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From the series: Abraham

2. Adorned with Beauty through Trials

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A Precious Word from God

“And we know that all things to work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Romans 8:28-29 (NET)

Introduction

The words of Romans 8:28-29 are some of my favorites in all the Scriptures for they help me understand that God is at work in all the events of my life to make me more like Jesus Christ. Although the circumstances themselves may not seem good, God uses them for my benefit to make me truly beautiful through the things that come my way. As we consider trials this week, think carefully about the beauty that God brings out of the ashes.

Day One Study

Reread 1 Peter 1:1-21 to see the flow of the passage and the context of what we will look at today.

    1. According to v. 6, we greatly rejoice “in this.” Go back through the 1:1-5 and list everything there in which you personally rejoice.

    2. What do you learn about the nature of trials in v.6? In other words, what are they like according to this verse?

    3. What is the final result of trials according to v. 7?

    4. As you pray for believers who are experiencing trials, what can you pray for them according to vv. 6-7? Write down some specifics from these verses.

It helps me to see that the Bible says that trials can be distressing. So often as believers we think that living joyfully means that there is no distress. Joy is an inward attitude, but it doesn’t rule out sorrow, pain, or grief. At times it helps me to turn to Scriptures such as this chapter in 1 Peter so that I am reminded of the reasons to be joyful. When I begin to get depressed over my circumstances, I need to refocus on Jesus and on His promises.

    5. Sharing question: Are you in the midst of a trial that is distressing you? What is it? Be prepared to share it with your group so that they can pray for you.

    6. Sharing question: Describe one way that you have found that helps you bring your focus back to God when you are in the midst of a trial.

  • Diamonds in the Word –In the Psalms we often see the distress caused by trials as the psalmist opens his heart before the Lord. Read Psalm 13, 22 (Much of this psalm is prophetic about Jesus but consider David’s feelings as he wrote these words), and 38. Write down what you learn about pouring out your heart before the Lord from David.

Day Two Study

Reread 1 Peter 1:6-7.

    7. Verse 7 says that your faith may be tested by fire through trials. When you took tests in school, what was the purpose of the test? (Hint - It was not to get a grade!)

  • Diamonds in the Word –Look up the Greek for tested (NAS & NKJV) or tried (KJV) in v. 7. Write down the definition.

In my education classes in college, I remember hearing that tests should also be teaching tools. The test itself can help the students learn. At the time I didn’t really believe that it could be true, but I remember an exam at seminary where I went straight home and looked up the questions that I had skipped. I had somehow missed the information and actually wanted to learn about them!

    8. Sharing question: Share with your group about a trial you have experienced that taught you while it tested your faith. Share what happened and what you learned as a result of that trial.

    9. Response to God: Write a prayer to God asking Him to help you learn what He needs to teach you through a specific situation that you are facing right now. Ask him to make you a more beautiful woman from what you learn.

Day Three Study

Reread 1 Peter 1:6-21.

We saw in our Day One lesson that there are reasons to rejoice although we are dealing with trials in our lives. Peter talks about rejoicing later in this chapter.

    10. What can help you rejoice according to 1:8-9?

We also saw in last week’s lesson that we have been born again to a living hope (1:3). As Peter mentions trials, he also mentions hope. Sometimes we use the word hope to mean a possibility, a “hope” that something happens. That is not the idea of the hope here. The meaning of this hope is “Hope, desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it.”1 This kind of hope is one that you do expect to happen; it is not doubtful.

    11. According to 1:13, 21, what truths can give us hope?

  • Diamonds in the Word - Use your concordance to find other verses about hope. What do you learn from them that gives you hope?

    12. Sharing question: Think of a difficult circumstance in your life right now. Perhaps you would call it a trial or perhaps just a difficult situation. How can the truths that you have learned here in 1 Peter about rejoicing and hope help you face this circumstance?

We do need to keep in mind that we are sometimes the cause of our own trials. We have sinned or just messed up and have created the consequences. Perhaps you are in deep debt because you have overspent, being enticed by materialism. You may have acted unwisely in dealing with other people and are left with problems in relationships. I know Christians who rarely consider their personal responsibility in their situations but tend to blame Satan for everything that happens to them. We will study our enemy more in the last lesson, but here we should understand that he is not all-powerful and that we are responsible for our choices and the consequences.

Yet, there is hope even when we have sinned and blown it!

Read Romans 8:18-30.

These verses can give us hope and reason to rejoice even when we have caused the problem ourselves. They teach us that God uses every situation to make us more beautiful because we become more like Christ.

    13. Romans 8:28-29 is our “Precious Word from God” for this week. Copy it below and memorize at least v. 28.

    14. Sharing question: Share with your group a time when you recognized the principles of Romans 8:28 as true, once you looked back on the situation.

    15. Responding to God: Write a prayer thanking God for His redemption of your mistakes. Think of a specific time when you created a bad situation and yet, He brought good from it. Thank Him for the good He will bring from your current trial.

  • Diamonds in the Word - What Bible story could you use to illustrate the truths of Rom. 8:28-29? Explain your choice.

Day Four Study

As we continue to consider the topic of trials in the life of a believer, we want to look at some other passages that may help us see them from God’s perspective.

Read James 1:2-4, 12.

    16. Explain the process and outcomes of trials that James describes.

    17. What is your attitude to be in the midst of these trials? Why can you have this attitude according to James?

So often we hear the question, “How can a good God let this happen?” We need to remember in the midst of our trials that death, disease, and war entered the world because of the sin of mankind. Our lives involve pain and death because we are sinners. If you do not know the story of how sin entered this world, read Gen. 3.

Read John 9:1-3.

    18. What was the purpose of the illness of this man that Jesus met?

The disciples believed that all illness was caused by specific sin in the person’s life. We must never assume that any individual sickness or trial is because of that person’s sin. That can be the case, but only God can reveal the reason for any trial, and we outsiders do not need to know. God gives us info only on a need to know basisJ I don’t need to know why you are experiencing a trial.

When I encounter a difficult circumstance, I take it before Lord for understanding. God does discipline us when we need it and we must be sensitive to what He is telling us in the midst of trials. It is hard to consider that we have sinned and that God is disciplining us for it. Our hearts are deceptive and we prefer to ignore our own sins or to minimize them.

    19. List everything that you learn about God’s discipline in Heb. 12:5-11.

    20. Sharing question: Describe a time in your life when God disciplined you or when others attributed a trial in your life to your personal sins. How did you respond? How did it make you more beautiful?

  • Diamonds in the Word - Use your concordance to look up discipline, especially in the book of Proverbs. What do you learn about disciplining children?

Day Five Study

What we learn from the verses we have seen this week is a larger perspective, the big picture, concerning trials in our lives. When we encounter difficult circumstances, God wants us to get a broader point-of-view than we can see from within the situation.

Reread 1 Peter 1:3-13; James 1:2-4, 12; Rom. 8:18-30; Heb. 12:5-13.

    21. Summarize what you learn from all these passages about the larger perspective of our trials, i.e. what are some of God’s purposes when believers face trials.

