DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 8.13.22

WhatShall We Do? “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John6:28) This question is often asked by people who try to work their way into heaven. It was also asked in various ways by men in the New Testament, and it is vitally important to get the correct answer to such questions there and nowhere else. For example, a rich young ruler once asked Jesus, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor...and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark10:17, 21). That is, there is nothing of his own that one can bring to Christ to earn salvation; one must simply be willing to yield himself fully to Christ. A lawyer had asked Jesus the same question, “tempting him.” This time, His answer was, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke10:27). But this standard is humanly unattainable by any child of Adam, so in effect, the lawyer was told it was impossible for him to do anything himself to inherit eternal life. When the crowd asked Peter on the day of Pentecost, “pricked in their heart” because they had crucified Christ, “What shall we do?” Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized...in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts2:37-38). What they had to “do” was an inward act of repentance and faith toward Christ and an outward public testimony demonstrating the reality of that inward change of heart and mind. Years later at Philippi, a jailer asked Paul the apostle one night, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer was simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts16:30-31). HMM -------------------- AbidingFruit “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit,and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John15:16) Every true Christian desires to be a fruit-bearing Christian, not one who is “barren” and “unfruitful” (2Peter 1:8). He or she also earnestly desires that the fruit—whether that of a godly character (Galatians5:22-23) or that of others won to Christ (Romans1:13)—will not wither but remain strong and healthy before the Lord. The promise of Christ in our text is that our fruit will remain, if He has chosen us and we go forth praying in His name and seeking sincerely to bear fruit for His name’s sake. It is significant that the Greek word translated “remain” (that is, meno) is also commonly translated “abide,” as well as “continue.” In fact, it occurs no less than 12 times in John 15:4-16, the last being in our text verse above. To “abide in Christ” does not mean to be continually aware of His presence or perpetually thinking only of Him, but it does mean to continue believing His Word and serving Him. “Continue ye in my love,” He commands (v. 9). To do that, He says that “if ye keepmy commandments, ye shall abide in my love” (v. 10). He also has said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John8:31). “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John15:7). Note the progression. He says, “Abide in me, and I in you” (v. 4). This means He says that “my words abide in you,” and also we are to “continue in my love,” which implies that “ye keep my commandments.” It follows, then, that as we “continue” in His Word,we shall “bring forth fruit” that will “remain”! HMM ------------------------------- Handling Difficult Circumstances Philippians 3:8-11 The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough circumstances. Even while he was confined in a prison cell, he kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life.In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing (1:18; 2:18; 3:1). Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look scary and overwhelm us with a sense of defeat. However, fear and defeat cannot live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you’ll forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. He is the Deliverer (2Cor. 1:10). He is the Healer (Deut. 32:39). He is the Guide (Prov.3:6). The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope, confidence, and contentment take up residence (Phil.4:11). You aren’t going to be happy about a difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and up to something good in the midst of trouble. The Lord’s principles and promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial. Then you can answer Paul’s call to “rejoicein the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). ---------------------------- God Is Our Confidence By Jessica Van Roekel “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the days of trouble; hewill conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:4-5 ESV). At different points in my spiritual journey, I’ve needed to reorient my heart’s confidence in the Lord. Distractions abound and take the form of disappointments and discouragement. I grow weary of trying to work in peace with those who seek to destroy it.Difficult situations stretch on without an end in sight, and I lose sight of God. Friends turn to enemies as they seek to destroy my reputation. It’s in these moments that I reach for the Psalms and remember how God fights for me and fills me with confidence. The title of Hebrews chapter 11 is called “By Faith” or “The Hall of Faith” and contains many stories of faith in action. Faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of thingsnot seen,” coupled with obedience. Abraham left the land of his ancestors to journey to a new land at the command of God. This journey of his led him into a foreign land filled with unknown enemies. His life serves as a reminder that we are not to look forunending security in this present world but that we are traveling through on our way to