Sometimes "Adults" Will Be Kids

Bible Reading:  1 Kings 21:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 4 – “ And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.”

Key Words: and turned away his face, and would eat no bread 

Ahab is the king of Israel; he supposedly is grown and is by age a “full” adult.  Now here he is pouting.  While kids will be kids sometimes those who are supposed to be adults are kids as well. There are several character traits of an “immature children adult.”

·         They expect others to wait on them (serve them).

·         They would rather play than work.

·         They get their feelings hurt easily.

·         They expect most of the attention.

·         They cry and whine easily.

·         They will not feed themselves “spiritually”.

·         They expect the pastor and staff to feed them.

·         They only think of themselves.

And the list could go on.  The immature adult would rather put on a bib and be fed than an apron and work.  They make excuses and blame others rather than saying, “It’s my fault.”

There are those who are adults in age only who need to grow up and have a servant’s heart.  It’s one thing to be a kid at the age of 10, another to still be a kid at the age of 40.   Grow up!!

                                                                                                  Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

      ✞It’s time for some adults to grow up.    

Kids Will Be Kids

Bible Reading:  Matthew 18:1-6

Key Verse: Verse 2 – “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,”

Key Words: And Jesus called a little child unto him 

Kids will be kids and that can be a good thing for a child can and often will do things that we as adults would never do.  Let me explain by giving you an illustration from Celeste Sibley who at one time was a columnist for the Atlanta Constitution newspaper who took her three children to a diner for breakfast one morning.  Eight-year-old Mary was seated at the far end of the counter and when her food was served she called down to her mother in a loud voice, “Mother, don’t people say grace in this place?”  A hush came over the entire diner and before Mrs. Sibley could figure out what to say, the counterman said, “Yes, we do. You say it.”  All the people at the counter bowed their heads.  Mary bowed her head and in a clear voice said, “God is great.  God is good, let us thank Him for our food.”

Yes, kids will be kids, but that’s not always a bad thing.  There are things we can learn from them and not being so prideful is one of those things.

                                                                          Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞Correct the wrong in your child, but never the right.

How to Have Friends

Bible Reading:  I Samuel 20:1-23

Key Verse: Verse 4- “Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.”

Key Words: Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee 

Jonathan befriended David and loved him as a brother.  Naturally, as a result of Jonathan’s love for him, David returned the same love toward Jonathan.  You see, the key to having a friend comes first by being one.

The old saying goes, “I went out looking for a friend.  I could find none anywhere.  I went out to be a friend, and I found them everywhere.”

Out of the furnaces of war come many true stories of sacrificial friendship.  One such story tells of two friends in World War I, who were inseparable.  They had enlisted together, trained together, were shipped overseas together and fought side-by-side in the trenches.  During an attack, one of the men was critically wounded in a field filled with barbed wire obstacles, and he was unable to crawl back to his foxhole.  The entire area was under a withering enemy crossfire, and it was suicidal to try to reach him.  Yet his friend decided to try.  Before he could get out of his own trench, the sergeant yanked him back inside and ordered him not to go.  "It’s too late.  You can’t do him any good and you’ll only get yourself killed."

A few minutes later, the officer turned his back, and instantly the man was gone after his friend.  A few minutes later, he staggered back, mortally wounded, with his friend, now dead, in his arms.  The sergeant was both angry and deeply moved.  "What a waste," he blurted out.  "He’s dead and you’re dying.  It just wasn’t worth it."

With almost his last breath, the dying man replied, "Oh, yes, it was, Sarge.  When I got to him, the only thing he said was, ’I knew you’d come, Jim!"

One of the true marks of a friend is that he is there when there is every reason for him not to be, when to be there is sacrificially costly. 

                                                                                             Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞You want friends?  It starts by first being one.

Truth Ultimately Prevails

Bible Reading:  Daniel 6:1-16 & 28

Key Verse: Verse 28 – “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”

Key Words: So this Daniel prospered        

Daniel is an example of how truth always prevails.  He obeyed the truth of God’s Word and even though it appeared he was doomed to be consumed by the lions, truth prevailed.  It always does.

The problem we have today is we, rather than accept the truth, want to change it.  The problem with that is that after we change it, it is no longer the truth but it’s a lie.

An older gentleman had some health problems.  He went to visit his doctor and was told to change his diet.  The physician lectured the man on the importance of eating well and gave him a long list of things to eat and not eat.

