One of our church members just lost her mother. I overheard Neal’s conversation with her on the phone. He was listening to our member describing her mother’s diligent faithfulness and examples of quiet service. At one point he said, “Her life wrote her funeral sermon.”

I’ve been to funerals where it seemed like people couldn’t say enough good things about the deceased. Stories and tears and smiles were shared as they recalled their loved one’s thoughtful acts or influence or loving spirit.

In Hebrews eleven, the inspired writer gives a long list memorializing men and women whose lives were characterized by faithfulness. He did that to encourage the readers not to give up or turn back. He calls these faithful examples their “great cloud of witnesses” that should spur them on to “run with endurance the race set before them.” And then he tells them to “look to Jesus,” the “perfecter of our faith,” their greatest example of faithfulness (Heb. 12:1-2).

I’m thankful for my own cloud of witnesses, aren’t you? Those who have gone on before me and those who are still with me, whose examples convict me and inspire me. Some have shown me that faithfulness is possible even through overwhelming difficulties or harsh circumstances. Some have inspired me through their diligent service despite physical difficulties or health issues. And many have encouraged me through their lifelong love for God, the faithful legacy they are leaving their children and grandchildren. These individuals remind me of Jesus. They remind me to look to Jesus!

Thank God for faithful Christians!

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

(Hebrews 10:35-36)

Kathy Pollard

There is an account in scripture that astonishes me every time I read it!  No matter how many times I’ve read it before, my mind goes to the scene and I wonder what I would have done in that situation.

God had warned His people that if they did not keep His law there would be serious consequences. Prophets came to deliver these words and the Israelites either ignored them, persecuted them or killed them. So God allowed His people to be conquered by Babylon. Many were killed but some became captives. Daniel and his three friends were taken as young men and trained to be of service to the king. Interestingly, we do not see them wallowing in self pity, or shaking a fist to the heavens about their captivity. They served King Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and when Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and Persians, Daniel served under King Darius.

In the sixth chapter of Daniel we read that Darius had set in charge of the provinces Daniel and others.  Daniel and two other men were made governors over the satraps “so the king would suffer no loss” (6:2). Darius so trusted Daniel that he even thought of setting him over the whole realm. For that reason, the other two governors and the satraps sought to find some charge against him, but to no avail. They could find no charge, fault, or error against him because he was faithful.

Perhaps they witnessed him go to his window three times a day to pray. They finally concluded that they could not find a negative unless it was concerning his God. Scripture says that all the governors, satraps, counselors and advisors then consulted together to design a royal statute and give it to the king. They approached Darius with great words of flattery and then presented him with this decree, “whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days except the king shall be cast into the den of lions.” Darius signed the decree, which, under the law of the Medes and Persians, could not be revoked or altered .

When Daniel knew the decree had been signed, he immediately went to his upper room, opened his window facing Jerusalem, knelt and prayed, as was his custom since early days (vs. 10).

King Darius was deeply saddened about having to put Daniel in the lion’s den. That night he did not sleep well, but rose early and went to check on Daniel. He called out, asking if God was able to deliver him? Daniel answered that God had indeed shut the mouths of the lions and he was safe!

It doesn’t appear that Daniel ever hesitated to be loyal to his God. In fact, his steadfastness led King Darius to make these things known to all dominions in the earth:

• that God was steadfast forever
• that His kingdom shall never be destroyed
• that His dominion shall endure to the end
• that He delivers and rescues
• that He works signs and wonders in heaven and earth
• that He delivered Daniel from the power of lions

The king’s conclusion about Daniel’s God is astounding, especially coming from a decidedly polytheistic culture. We would do well to emulate Daniel. Do we have customs? Certainly we do! Some are linked to attending our favorite school’s games. Some are customs that honor seasons and their events.

However, we who belong to Christ should have customs devoted to God’s kingdom—worship, serving others, and evangelizing the lost, as well as daily customs of seeking God in prayer and through His word. Hopefully we push aside fear or embarrassment, and allow our families and the world to see our customs and lead them to do what King Darius did, to seek the one true living God!