God’s city and home for us in heaven. ------------------ When Failure Is Good - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But as I looked at everything, I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless�like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. �Ecclesiastes 2:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-failure-is-good-2/- Listen Is success the most important thing in life? It depends on how we define success. Many people achieve their goals, but what cost did they pay to achieve them? Was it throughdeception and betrayal? Was it by abandoning their principles and sacrificing their integrity? Was it by neglecting their family and friends and even forgetting about and, in some cases, outright abandoning God? They may be successful. But ultimately, theyare failures. Success can be a form of failure. King Solomon, who went on a sinful binge, of sorts, said, �Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a rewardfor all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless�like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere� (Ecclesiastes 2:10�11). He had seen it all and done it all, and it didn�t satisfyhim. We can do worse than fail. We can succeed and be personally proud of our successes. We can succeed and worship the accomplishment rather than the One who helped us reach it. Sometimes failure can be good because we can learn from our mistakes. And failure can be good even when we do something that is wrong�if we learn from it and if we learn tofail forward. That means after we have done something wrong and have tasted the bitter results of it, we say, �I really don�t want to do that again.� So we put safeguards around our lives,taking precautionary steps to never fall into the same trap. If that is the case, then we have learned something from our failures. ---------------------------- Don�t Underestimate the Enemy - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless�like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. �John 10:10 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/dont-underestimate-the-enemy-2/- Listen A story is told of a boxer who was being badly beaten in a match. He leaned over to his trainer and yelled, �Throw in the towel! This guy is killing me!� His trainer yelled back, �He is not! He�s not even hitting you! He hasn�t even laid a glove on you!� The dazed boxer said, �Then I wish you would watch that referee, because someone sure is hitting me!� In the same way, our culture is getting hit. Our kids are being hit. And they don�t even know who is hitting them. One of the most brilliant strategies Satan has managed to pull off is convincing people he doesn�t exist while he manipulates their lives. He is active. And really, this isthe only plausible explanation for the horrible, depraved wickedness that mankind is capable of. If you believe the premise that people are basically good, then you have more faith than I do�or maybe you�re a bigger fool. People are basically bad. And the devil worksthrough the fallen nature of people, getting them to do evil. God gives everyone a choice in life called free will, the ability to say yes or no. Romans 6:16 says, �Don�t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose toobey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.� Jesus summed it up succinctly when He said, �The thief�s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life� (John 10:10). Thereis your choice in life: God or the devil. Don�t underestimate the devil. He�s a sly and skillful foe. And he has had many years of experience in honing his craft. ---------------------------- Christiansand the World �I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thougavest them me; and they have kept thy word.� (John17:6) In the wonderful intercessory prayer of Christ for His disciples just before His death, there are several important references dealing with the relation of the Christian believer to the world around him. In the first place, according to our text, they havebeen called out of the world and thus are not really a part of its system any more once they belong to Christ. Yet, they necessarily must still live in the world. �These are in the world....I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil� (John17:11, 15). They are not of the world, however, for they have been separated from the world and unto Christ, whom the world continues to crucify daily. �I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world� (v. 14). Like Christ, they are bound to be hatedby the world. Nevertheless, Christ has sent them into the world as His witnesses. �As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world...that the world may believe that thou hast sent me....I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfectin one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me� (vv. 18, 21, 23). And the most wonderful thing about all these relationships to the world we live in is that God planned them even before He created the world! �Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, whichthou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world� (v. 24). HMM ------------------------ Allthe Fountains of the Deep �In the six hundredth year of Noah�s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the sameday were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.