    22. What truths have you learned from these passages about how to respond to trials?

These truths can help give us the hope and the joy that we are to have during hard times. However, often people need assistance to refocus on God and His goodness. I have learned to pray for God’s wisdom in encouraging others because sometimes quoting Rom. 8:28 makes their sorrow or distress seem wrong or trivial. I have to be sensitive to their feelings in the words that I choose to bring comfort to them. We can have joy and sorrow at the same time, and we have to allow believers to deal with pain, which is not a sinful feeling.

    23. Sharing question: What are some ways that other believers have helped you see the big picture when you have dealt with difficult times?

  • Diamonds in the Word –What passages have helped you personally to make it through hard times?

Virginia’s Story

The thing about difficult circumstances is that they are so… well, wearing! One or two – maybe even three difficulties at the same time can be dealt with, but when crisis upon crisis occurs like dominos falling, your body and mind do not have time to recover before the next crisis hits. The impact of stress on the body and mind leave you depleted of internal resources to cope, and you find yourself in despair. What can you do when you reach this level of physical, emotional, and spiritual weariness?

There was a time years ago when I found myself in this state. Loss of income, death of loved ones, shoulder surgery, loss of friendships and other disappointments had taken their toll on my mind and body. I felt I was so buried in despair I could never dig my way out. But I refused to give in to the pressure to give up and walk away from God. A few years prior to that time, I watched as people I knew and loved turned their back on God, and what they knew to be the right thing, in order to do what was right in their own eyes. I knew I did not want to do the same thing. Deep down, I knew that turning away from God was not the answer even though at times I felt forsaken.

When I sat down to pray, the words would not come. I found myself crying to God saying “O God, please do not let me go. Even though I have lost my grip on you, please do not let me go but keep me in the palm of your hand.”

As I cried out to Him, I found Psalm 101:3. The words of this verse were like a surge of energy to my soul. “I hate the work of those who fall away. It shall not fasten its grip on me” (NASB)

This verse became my commitment to the Lord during a difficult time. My commitment was that I would not allow life’s troubles to fasten their grip on me forcing me away from God and my faith. I felt I was losing my grip, but I also knew of God’s promise to never leave me nor forsake me. I clung to that promise even during the times when I questioned it.

God heard the cry of a wounded heart, a defeated mind, and a weary body. He brought me out of the miry clay, set my feet upon the Rock, and filled my mouth with praise to My God. Psalm 40:1-3. He healed my broken heart, and has used the difficulties of my past to soften me in response to the pain of others. He has forced me, through my own suffering, to be more flexible, understanding, and patient when faced with the suffering of others. Broken relationships in my life have been mended because I am more forgiving having been taught forgiveness while in the fires of tribulation. I didn’t like having to go through everything I went through, but God was with me through it all and has not wasted the experiences but is using them for His glory.

When trails come, it is so important to cling to what we know to be true from God’s Word because His promises are true! The answer to the question in the first paragraph is “fight back”. Don’t give up… don’t give in, but fight back with Truth!

  • He will hear when you cry out to Him – Psalm 40:1
  • He will comfort you – Isaiah 66:13
  • He will be a refuge and source of strength to you – Psalm 46:1
  • He will rescue you from despair – Psalm 42:11
  • He will fill your heart with peace – Phil. 4:7
  • He will fill your mouth with praise – Psalm 63:3

Thanks be to God that as I place my trust in Him no matter what life brings my way, I am blessed!

    24. Response to God: Write a prayer in which you are completely honest with God about how you feel about a current trial or difficulty. Ask God to give you the grace to make it through whatever you are dealing with in your life right now. Ask Him to give you hope and joy in the midst of this situation.

    25. Write a note to a friend who is struggling in her life to encourage her. Write a prayer for her that God will bring beauty within from the ashes.


1Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1992), 570.

From the series: Abraham

Related Topics: Christian Home, Curriculum, Suffering, Trials, Persecution

From the series: Abraham

1. Adorned with the Beauty of Faith

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A Precious Word from God

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 (NET)

Introduction

As you begin this first lesson, realize that you are precious to God, and as His daughter, He wants you to be adorned internally, not just externally, for true beauty resides in the heart. Each week we will focus on an aspect of true beauty from the book of 1 Peter. Do you have a desire to be so beautiful that everyone notices? More and more as the years pass, your character rather than your looks will attract others. As our memory verse this week explains, beauty is vain - meaning temporary like a vapor. I have found that to be all too true as I age. Without inward beauty, I have no beauty left!

Before you start the first day’s lesson, take the time to ask God to bless your time with Him, to give you insight and understanding of His Word, and to help you walk with Him more intimately than ever before as a result of this study. Don’t forget to memorize our verse!

Day One Study

If you can, read through the entire book of 1 Peter as if you had just received it in the mail. It is a letter from Peter to first-century believers. Have the following questions in mind as you read so that you can write today’s answers as you go.

    1. Note any initial thoughts that you have as you read. What is God saying that is meaningful to you where you are right now in your life?

    2. Do you notice any repeated thoughts or ideas? If so, record them.

If you were not already familiar with this book, you may be surprised by the content. It is not a book about beauty, but in a sense you can see the whole book in that light. As we grow as believers, we should reflect more and more the beauty of Jesus, and this book helps us understand how to do that.

    3. Responding to God: Write a prayer asking God to change you through this study into a truly beautiful woman in His eyes.

  • Diamonds in the Word –For those of you who want to dig deeper into the diamonds of God’s word, work on a book chart, if you know how to make one, or an outline of the flow of this book. Consider the repeated thoughts and ideas that you found, and use them to find the book theme. This is a whole week’s assignment!

Day Two Study

The first and most important part of being truly beautiful is being adorned with faith. You may be just beginning to explore the meaning of faith, or you may have been on the journey of faith for many years. Wherever you are and whatever your background, this week’s lesson will be helpful in seeing that to be truly beautiful, faith is essential.

Read 1 Peter 1:1-21. We are going to focus on only some of these verses this week and then dig into the others next week, but by reading them all, you will get them in context.

    4. According to the first verse, Peter identifies the people to whom he sends this letter as strangers or aliens. How is a person of faith like an alien in a foreign land, or even a foreign world?

    5. Read Phil. 3:20-21. What truths does Paul keep in mind that help him value heaven more than this world?

    6. Sharing question: Consider your own life. Do you share Paul’s hope? How does your life reflect the fact that your citizenship is not here? Name one specific way in which someone may see that in your life. (I know that this is your first lesson with your group and you do not know these other women well, but this is a safe place and we need to be open and honest with one another.) If you are more attached to this world than heaven, ask God for one practical way that you can grow in your love for Him and His kingdom, write it below, and be prepared to share it with your group.

You may have noticed that in 1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter describes those who receive this letter as not only strangers or aliens but also as chosen. There are entire books written about the truth that God has selected His children. God has decided not to reveal more than the fact that we are chosen. Instead of debating how this works, I would like you to think about how it feels to be chosen. Perhaps as a student you usually made the athletic teams. Maybe your job experience has been one of feeling chosen by a boss or company to tackle a specific task. We all have experienced times when we were picked and times when we weren’t.

