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For you yourselves know how you must imitate us: we were not irresponsible among you; we did not eat anyone's bread free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It is not that we don't have the right to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us. - 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 HCSB

A good elder’s leadership is to be characterized by humble service rather than arrogant domination. A good elder will “lead from the front”; s/he will lead by example.[1]…  ( Click for more )

Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. They read the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. - Nehemiah 8:6-8 HCSB

[1] Paul told Timothy that an elder should be worthy…  ( Click for more )

Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of the Messiah, and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you: shepherd God's flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God's will; not for the money but eagerly; - 1 Peter 5:1-2 HCSB

The office of elder is incredibly ancient. Its existence apparently preceded Moses because it was simply stated as a matter of fact, without explanation. Moses was told to gather the elders of Israel to pass on to the people the message of the Lord.[1] They…  ( Click for more )

Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. Moreover, wine betrays; an arrogant man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself; he collects all the peoples for himself. Won't all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his--how much longer?--and loads himself with goods taken in pledge. – Habakkuk 2:4-6 HCSB

The Lord God spoke to Habakkuk one day…  ( Click for more )

Stop bringing useless offerings. I despise your incense. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies--I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with them. When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. – Isaiah 1:13-16 HCSB

Those who maintain that…  ( Click for more )

Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as also Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, to make her holy, cleansing her in the washing of water by the word. – Ephesians 5:24-26 HCSB

Christians tend to fall on one of two ends of the spectrum when it comes to the lines of authority within a marriage. On the one hand, some feel that saying that the man is the head of the home means that he is allowed to dominate his wife. I find this view execrable in view of the fact that Christ…  ( Click for more )

The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the ungodly: "Who among us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with ever-burning flames?" The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes to avoid endorsing evil-- he will dwell on the heights; his refuge will be the rocky fortresses, his food provided, his water assured. – Isaiah 33:14-16 HCSB

Isaiah rhetorically asked, “Who can live with a consuming…  ( Click for more )

"Stand in the gate of the house of the LORD and there call out this word: Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who enter through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Correct your ways and your deeds, and I will allow you to live in this place. Do not trust deceitful words, chanting: This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD. Instead, if you really change your ways and your actions, if you act justly toward one another, if you no longer oppress the alien, the fatherless, and…  ( Click for more )

Then the LORD replied to him, "In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. Then Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. – Genesis 4:15-17 HCSB

[1]For theology’s sake, let’s be very clear. Adam was the first man[2] and it was through him[3] that the…  ( Click for more )

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah's division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in God's sight, living without blame according to all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. - Luke 1:5-7 HCSB

Zechariah probably started out with high hopes. When Elizabeth married him, there was talk about the priesthood, about education and standing in the community. Time wore…  ( Click for more )

In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. She was always doing good works and acts of charity. In those days she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who begged him, "Don't delay in coming with us." So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.…  ( Click for more )

There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. - Luke 2:36-38 HCSB

Anna was a godly old woman who gained both the reputation and divine approbation as a prophetess. She was not particularly unique…  ( Click for more )

My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You. - Psalm 139:15-18 HCSB

Ages ago, magma made its way out from the center of the earth to the relatively cooler upper mantle. There it solidified into some bedrock that from…  ( Click for more )

All those led by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father!" - Romans 8:14-15 HCSB

“Abba! Father!” is not the cry of one calling out a calm acknowledgment of a universal truth like a night watchman identifying the passing of the night’s hours. It is the call of a small child for its father from a darkened room, seeking the security of its parent’s arms.

It is easy to look at the darkness of this world and imagine…  ( Click for more )

Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants. For I will proclaim the LORD's name. Declare the greatness of our God! The Rock--His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true. - Deuteronomy 32:1-4 HCSB

Until the arrival of John the Baptist, Moses was the greatest prophet that Israel had ever known.[1] Moses didn’t have visions, dreams or oracles.…  ( Click for more )

When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!" Then Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me." So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving…  ( Click for more )

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. - Hebrews 4:16 HCSB

An ancient Talmudic parable[1] tells of three sages who sought Rabbi Akiva’s help in their determination to enter the third heaven[2] and approach the Garden of God. Rabbi Akiva warned them of the terrible beauties of that place and how those wonders would prey upon their mortal minds. “When you approach the marble walls surrounding the Holy One, blessed be He, they may look like a wall of water about to…  ( Click for more )

or “How to Obtain Joy and Peace”

Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing makes them stumble. – Psalm 119:165 HCSB

There once was a little golf cart who sought joy and peace in the excitement of adventure. “Perhaps if I taste of life’s thrills I will be fulfilled and satisfied.” So he tried to race in the Baja. Of course, being a golf cart, all he was beat up, dirty and received a loss on his record.

Then he decided, “I’ll try parachuting. Surely that will be so exciting that I will be happy!”…  ( Click for more )

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough--because there was no room for them at the inn. - Luke 2:6-7 HCSB

Ages ago, the Trinity created the world.[1] The process was not without its unique agony, involving the shedding of certain of the Son’s divine traits.[2]

Our ancestors quickly fell from grace and part of the resulting curse entailed birth pangs. Hashem said, “I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children in anguish.”[3]…  ( Click for more )

“For nothing will be impossible with God." "I am the Lord's slave," said Mary. "May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel left her. - Luke 1:37-38 HCSB

“Nothing is impossible with God.” What a wonderful truth. All true believers can attest to that fact, not only from their study of the Scriptures, but out of personal experience. Every believer has had God’s eternal light shine into the darkness of their lives, bringing order and structure where the soul had previously been unformed and void.[1] Every believer…  ( Click for more )

"If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.” - John 15:18-20 HCSB

Back in the days of feudal Japan, a caste system developed that had the emperor and his courtiers at the very top and a group of people…  ( Click for more )

Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil. - Proverbs 15:16 HCSB

There once was a tzaddik who continuously praised the Lord for His great providence. “Blessed art thou, Yawheh Yireh, the Lord Who sees and provides for all my needs.”[1] It seemed that his prayers were always answered. People would come from miles around to receive one of his blessings, or to ask this blessed elder to pray for them.[2] However, he never was heard to pray for himself.[3] “I have no need for anything,” he would claim, “everything…  ( Click for more )

But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." - Matthew 4:4 HCSB

Imagine that I built a beautiful deck for my wife. I carefully chose the most select quality lumber and painstakingly ensured that every cut was exactly on the line; each cut to within a sixteenth of an inch. Oh – only one problem. I forgot to put any sealer on our deck.

You would rightly cry out, “Fool! Don’t you know what will happen to all your work if you don’t preserve it somehow?” I would…  ( Click for more )

So then, in this way, my dearly loved brothers, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. - Philippians 4:1-5 HCSB

Euodia and Syntyche were leaders of the Philippian church. They still attended the worship…  ( Click for more )