� (Genesis7:11) Our text describes the primary physical causes for the Flood of Noah�s day, as well as the primary sources for the vast waters which covered the earth. The first source is very interesting from a geological point of view, and grasping some semblance of itsmeaning is necessary if we would understand the Flood. As the �deep� in Scripture usually refers to the ocean (i.e., Genesis 1:2), so the �great deep� that was �broken up� evidently speaks of great subterranean reservoirs or chambers deep inside the earth, all of which spewed forth their contents at the same time. This breakup continued all over the earth for 150 days(see Genesis 7:11; 7:24; 8:2). The reference to �broken up� merits attention, for it implies a wrenching of the earth�s crust, a great tectonic event. The same word is used in Numbers 16:30-33 to describe the supernatural opening up of a great pit into which the rebellious Korah and hisfollowers and their families fell, thereby squelching their mutiny against Moses� leadership. Any such breaching of the earth�s crust results in earthquakes, and if occurring under water results in devastating tsunamis (sometimes called tidal waves) traveling through the water at speeds approaching the speed of sound. Continued pulsation of these fountainsall over the earth for 150 days would totally restructure the surface of the earth, demonstrating God�s hatred for the sin of the antediluvian world. Coupled with the other factors involved in the Flood, it is no wonder that �the world that then was, beingoverflowed with water, perished� (2Peter 3:6). JDM ------------------------ Baptism: Identifying with Christ Matthew 3 Christ began His public ministry with baptism. At the time, John the Baptist was calling people to confess their sins and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the river. So why did Jesus, the sinless One, ask to be baptized? At first, John actually refused, knowing Christ was the "Lamb of God who takes awaythe sin of the world" (John 1:29). But Jesus wasn't demonstrating repentance; He was sacrificially identifying with sinful humankind. As Christians, we're called to follow His example in all things, becoming more like Him as we grow in our faith. That's why baptism is the first step in following Jesus. As He was willing to identify Himself with us, we publicly identify with Him when we are baptized, which is a symbolic way of declaring, "I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior and believethat the debt of my sin is fully paid through His sacrifice. I believe that as He rose from the dead, I will also be resurrected through Him. I look forward to walking in God's will while I'm on the earth and living with Him throughout eternity. Since He lovedme enough to identify Himself with me in my sin, I will show my love for Him by following His example right now, and for the rest of my days." Baptism demonstrates our connection not only with Christ but also with our spiritual brothers and sisters--past, present, and future. We're joining everyone who has walked before us in faith, saying that we are members of one body, redeemed and brought tolife by the same Lord. ----------------------- The New Birth and Baptism Romans 6:3-10 Jesus commissioned His followers to go and make disciples, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19). As the early church spread the gospel message, baptism would follow a new believer's response of faith. It publicly signified that the individual was now a follower of Jesus. Metaphors often communicate on a level that words cannot. Baptism is a powerful picture of our salvation experience. Through this act, we proclaim the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again--and testify that we've welcomed Histransforming power into our life. The Greek word for "baptize" in Scripture is the same term used to describe a cloth dipped in dye--it refers to total change. So by being plunged into the water, we declare that we're choosing to die to our old way of life and are uniting with Christ. Oursin is buried with Him, and its power is conquered through His atoning death on the cross (Rom. 6:14). When we're raised up out of the water,we affirm His resurrection. Baptism is a symbolic way of expressing that just as the Lord conquered death and rose again, we are spiritually resurrected from death into new life. We are "born again" and irrevocably transformed through the power of His HolySpirit. In the Bible, the word "believe" isn't a conceptual word describing intellectual agreement alone. It is a word of action. Our belief should never be hidden like a light placed under a bowl (Luke11:33)--when unbelieving family and friends look at our lives, they need to see the gospel in action. ---------------------- Giving Thanks in All Things By Emma Danzey Colossians 3:17 says, �And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to Godthe Father through him.� Whatever You Do There are times in life when we need to push through the tiredness or laziness to accomplish a task. Do you remember school projects? Or reaching a work deadline? Do you think about the time when you had a newborn in the house? Or the moment you were in thatworkout class ready to give up? We have all been there. We have all had experience with the temptation not to give our best. However, when we think about Colossians 3:17, it reminds our minds and hearts that whatever we do is for the Lord. This means that even when we are given less than glamorous tasks, we can remember that we can embrace that opportunity as an act of worship before God in whatever we aredoing. In Word or Deed There is a reason why God gives most of us the ability to talk. We have the ability to use our words as a testimony of Him. When we are given moments to share words of thanksgiving and praise, we need not hold back. Our words can be used for evil or good. Wecan ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to speak words that bless through His help. Also, our deeds, or actions, matter to the Lord. When moments arise to be