    7. Read Romans 3:10-18. How are you described here? Be specific!

Clearly, we are not beautiful naturally. We are stained and ugly because of our sins; thus, by faith alone are we able to become beautiful in God’s sight. Despite the ugliness of your sins, God has chosen you to be His daughter. His choice has nothing to do with your being better than anyone else, which this passage in Romans makes clear. He chose you in His mercy simply because He loves you and wants a relationship with you. I often hear people say that God loves you just the way you are, but that is not exactly correct. God loves you despite the way you are! If you truly believe that God selected you regardless of what He knew about you rather than because of it, you recognize how undeserving you are of God’s mercy.

    8. Responding to God: Write a prayer thanking God for His great love and mercy and for choosing you despite the fact that you did not deserve it.

I had a difficult time believing that God chose me - it didn’t seem fair and I couldn’t comprehend it. I was willing to accept only those things that I could wrap my mind around and embrace. Yet, the Bible clearly said that God chose His children. How could I believe that? But I went to God and asked Him to open my mind to the truth whether I understood it or not. Over time, I began to acknowledge this as true. I still cannot explain it and would never attempt to reconcile it with the truth that we are responsible to believe. To do so would be adding to God’s word an explanation that He never gave. I have just accepted it by faith, and it has made me so much more aware of the mercies of God in my life. I wasn’t wise enough or smart enough to choose Him; He chose me despite me!

  • Diamonds in the Word –Read Romans 9:6-18. What examples does Paul use here to explain the truth that God’s choice is not because of our present or future actions? How can these verses help someone accept the truth that God selects His children?

Day Three Study

Who is Jesus? Becoming a Christian means that you become a follower of Jesus. He is the essential of our faith. If we are to adorn ourselves with faith, we must first know who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Many of you have already trusted in Him and if so, ask God to take your lesson today and help you fall more in love with Jesus than ever before as you are reminded of His great love for you.

Reread 1 Peter 1:1-21 to get back into the context of the verses.

    9. What do you learn about Jesus from vv. 3, 18-21?

    10. In order to recognize Jesus for who He really is, look up the following verses about Him. Note what you learn about Jesus’ identity from the people who knew Him:

      a. Matt. 16:13-17

      b. John 1:1-3, 14

      c. John 1:29-30

      d. John 4:42

    11. Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. This is the good news, the gospel. What truths about Jesus does it involve?

Imagine how exciting it must have been to see Jesus alive again after His terrible death on a cross! His friends had lost all hope, forgetting what they had learned about His identity and not understanding the necessity for His death. Seeing Jesus alive totally changed their lives. When we believe, it should change us as well.

    12. Read John 20:31. What are we to do with the truths about Jesus that we have seen in this lesson? What do we receive at that point?

    13. Read John 14:6. Record Jesus’ words below. What other options did Jesus give people for acquiring eternal life in heaven?

    14. Sharing question: If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, summarize your story of how and when you came to believe in Him and trust Him as your personal Savior.

If you have never trusted Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to give you eternal life with Him, today is a wonderful time to do that. Call upon Him, believing that He is God’s Son who died on your behalf to pay the penalty for your sins and rose again from the dead, and desiring a personal relationship with Him as God’s daughter. Share your faith with your group or leader. Read His promise to you in Romans 10:13.

Day Four Study

Reread 1 Peter 1:3-5.

    15. Once you are born again, what do you receive according to 1 Peter 1:4?

    16. What guarantees that your entrance into heaven is absolutely secure (1 Peter 1:5)?

    17. How does Romans 11:29 help you understand the security of your salvation?

    18. Responding to God: Based on 1 Peter 1:3-5 and Day Four Lesson, write a prayer thanking Jesus for your salvation and the inheritance that you now have because of His death and resurrection. You might want to take some of the phrases from these verses and reword them into a prayer.

    19. Sharing question: Do you have a friend who needs to know that Jesus died for her sins? Write down a specific way that you plan to show her the love of Christ and share with her the news that she can have the inheritance of heaven.

Day Five Study

    20. Copy Proverbs 31:30 below, our “Precious Word from God” for this week, and memorize it.

Fearing the Lord means in a practical sense that you trust Him, knowing that you are accountable to Him, realizing that you must fall upon His mercy. We have seen in our study this week that we are all sinners before a holy God. Only by His forgiveness through Jesus’ death for our sins are we able to enter into a family relationship with Him. As we trust Him, God begins to change us.

    21. Sharing question: Does your life reflect the beauty of your faith? Write down one practical way in which your faith has changed you into a more beautiful woman.

Jerry’s Story

At the age of probably six or seven I "walked the aisle" at the little country church that I grew up in. I followed in baptism. No one counseled with me about what it really meant and the steps one needed to take to give her life to Christ. I just remember thinking that it was neat that I was going to be baptized and that I would now be able to take the Lord's Supper whenever it was offered. I certainly didn't understand the meaning of that ordinance!

My husband was ordained as a deacon when I was in my mid twenties. The ordination committee came to our house to talk to us and asked me for my testimony. I realized then for the first time that I really didn't have a testimony, but I was too proud to admit it and made up a pretty convincing one. The Lord didn't let go of me. I struggled for several years with this. Every time an invitation was given, I would grip the back of the pew in front of me so hard that I almost broke it in half.

Finally in 1979, we went on a youth choir mission trip as sponsors and I was so convicted of not "playing the game" any longer that when we got back from the tour, I made a profession of faith and followed in believer's baptism. I had for years been so worried about what people would think, let pride get in my way and let the devil convince me that I didn't need to give my life to Christ. What a peace came over me, once I turned loose of all of these things. Has everything been great since then? Of course not, but I do have open access to Jesus Christ as my Savior and He can comfort me, intercede for me, and be my best friend. I wouldn't trade that relationship for anything else in this world.

    22. Sharing question: Write down any area of pride in your life that prevents you from being open and honest with those in the community of faith. What do you need to do about it?

From the series: Abraham

Related Topics: Curriculum, Faith

God Can Use us All

Sometimes do you ever wonder why God called you to do something for Him? There are many reasons why God shouldn't have called you, or me, or anyone else for that matter, but God doesn't wait until we are perfect to call us. Think of all those God used. You're in good company if you think you aren't ready for God to use.

  • Abraham lied. Sarah laughed at God's promises.
  • Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't fit.
  • John Mark was rejected by Paul.
  • Timothy had ulcers.
  • Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
  • Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
  • Jacob was a liar.
  • David had an affair.
  • Solomon was too rich.
  • Jesus was too poor.
  • Abraham was to old.
  • David was too young.
  • Peter was afraid of death.
  • Lazarus was dead.
  • John was self-righteous.
  • Naomi was a widow.
  • Paul was a murderer.
  • So was Moses.
  • Jonah ran from God.
  • Miriam was a gossip.
  • Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
  • Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
  • Elijah was burned out.
  • John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
  • Martha was a worry-wort.
  • Mary may have been lazy.
  • Samson had long hair.
  • Noah got drunk.
  • Did I mention Moses had a short fuse?
  • So did Peter, Paul and lots of folks.

But God doesn't hire and fire like most bosses because He's more like our Dad than a boss. He doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced or partial, nor sassy and brassy, nor deaf to our cry. He's not blind to our faults. His gifts to us are free. We could do wonderful things for others and still not be wonderful ourselves. Satan says, "You're not worthy!" Jesus says, "So what? I AM." Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the Cross.