The gentleman called his son to let him know about his declining health as he knew his son would be concerned.  He explained the doctor’s prognosis and his prescription for restoring good health.

A couple of weeks later, the aged man’s son called to check on him.  “OK, Dad, the doctor gave you some instructions awhile back.  How is the regimen going?” The old man replied, “I’ve changed doctors.”

Sometimes our response to the truth is not the best response. 

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Remember, it is truth that makes us free…the real truth…not the truth that we want.  John 8:32

You Reap What You Sow

Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 7 - " Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Key Words: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap 

The wheels of God’s justice often grind slowly, but they grind surely.  Remember how Jacob deceived his father, Isaac (Genesis 26) but seven years later his uncle Laban deceived Jacob?  We do reap what we sow.

You don’t have to like the law of gravity, but it is in your best interest to respect it. You don’t have to prefer it, but it’s not going to change for you. It is a law of nature. It is a divine law, not a negotiated law.

You may say, “Gravity, you are not going to tell me what to do. It’s my thing, and I’m going to do what I want to do. You are not my boss, Gravity! You are not my instructor! I’m my own man and I’m going to do what I want to do!”

“In fact, Gravity, just to let you know how I feel about you, I’m going to rebel. I’m going to get up on the top of this church building and I’m going to despise you. I’m going to jump. What do you think about that?”

The law of gravity won’t stop you. The law of gravity won’t hold you back. You can jump and, for a moment –a short moment- it may appear like you have outwitted and outsmarted gravity. It may appear like you have had the last word, but a few seconds later as we sweep you up off the pavement, it will become abundantly clear that you have adjusted to gravity; gravity did not adjust to you.

Sin has consequences, and we reap what we sow. 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Understand that the wheels of God’s justice may grind slowly, so don’t think you’ve gotten away with any unjust act or deed…we reap what we sow…so do good!!

The Goodness of God

Bible Reading:  Nahum 1:7-15

Key Verse: Verse 7 – “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

Key Words: The Lord is good 

The Lord is good!!  But many only see God as good when good things are happening in their life; but God is good both in the good times and the not so happy times.

Corrie Ten Boom writes: “Often I have heard people say, 'How good God is!  We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic and look at the lovely weather!'  Yes, God is good when He sends good weather.  But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp.  I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there.  Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart.  I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us.  'No, Corrie,' said Betsie, 'He has not forgotten us.  Remember His Word: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'”  Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone.  May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances." Because God is always good. 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Remember Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The Eyes of the Lord

Bible Reading:  Proverbs 15:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 13 - “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

Key Words: The eyes of the Lord are in every place 

I once heard the story about a little fellow who spent his summers with his sister on his grandparent’s farm.  They would go to the farm in the summertime and spend the summer riding horses, playing with the cows, and running in the woods.  They just had a real big time.

One day the little boy decided he would make a slingshot.  He got to where he was quite an expert at hitting things with it.  So, he looked out and there was his grandmother’s prize goose. 

Sure enough he hit that goose right on the head and he killed it and he knew he was in trouble.  So he said to himself, “I’d better dig a hole and bury it before anyone finds out.”

So he dug a hole and put the goose into it and he was covering the goose over when he heard his sister say, “I caught you, I caught you, I caught you!  I saw what you did.  I saw you kill grandmother’s goose and I’m going to tell on you!” 

She really had him.  I mean she really had that poor fellow and she made life miserable for him.  When it was her turn to get the water, he had to go get it because he was being blackmailed.  When it was her time to bring in some wood for the stove, he had to do it because he feared she would tell on him.

She just made life miserable for him.  He was guilty and he knew he was guilty.  He was under condemnation and the guilt of what he had done.  It began to eat away at him and finally he just couldn’t stand it anymore.  It was just eating him alive and tearing his little heart up.

Finally, one day he went running into grandma’s room.  He threw himself into her arms and said, “Oh, grandmother.  I killed your goose.  I did it.  I didn’t think the rock would kill it.  I buried the goose and I have been so afraid that sister was going to tell you that I just can’t stand it!  Would you please forgive me for killing your goose?”

His grandmother said, “Why son, I was looking out the window and I saw you kill that goose.  I have known you did it all this time.  I just wanted you to come and ask me to forgive you for it.”

It is true – God is watching!!

                                                                                 Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

           ✞Live your life every moment of every day as if God is watching – because He is!