there for someone in need or give to the poor or provide a practical need for another, we get to decide if wewill represent Christ with our decisions. Our actions speak just like words do to this broken and fallen world. We can love like Jesus in both. Do Everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, We do not get to flip a switch on and off as to when we want to follow God or be thankful to Him. This Scripture tells us that we are to do everything in Christ�s name. This is not a small task, and we cannot accomplish this on our own. It is only by the graceof His Spirit in us that we can make decisions to honor Him. This means that we do not get a pass because we are having a bad day. We are not excused to be ungrateful when things do not go our way. In fact, we are motivated to press into God and do everythingin His name with a grateful heart. Giving Thanks to God the Father Through Him We are called as believers to give thanks to God through Jesus. We can be grateful at all times when we have received the gift of salvation through Jesus. We know that we are eternally sealed, wholly His, and fully loved. There will be times when external blessingspour out on our lives and we can celebrate these great gifts from God. However, there will also be times of struggle and hardship. We can be equally as thankful in these times. This is not because things happening in life are giving us a reason to be thankful,but because Jesus� gift of salvation and His presence never leaves us. We can always be thankful because we are His and Romans 8:28 tell us that God works all things for the good of those who love Him. Even in suffering, we can find gratitude in Christ. He is where our joy is found. Psalm 34:8 says, �Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!� May we taste and see the goodness of God each day with hearts of thanksgiving. Intersecting Faith and Life: How are you living a life of gratitude? In what ways do You find it challenging to have a thankful attitude in your daily life? What area, in particular, is difficult for you to give thanks in right now? How can you begin to be grateful in word, deed, and inall things through Christ? Further Reading: •Psalm 106:1 •Colossians 3:16 ------------------------ If God Is for Us By Lynette Kittle �God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble�--Psalm 46:1 In a world where looming famines, economic collapse, and ongoing epidemics are dominating daily media reports, fear is being planted and cultivated in record-breaking amounts. The dark scenario is creating a constant panic, distress, and uncertainty amongindividuals, families, communities, and nations. Yet as Christians, we�re not to get caught up in the drama but to keep our eyes focused on the One who has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews13:5), even in natural disasters, worldwide food crises, wars, and more. Where Do We Find Safety? Our family has experienced multiple natural disasters. Not that we look for them, but God has led us to places where they occur. Some might think God wouldn�t do that but going where God leads us is the safest place to be. We�ve been learning through the yearsthat it�s better to have God lead us in where to live than to think we could choose a safer place to reside. Still, there have been moments of questioning, such as when God relocated us to Hilo, Hawaii, the tsunami capital of the world, near an active volcano. Moving there, I asked Him, �What are you thinking? How could this possibly be a good place to bring ourfamily?� As a mother of four daughters, it seemed risky to take them to an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in the center of the �Ring of Fire.� Finding Yourselves in a Path of Destruction Although we did make it safely off the island, we then moved to South Florida, where we experienced multiple hurricanes in a row over a short period. Although I believed God had put us in this location, I once again asked God about the path He had chosen forus. But it wasn�t our first harrowing experience in the Sunshine state. The first occurred years earlier when we lived on the Gulf side of Florida. With literally no warning, an uncharacteristic out-of-season hurricane hit the West Coast of Florida with avengeance. Taking the weather experts by surprise, it was called The No Name Storm of the Century. During its fury, our Gulf front home was hit with 14-16 foot waves that tore off our hurricane shutters, blew out and shattered our windows, and washed away some of our prized possessions into the sea. Unable to leave during its onslaught, evacuation arrived12 hours later. As the forceful waves beat on our house, swaying with each thunderous hit, we wondered if our house would stand. Owned by a friend who built churches for a living, we often kidded of it being designed like an ark with its huge wooden beams.Little did we know it would become one for us. Even though built on sand (Matthew 7:25-27), God wasgracious to us, and while other residents were being rescued off their roofs by helicopters, our house stood throughout the storm. Taking Refuge in God Returning to Florida seemed to resurge emotions from the earlier devastating storm we had experienced, ones I thought had been settled years earlier. Finding myself feeling anxious over the approaching hurricane, I began to look at the root of my fear. Do I really trust God? Do I really believe God is with me in every situation? As the first hurricane approached, dreadful thoughts of what could happen and what we might have to go through again began to stir up fear within me. Still, Scripture spoke to my heart, reminding me that Jesus tells us to �fearnot� (Isaiah 41:10) and how God has not given us a spirit of fear (2Timothy 1:7). Likewise, I began recalling all the ways God had been teaching our family over the years, how our safest place is where He has placed us, in His will, sheltered in His perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us, �You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.