--Matthew Tullos, Convention Press, 1992

Helping a Friend through the Darkness of Depression

Editor's Note: Depression has been a part of the human condition since the fall. Sin has created all human brokenness. Throughout the scripture, we see God’s people struggling with this reality, such as David (Psalm 22:2, 42:11, 32:5), Elijah (1 Kings 19), Jeremiah (Jer. 20:1-11), Ezekiel (Ezek. 1), and Paul (2 Cor. 4:7). We know from Psalms 32 and 51 that unrepented sin can lead to depression, affecting body, soul and mind. We learn from David that healing from sin-caused depression can come with confession and repentance.

We also know that there are other contributing factors besides personal sin that cause mental health problems, such as brain diseases. The subject of mental illness is complex and still being researched (as can be seen by the recent study disproving the theory that it is caused by the "chemical imballance" of low serotonin levels), but the purpose of this article is to equip individuals to walk alongside a depressed friend on their path to healing.

* * * * *

Your friend is in the emotional crisis of depression. This is their darkest moment. What do you do? How can you help?

As with many uncomfortable situations, our first reaction is to flee, to ignore, to hope someone else tends to the issue, or to wait for it to pass. However, every example of Christ shows just the opposite; He was present, fully engaged, always had time for people and deeply cared about the individual. We can do the same.

How does this look with a depressed person? I will speak practically here, having seen depression from the “front row” for most of my life.

Here are some things you can DO for your friend suffering from depression:

Above all else, if you suspect your friend or family member is depressed, strongly urge them to see a doctor. There are many causes for depression, or what might look like depression, and they absolutely must be evaluated by a doctor. This doesn’t necessarily mean a psychiatrist in the initial stage (many people are hesitant anyway and don’t know where to start), but at the very least their general physician, internist or (for women) gynecologist. These doctors treat depression every day and most are willing to provide care for the emotional as well as physical needs of their patients. If their doctor doesn’t have this attitude, they need find one who does.

Let’s say they have visited their doctor and have been placed on medication. Encourage, encourage, encourage. Many medications are very helpful but take some time (usually several weeks) to show full effectiveness. Not only that, it may take a while to find just the right one, which will require a great deal of patience and perseverance.  Reassure your friend they’re on the right path and that results will come.  Check in with them regularly and ask open-ended questions, such as, “How are things going?”

Open-ended questions don’t have a "yes" or "no" answer—it requires the speaker to do a little more searching before answering. In addition, open-ended questions are intentionally vague so the speaker will need to be a bit more forthcoming with the answer. If you ask, "How are you today?" the person may respond, "I'm fine," or something brief like that. If you say instead, "How are things going?" they are forced to think about their answer. That question could be answered in a much broader way—like, "Not so well," or "Ok, I guess," allowing the person asking the questions to go a little deeper, probing whatever clues are given. Just mainly avoid questions that are easily answered and ask questions that require a bit more thinking before answering.

Along with that, an experienced counselor is critically helpful. They are especially helpful if it is one that shares a similar world view and does not counsel against the individual’s moral beliefs and values. Many times, talk therapy alone will help someone make big strides in healing. Wounds cannot be healed unless they are opened and cleaned, and an effective, compassionate therapist will provide this care.

Now back to you as a friend. Realize you cannot replace the two things that I’ve just mentioned - medical care and professional therapy. You are a friend, but even in an illness such as depression, friends still play an important role in restoration and healing.

Just a few practical ways you can help:

Listen. Let them talk. If they have a “safe” person to talk to (in addition to their therapist), it can take the emotional pressure off them for the moment.  Everyone feels better after having a good talk with a friend, especially when they’re feeling depressed. Even for a non-depressed person, it is emotionally healthy to share thoughts and feelings with someone else.

Allow them to talk without judgment. Even if what they are saying is a result of their damaged emotions and flawed thinking and doesn’t make much sense, don’t judge.  Just let them talk. Never tell someone they shouldn't feel the way they do, or that what they feel is wrong, or that what they are doing, saying or feeling is contrary to Scripture. They feel badly enough already. In the future there may be a place for that, but in the depths of depression, a person needs love, reassurance and support, not judgment. Allowing a person to feel heard and understood without being judged is a powerful way to make them feel loved.

Sometimes your friend or loved one may say, "Maybe it would be better if I weren't here." A person who actually says this is or has probably already contemplated ending their lives, in which case a professional is needed. However, if you are faced with this, I would say to immediately ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as to how to answer. Sometimes depressed people say this to see how the listener will react. Sometimes it is said for attention. Sometimes it is seen as a way of control over their own lives. But having been faced with this as a friend, I lovingly remind them how much they mean to so many people and how suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I also (gently) throw in what a selfish act it really is, that they are only thinking of themselves (if you're in the pit of depression, this is common) and that a permanent scar will be left in their family. "God's mercies are new every morning" (Lam. 3:23) and He is always faithful. Continue to check in daily until you feel this person is out of the ditch. However, allow me to firmly add at this point: I am not writing this from the perspective of a trained counselor. Please consult other resources if you even suspect a friend is contemplating suicide. It leaves a wound within the family and circle of friends which will never completely heal.

Warning: this can be exhausting. Faithfully love your friend in the Lord's strength and not your own.

Realize you can’t fix it. Whatever problems are wrong in their life, you can’t fix them. Whatever issues are causing pain, you can’t repair them. You can listen and reassure, but you can’t fix.

Understand that true depression is an illness, and illnesses must be treated. You can’t just “get over” heart disease or diabetes. Similarly a depressed person can’t just “get over” being depressed. They would love nothing better, but it doesn’t work that way. It is a medical and emotional issue that may require long term treatment. Walking with someone during this time is a valuable gift. You can see the light – they can’t. And you can't make a blind person see what they can't see, but you can help guide them.

Engage them. A depressed person will stay home all day every day if they could, and some do. Invite them to lunch or coffee. This may take a few tries, but don’t give up. They need to be with others and need the stimulation of being out and about. Being out in nature is especially healing. On the other hand, if you sense your friend is having a particularly bad day and just can’t talk, that’s ok. Let them have their space and call back in a couple of days. You can send texts, emails or cards, too. Knowing they are loved will help, even at their most unlovely.

Encourage the person to take care of themselves. Ask if they’ve done anything for themselves recently. Promote self-care. Many depressed persons have no idea how to care for themselves. They are perfectly capable of caring for others, but self care is another issue. Maybe even sit down together over coffee one day and help her make a list. What things make them happy? What do they enjoy?

Just a note here: Self care is the knowledge, ability and willingness to take care of yourself. Women are especially prone to neglecting themselves, and in particular, women in the caring professions—and in this I would include the ministry. We care for others quite well, but taking care of ourselves is another issue altogether. Many women put themselves at the bottom of the list of care. For years I thought taking care of myself (I don't mean physical/health care, but some fall into that thinking as well) was selfish. I thought spending time doing something like getting a massage, going on an outing with friends, pampering myself, sitting around reading, sitting on the porch listening to the birds sing, walking through the mall just window shopping, going to a museum, etc. was a waste of time and selfish. Then I finally learned: IT IS ONLY SELFISH IF IT HURTS SOMEONE ELSE! (When I get really strung out and/or depressed, the first question my therapist will ask is, "What are you doing to take care of yourself?" Bam!)

