enough to deliver them from enemy and so conquer the lands promised to them.
We can note that the journey of Israelites has passed many trials, sins and rebukes. The faithful remains and the obedient achieves victory. Sinners are put to death and the followers continue the quest.
Similar to this picture is the life of a Christian. We are like placed in a battlefield. God let it happen just for us to realize that even before we are sent to arena, we are already victorious. Remember again, in Book of Mark, Jesus said that in this world we will face trouble, but we just have to take courage because He already overcome the world.
Generally, in a battlefield in our everyday life, we may find strength to combat and at times though, we go weak and like giving up. What can keep us going on? The faith that God, like what He did to the Israelites, will never leave and forsake us. We just have to keep Him in our hearts and in Him we will always fin strength and victory to overcome the battle. Our God is our assurance of victory here on earth.
We can note that the journey of Israelites has passed many trials, sins and rebukes. The faithful remains and the obedient achieves victory. Sinners are put to death and the followers continue the quest.
Similar to this picture is the life of a Christian. We are like placed in a battlefield. God let it happen just for us to realize that even before we are sent to arena, we are already victorious. Remember again, in Book of Mark, Jesus said that in this world we will face trouble, but we just have to take courage because He already overcome the world.
Generally, in a battlefield in our everyday life, we may find strength to combat and at times though, we go weak and like giving up. What can keep us going on? The faith that God, like what He did to the Israelites, will never leave and forsake us. We just have to keep Him in our hearts and in Him we will always fin strength and victory to overcome the battle. Our God is our assurance of victory here on earth.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Sin of Achan
Achan is another distinguished character in the Book of Joshua who actually caused Israel’s defeat against men of Ai.
The incident happened right after the great victory of the people of God against Jericho. Through faith and God’s guidance, they were able to make Jericho’s wall fall to defeat. Alongside this event, God instructed them not to get anything from the possession of Jericho and its people but to burn all and put into God’s treasury all the wealth there in.
Not anyone knew, one of the people of the tribe became unfaithful and disregarded God’s explicit law. It was Achan, son of Carmi of the tribe of Judah. He took hold and coveted a robe, 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold in plunder and kept it in the ground inside his tent.
Despite keeping the sin from people around him, God is omniscient. He just knows everything and nothing can be kept from Him. So God let the defeat happen so Israel may know that they have sinned and violated God’s covenant.
Notice also that upon knowing who has sinned and caused Israel’s defeat, Joshua was instructed to put Achan to death who reasoned the destruction of the tribe.
Many may say that God was not forgiving for having it done to Achan. But scholars explicated that God may have given enough time to Achan to realize his mistake and then repent while there was still opportunity to do the corrections. But the most important lesson here is that disciplinary action is imperative to every committed sin.
God is ever-faithful and he deserves faithfulness in return. And whatever is a desecration to His will is punishable in His sight.
No sin is good in the eyes of God. And whether we do it voluntarily or not, big or small, seen or hidden, it doesn’t please Him. In every instance we should immediately correct it and repent and ask His forgiveness. God is merciful and good, He knows how to forgive the sincerest heart. However, those who lives in sin is death-bound.
The incident happened right after the great victory of the people of God against Jericho. Through faith and God’s guidance, they were able to make Jericho’s wall fall to defeat. Alongside this event, God instructed them not to get anything from the possession of Jericho and its people but to burn all and put into God’s treasury all the wealth there in.
Not anyone knew, one of the people of the tribe became unfaithful and disregarded God’s explicit law. It was Achan, son of Carmi of the tribe of Judah. He took hold and coveted a robe, 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold in plunder and kept it in the ground inside his tent.
Despite keeping the sin from people around him, God is omniscient. He just knows everything and nothing can be kept from Him. So God let the defeat happen so Israel may know that they have sinned and violated God’s covenant.
Notice also that upon knowing who has sinned and caused Israel’s defeat, Joshua was instructed to put Achan to death who reasoned the destruction of the tribe.
Many may say that God was not forgiving for having it done to Achan. But scholars explicated that God may have given enough time to Achan to realize his mistake and then repent while there was still opportunity to do the corrections. But the most important lesson here is that disciplinary action is imperative to every committed sin.
God is ever-faithful and he deserves faithfulness in return. And whatever is a desecration to His will is punishable in His sight.
No sin is good in the eyes of God. And whether we do it voluntarily or not, big or small, seen or hidden, it doesn’t please Him. In every instance we should immediately correct it and repent and ask His forgiveness. God is merciful and good, He knows how to forgive the sincerest heart. However, those who lives in sin is death-bound.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Rahab - A Woman of Faith
Support Scriptures: Heb 11: 1 and 13
In the second chapter of the Book of Joshua entailed a story of a harlot or a prostitute named Rahab of which God had mercy on to that she was given deliverance and transformation.
