Lot's Wide - A Lesson in Disobedience

***Attention***  This month's devotional will be the last of the Refreshing Daily in God's Word. Starting in June this blog will have a new exciting format. Stay tuned for the official announcement.

Bible Reading: Genesis 19:23-38

Key Verse: Verse 26 - “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Key Words: But his wife looked back 

When Lot’s wife was told of the impending doom of Sodom, her heart was divided; she lingered, along with Lot and their two daughters (Genesis 19:16).  The Angel of God had to take her by the hand and urge her out of the city.  But instead of hurrying along and being thankful for being spared from such a horrible fate, she looked back longingly at the city, for her heart was still there.  Through Lot’s wife we see the results of disobedience.  Genesis 19:26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Some years ago I was out hunting in the woods with my dad.  I found a cluster of oak trees that seemed to me to be the perfect place to kill a few squirrels.  So I sat down and began to wait for my prey to come out and play.  It didn’t take long before I took my first shot at a squirrel running and jumping from oak to oak.  As I went down to find my kill, I suddenly heard my dad say, “Don’t move!!”  His gun was pointed right at my feet.  Now I admit I wasn’t a perfect child, but I didn’t believe I had done any dastardly act worthy of being shot!  My dad took careful aim and then slowly pulled the trigger killing the cottonmouth water moccasin I was about to step on!

If I had failed to obey, I would have certainly been bitten by the venomous serpent.  Now, I admit I didn’t know why dad wanted me to stop, but I did obey, and my obedience led to my understanding.  So it is in life.  Our obedience will always lead to understanding.  So let’s not be like Lot’s wife, but rather let’s obey for our obedience leads to our safety and understanding. 

                                                                                 Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

            ✞ Always obey immediately! 

Sarah - Submissiveness

***Attention***  This month's devotional will be the last of the Refreshing Daily in God's Word. Starting in June this blog will have a new exciting format. Stay tuned for the official announcement.

Bible Reading: Genesis 17:15-21 and Hebrews 11:11

Key Verse: Verse 16 – “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a  mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.”

Key Words:  And I will bless her 

Through Sarah we see though faith is tested and tried, it will always be rewarded.  Sarah is only one of two women named in the long list of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. 

Through Sarah we can learn from her sins.  She took the matter of “having a son into her own hands and gave Hagar to Abraham to bring forth a son.”  That was certainly a sin.

We can also learn from her submission.  She was submissive to Abraham.  In I Peter 3:6 we read, “Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.”

Submission is key to a life of safety and peace for each of us.  I read the following story that so clearly illustrates the point.

“The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance.  Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: ‘Alter your course ten degrees south.’  Promptly a return message was received: ‘Alter your course ten degrees north.’

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored.  So he sent a second message: ‘Alter your course ten degrees south – I am the captain!’  Soon another message was received: ‘Alter your course ten degrees north – I am seaman third class Jones.’  Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: ‘Alter your course ten degrees south – I am a battleship.’  Then the reply came:  ‘Alter your course ten degrees north – I am a lighthouse.’”

Submission is God’s way of protecting us; so rather than balk at and be upset at submitting, thank God for His protection. 

                                                                                       Dr. Mike Rouse                                              What to do: 

            ✞ Don’t begrudge submission, be thankful for it!!

Eve - The Power of Persuasion

***Attention***  This month's devotional will be the last of the Refreshing Daily in God's Word. Starting in June this blog will have a new exciting format. Stay tuned for the official announcement.

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:20-24

Key Verse: Verse 20 - “And Adam called his wife's   name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”

Key Words: And Adam called his wife’s name Eve 

Eve is probably one of the most interesting women in the world because she was the first woman, the first wife, the first mother, the first grandmother.  Her marriage was the first marriage.  Hers was the first joy and wonder of motherhood – but Eve was also the first to sin, the first to feel pain, the first to shed tears, and the first to see death.

As much as we hear of Eve, you would think she is mentioned numerous times throughout the Word of God, but in reality you only find Eve mentioned four times.

•   First, in Genesis 3:20 where Adam calls his wife’s name Eve.
•   Secondly, in Genesis 4:1 where we are told that Adam knew Eve.
• Third, in II Corinthians 11:3; it’s there we are told that the serpent beguiled Eve.
• Fourth and last, in I Timothy 2:13 where we read that Adam was first formed, then Eve.

As you read the story of Eve, it becomes clear that Adam was the head of the home, but Eve had the power of persuasion. 

I read the following that shows us the power of persuasion.  “Bill stopped in at Abie’s little general store, looking for a bottle of mustard.  The shelves were loaded with salt – bags and bags of salt.  Abie said he had some mustard, but that he would have to go down to the cellar to find it.  Bill went down with him, and there to his surprise were still more bags of salt.  Everywhere he looked he could see salt.  ‘Say,’ said Bill, ‘you must sell a lot of salt in this store!’  ‘Nah,’ said Abie sourly.  ‘I can’t sell no salt.  But that feller who sells me salt – boy, can he sell salt!’”

Ladies, you do have the power of persuasion so be careful of what direction you persuade.

                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

            ✞ Be careful of the direction you persuade others to go. 

The Rose

Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 2

Key Verse: Verse 1 - “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”

Key Words: Rose of Sharon 

Did you know that there are seven types of roses that grow in the region of the Holy Land?  But none are more popular than the Rose of Sharon.  Sharon is a region of the country that goes from Joppa to Mount Carmel.  It is known as “The Beautiful Region” for many reasons, but one of the reasons is the Rose of Sharon.