 

Set personal boundaries. Now here’s something you may need to watch out for. If you sense your friend is using you for their own personal, emotional landfill, then draw the line. You are not their professional counselor. You are their friend. They may feel better after spending 45 minutes unloading on you, but you will be a wreck! This is where boundaries come in – knowing where you start and they end. Speak up. In whatever way you choose, tell them you cannot listen any longer and that you will need to talk to them at another time. Assure them of your love and care.  Again, encourage them to share the issues with their therapist.

Assure them of God’s love and your support. Gently remind them, in whatever creative way you choose, that God loves and values them more than they know. He is always with them and has promised to never leave. Likewise, assure them of your unwavering friendship. Many times this isn’t easy. Depressed people are hard to love sometimes, but knowing they can always count on you can be their “port in the storm.”

Assure them of hope. There is hope in God. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” Eph. 1:17-19.  Theirs is not a permanent condition. There is healing and light at the end of the darkness. There is always, always hope.

And finally, pray for them. Pray, pray, pray. How many times do you find yourself praying for people who are physically ill? Pray with the same conviction and fervor for your depressed friend. They need it so very much and they are probably not able to ask for it.

Just to review:

  • Encourage a medical evaluation
  • Encourage seeing a professional therapist
  • Be a good listener
  • Do not judge
  • Understand true depression is an illness
  • Promote self care
  • Engage them – don’t let them isolate themselves (but allow space when necessary)
  • Set personal boundaries
  • Assure them of God’s love and your support
  • Assure them of hope

Hold fast to the hope, and pray toward the end, that the day will come when your friend stands in the light of God’s healing and love with you!

--

A former chaplain with formal and clinical training in pastoral care and a masters in Biblical Studies, Ann Golding (B.S.Ed., M.A.B.S.) has a passion for equipping people to come alongside others in times of crisis and grief. She assists lay people in basic pastoral care skills so that they can confidently show, in word and deed, the love of Christ to others in their darkest moments.

Related Topics: Relationships, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Women's Articles

Q. What was David’s Role in the Building of the Temple?

QUESTION: Generally, it is understood that Solomon built the Temple, and so he did. But even though God would not allow David to build the temple (see 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 22:7-8; 28:1-3), he seems to have had a significant (sometimes dominant) role in its creation, along with other men like Hiram, King of Tyre. How do you explain this?

Answer

Let’s begin by recalling that the building of a temple was David’s idea, not God’s. Also, a significant part of David’s motivation was that he had built an extravagant palace for himself, and this was in great contrast to the tent where the ark of the Covenant was kept.

1 The king settled into his palace, for the LORD gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides. 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent” (2 Samuel 7:1-2, NET).

God made it very clear that this temple was not His idea, and that it was not really necessary:

4 That night the LORD told Nathan, 5 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. 7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”‘ (2 Samuel 7:4-7)

In the following verses of 2 Samuel 7 God turned the tables on David. Did David wish to build a house for God? He didn’t need one. No, but God would build a “house” (a dynasty) for David, an eternal house:

8 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed any more. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you. 12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent’” (2 Samuel 7:8-16).

God would allow David’s son, Solomon, to build the temple, but David could not do so because he was a “man of war,” who had shed much blood:

3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood’ (1 Chronicles 28:3).

Besides Solomon, who was in charge of the construction and dedication of the temple, there were men like “Hiram,” king of Tyre, who provided David and then Solomon with raw materials and skilled workmen, first to construct his palatial home (2 Samuel 5:11-12), and later on the temple (1 Kings 5; 9:11).

What is surprising is the degree to which David was involved in the building of the temple, in spite of the fact that God would not let him build it, but designated Solomon for this task:

11 David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. 12 He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the LORD’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. 13 He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the LORD’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the LORD’s temple. 14 He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the LORD’s temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, 15 for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 16 for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, 18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the LORD’s covenant. 19 David said, “All of this I put in writing as the LORD directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints” (1 Chronicles 28:11-19).

Think of all the things (mentioned above) that David did in advance of his death, to prepare for the building of the temple. He provided the plans, and the materials needed to build the temple. If God did not prompt David to do all these things, He at least allowed David to make these preparations. (Perhaps this is something like God allowing Moses to see the Promised Land, without entering it (Deuteronomy 32:48-52).

What I find interesting is David’s explanation for why he took so much initiative in making preparations for the temple:

1 King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man, and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. 2 So I have made every effort to provide what is needed for the temple of my God, including the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, as well as a large amount of onyx, settings of antimony and other stones, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster (1 Chronicles 29:1-2, emphasis mine).

Citing Solomon’s youthfulness, David expressed doubt in his ability to bear the full weight of constructing the temple. This was no insignificant project; this was to build a “palace” for God. David doubted Solomon’s ability to do it right – Solomon, who would become the wisest man in the world, who would expand the nation Israel beyond anything David had achieved. The Solomon whom God said would build the temple.

Here is where I see the humanity (and imperfection) of David, like every other Old or New Testament hero. David was reluctant to “let go” and “let others” because he felt his successor could not do the job as well as he could. This flies in the face of what we see when Joshua succeeded Moses, or when Elisha succeeded Elijah (he did twice as well – 2 Kings 2:9-10).

The folly of David’s refusal to step aside is clearly revealed in Scripture. While 1 Chronicles 23 seems to report that the transition from David to Solomon went smoothly, a reading of 1 Kings chapter 1 suggests otherwise. Here we find that David postponed appointing Solomon as king in his place, even though he was God’s choice, and the one which David himself had acknowledged as his successor (1 Kings 1:13, 17, 29-30). He just couldn’t seem to let go of his position as king, even though he was at that time incapable of ruling (as 1 Kings 1 clearly indicates).

I see a couple of areas of application as I read all the accounts of the construction of the temple. First, I see the biblical principle of plurality, which we observe in both the Old Testament and the New. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, pointed out that Moses was taking on too much responsibility, rather than spreading out the work among others (Exodus 18). Elijah was ready to throw in the towel because he wrongly believed he was the only faithful man left, and the work was too great for him (1 Kings 19). In the New Testament book of Corinthians there were those who set Paul, Apollos, and Cephas in opposition to each other (1 Corinthians 1:11-16). But Paul saw their ministry (and indeed all ministry) as a team effort, each one with his own role to play, so that it was Paul plus Apollos plus Cephas (1 Corinthians 3:4-9). Their ministry was complementary, not competitive. This is why most of Paul’s epistles begin with “Paul, and . . .” It is why Paul almost never engages in a ministry without a team of men accompanying him. One reason that Paul gives is that each believer has his or her spiritual gift, sphere of ministry where that gift is employed, and degree of apparent success from that ministry (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Because God has diversified and divided up roles of ministry among the saints, ministry must be done collectively, not individually, and certainly not competitively (see Ephesians 4:7-16).

Second, I see a lesson for every Christian leader, who should be actively preparing others to succeed them in their ministry roles.

And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well (2 Timothy 2:2).

Rather than to prepare Solomon for ministry, and to share his leadership with Solomon in order to accomplish this, David kept as much control as he could, convinced that he could do it better. Barnabas, one of the great heroes of the New Testament, is a man who devoted himself to promoting others, so that men like Paul, once his helper, could become his leader (see Acts 9-13).