Though the term “harlot” could also be translated as “innkeeper”, it was discussed in Nelson’s Bible Dictionary that they also were considered as second class prostitutes who own bars or inns and had sexual relations with the patrons who desired their services. Rahab of Jericho was considered as one. Thus, she was then a woman of sin, a picture of abomination in front of the living God.
But the goodness of the Lord is awesome and His mercy never comes to an end. He never even looked at Rahab’s (means pride and indicative of worldliness) sins but He looked and searched the heart. Remember that in the story of Joshua 2, she was the one who received the spies sent by Joshua and kept them from the eyes of the king’s men. She made so because of her true faith, a faith that works that then led her to her freedom and salvation.
Rahab’s faith came from hearsays out of the mouth of her patrons who came in and out of her inn. God moved amazingly in her life as many did not actually believe and gained faith but believe and gained fright. Notice that all men in Jericho were afraid and terror fallen upon them that they became defensive of threats of captivating their lands. But as for Rahab, she declared upon her knowledge of these miracles the might of the God of Israel.
A scarlet by which the spies were saved and then tied in Rahab’s window was a token of a good faith. It made a picture of God’s covenant to the faithful, that is – the trusting and believing will be saved.
Moreover, a good faith is richly rewarded. In the account of Rahab, at least these four are the ways:
1. New God – her faith gave her peace of mind and gave her all the advantages of a covenant relationship with God.
2. New Husband – Salmon the princely line in Judah, the royal tribe of Israel, became her husband.
3. An Illustrious Family – the family of Salmon and Ruth became the royal family of Israel. Rahab’s faith is included in the genealogy of the Messiah.
4. Longevity – recorded account of the woman of faith was her long life (490 years)
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, Hebrews 11:1. And overall, faith is rewarded and the faithful is embraced by God.
In the second chapter of the Book of Joshua entailed a story of a harlot or a prostitute named Rahab of which God had mercy on to that she was given deliverance and transformation.
Though the term “harlot” could also be translated as “innkeeper”, it was discussed in Nelson’s Bible Dictionary that they also were considered as second class prostitutes who own bars or inns and had sexual relations with the patrons who desired their services. Rahab of Jericho was considered as one. Thus, she was then a woman of sin, a picture of abomination in front of the living God.
But the goodness of the Lord is awesome and His mercy never comes to an end. He never even looked at Rahab’s (means pride and indicative of worldliness) sins but He looked and searched the heart. Remember that in the story of Joshua 2, she was the one who received the spies sent by Joshua and kept them from the eyes of the king’s men. She made so because of her true faith, a faith that works that then led her to her freedom and salvation.
Rahab’s faith came from hearsays out of the mouth of her patrons who came in and out of her inn. God moved amazingly in her life as many did not actually believe and gained faith but believe and gained fright. Notice that all men in Jericho were afraid and terror fallen upon them that they became defensive of threats of captivating their lands. But as for Rahab, she declared upon her knowledge of these miracles the might of the God of Israel.
A scarlet by which the spies were saved and then tied in Rahab’s window was a token of a good faith. It made a picture of God’s covenant to the faithful, that is – the trusting and believing will be saved.
Moreover, a good faith is richly rewarded. In the account of Rahab, at least these four are the ways:
1. New God – her faith gave her peace of mind and gave her all the advantages of a covenant relationship with God.
2. New Husband – Salmon the princely line in Judah, the royal tribe of Israel, became her husband.
3. An Illustrious Family – the family of Salmon and Ruth became the royal family of Israel. Rahab’s faith is included in the genealogy of the Messiah.
4. Longevity – recorded account of the woman of faith was her long life (490 years)
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, Hebrews 11:1. And overall, faith is rewarded and the faithful is embraced by God.
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Good Undone: A Reflection
God is the source of all good and everything that is good. His generosity has stamped in us all the things that we enjoy... things that we get all along in this life equipping us with fulfilment.
Having to consider this, we know that the good God wants us to do good as well. And He started this by letting us know which is righteous and which is not. In many biblical stories and life tales, God’s anger against the doers of sin is very transparent. We could then conclude that He resents sins and unrighteousness.
This very reason makes many believers do the desires of God, which is to follow His will all the time and always. But there is a thing that we have to be aware of... thing very important yet many of us ignore about.
Doing the “good” never stops at “not doing the wrong things”. Bear in mind that as it is written in the Book of James 4:17, when we know what is good and yet we do not do it, we sin.
In my life as a servant of God, I always know that what pleases God is when I spread to all people His goodness and His gospel and His salvation. For so long years I know this basic responsibility being a true servant of God. And yet at several times, I opt to go silent about this.
I am afraid that I might compromise whenever I join my unbeliever friends. Never did I think that it always is a good opportunity for me to do the work of God. I usually tend to be separating myself from them and then isolate myself in silence just so I cannot slip in sin.