Today’s Verse: So He [Christ] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read (Luke 4:16).

Audios are available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com

By Teresa Hampton

There are over 600 unnamed women in the entire Bible. Some of those unnamed women played a significant role in Jesus’ ministry. The writers of the New Testament included women who were healed, had suffered loss, were living in sin, and one who provided an example for the Jewish rulers.

All of these women serve as examples for us, which is why the writers of the Gospels included them. Though there are many questions about these women left unanswered, we can still benefit from their examples. We’ll look at four of these women this week and three more next week.

One of these unnamed women was Peter’s mother-in-law. This is the first indication that Peter was married. Scripture tells us that Jesus and others entered the house of Peter and Andrew, and they told Jesus that Peter’s mother-in-law had a fever. Jesus healed her; and immediately she got up and “ministered to them” (Mark 1:30-31). She had obviously been too sick to welcome her guests and provide for their needs as any Jewish woman would have done. Once Jesus healed her, she needed no recovery period. She was able to perform the duties of hosting this gathering of Jesus and His traveling companions.

In Mark 5, we read of the woman with the issue of blood. She had been bleeding for twelve years, and she had exhausted all of her money going to doctors. So far, the doctors had been unable to help her. When she heard about Jesus, she decided to make this one last effort to find relief. She believed that if she could only touch Jesus’ clothes, she would be healed. There were crowds surrounding Jesus, but she worked her way through them and got close enough to just touch the hem of His robe. She may have been crawling on her knees; but she was willing to do whatever was necessary to get to Him. Immediately upon touching the hem of Jesus’ robe, she was healed. Jesus proclaimed to the onlookers that her faith had healed her.

Two women shared feelings of loss because of their children. The first, found in Luke 7, is a widow from the city of Nain. Jesus met her as she was leaving the city to bury her only son. Her husband was gone, and now her only remaining source of family support was gone. When Jesus saw her and the funeral procession, and He felt compassion for her. His expression of sympathy was simple. “Weep not.” With that, He approached the funeral brier, told the young man to arise, and saw him sit up and speak. He then took the young man to his mother.

The loss of a child may not always happen in the form of death. Other things can separate us from our children, and such was the case with the Syrophenician woman. She was a Greek, a Gentile, one considered a “dog” by the Jews. Her little daughter was possessed by a demon, and the woman begged Jesus to cast it out. Jesus appeared to be rejecting her request by telling her, “Let the children first be filled.” His mission was to the Jews first, and she was not a Jew. Yet, her reaction was not one of anger but of desperation. She told Jesus that even the dogs were allowed to eat the crumbs. Because of her attitude and her persistence, Jesus told her to return home. Her daughter was healed.

In the case of Peter’s mother-in-law, there is no documentation that she requested healing. We have no information about her before or after this, but she teaches us an important lesson in living the Christian life. She served a purpose in the household of Peter and Andrew. She was a welcoming individual, willing to serve. Much like Martha, she saw her job as serving the Master and His companions. Once healed, she resumed her place immediately. She didn’t use her illness as an excuse to stay in bed. Neither should we. When we are able, we should do whatever we can to return to the Lord’s service.

The woman with the issue of blood is our example of faith and perseverance. Though she had exhausted all efforts for finding a cure for her illness, she was willing to make her way through the crowded streets to get to Jesus. We should be willing to push ourselves through trials, tribulations, sickness, storms, or whatever may be in our way to get to Jesus. Sometimes it takes real effort to attend worship or to perform some act of kindness; and sometimes we want to just stay in our comfortable place. We need to push ourselves, just like this woman.

The widow and the Syrophoenician woman both suffered emotionally because of the tragic events in their lives. Losing the only child or watching your child suffer and not being able to do anything can leave us feeling trapped and all alone. We are promised that there will always be comfort available through Jesus Christ. The road may not be easy, but it will be easier through prayer and trust in Him.

Sandra Oliver

audio lecture.