I know of too few pastors and church leaders who are purposefully devoting time and energy to preparing and equipping younger men to take their place in time, and to work with them in the mean time to develop their ability to do so. Sadly, I see far too many Christian leaders who are unwilling to relinquish control, even when age or some form of incapacity should dictate that.

I believe this is one of the reasons why we are failing at discipleship in the church. I am aware of situations in which a prominent leader makes it very clear to younger men that they are not to encroach on his territory, or to diminish his prominence in any way. If you don’t want anyone to take your place, you most certainly will not train them to do their job so well that they can replace you. Like pagan dictators, they find it easier to kill off potential leaders rather than to train and equip them. Making disciples means equipping younger believers to assume leadership roles – our leadership role!

David was a great man, a man after God’s own heart. But was not a perfect man. He held on to his position and power even when he had lost the capacity to lead. While God allowed David to pursue his passion of building a temple by making plans and preparing the materials, he was wrong to doubt Solomon’s ability to accomplish this, and this by means of the wisdom God would grant him to do so (see 1 Kings 3). Let us learn from David’s passion and devotion for God. But let us also learn from David’s failures, as a father, and leader (using his power to take another man’s wife, along with his life), and failing to step aside when the time came.

Related Topics: Leadership

El Diario del Pastor en la Red

The Net Pastor's Journal

El Diario del Pastor en la Red trimestral es producido por el Dr. Roger Pascoe y el Instituto para la Enseñanza Bíblica.

Esto también está disponible en los siguientes idiomas EnglishFrenchRussianRomanian, Simplified Chinese, y Traditional Chinese.

Related Topics: Pastors

Die Heretic

I was walking in San Francisco along the Golden Gate Bridge when I saw a man about to jump off. I tried to dissuade him from committing suicide and told him simply that God loved him. A tear came to his eye.

I then asked him, “Are you a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu, or what?”

He said, “I’m a Christian.”

I said, “Me, too, small world. . .Protestant or Catholic?”

He said, “Protestant.”

I said, “Me, too, what denomination?”

He said, “Baptist.”

I said, “Me, too, Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?”

He said, “Northern Baptist.”

I said, “Well, ME TOO, Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.”

I said, “Well, that’s amazing! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reformed Baptist?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist.”

I said, “Remarkable! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region.”

I said, “A miracle! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”

I said, “DIE, HERETIC!’ and pushed him over the rail.

--Comedian Emo Philipps

Spiritual Diagnostic Questions

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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “I sometimes think that the whole art of the Christian life is the art of asking questions.” (Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure [Eerdmans], p. 224.) Here are a few questions to ask yourself and others you are working with in the Lord:

1. What spiritual goals are you currently working on? If you haven’t thought about it, begin by picturing what God would want to accomplish through you by the time you’re 75. Then, write out a one or two sentence purpose or mission statement for your life. In light of that, what are one or two goals (specific, measurable) that God would have you work on in the coming six months that would move you in that direction? Put them on your calendar. In what single way would you like most to grow spiritually in the coming year? (Use another sheet of paper for this.)

2. In an average week, how many days do you spend at least 20 minutes in Bible reading and prayer?

3. What do you do to keep your love for God fresh and vital?

4. What are some of the books you have read in the past year and how have they helped you grow in the Lord? If you’re not reading, what one book should you begin soon?

5. What is your biggest hindrance to spiritual growth? How do you fight it?

6. How are you using your spiritual gift(s) to serve the Lord? How would you like to see Him use you in the coming year?

7. Are there any hidden or open sins that you need to confess?

8. How are your relationships with others, especially those you live with? Is your heart free from bitterness toward those who have mistreated or wronged you? Is there anyone you have offended and need to ask his or her forgiveness?

9. Which spiritual discipline do you most need to cultivate in your life? What do you need to do next to begin working on it?

10. Do you honor God with your stewardship of the time and money He entrusts to you? What two or three changes in each area (time/money) do you most need to make?

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christian Education, Christian Life, Spiritual Life

Biblical Character Qualities And Life Skills

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This list is not exhaustive, but here are some key character qualities and basic life skills to aim at in your own life and with your children:

  • Genuine conversion to Christ (not just a “decision,” but a heart changed by God)
  • God-focused life (glorify and please God, not be a people-pleaser)
  • Trust in God (Prayer in everything)
  • Knowledge of God’s Word (a biblical thinker, discerning)

*A consistent quiet time, including Scripture memory

*A knowledge of basic biblical doctrines

  • A heart for the lost (locally & globally)

*Ability to share the gospel

*Knowledge of, prayer for, and giving to missions

  • The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23):

*Love (for God & others)

*Joy (cheerful spirit, ability to handle trials)

*Peace (not a worrier)

*Patience (control of anger, frustration)

*Kindness (compassionate, sensitive to others, especially the hurting)

*Goodness (thinking of others’ needs, not mean toward the disadvantaged)

*Faithfulness (keeps word, follows through on assignments)

*Gentleness (not rude, overbearing)

*Self-control (disciplined, goal-oriented)

  • Humility
  • Self-denial (thinking of God & others ahead of self)
  • A good listener
  • Obedience to God and to proper authority
  • Moral purity (God’s view of sex, moral standards; avoids porn and evil media)
  • Alert to spiritual danger (guarding thought life, entertainment, etc.)
  • Truthful, honest
  • Thankfulness, gratitude
  • Forgiving (not bitter, not holding grudges)
  • Responsible (loyal, keeps word)
  • Courage (to stand alone for convictions)
  • Perseverance, endurance (doesn’t quit easily)
  • Orderliness
  • Initiative, industrious (knows how to work)
  • Decisiveness
  • Flexibility (able to adjust cheerfully to different people & situations)
  • Relationally warm (chooses friends wisely)
  • Hospitable, friendly

*Makes others feel welcome & comfortable

*Polite, has good manners

*Knows how to make introductions

*Smiles and maintains eye contact with others

*Anticipates and meets others’ needs

*Expresses gratitude

*A good sense of humor

  • Faithful steward of God’s resources:

*Generous (not greedy)

*Faithful in giving

*Good financial management

*Respect for property

*Knows how to balance checkbook, budget, save, invest, and spend wisely

  • Faithful steward of time

*Punctual

*Can set and achieve goals

*Balances work and leisure time

  • Faithful steward of body

*Dresses appropriately (for situation) and modestly

*Maintains proper grooming, care of clothes, etc.

*Knows and follows proper nutrition

*Maintains appropriate weight, exercise, sleep

*Knows how to cook basic meals

  • Other life skills:

*Housecleaning, laundry

*Wise shopper (sales, bargains, etc.)

*Ability to drive carefully, maintain car

*Ability to read well

*Ability to use computer, smart phone, other technology

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Children, Christian Education, Christian Home, Christian Life

Have You Noticed Your Gray Hair? (Hosea 7:8-10)

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November 27, 2022

A man had always been proud of his black, thick head of hair. But it began thinning out until finally only one lone strand was left. One morning he awoke, looked at his pillow, and was horrified to see lying there that last single, precious hair. Leaping out of bed, he ran downstairs crying, “Martha, Martha, I’m bald!”

