Author: GinoCascieri

Bible Reading: I John 2:15-17.

Aim: To not follow the temptations and traps of the world.

Memory Verse: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” I John 2:15-17.

Definition: “World” is “Kosmos” (Gk), meaning, a) The physical planet (2 Peter 2:5; 3:6), b)The world of mankind organized into nation states (John 16:21; Matthew 4:8-10), c) The fallen world of humanity who are indifferent to or in rebellion against God and destined forjudgment (ethical meaning). It is the domain of Satan (I Jn 5:19; 4:1-5; Jn 12:31; 14:30; 2 Cor.4:4). It is the object of judgment and saving mercy (John 3:16-19; 4:42; 6:33,51); Holy Spirit reproves the world (John 16:8-11); By faith believers can overcome the world (worldly thinking, opposition of worldly men and Satan). Devotion to things of the world produces a “worldly” attitude of mind which has no concern for the things of God (John 1:10; I Cor.1:20,21;3:19). It is material & passing.

Introduction:

I. We are commanded to have certain attitudes about the world system. These are:

1. Love not the world (I John 2:15-17). The world is in a state of dire moral corruption.

2. Be not conformed to this world. (Romans 12:2). The world pressures believers to conform.

3. Do not have friendship with the world. (James 4:4). The world seeks to contaminate believers.

4. Keep yourself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27).

5. Overcome the world by our faith. (I John 5:4,5).

6. Share this world’s goods with needy believers. (I John 3:17).

7. Shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:15). We are to dispel worldly darkness.

8. Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. (Titus 2:12).

9. The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14). Be unresponsive to it.

10. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15).

11. We are not citizens of this world. (John 17:14).

II. The Bible warns us about many bad things in the world to beware of and avoid, some being:

1) Tribulation. ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation.’ (John 16:33).

2) Conforming pressure of this world to follow evil. (Romans 12:1,2).

3) Spirit of this world: the philosophy and thinking of the world. (I Corinthians 2:12).

4) Wisdom of this world, that is, the vain, self-confident, false opinions on the subject of religion, eg: evolution, anti-God humanism. (I Corinthians 3:19; 1:20).

5) Spectacle of the world. We are like gladiators fighting many foes in an amphitheater of great height being watched by thousands of spectators, with an immense host of men and angels, watching this conflict with great interest, keenly awaiting the outcome of our spiritual warfare. (I Corinthians 4:9).

6) Filth of the world. ‘We are made as the filth of the world.’ (I Corinthians 4:13). This word ‘filth’ is the strongest expression to show the contempt and scorn which the apostles were everywhere regarded. Filth means that which is collected by sweeping a house, such as any vile, worthless, contemptible object. Among the Greeks the word ‘filth’ denoted men of ignoble, worthless, wicked character, who were kept to be offered to the gods in a time of pestilence, to appease their anger. They were regarded as the most vile and worthless men in the world. This is how the world views the apostles and God’s choicest saints.

7) Fornicators of the world (I Corinthians 5:10). Most unbelievers were of this description. Avoid pubs, nightclubs, etc where such people are found.

8) Fashion of this world passes away. (I Corinthians 7:31). ‘Fashion’ comes from the shifting scenes of a drama play, where each scene continues for a little time, then changes as we pass on to other unreal, illusive scenes. What an appropriate description of the changing, unstable, unreal play-acting of this world, which today is popular and tomorrow is gone, to be succeeded by new actors and new scenes. How little we should set our affections on this world, and how strongly we should be prepared for the real and unchanging scenes of the next world.

9) Voices in the world. (I Corinthians 14:10). As all languages in the world are for communicating ideas, and not for display, so it should be with those who speak in church. They should speak them only when and where they would be understood. This refutes tongues spoken in a church where nobody understands them.

10) Worship idols (Acts 19:27). This well describes unsaved men of this world who worship idols and the creature rather than the Creator. eg: sport, money, pleasure,

11) Corruption in the world through lust. (II Peter 1:4). The world is full of corrupting influences. God wants to rescue us from its dominion and to make us holy.

12) Pollutions of the world (II Peter 2:20). ‘Pollutions’ mean ‘foulness, contamination, defiling and tainting’ influence that the world seeks and has on those who mix with it.

13) Wickedness. ‘The whole world lieth in wickedness.’ (I John 5:19). The whole world is under the control of wickedness or the government of Satan. The word ‘lieth’ means to recline in a passive state under Satan’s dominion, making no resistance, not struggling to be free, showing no effort to throw off his reign. The dominion is complete, lying as a beast that is subdued, a body that is dead, or anything that is wholly passive, quiet and inert, body and soul, individuals and nations that are entirely subject to Satan’s will. There is no government against which sinners have so little inclination to rebel, as that of Satan. (II Timothy 2:26).