It is symbolic of peace and tranquility.  The world is looking for and longing for peace, but the peace this world has to offer is evasive.  It reminds me of the following.

A retired couple was alarmed by the threat of war and nuclear weapons so they undertook a serious study of all the inhabited places on the globe.  Their goal was to determine the place in the world least likely to suffer the ravages of war or nuclear destruction.  Their goal was to find a place of ultimate security.  So this couple studied and traveled, traveled and studied.  Finally, they found the place.  They made their plans.  They sold their home.  They packed their possessions.  And they moved.  Christmas of 1981 they sent their pastor a card from their new home.  Three months later the pastor was praying for their safety.  You see, their new home, the Falkland Islands, was invaded by Argentine troops on April 2, 1982.

Now you can try as you want and try as you will, but the only way you will have peace is the inner peace that comes through knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  So the next time you see a rose, remember peace – the peace only God can give. 

                                                                                     Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞When you see or hear of a rose, remember inner peace.  The inner peace that comes only from God.

Ash Tree

Bible Reading:  Isaiah 44:1-20

Key Verse: Verse 14 - “He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.”

Key Words: he planteth an ash 

Most scholars agree that the ash tree is in the family of pine trees.  I find it interesting that the carpenter took the cypress and oak trees for building and replaced it with a pine tree, not as strong or as protective as either the cypress or the oak – in other words, a cheap replacement.  Like I said, I find it interesting that the pine tree replaced the cypress and the oak until you find in verse seventeen that those who cut down the cypress and oak were using the wood to build false gods.  As you read the text, it is easy to see that these are cheap, deceitful, wicked people.

Now you cannot make God, God made you.  How can you worship something that you make?  How powerful, protective, or productive can a god be that we have to make with our hands?

I read the following excerpts (using old product slogans) from what some children said that God is like.           

GOD is like Coke...He’s the real thing.

            GOD is like Pan Am...He makes the going great.

            GOD is like General Electric...He lights your path.

            GOD is like Bayer Aspirin...He works wonders.

GOD is like Hallmark Cards...He cares enough to send the very best.

GOD is like Tide...He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

GOD is like VO5 Hair Spray...He holds through all kinds of weather.

GOD is like Dial Soap...Aren’t you glad you know Him?

Don’t you wish everyone did?

            GOD is like Sears...He has everything.

            GOD is like Alka Seltzer...Try Him, you will like Him.

GOD is like Scotch Tape...You cannot see Him, but you know He’s there.

Now, let me ask you...what is God like to you?

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞Next time you see or hear of the pine tree, remember that there is no replacement for the true and living God.

The Hedge

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 22:23-31

Key Verse: Verse 30 - “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

Key Words: that should make up the hedge 

A hedge in Bible lands was and is used as a wall of separation.  The hedge separates orchards and gardens, and is used as a wall of protection.  From our text it is obvious that God was looking for a man to fill the gap, stand up for righteousness; but not a single man could be found.

I believe the principle is clear.  Not only are the Marines looking for a few good men, so is God—men of righteousness who will separate themselves from the world and stand up for righteousness.  The opportunity for us to mentor those young men is great.  We should very well take advantage of this opportunity.

The Olympic games seem reserved for youth.  And even then, “youth” is defined as “under 25.”  When youthful Melvin Stewart, 23, won the Gold Medal in the men’s 200-meter butterfly he shared some keen insight on age.  In 1988, Stewart finished a disappointing fifth at the games in Seoul.  His family was there with a gentleman named George Baxter.  Mr. B, as Stewart calls him, paid for his boarding school when he flunked out of school.  “He gave me a chance to turn things around.  I owe my education to him.  He was, and is, my mentor.”  Stewart continued, “That day in Seoul, Mr. B took me aside and said, ‘This is a blessing in disguise.  Use this to fuel the fire toward the next Olympics.’” 

After emerging victorious in Barcelona, Melvin Stewart threw his victory flowers to Mr. B and, “I told him, ‘I love you.’  I am going to give him my gold medal, too.  Mr. B is seventy-six years old and I do not do many things without talking to him first.  He’s incredible!  And he’s been married to the same woman for fifty-three years.  It is too bad, but older people are a great resource that too many young people do not rely on today.”  Melvin Stewart appears to be a gold medalist outside of the pool as well.

Are you allowing God to use you to stand in the gap and impact others for God’s glory?

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:  

✞The next time you see or hear of a hedge, remember God is looking for you to stand in the gap for His glory. 

The Flowers

Bible Reading: I Peter 1

Key Verse: Verse 24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:”

Key Words: and the flower thereof falleth away 

The Middle East has a number of flowers, some of which are the anemone; it is a perennial plant growing mostly by the sea and waterways.  They also have in abundance poppies and tulips, just to name a few.  But no matter what the flowers may be, it is inevitable that the flowers will eventually fade away.

So it is in our lives, we only have a short time to be productive and then we “fade away.”  So what we do with our time of “blooming” is important.

When Mickey Mantle was sixty-one, he was approached by an autograph-seeking middle-aged man and his little boy.  The man had tears in his eyes when he said, “Son, it took me thirty years to get here to shake this man’s hand.  This is the greatest baseball player who ever lived.” 

The little boy looked at Mantle then turned back to his dad and said, “Daddy, that is an old man.” 

The heroes of yesterday have aged, and their mortality reminds us that age and change occur more rapidly than we think or desire. You have only a short period of time to “bloom,” so use your time wisely 

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞When you see, hear, or even smell a flower, remember our time is short, so use your time wisely.