Of course it doesn’t happen that way, does it? No man fails to notice his own baldness until the final hair falls out. I speak from experience. In the early 1980’s, I looked in the mirror and noticed a few hairs that were quite a bit lower on my forehead than all the rest. My first thought was that I was growing new hair down there. But then the sickening reality hit me: Those hairs were not pioneers into fresh territory. They were the few struggling survivors. The rest had retreated to higher ground!

The same thing is true about turning gray. Nobody turns gray without noticing it. Do you remember when you discovered your first gray hairs? Maybe you plucked them out. But you soon realized that if you continued to do that, baldness would be your next problem. So perhaps you chose the Clairol solution, or else you told yourself that it made you look more mature. But nobody turns gray without knowing it.

Or do they? The prophet Hosea wrote about just such a thing happening to the nation Israel (Hosea 7:9b): “Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, yet he does not know it.” The prophet was not speaking about physical grayness, but rather, spiritual grayness. The nation was in spiritual decline. The signs of weakness and old age were obvious, and yet the nation was oblivious to the situation.

It’s easy to deceive myself about how old I am. I’ll remember a hike that I did years before and think, “Yeah, I can do that again.” Then I try it and my aching body screams at me, “What do you think you’re doing? You’re not young anymore!” I often joke with Marla as we hike on a trail we’ve done a few years earlier that they made a trail a lot steeper than the last time we hiked it!

But whether with increasing gray hair (which should be obvious) or with my brain deceiving my aging body about how old I really am, Hosea’s point is that people who profess to know God can in reality be in spiritual decline, and yet they don’t know it. He is asking us, “Is it possible that you are turning gray spiritually and yet have not noticed?” The apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:5), “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” And so it is helpful at times to take a careful look into the mirror of God’s Word and ask, “Have you noticed your gray hair?”

Hosea prophesied shortly before the northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 B.C. The last half of the eighth century B.C. “was the most turbulent and trying time in the history of Israel prior to the captivity” (ESV Study Bible [Crossway], 1619). Of the six kings who reigned in the northern kingdom (which Hosea calls “Ephraim”) during the 30 years before Assyria conquered it, four assassinated their predecessors. The nation professed to be God’s people. They went through all the outward motions of religion. But they were morally and spiritually bankrupt. They worshiped gods of their own making. They defiled themselves with adultery and violence. And yet they claimed to know God. So the prophet asks Israel, “Have you noticed your gray hair?” He makes the point that ...

Mixture with the world and half-baked commitment lead to unconscious spiritual decline.

“Mixture” and “half-baked” are baking terms. Ephraim had become mixed or kneaded together like dough with the nations. Or, they had become like a half-baked pancake. Because of that the nation did not recognize the signs of spiritual decline.

1. Mixture with the world leads to unconscious spiritual decline.

When God called Israel to be His covenant people He declared over and over to them, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7; also, Exod. 34:12-16). To be holy means to be set apart unto God, to be conformed to His character, to be separate from known sin, to be distinct from the behavior and thinking of those who do not know God. But instead of being distinct, Israel had drifted into the pagan lifestyle of the nations around them. They worshiped their gods. They adopted their immoral ways. They disregarded the law of God (see Hos. 4:1-3, 11-14).

But before we cluck our tongues and say, “for shame, for shame,” we need to acknowledge that holiness is as much of a problem for us as it was for them. Perhaps even more so. The New Testament repeatedly warns about this danger:

2 Corinthians 6:14-15: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”

James 4:4: “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

1 John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives [lit., abides] forever.”

These verses draw a pretty distinct line in the sand! Either you love God, or you love the world, but not both. Worldliness is, at its core, a matter of the heart. If your heart is captured by the world, you will love the things of the world. If your heart is captured by the love of God, you will be drawn to Him and to the things of God. The only way that our hearts can be transformed so that we love God is by the supernatural new birth. To be worldly is to operate on the same principles as those who do not know God. It is to think and act out of selfishness, lust, greed, pride, and personal ambition. It is to have selfish desires for the things that you do not have and sinful pride in the things that you do have. Rather than living to please God, who examines the heart, the worldly person tries to impress people, who look on things outwardly.

David Wells (God in the Wasteland [Eerdmans], 86) describes worldliness as “that set of practices in a society, its values and ways of looking at life, that make sin look normal and righteousness look strange.” Years before the internet and cell phones were invented, Dave Branon wrote (RBC Discovery Digest [May-June 1985], 20-21):

Suppose you wanted to change the thinking of an entire nation. Let’s say, for example, that you wanted to make the people think that red is green. How would you do it?

One idea would be to have about 60 percent of the citizens meet together once a week in some little-used buildings and take about an hour ... to convince them of your idea. But that probably wouldn’t work ....

A better plan would be to have them spend 8 to 10 hours a day sitting in front of a television set. Make the folks watch a lot of programs in which famous people demonstrate that red is green. In addition, make sure the citizens are plugged into a radio the rest of the time so you could have some ... people sing some loud songs about the lovely green shade of red. Also, set up thousands of theaters where people could relax and be entertained by laughing at the absurd idea that red is red. As a supplement, get your message into books, magazines, and newspapers.

That’s exactly what has happened with almost the entire world and homosexuality! Through TV, videos, the internet, and other media, the world has bombarded everyone with the message that this sin is normal and those who think that it is sin are the weirdos. The United States Congress is about to legislate that homosexual “marriage” is the law of the land. And many supposedly “Christian” churches are joining in by installing unrepentant homosexuals as clergy and as members! That is to be mixed with the world!

As Isaiah (5:20) proclaims, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Both Isaiah and Hosea want us to examine our lifestyle, values, goals, and relational patterns to determine whether they come from God’s Word or from the world. If we allow ourselves to be kneaded together with the world, we will gradually grow spiritually gray without even knowing it.

As you think about our text, ask yourself, “Am I growing in holiness before the Lord?” And if not, then examine your priorities and your schedule. Cut back on those things which are squeezing you into the world’s mold and replace them with things that will help you to grow in godliness.

There is a second factor involved in unconscious spiritual decline:

2. Half-baked commitment leads to unconscious spiritual decline.

Hosea 7:8b: “Ephraim has become a cake not turned.” The cake referred to was like a pancake. It was cooked on hot stones. If not turned over, it became burned on one side while remaining doughy on the other. Can you imagine ordering pancakes in a restaurant, and they are served burned on one side and not cooked on the other? They would be totally worthless!

Hosea says, “That’s what Israel is like.” They were half-baked in their commitment to the Lord. They had the garb of religion, but underneath they had a heart of perversion. They had profession without practice, belief without behavior, and creed without conduct. In other words, their religion didn’t affect their daily lives. As the Lord says (7:14), they wanted God to give them grain and new wine, but they didn’t want God Himself. They cried to Him, but not from their hearts. They were like a cake half-baked. They professed to know God, but by their deeds they denied Him (Titus 1:16).

There is no worse place to be. In the Book of Revelation, the church of Laodicea was like that. It wasn’t that they were against God; they just weren’t wholeheartedly for God. But God says (Rev. 3:15,16), “I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” A lukewarm Christian is like a half-baked pancake: totally useless to God. How can you be a testimony for Jesus Christ if you’ve got one foot in both worlds? The world sees the hypocrisy, even if the lukewarm believer does not.

