Ingratitude to God

Ingratitude to God 

Exemplified

Israel 

Deuteronomy 32:18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.

Saul 

1 Samuel 15:17-19 

17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 

18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ 

19 Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”

David 

2 Samuel 12:7-9 

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 

8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 

9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

Nebuchadnezzar 

Daniel 5:18-21 

18 “O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 

19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 

20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 

21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.

Lepers 

Luke 17:17-18 

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 

18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)

This beautiful story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa. One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).

We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates).

'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts Your job is to keep the baby warm.'

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten -year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home.

Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper; taking care not to tear it unduly Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.

From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, and He must have sent the dolly, too!' Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child – five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon.'
'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)

The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer 

Acts 2:42 

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

James 5:13-14 

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 

14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Acts 4:24 

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.

Mark 16:16 

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 28:10 

They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Colossians 1:3 

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

Amos 3:5-15 

5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground where no snare has been set? Does a trap spring up from the earth when there is nothing to catch?

6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken— who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod and to the fortresses of Egypt: “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest within her and the oppression among her people.”

10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the LORD, “who hoard plunder and loot in their fortresses.”

11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “An enemy will overrun the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”

12 This is what the LORD says: “As a shepherd saves from the lion's mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites be saved, those who sit in Samaria on the edge of their beds and in Damascus on their couches.”

13 “Hear this and testify against the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the LORD God Almighty.

14 “On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

15 I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished,” declares the LORD.

Blameless Ways

Blameless Ways 

Job 1:1 

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 

21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

2 Kings 20:3 

“Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

John 1:47 

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”

Matthew 5:3-12

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer 

Daniel 6:18-24 

18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.

19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 

20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 

22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.”

23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Isaiah 41:10 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalms 141:2 

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

James 4:3 

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Ezekiel 36:11-15 

I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 

12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

13 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, “You devour men and deprive your nation of its children,” 

14 therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD. 

15 No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

Daily Thoughts

Daily Thoughts 

~ Children may not inherit their parents’ talent, but they will absorb their values.

~ Christ believed is salvation received.

~ The only way to survive in a world of deception is by trusting the One will never deceive us.

~ We need prayer the most when we have the least time to pray.

~ If you meet opposition, maybe it shows that you are doing something that counts.

~ If Jesus has taken up residence in us, the world should notice a lasting change.

~ Build your life on the solid foundation--Jesus Christ.

~ Prejudice distorts what it sees, deceives when it talks, and destroys when it acts.

“The storms of our life prove the strength of our Anchor.” – Vernon Grounds

“Those who are wholly God’s are always happy.” — Francois Fenelon

“Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart.” – David McCasland

“If God were not my friend, Satan would not be so much my enemy.” – Thomas Brooks

Encouragement and God’s Promises

Acts 20:32 

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

1 Peter 5:10 

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Romans 15:4 

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer 

Acts 10:9 

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

Acts 4:23-31 

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 

24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 

25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 

28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 

29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Luke 11:1 

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Be joyful always; 

17 pray continually; 

18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:9 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 8:26 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Points to Gospel Salvation

Points to Gospel Salvation

Death of Christ

Acts 13:28-29 

28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 

29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

Bodily resurrection of Christ

Acts 13:30 

But God raised him from the dead,

Luke 24:29 

But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks,

John 21:24 

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecy

Acts 13:32-41 

32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 

33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’

34 The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

35 So it is stated elsewhere: “‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’

36 “For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. 

37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 

39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 

40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

Luke 24:44 

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

John 5:39 

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 

Matthew 5:17 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.