14) Many deceivers in the world (II John 7). These deny that Christ became incarnate. They deny that Christ took on human nature in permanent union with His Deity. (See I John 4:2,3 JWs). “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1).

15) Cares of this world (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19) choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Three competing concerns are life’s worries, deception of wealth anddesires for other things choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Q: Do you choke God’s Word by letting things of the world takeover your priorities?

16) Prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) is Satan. Also called ‘the god of this world’ (II Corinthians 4:4); ‘the prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2); ‘the rulers of darkness of this world’ (Ephesians 6:12) because of his influence over men of this world.

17) Hates Christ. ‘The world cannot hate you (apostles); but me it hateth.’ (John 7:7). Why? Because Christ preached that its works were evil, and that men were sinners, so they hated Him. ‘All who live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.’All who preach against man’s wickedness will be opposed.

18) Hates godly Christians but loves worldly Christians. (John 15:19; 17:14). ‘The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:14). ‘If ye were of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world . . . therefore the world hateth you.’ (John 15:19). See I John 3:13.

19) Disputers of this world (I Corinthians 1:20). What is our answer to worldly disputers who want to argue? It is that God has chosen the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (v.21), because the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

20) Sorrow of the world worketh death. (II Corinthians 7:10). This is sorrow arising from loss of property, friends or disappointment, as well as sorrow for sin when caught. It does not see itself as an offence against God. There is no looking to God for pardon and consolation. This sorrow produces distress, breaks the spirit, destroys the peace, and mars one’s happiness, causing people to suicide, fret, murmur and complain against God.

21) Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (I John 2:16). Lust of the flesh is indulging worldly appetites, as the purpose for living. Lust of the eyes is that which gratifies the sight, eg: jewels, clothing, houses, cars, as the chief purpose of life, without seeking Christ or His Kingdom. The pride of life is whatever tends to promote pride and boasting.

Conclusion: Which world are you living for? Which world are you setting your affections on? (Colossians 3:1,2). Get eternal values today. Layup treasures in heaven. Live for Christ, souls, His Word and His Kingdom, not the passing things of this life.

1) When we take our eyes off Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

2) When we look back – to our unsaved habits, or to past blessings (Luke 9:57-62).

3) When we start looking around at others (John 21:15-19, II Corinthians 10:12).

Don’t worry about others business, but follow Jesus.

4) When we stop looking forward to the spiritual, eternal and heavenly (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

5) When we stop looking outward for souls (Matthew 9:36-38).

Text:      Job 9:25-26.

Aim:

To teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to the wisdom of soul winning, to teaching others God’s word, and living like Christ.

Introduction:

The Bible compares our life to many things.

Why?

So that we may realize how short our life is, and how important it is for us to number our days (ie: to plan our life) so that we have the maximum impact on the world for Christ.

In order to show us how short our life is, God compares our life to several things:

1.  A Vapour.

See James 4:14

All our plans depend on our life continuing.

But what a frail and uncertain thing our life is.

Who can build any solid plans on the permanence of a vapour or a mist?

A vapour is a mist that is dissipated by the rising sun.

“O remember that my life is wind….As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so is he that goeth down to the grave.” Job 7:7,9.

“For he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.”Ps.78:39

Notice that:

1) A vapour or wind passes away quickly, so does the life of man.

2) As we cannot stop a cloud or wind, so we cannot hinder the speedy motion of our days.

3) As a cloud comes to its height and then vanishes, so does our life and our full strength.

2.  A Flower.

See Job 14:1-2

See 1 Peter 1:24-25

Man’s life is compared to a fading flower.

Many things describe a flower such as having sweet smell, beauty, variety of colour, and softness to touch.

Job discusses none of these, but only of its cutting down.

Note the following truths about it’s cutting down:

a)A flower is often cut down or cropped in it’s budding.

Many people are cut off in the flower of life by i) Natural death by sickness, or ii) Accidental death by violence, murder, road accidents etc.

b) A flower if not cut off, soon withers away and is gone.

The “Queen of the Night” flower blooms in one night, gives a beautiful fragrance, and is dead and withered by morning.

c) As the owner of flowers knows best when to crop then, so God knows the best time when to crop off or take away by death any of his choice flowers.