I Samuel 24:21-22 “Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my Father’s house. So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.”

It is so frustrating when you receive exciting news but before you have time to process it, someone shakes their head and interjects, “Consider the source!” And just like that, your bubble is burst!

What an unfortunate phrase! Those three short words, “Consider the source,” prove to be game changers. They indicate the bearer of the news lacks credibility. Perhaps the speaker is not a good listener and misses out on pertinent detail. It’s possible the bearer of the news does not seek truth, rendering them an unreliable source of information. But, for whatever reason, their words cannot be trusted.

In scripture, David’s relationship with King Saul offers a glimpse at the perils of “consider the source” people. King Saul’s jealousy placed David in danger. But when David extended grace and spared the king’s life, Saul offered a rare gesture of gratitude. Not only did he apologize to David, but he also called for a truce. However, what happened next must not go unnoticed. “Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.”

Do you find this a bit odd? After living in caves and running for his life as a fugitive, certainly David longed for home. So why not head there as quickly as his legs would take him? Why, instead, return to his safe place? Might it be that Saul’s words and actions rarely lined up with truth? Yes, Saul was a “consider the source” person. And if you know the rest of the story, you realize the wisdom in David’s caution, for Saul was not to be trusted.

Their story gives us cause to examine our own character. Do our actions flow from a heart meriting trust? Are our words honorable or are they disregarded as soon as we walk away? Do others feel the need to follow up what we say with additional sources of proof? If so, might we be a “consider the source” person?

Our actions and our words reside within the same heart. If we seek the heavenly Father, all we do and say will be found trustworthy. So may we pray for a heart beyond reproach. May our words flow from truth. And may our actions reflect the spirit of our living God.

Father God, may we always speak with truth and love. May we never be regarded as a “consider the source” person.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

God was good to us when He gave us a guidebook for the church. Everything we need to know about His church is in His Word. We don’t have to come up with it on our own. We don’t have to vote on it. We don’t have to hope we’re getting it right. All we have to do is open the Bible and follow the pattern.

Consider some fundamental, important aspects that we learn about in the New Testament:

• who is the head of the church
• the organization of the church
• how one becomes a member of the church
• what we are supposed to do in worship
• how we live as members of the church

Every congregation that follows God’s pattern in these areas will look like and be His church. It’s that simple. “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” I’ve heard this saying for years and find it reassuring because using the same divine pattern promotes unity and removes contradiction or confusion.

How do we know if we’re a part of the New Testament church in the sea of today’s church choices? How do we know if the worship we lift up to God is what He really wants? It is wonderful and empowering to know that all we have to do is compare it to what we read in the Bible. Hold it up to the pattern and see if it looks the same!

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.“

(2 Timothy 1:13)

By Kathy Pollard

Matthew 28: 5 – 7A “The angel said to the women, ‘Don’t be afraid.  I know you are looking for Jesus, the one who was killed on the cross.  But he is not here.  He has risen from death, as he said he would.  Come and see the place where his body was.  And go quickly and tell his followers Jesus has risen from death.’”

There are certain universal phrases parents dread hearing. “I need a frog costume for school tomorrow,” or “My stomach hurts,” make even the strongest of parents shudder. My personal words of distress have always been, “It’s Empty.” Daily something runs out: the milk jug, the chip bag, or heaven forbid, the toilet paper!

In contrast, we find the words, “It’s Empty,” celebrated in Matthew 28: 1–15. This “empty story” tells of an empty tomb. With Jesus’s death, all hope for a Messiah had died. No one could fathom that a cross would be God’s plan. Those who had believed saw all hope vanish as evidence pointed to the fact Jesus was not who He had claimed to be.

Then early on Sunday as women arrived at His tomb, they were met by an angel. How could they have realized His words to them would rock the world to its core.

“He (Jesus) is not here; for He is risen.”   

The look of confusion on the women’s faces surely reminded this angel how deeply we humans crave affirmation. So, the angel beckoned the women, “Come and see,” the empty tomb, then instructed them, “Go and tell.”