� Because fear is rooted in a lack of trust in God, every fearful thought is tied to unbelief. The only way to break it is to choose to rejectfear and instead focus on the truth of God�s Word. God Is with Us Our experiences have taught me that the outcome of a storm doesn�t determine whether God is with us during it because His word says He is present with us in trouble, and He is our refuge through it (Psalm46:1-3). In every situation, God is our present help. Whether we come through unscathed or experienced loss, He is with us, and because He is, we don�t have to be afraid. Intersecting Faith and Life: Is there currently a situation that has stirred up fear in your heart? If so, focus on God�s promises to never leave you or forsake you, knowing He is faithful to be present in every situation. ------------------------------- Is God a Feminist? The word feminist has a lot of connotations to it; some parts of the movement have not been handled biblically. However, the spirit of feminism � to seek equality and respect for women in a patriarchal society � is very biblical indeed. The definition of feminism, according to Merriam-Webster, is the �belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.� I would like to argue that God was the first feminist. He created male and female. He went to great care to create Eve, just as he did Adam. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man�s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he hadtaken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, �This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called �woman,� for she was taken out of man.� That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh (Genesis2:20-24). �They become one flesh.� Two halves equal one. Adam was not considered one nor Eve just a half. They were created equal. God also created Eve from Adam�s rib, indicating that they were equals in the Bible. She was not created from his head to be above him, nor was she created from the heel of his foot to be below him. The world that God created had no need for feminism or feminists. This concept only came into existence with the Fall of Man � when sin entered, causing the broken world we all live in. It came with God�s warning as Adam and Eve were escorted from the Garden. �Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you� (Genesis3:16). So, with this understanding, God provided certain protections in a patriarchal world through Mosaic Law. He raised women�s voices throughout Scripture � Esther and Ruth are the only women to have chapters in the Bible named after them. God ensured that women who were labeled as disposable by society were included in the genealogy of his Son Jesus Christ: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. During his earthly ministry, Jesus revealed his love and respect for women by including a number of women in his ministry, who even provided financial support, as well as being the driving force behind the greatest reveal in history � his resurrection. Here are just three ways God reveals to us his love for women in a fallen world that will always need feminism until we are all in the New Heaven and New Earth. 1. Mosaic Law Protected Women As stated, the moment Adam and Eve sinned, the world became patriarchal. Within these confines, God created certain protections for women in Mosaic Law that were not followed by their surrounding neighbors � who treated women much worse. According to Jewish Encyclopedia, �In some systems of ancient law daughters or sisters were excludedfrom all rights of inheritance [�] the Mosaic law gave the inheritance to the daughter or daughters when there were no sons.� It also says that �the position of the mother is higher under the Mosaic law than under any other system of antiquity. By the fifth commandment, the mother is to be honored equally with the father, while in the moral law, the command to �fear� the mother,that is, to treat her with respect, is placed even before the duty of �fearing� the father.� God also protected women who were in polygamous marriages. For women like Leah and Peninnah, whose husbands did not love them, God blessed them with many children, which was the highest honor for women to have. For the women who had the love of their husbands, Rachel and Hannah, God eventually gave them sons who went on to serve God and bring him glory through his almighty power for his people. God was also there when Israelite men tried to forgo the law for their own selfish desires and undermine the value of women. One such woman in the Bible, Tamar, found herself unprotected when Mosaic law specifically provided her a right to be taken care of. In Genesis 38, Judah disregarded his daughter-in-law�s safety and survival. He did not provide her with another husband after her husband died, as was the law. When Tamar took matters into her own hands and Judah tried to cover his sins with hers, God protected her and exposed Judah. Judah recognized them and said, �She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn�t give her to my son Shelah� (Genesis38:16). There are so many other examples throughout the Old Testament of God�s provision for women, not only provision but progressive acknowledgment beyond the time and place that would keep women down. I encourage both women and men to read the Old Testament and spot these moments in which God revealed his heart for women, as he intended from the beginning. 