Remember the story of Jonah? God said, “Go to Ninevah and cry out against it.” Jonah said, “No way,” and took off on ship for Tarshish. So the Lord sent a great storm. In desperation the sailors finally cast lots to figure out who was at fault for the storm. The lot fell on Jonah. So these pagan sailors ask Jonah, “Who are you? What do you do for a living? Where do you come from?” (See Jonah 1:8.)

So Jonah tells them, “I’m a Hebrew. I’m a prophet of the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. I’m trying to flee from His presence.” Their response is classic (Jonah 1:10): “How could you do this?” Jonah didn’t see how silly his behavior was, but these pagan sailors saw it clearly! He didn’t realize the hypocrisy of his half-baked commitment, but the pagan sailors could see it clearly. Half-baked commitment leads to unconscious spiritual decline.

Hold up God’s mirror to yourself. How’s your commitment to Jesus Christ as you look back on the past year? Look at your schedule: how do you spend your time? Look at your spending: how do you spend your money? Don’t become a cake not turned!

3. Unconscious spiritual decline is marked by several telltale signs.

I’ll mention five:

A. Unconscious spiritual decline involves a gradual loss of strength.

Hosea 7:9a: “Strangers devour his strength, yet he does not know it.” Hosea is referring to the surrounding nations which exacted tribute from Israel. It was a sad state of affairs compared with the nation’s days of strength under David and Solomon. But it had happened gradually over the years, so that nobody noticed. It just seemed normal now. The nation was like me when I think that I’m just as strong as in my younger days, even though I’m not.

Are you strong in the Lord, and the strength of His might (Eph. 6:10)? Do you experience consistent spiritual victory over sin, beginning on the thought level? Do you consistently rely on the promises of God’s Word for strength? Is your communion with God fresh and vital? Or could you be like Samson, who had dabbled with the world for so long that when Delilah cut his hair and called out, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson,” he did not know that the Lord had departed from him (Judges 16:20).

B. Unconscious spiritual decline involves a watered-down view of sin and holiness.

These people were involved in horrible sins (4:11-14), and yet they claimed to be following the Lord. The evil spirit of the age even affected the priests. Hosea charged (4:8) that the priests delighted in the sins of the people because it brought them revenues in sin offerings!

Whenever people are in spiritual decline but don’t know it, they water down God’s holiness and rationalize their own sin. They compare themselves with others and they re-fashion God into a god after their own liking.

But when you draw near to God as He is revealed in His Word, you become more aware of the depths of your own sinfulness. Like Isaiah when he saw the Lord seated on His throne, with the angels crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,” you cry out (Isa. 6:5), “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

If spiritual decline involves a watered-down view of sin and holiness, revival always involves a serious resolve to deal with personal sin. One important reason you need to be committed to frequent observance of the Lord’s Supper is that it forces you to examine your own heart before you partake.

C. Unconscious spiritual decline involves deafness to God’s rebuke.

Hosea 7:10: “Though the pride of Israel testifies against him, yet they have neither returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought Him, for all this.” The NIV and many commentators interpret “the pride of Israel” to be Israel’s arrogance. This is a possible meaning. Although Israel’s pride should have been a witness against them, they didn’t return to the Lord or seek Him.

But the Hebrew word can have the meaning of exaltation or majesty. C.F. Keil (Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes [Eerdmans, 1975], X:88, 108), the learned German scholar, interprets this phrase to be a reference to the Lord, who is Israel’s glory (the same phrase occurs in Hos. 5:5). If he is right, then Hosea is using irony to make his point. He is saying, “Israel boasts in being God’s people, and yet they refuse to listen to the God in whom they boast.” But either way, Israel was deaf to God’s rebuke.

One way to determine whether you are headed up or down spiritually is to gauge how you respond to correction from God’s Word or from His people. If you shrug it off or apply it to someone else, but not to yourself, you’re in decline.

D. Unconscious spiritual decline involves ignorance of spiritual need.

“Yet he does not know it” (twice in verse 9). It is obvious to everyone else that the person is in spiritual decline. But if you ask him, everything is great. The lukewarm Laodicean church said (Rev. 3:17), “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” But God’s evaluation of them was that they were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” They needed to see their sad spiritual condition.

G. Campbell Morgan wrote (in connection with Hosea 7:9, Hosea: The Heart and Holiness of God [Baker], p. 79): “Gray hair is not a tragedy; but failure to see it is.” Are you increasingly aware of your neediness before God? If not, maybe you are turning gray spiritually, but don’t even know it.

E. Unconscious spiritual decline is revealed when you turn to the world rather than to God for help in a time of trouble.

Israel was being overrun by the pagan Assyrians, but instead of turning to the Lord, they turned to their enemy for help! Hosea 5:13: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb [or, “the great king”]. But he is unable to heal you, or to cure you of your wound.” This may refer to when Israel and Judah paid tribute to Assyria (2 Kings 15:19-20; 16:5-9). Sometimes these methods work in the short run. But they are godless solutions. God brings trials into our lives so that we will seek Him more diligently and go deeper into the unfathomable riches of Christ (Ps. 50:15; Eph. 3:8).

Conclusion

What is the solution to spiritual decline? First, evaluate yourself honestly. (See “Spiritual Diagnostic Questions” on my church blog.) How mixed up with the world are you? Is your commitment half-baked or done on both sides? If you become aware of spiritual decline, then return to the Lord. Seek Him (Hos. 6:1-3; 7:10). Psalm 130:7 declares, “For with the Lord there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption.”

Hosea is not your typical hard-nosed prophet of doom. He is a prophet who portrayed in his life God’s love for His wayward people. God gave Hosea a strange command (1:2): to marry a prostitute. Imagine how that would hit the news in our day: “Well-known Pastor Marries Prostitute!” When Hosea’s wife strayed from him and eventually ended up on the slave-block, God told Hosea, “Go, buy her back.” So Hosea went and paid the price to buy back his own adulterous wife. But then he did not treat her as his slave, but he loved her tenderly as his wife (Hos. 3:1-3).

That’s a beautiful picture of God’s love for His wayward people. G. Campbell Morgan wrote (Voices of Twelve Hebrew Prophets [Baker], p. 51), “Sin in the last analysis, in its most terrible form, is infidelity to love. It hurts God.” God has paid the ultimate price—the death of His Son—to redeem you from the slave market of sin. He did it in love to make you His bride. So remind yourself often of God’s great love in sending His Son to rescue you from your sin.

Have you noticed any gray hairs this morning? God will take care of them for you if you will return to His loving arms.

Application Questions

  1. What is worldliness? Is it primarily external, internal, or both?
  2. Worldliness is so subtle and pervasive. How can we gauge it in our own lives?
  3. How would you describe a committed Christian? What would this person’s life be like? Can a “layman” be just as committed as a “full-time Christian worker”?
  4. Can a true Christian backslide? Will he ever lose his salvation? What will happen to him? Can he ever go so far as not to be able to repent? Support your answers with Scripture.
  5. How can we avoid spiritual decline? What practical steps would you give to a person who really wanted to make his or her life count for God?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christian Life, Spiritual Life

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