3.  A Swift Post.

See Job 9:25

a) As a postman rides swiftly, in a hurry, so man’s life passes away swiftly.

b) A postman of years ago would

– ride on the swiftest of horses,

– he would change horses at every stage to keep up the speed,

– he would take a morsel of food at each stop, then speed on,

– he would only go to bed at the end of his journey,

– all people would give way to the post rider.

4.  A Swift Ship.

“They are passed away as the swift ships.” Job 9:26.

Watching a ship at sea, we notice how it passes very quickly, reminding us of our lives & opportunities.

5.  An Eagle.

“As the eagle that hasteth to the prey.” Job 9:26.

An eagle is a very swiftly flying bird, but when it hastens to catch its prey, it makes the greatest speed.

The life of man is compared to an eagle hurrying to catch her prey when hunger adds swiftness to her wings.

So it is with swiftness that our days pass away.

What have you done for Christ with your life?

6.  A Weaver’s Shuttle.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” Job 7:6.

a) A weaver’s shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion.

b) When the weaver has finished his web, he cuts off the thread.

So it is that when a man has run the length of his days appointed by God, his life is cut off.

7.  A Shadow.

“He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” Job 14:2.

David said: “our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding.” I Chronicles 29:15.

Man’s life today is short compared to human lifespan before Noah’s flood.

Man’s life is much shorter compared to God’s eternity.

This is a great motive for us to redeem our time.

Conclusion:

a) Our days on earth are few.

b) Our days on earth are uncertain.

c) The shortness of our life shows the folly of living only for material things.

As did the rich man in Luke 12:16-21 – Read.

The word of God tells us “The fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever…This their way is their folly.” Psalm 49:10,11,13.

d) Our minds must be focused on eternity “knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance.” Hebrews 10:34.

e) The shortness of life motivates us to use all our labours

to get people to heaven,

to teach the Bible,

to plant churches,

to train preachers,

be at peace among ourselves,

and live holy lives pleasing to God.

Let us be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16.

Redeem the time” means “to buy it up, rescue it from loss, improve every opportunity.”

• Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

• Introduction:
  • One of the greatest needs of the world is for people who are comforters.
  • The world has so much:
    • 1) wickedness and depressing things
    • 2) harsh and critical people
    • 3) difficult situations and
    • 4) disappointments and discouragements, that life’s burden can be great and difficult to bear.
  • A wonderful thing about coming to God’s house is that we can be among people:
    • – who love God and love each other.
    • – who will build each other up,
    • – who will comfort each other so we can better carry on under the trials of life.
    • – who will lift us up and cheer us, who will give us hope and joy to carry on, people
    • – who are with us when we are down, people
    • – who we can trust will not treat us badly, people
    • – who will be a blessing to us and to our family.
  • The main lesson we want to consider today is how we can:
    • a) be comforted ourselves, and
    • b) be a comforter of others.
  • Example:
    • One job of a pastor is to comfort those who need comforting.
    • Anything that hinders his ability to comfort others is an attack on those needing comforting.
  • Let’s build an atmosphere of comfort, love and encouragement where we can all grow to our maximum spiritual potential.
• Question: What Brings Comfort to us?
  • 1.      The Holy Spirit comforts us compared to the enemy who accuses us.
    • John 14:16-18.
  • When Saul’s attacks on the churches ceased at his conversion, we see these events in Acts 9:31.
    • a) the churches had rest – what a relief, what peace.
    • b) the churches were edified – they had a chance to develop, grow and build.
    • c) the people walked in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
    • d) the churches multiplied.
  • The Holy Spirit seeks to comfort believers and churches.
    • As we are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, showing the fruit of the Spirit, we are comforted.
  • 2.      The Scriptures give us patience, comfort and hope.
    • Romans 15:4-5.
  • As we read the life stories of Bible characters, we see how;
    • i) They endured trials and God brought them through;
    • ii) They sacrificed and brought blessings to many peoples lives;
    • iii) Good came out of bad situations.
  • This gives us patience to endure trials, comfort that God is working out His plans, and hope that we will be kept safe.
  • This is one reason why we read the Bible and why it is so popular.
    • The Bible gives us patience, comfort and hope.
  • 3.      Preaching is a comfort to us.
    • “But he that prophesieth (or preaches) speaketh unto men to edification (strengthen), and exhortation (encourage), and comfort.” I Corinthians 14:3.
    • Preaching is meant to edify (strengthen), exhort (encourage) and comfort (console) believers.
  • 4.      Return of a faithful Christian friend.
  • Four men who comforted others are:
    • i)   Titus coming in II Corinthians 7:4-6. “God…comforted us by the coming of Titus.” (v.6).
    • Paul tells how in Macedonia, he and his workers had no rest, but were troubled on every side.
    • Outside were fightings. Inside were fears.
    • Paul said in v.6 that comfort came from 2 sources.
      • a) God comforts those who are cast down, and
      • b) God comforted us by the coming of Titus.
    • Titus coming to Paul was a great comfort because Titus was committed to helping build people up.
      • He was a blessing and a joy to be with. Is your coming a comfort and a blessing to others or a curse?
    • ii)  Tychichus’ arrival comforted the Ephesian’s hearts.
      • Ephesians 6:21-22.
    • iii) Timothy comforted Paul by giving a good report of the Christians at Philippi.
      • Philippians 2:19.
    • Timothy came to Thessalonica to comfort and establish them in the faith.
      • I Thess. 3:2.
    • iv) Justus, Paul’s fellow worker, comforted Paul.
      • Colossians 4:11.
  • 5.      The Return Of Christ comforts us.
    • I Thess. 4:13-18.- V.18 –  “…Comfort one another with these words.”
    • What words?
      • i)        Don’t sorrow hopelessly at the death of our loved ones. v.13.
      • ii)       The dead in Christ are with Christ in heaven. v.14.
      • iii)      The dead in Christ will rise first. v.14-16.
      • iv)      We will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air.
      • v)       We will ever be with the Lord. v.17.
  • 6.      Other believers Faith and Commitment to God, their local church and the work of God is a great comfort to all believers who are watching.
    • I Thessalonians 3:7-8.
    • Your faith, faithfulness and commitment to God’s work and to each other is a great comfort to other church members.
    • On the other hand, disloyalty is a discomfort to others.
    • If we stand fast and hold the traditions we’ve been taught by the Apostles in the New Testament, we will comfort others and be established in every good word and work.
      • II Thessalonians 2:15-17.
  • 7.      Thoughts of going to Heaven is a comfort.
    • Luke 16:25.
    • No matter how bad things get, we have the comfort of looking forward to joy and happiness forever in Heaven.
      • This is especially true for those who finish the work that God has given them to do.T
      • hey can look forward to receiving a crown of righteousness for faithfully serving Christ to the end. – I Timothy 4:6-8.
  • 8.      Speaking Good Words to people comforts them.
    • Rehoboam should have done this – I Kings12:1-7.
• Conclusion:
  • We are commanded to:
    • i)   Comfort the feebleminded ( little spirited, fainthearted, fretful, worried) – I Thess. 5:14.
    • ii)  Comfort those in trouble, by the comfort that we are comforted of God. II Cor. 1:3-4
    • iii) Comfort yourselves and edify one another even as ye do. – I Thessalonians 5:11.
    • iv) Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace. – II Corinthians 13:11.
  • If you do these 8 things I mentioned this morning
    • Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you
    • Allow the Scriptures to comfort you
    • Allow Preaching comfort you
    • Allow Return of a Faithful Christ Friend comfort you
    • Allow The Return of Christ comfort you
    • Allow Other believers faith and commitment comfort you
    • Allow the Thoughts of going to heaven comfort you
    • Allow Speaking Good words to people comfort you.
  • The result –
    • You will be a true comforter.

To Purge: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” – Hebrews 1:3

To Put Away: “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” – Hebrews 9:26

To Remember No More: “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” – Hebrews 10:17

To Cleanse: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7

To Wash: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” – Revelation 1:5-6

To Cover: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Psalm 32:1

To Remove From: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

To Cast Behind His Back: “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” – Isaiah 38:17

To Blot Out: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” – Isaiah 43:25

To Cast Into the Sea: “ He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19

Amos 8:11 “ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:”

If there was ever a time in our history when men needed to hear and heed the Word of God, it is today. If there ever was a time when the preacher needed to proclaim the “whole counsel of God”, it is today instead, there is a famine in the land. Folks who used to love to come to church in here God’s word preached, no longer care for it. People who used to be able to quote passages of scripture without hesitation, can hardly find the books of the Bible. Why? Because the average church member has no hunger for spiritual things anymore. Evidence of this is our evening attendance. Evidence of this is the cold, blank, ignorant stare the preacher gets when preaching on the simple, basic doctrines of the Bible.

The church member who reveals a deep calmer sincere hunger for Bible preaching is the exception to the rule now a days. Some churches have gone into the entertainment business. They put on a show for those who come. Other churches have a great giveaway schemes, giving prizes to those who attend, in order to show a big attendance for the day.