Now, what do I call this? Selfishness.
I keep myself not to sin while I let others continue in sin. I detach myself from doers of sin because I do not want to sin while I do not tell them that they are sinning. Well in this case, I sin.
1. Selfishness is a sin
2. Not doing what is good is a sin
This verse in the Book of James reminds me that keeping in silence would spare me from sinning. In fact, doing more so, the more I sin. Whenever God’s servants don’t do their purposes and responsibilities, they sin.
Let it be an awakening. We are gifted with the knowledge about God, knowledge about His salvation and the knowledge about His truth. Let this not be kept in and not shared. Remember God didn’t keep it from us. He widely opened our eyes with this truth. Now it is our time to let God open others’ hearts to this.
And again, when we know which is good and we do not do it, we sin!
Having to consider this, we know that the good God wants us to do good as well. And He started this by letting us know which is righteous and which is not. In many biblical stories and life tales, God’s anger against the doers of sin is very transparent. We could then conclude that He resents sins and unrighteousness.
This very reason makes many believers do the desires of God, which is to follow His will all the time and always. But there is a thing that we have to be aware of... thing very important yet many of us ignore about.
Doing the “good” never stops at “not doing the wrong things”. Bear in mind that as it is written in the Book of James 4:17, when we know what is good and yet we do not do it, we sin.
In my life as a servant of God, I always know that what pleases God is when I spread to all people His goodness and His gospel and His salvation. For so long years I know this basic responsibility being a true servant of God. And yet at several times, I opt to go silent about this.
I am afraid that I might compromise whenever I join my unbeliever friends. Never did I think that it always is a good opportunity for me to do the work of God. I usually tend to be separating myself from them and then isolate myself in silence just so I cannot slip in sin.
Now, what do I call this? Selfishness.
I keep myself not to sin while I let others continue in sin. I detach myself from doers of sin because I do not want to sin while I do not tell them that they are sinning. Well in this case, I sin.
1. Selfishness is a sin
2. Not doing what is good is a sin
This verse in the Book of James reminds me that keeping in silence would spare me from sinning. In fact, doing more so, the more I sin. Whenever God’s servants don’t do their purposes and responsibilities, they sin.
Let it be an awakening. We are gifted with the knowledge about God, knowledge about His salvation and the knowledge about His truth. Let this not be kept in and not shared. Remember God didn’t keep it from us. He widely opened our eyes with this truth. Now it is our time to let God open others’ hearts to this.
And again, when we know which is good and we do not do it, we sin!
A Call to Persevere
The Book of Jude in its first parts discusses the sin and doom of ungodly men. In précis, it tells that God is able to destroy sins and sinners.
This is further conferred that during the last days, there will be scoffers who will tempt people of sins to lose the spirit of holiness. They are the sensual men according to bible scholars who separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices and does not have the spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, does not belong to Christ.
But even 2000 years ago, people of God has been called to endure and to stand in faith. And so we must live by faith and pray to the Holy Spirit.
For the grace of faith is most holy, as it works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world, by which it is distinguished from a false and dead faith and our prayers are most likely to prevail, when we pray in the Holy Ghost, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word, with faith, fervency, and earnestness; this is praying in the Holy Ghost.
As we do, take responsibility to those in doubt. We must watch over one another; faithfully, yet prudently reprove each other, and set a good example to all about us. This must be done with compassion, making a difference between the weak and the wilful. Some we must treat with tenderness.
All things are made by our God who is all-able whose mercy has granted us the Saviour’s sufferings to purchase us and deliver.
Jesus overcome the world and so we must take heart that we can do also. In prayers and undying faith, we can always battle in the world for good. And God is willing to be of guidance to His servants... always!
This is further conferred that during the last days, there will be scoffers who will tempt people of sins to lose the spirit of holiness. They are the sensual men according to bible scholars who separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices and does not have the spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, does not belong to Christ.
But even 2000 years ago, people of God has been called to endure and to stand in faith. And so we must live by faith and pray to the Holy Spirit.
For the grace of faith is most holy, as it works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world, by which it is distinguished from a false and dead faith and our prayers are most likely to prevail, when we pray in the Holy Ghost, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word, with faith, fervency, and earnestness; this is praying in the Holy Ghost.
As we do, take responsibility to those in doubt. We must watch over one another; faithfully, yet prudently reprove each other, and set a good example to all about us. This must be done with compassion, making a difference between the weak and the wilful. Some we must treat with tenderness.
All things are made by our God who is all-able whose mercy has granted us the Saviour’s sufferings to purchase us and deliver.
Jesus overcome the world and so we must take heart that we can do also. In prayers and undying faith, we can always battle in the world for good. And God is willing to be of guidance to His servants... always!
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