Bible Gateway
I am a TEACHER
“We proclaim Him (Jesus), admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom,…”
Do you think of teaching others about Jesus as only the job of a pastor or person who leads a Bible study? If so, you’re in for a joyful surprise: every Christian is a teacher. Matthew 28:18-19 Some of us may be actively engaged. Others of us may have fallen behind. Some of us may be good examples of what we teach. Others of us may speak one thing but live differently from our message. Those we teach are family. They’re neighbors and co-workers. What does it mean to “teach”? It means to “impart instruction, instill doctrine, explain, and expound.” To admonish means “to warn and exhort.” Teachers – preachers, parents, spouses, and friends – both warn and instruct others about Christ and His ways.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of teaching others about Jesus. Help me teach not only in words but by example.
from If God is In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
OIL of GLADNESS
“Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
Recently, I watched a friend prepare a salad. First, she washed and dried the lettuce leaves. Next she tore them into pieces. But the salad wasn’t ready to be served. She took a bottle of olive oil and poured it on the lettuce, flavoring it. As Christians, Christ has washed us and put us in places of service in our homes and work places. Sometimes we may feel as the lettuce – torn and shredded. But we must always remember that Christ, anointed with the oil of gladness, stands above us – ready to pour Himself into us and flavor our lives with His joy.
Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You! Pour Yourself and the OIL of GLADNESS upon me that I may faithfully and joyfully serve You.
© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank youehovah
MESSIAH
“He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).”
Jesus came to earth as a baby so that He might grow into a man, but not just any man. He came to be our Savior. He came to die for our sins. He came as our Messiah. Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, recognized that He was the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sins of the world. Andrew, who heard John’s proclamation about Jesus, followed Jesus and asked where He was staying. After spending time with Jesus, Andrew went and found his brother Simon Peter and told him, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew was intentional about his search for the Messiah. He was intentional about telling others he had found Him. Shouldn’t that be being said about us?
Jesus Christ, MESSIAH, You bring all good things: love, forgiveness, hope, peace, and joy! May I be as Andrew and be intentional about following You and about telling others about You.
© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank youehovah
LOOSENS BONDS
“O Lord, surely I am Your servant,
I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,
You have loosed my bonds.“
Do you ever feel “tied up” with some form of spiritual, physical, or emotional bondage? Or, are you concerned for a loved one who is in bondage? In Psalm 116 we’re reminded that God can do what no one else can do. He can loosen cords that so tightly bind us that we feel we might die. And, even if we die, He reminds us that He will loosen the bonds of death and give us freedom in His heavenly home. “Unbind him and let him go,” Jesus commanded those who witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. “Unbind her,” Jesus commands when we call on His name.
Lord, You are the great and mighty God who LOOSENS BONDS. I praise You!
© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank youehovah
JEHOVAH SABBAOTH
“Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts (Jehovah Sabbaoth) in Shiloh. “
1 Samuel 1:3
My friend, Stephanie Shott, who addressed the name Jehovah Sabbaoth in her blog, Do Not Depart, shares the following: “Jehovah Sabbaoth is mentioned over 270 times in Scripture and means the Almighty, Sovereign, Self-Existent God over all the multitudes (whether an army, the sun, moon and stars, or creation itself).”
- In Psalm 24:10, The LORD of Hosts is the King of glory
- In Psalm 46:7 He is our Fortress.
- In Zechariah 4:6, He declares that He alone wins our battles when He tells Zerubbabel, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit…”
- And in Isaiah’s life-altering vision of the Lord, he heard the Seraphim speaking to one another, crying out, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
There is nothing He cannot do, nothing He does not know, nothing He cannot control, no enemy He cannot defeat, no heart He can not heal, no miracle He cannot perform. And how beautiful to know He longs to work in our lives and on our behalf as the LORD of Hosts.”
Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing this with us today!
JEHOVAH SABBAOTH, I praise You and give You glory for who You are and all You do!
© Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank youehovah