2. Jesus� Treatment of Women We know that God protected women within Mosaic Law, but just as Jesus came to fulfill the law in a number of human understandings, so did he for women. For the woman caught in adultery, the Pharisees merely used her for the purpose of trapping Jesus. The fact that they could use a woman in a compromising situation reveals their hearts, but Jesus revealed something far greater. Whether or not this had been her fault in that time and place, Jesus still revealed to her true sacrificial love. He did not condemn her, even stopping those who did, and forgave her. (John7:53-8:11). As 21st-century readers, we can almost skip over the significance of Jesus� parables. Not their biblical meaning as analogies for the Kingdom of God, but their cultural relevance � how they would have been received by the original audience. It is fascinating that many of Jesus� Parables used metaphors that would have been, the majority of the time, things that only women were well-acquainted with in their conventional female roles: •New Cloth on Old Garment (Matthew 9:16-17); The Lamp (Matthew5:14-16). •The Mustard Seed and Leaven Bread (Matthew 13:31-34). •The Pearl at a Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46); The Marriage Feast (Matthew22:1-14). •The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13); The Persistent Widow (Luke18:1-8). Most of these can be found in the Synoptic Gospels, but the Parable of the Persistent Widow is the only one found in the Gospel of Luke. Not only were there women who followed Jesus and listened to his teachings, but Jesus made it a point to include them in understanding his message of salvation in the context of where society had put women. He valued the minds of women, whereas, throughout history, we know that women were denied proper education and were kept below the station of men. More importantly, it reveals that he wants all people with him in the Kingdom of Heaven, not just men. 3. Women and the Message of Salvation In the Gospel of John, Jesus showed grace to the Samaritan woman at the well who was living with a man who was not her husband (John 4). Jesus revealedto her what the Living Water could do � more than any earthly pleasure. In revealing himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman, it was she who led her entire community to know the Son of God. Along with the Samaritan woman, Jesus revealed his resurrected body to the women who came to anoint his dead body in the tomb. Not only did Jesus trust women with the greatest reveal in human history, but it also solidified the gospel accounts. For if this had never happened, the gospel writers would have followed their literary contemporaries � ensuring that men were the heroesof the story. In first-century culture, the fact that it was women who were first present at the resurrection only validates Jesus� resurrection as the truth. Why Does This Matter? When I asked if God is a feminist, he was one before the term was ever needed. But because sin altered the world in which he created, God compensated for the broken hierarchy that evil subsequently established. As Rebecca McLaughlin, cofounder of Vocable Communications and the author of Confronting Christianity puts it, �Jesus� valuing of women is unmistakable. In a culture in which women were devalued and often exploited, it underscores their equal status before God and his desire for personal relationship with them.� God did not just compensate for the world�s rules; he revealed his love, and his very heart for women throughout the entire Bible, just as he does today. God desires all to come to him in Salvation: women and men. �For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life� (John3:16, emphasis mine). ------------------- Protecting Storms - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. . .. But the boat was now in the middle of thesea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary �Matthew 14:22, 24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/protecting-storms-3/- Listen Trouble was brewing. Jesus had just fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Then the Bible tells us that Jesus �perceived that they were about to come and takeHim by force to make Him king� (John 6:15 NKJV). In effect the people were saying, �You�re going to be our king whether you like it or not, because you�re the kind of king we want. Raising the dead? That�s nice. Restoration of sight to the blind? That�s good.A free meal? Now we�re talking!� Essentially they were using God. So Jesus commanded His disciples to get into a boat, and then He sent them away. Why? Jesus knew this would destroy them. On more than oneoccasion the disciples had argued about who among them would be the greatest in the kingdom. These guys would have been propelled from rags to riches. They would have gone from being ostracized to being men of great influence. And it would have destroyed them.For their own protection, Jesus wanted to get them out of there as soon as possible. So off they went, and they hit a storm. That is exactly what the disciples needed, because it was a protecting storm. Sometimes a storm comes into our lives that is protecting us from something worse. That is difficult for us to wrap our minds around. Is it possible that a hardship couldever be better than a success? Sometimes a hardship can be better than success, because there are things we learn through hardships that we would not have learned otherwise. The One who stirs up the storm is the hiding place in it. And sometimes the things we dread most in life can be the best things for us. God will allow calamity to show usHis power.