Yes, JESUS HAD RISEN FROM DEATH! What a tender scene it must have been as a loving Father bent over the lifeless body of His Son to breathe precious life back into death. Surely this was another great act of sacrifice from a Father anxious to receive His Son back home (Acts 2:24).

For Christians, past, present, and future, the empty tomb confirms Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior. Just like those women long ago, we too are commissioned to “Come and see. Go and tell.” The love we encounter at the cross will stir us to go and tell others because, like the women at the tomb, those words, “It is Empty!” are just too glorious to keep to ourselves.

Father, thank you for breathing human life back into Your Son allowing him to conquer death. May we ever glory in the words, “It is Empty!”

Blessings of Eternal Life,
Rita Cochrane

As time allows this week, read the four Gospel accounts of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Each account offers new glimpses to the glory of an empty tomb.
Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24
John 20

Don’t you love visiting a congregation while traveling and discovering some sort of connection with one of the members? It seems like no matter where you go, you find someone who knows someone you know. What do we say when that happens? “It’s a small world!”

It makes me smile when that happens because that seemingly random connection is a reminder that we are all united in Christ (John 17:22-23). We are one body, made up of many members (Romans 12:4-5). If you’ve attended a family reunion, you know that there could be people there you haven’t actually met. The first thing you do is discover how you’re related. They explain, “I’m your aunt’s first cousin’s husband’s sister.” You say, “Oh wow, that’s so great, nice to meet you!” What’s so great about it? Just the fact that you’re connected. And when it comes to family, the more the merrier! (Or maybe I just feel that way because I come from a relatively small family.) With that connection comes a sense of belonging, confirms that sense of belonging. And we all want that.

The fact that we’re all brothers and sisters in Christ whether we’ve met or not is already a beautiful blessing of Christianity. But there’s something extra special about those threads that bind us together when we run into people who somehow know our people. When that happens, it’s like discovering a “kindredness” because of the mutual connection. God keeps giving us reasons to enjoy being with His people!

“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

(Romans 12:5)

Kathy Pollard

Matthew 27:22a “Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’”

Jesus stood bound before Pilate as the angry mob surrounded the governor’s residence. Without a doubt, the ruler sought a peaceful solution in hopes of quickly de-escalating their rage.

Jesus the Christ was innocent of any wrong (Mark 15:10), but that did not seem to matter. Acting like children, the Jews’ hatred of Jesus stemmed from jealousy. So, Pilate resorted to the tactic used by all mothers of toddlers and presented the mob with a choice. He would release one prisoner. Would it be their most notorious criminal, Barabbas? Or would it be Jesus the Christ, the sinless Son of God?

As far as the governor was concerned, he offered a no-brainer choice and Jesus would soon be freed, for why would anyone want to release a murderer to kill again? But the anger of the mob grew volatile and hatred clouded their reasoning. Soon Pilate realized his plan had backfired.

“Release Barabbas!” the people shouted.

Pilate could not believe his ears. In desperation, he responded to the shouts with one final question:

“What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

Now friend, here is where this story gets difficult. Truth is, we are called to answer this same question every single day, and it is not always easy to get it right.

When faced with decisions that will place our reputation in jeopardy, what will we do with Jesus? Will we recall His desire for us to be a light in this dark world? Will our light bring Him glory? (Matthew 5:16)

When the actions of others leave us red-faced and retaliation seems oh so sweet, what will we do with Jesus? Will we think of Christ turning the other cheek? (Matthew 5:39)

When our thoughts and desires are consumed with the pleasures of the world, what will we do with Jesus? Will we forget to seek first His kingdom and His righteous before all else? (Matthew 6:33)

When co-workers, church family, or neighbors irritate us to the point of exhaustion, what will we do with Jesus? Didn’t Jesus say to love our enemies and do good to those who take advantage of us? (Matthew 5:44)

Friend, each day will find us faced with, what shall we do with Jesus? Remember, Pilate answered it poorly. The question is, how will we respond?

Father God, may we never fail to look to You in all our decisions.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane