Mercy and Charity Beginning at Home.

 If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. —1 Timothy 5:8

  To understand the topic better, I began to wander to other places in the Bible where it talks about giving, generosity, helping and being charitable to others. I also searched to whom we are supposed to be doing this for--and why. In this scripture search and made this discovery,

Matthew 15:1-  Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, "Honor your father and your mother'; and, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, "Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"-- then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

         "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

  The interesting thing that stuck out in this passage was the sentence “Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”

  We can go through the motions and claim we’re giving to God and still not be honoring God. How scary!

God does not change

God does not change

"For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Colossians 1: 7.

     One of my favorite J. Vernon Magee quotes is, ‘Don’t let what you don’t know interfere with what you do know’. I think this very good advice for bible believing Christians. Many times, I have heard people say things about God that contradict what I know. While they may believe what they say, their ignorance or denial does not change anything about God. Paul stresses this in Galatians 2: 6 when he says, ‘But from those who seem to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.’ Paul knew that man’s ideas do not change one iota of God.

     People may preach false doctrine, or misinterpret scriptures, mistakenly or purposefully twisting them for their own agenda; it does not negate the truth about God. He has never, and will never, change. Man cannot debate God off the platform. A person may humiliate another’s intelligence. They may outtalk their opponents. They can gather others around them with similar ideals and beliefs and change human perspectives but it will never change God or make Him disappear. 

     The second Psalm states that man will try to get rid of God. Man will refuse to believe His existence. Man will attempt to claim God is an oppressor and His ways are evil, but it also states that He who sits in the heavens will laugh. God looks down on the world from His mighty throne and knows exactly what man is doing, and whatever he is doing, will not change God.

     If I listen to someone talking about God, I try to listen with the discernment of the Holy Spirit. He will always help me know the truth about what they are saying. If I get an idea that something is wrong, I listen to understand their ideas of God and their belief of salvation. Some people can talk about God with an appearance of knowing Him, but if they do not know Him as the holy, gracious, saving God I know, it will come out somewhere in their conversation. They may have the most eloquent speech, the most intelligent concepts, the most perfect arguments, and run circles around my education but one thing I know: God is my God. Jesus is my Savior.

     A Christian or a non-Christian can have knowledge beyond books learned on this earth but only a Christian will know their Savior beyond explanation by earthly means.

     1 John 5: 13, ‘These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.’

     I know that I know that I know.

Drama Skit: When Is It Too Late?

Drama Skit: When Is It Too Late?

By: S.L. Estes

Props:

(Taped sounds?)

Large white sheet

Large black sheet cut in two

Smaller panels printed with words depicting life changes

Black panels hanging at each end of white sheet. Black panels have Velcro fasteners. As skit progresses a small printed panel, (also Velcro) is added, showing advances in one life and failure in the other.

Stands to hold sheets.

Large light source for silhouette images behind sheets. Plain white light and red light.

Table and two chairs. Large dark bottle. Trash can. Flowers and vase. Paper bag. Coffee mug.

Designs on sheets:

Alcohol---------Alcohol

Drugs-----------Drugs/Alcohol

Love------------Hate/Drugs/Alcohol

Life-------------Death/Drugs/Alcohol

Heaven/Joy----Hell/Weeping

Players: Man; Woman as silhouettes. Policeman/woman;

One or two people dressed in duplicate neutral color add or take away panels as scene changes A Narrator for Closing Dialogue

Scene 1

Both black panels show small panels with word Alcohol. Silhouette behind white sheet are table, two chairs, bottle and trashcan.

Scene opens: Silhouettes of Woman and Man enter light from opposite sides behind sheets. Sounds of doors opening/closing.

Woman:     (Speaking kindly) “How was your day?”

Man:           (Angry) “Don’t ask!” (Grabs bottle and drinks)