God forbid! If the Word of God isn’t enough to bring god’s people to the house of God, nothing else should be used in its place. What we need is not a change of our church services, but a change of heart. We don’t need entertainment in our churches, we need old-fashioned hell fire and brimstone preaching, and a dedicated, consecrated, and repentant congregation to take the words into their heart. Church members who think they are doing God a favor by being in church need to wake up to the fact that it is a precious privilege to hear God’s word proclaimed, and to be careful not to be caught up in the great famine of the day: a famine of the Word of God.

Genesis 2:9 : ^“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”  The “tree of life” pictures Christ. Like Christ, it was provided by God for the purpose of offering eternal life to man. The fruit of this tree was to be “freely” eaten (Genesis 2:16: “ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:”, just as eternal life in Christ is to be freely received. Merely knowing about the tree wasn’t enough; man had to personally receive its fruit into his system by eating of it.  He had a fair option to choose either this tree or the “tree of knowledge of good and evil,” but like men today, he chose death rather than life.

Genesis 2:1-2: ^“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” The fact that God rested on the seventh day indicates a Sabbath. Although He doesn’t reveal the Sabbath to man until well over two millenniums later. Nehemiah 9:14: “And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:” Exodus 20:8: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”, God does observe it Himself. In fact, the Sabbath serves as a type of Christ. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The best argument against Christians keeping the Sabbath is the fact that the Sabbath is keeping us! Our Sabbath is not a day of the week, but rather the rest for our souls that we find in Christ. Therefore, Colossians 2:16 says, “ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” God’s promise of a Sabbath rest remains today. Hebrews 4:1-10 “ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” The fact that God made the first man “in his own image” is very instructive and points us directly to Christ. Adam, representing the entire human race and loses the image of God in Genesis chapter 3. Consequently, when a son is born unto him, the Holy Spirit records that this son is born in Adam’s image, not in God’s image (Gen. 5:3). No man is born in God’s image until the Lord Jesus Christ is born, and it is expressly stated that He is the “image” of God (Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3). So Christ is the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45) is typified by the first Adam who was the first to have God’s image. The only way for men to have God’s image today is to be “born again” of His Spirit.

       In 2 Kings 4:1-7 is a dramatic incident which has challenged the thinking of every Bible lover from the days of Elisha. In its appeal to life, it is unsurpassed in beauty. In its expression of God’s care for the minute things of one’s life, it is unexcelled in grandeur.

    The story opens with “…a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets…” (verse 1) who was in distressing, heart breaking trouble. Her husband, a prophet of God, had died, leaving her with two boys to care for; and with a debt to a cruel man who demanded pay at the expense of her son’s liberty.

    It would seem that God had let the widow down; that following the cause of righteousness had brought disaster. No day could have been darker. By comparison, your days and mine are flooded with noonday sun.

    The instruction given to this woman is worthy of meditation, “…thou shalt shut the door upon thee…”

    Shut the door to opinion. Had she gone down the street asking for the opinions of the wise ones, those opinions would have been varied and contradictory; but they would have been unanimous, that to follow the prophet’s advice was a foolish thing to do – it would be only a waste of precious time. The good woman would have been advised, “Use what time you have left in trying to refinance your loans.” But she shut the door to opinion.

    You, too, will need to shut the door to the opinions of others if you experience escape from the clutching hold of sin and the starving force carnality.

     Shut the door to fear. How filled our lives are with fear! From morning until night, from the cradle to the grave, fear stalks our pathway. We are afraid the sun will spoil our complexion; we are afraid we will not pass in the high school; we are afraid to attempt college; we are a afraid of…the list is almost endless.

    Shut the door to fear. You may have to die, but only once. You may have to suffer, but only to a point; then comes unconsciousness. You may fail, but there is always another starting line. Close the door to fear, and do it now. Look your problem squarely in the face; take one step toward it; you will discover that the closer you get to it the smaller it becomes.

    Shut the door to unbelief. Unbelief said, “The borrowing of the extra vessels was only lost motion.” Unbelief said, “The whole experience of the race is against expecting a small bottle of oil to fill all those vessels.” The good woman closed the door to unbelief, and filled every cup that faith had brought in.

    Close your door to unbelief. Believe in people. Not everyone is a scoundrel. Endeavour to see in every man the image of God. Believe in yourself. Act as if were impossible to fail. Never allow yourself the luxury of prophesying gloom. Believe in God and God’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ – God transcendent, personal, righteous, compassionate; God, big enough for this day of big things; God, powerful enough for your problems. Enough to get you through life, with honor.

    Shut the door to everything that is little and mean and vile and selfish. There you will find the flowing oil, the manifestations of God, and the glow of a glorious experience of being closer to our Creator.