As David prepared to face Goliath on the battlefield, the king clothed him in a garment, helmet, and armor. When David tried to walk, he decided he could not engage in the fight with borrowed armor. David took them off and gathered five smooth stones instead. Every person is fearfully and wonderfully made as a unique individual. When we come to faith in Jesus, we are made a crucial part of the body of Christ. Many will try to lend us their armor of expectation, experience, tradition, and methods. We must have enough faith in who God made us and saved us to be in order to take off borrowed armor.
At the wedding at Cana in Galilee, Jesus would rise to the occasion when the bridegroom had run out of wine. Using this moment of embarrassment for the family to demonstrate and reveal His real power and purpose to the world. This was much more than just turning water into wine; it showed what Christ can do in the hearts and souls of those who have faith in Him. When we genuinely trust in Christ and let Him fight our battles for us, we can see real transformation in our lives as He takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary.
When the Arameans met Elisha, they were struck blind and led into Samaria. When the king of Samaria asked if he should kill them, Elisha instructed him to spare their lives, set food before them and send them home. This encounter is a powerful illustration of the mercy of God that ought to be displayed by all who know Jesus as Lord. We forgive, love and release our enemies as God has forgiven, loved and released us from His wrath.
When Jesus’ friend Lazarus was sick, he waited to go heal Lazarus until after he had already died. As believers, we often struggle to reconcile our difficult circumstances with the love that God has for us. But God’s purposes are often greater than we can understand. He allows us to go through things that only He can help with—for our good and His glory.
When the king of Aram found out Elisha was able to reveal his attack plans to the king of Israel, he surrounded Elisha’s camp with an army. As the servant of Elisha began to panic, the prophet prayed that the Lord would open his eyes to spiritual realities. It was then that the servant was able to see the mountains full of horses and chariots of fire all around the camp of Elisha. Sometimes all we can see is the battle in front of us, but the Bible tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood. Be encouraged as you put on the full armor of God to walk victorious against all that seeks to surround you.
The Bible tells us that those who stray from the truth can be restored by the Lord to the path of righteousness. People are restored through discipline as God chastises the flesh in order to bring correction to the spirit. People are restored through prayer when, along with their leaders, appeal to God for healing in the Name of the Lord. People are restored through confession and repentance as they confess their sin before God and man and receive forgiveness. Do you know Jesus as Savior and redeemer? Are you walking in obedience to His Word and at peace with His people?
God’s people are to be people of truth. Jesus is described as being the way and the truth, and Christ followers are to be accurate ambassadors for Him. A disciple’s yes and no are to be completely trusted by those who hear it. When a Christian makes a vow to God, they are to be careful to perform whatever they speak. Have you said “yes” to the invitation to believe in Jesus for salvation? How true is your yes and no? (edited)
The sure fire evidence of whether someone’s religion is pure or not is in what they say. The Bible says that if our tongue is not bridled, our religion is worthless. The true Christ follower’s mouth is bridled by the Holy Spirit. Someone indwelled with the Holy Spirit speaks with wisdom and not foolishness, righteousness and not wickedness. Isaiah confessed that he was a man of unclean lips and the Lord purified him of his iniquity. Do you need to be cleansed of unclean lips and heart so that the religion you assert is truly pure?
God does not show any regard for one person over another when bestowing His grace. The Bible commands that disciples of Jesus also show no partiality or favoritism. Ambassadors of Christ are to demonstrate impartiality in their assembly, love and faith. Have you come to God and received His offer of salvation? Do you demonstrate the same to all people regardless of wealth, status or sin background?
The Bible describes pure religion as keeping oneself unstained by the world. Those truly belonging to Jesus by faith are given a new heart, free from the past stain of sin. By His grace, God is able to cleanse our defiled conscience resulting in pure conduct. A believer’s conduct often determines how bright or dim their light for the gospel shines. Have you come to Jesus to have all your stain of sin washed away?
When the Word of God describes pure religion, we see Jesus proclaimed, according to the Scripture, as God in the flesh with nothing added. Everything presented about who Jesus is can only be trusted if it is backed by the authority of Scripture. The true Jesus came into the world as God in flesh, forgiving sin, commanding creation, accepting worship, claiming to be God and being crucified for the same. Pure religion preaches Jesus without adding traditions, denominational preferences or political overtones. Jesus is the Savior of the whole world without bias or partiality.
In the parable of the wedding feast, the king invites many guests to attend in honor of his son. Upon hearing that they were unwilling to attend, he urged them to come to the feast a second time. After another harsh rejection, the king became enraged and sought to invite new guests. When a man arrived not wearing proper wedding clothes, he was promptly bound and cast out. Faith in Jesus adorns our lives with the righteousness of God. All who masquerade among the righteous will one day be likewise identified and rejected. Are you truly covered in the righteousness of Christ that comes only by faith?
The vine growers were entrusted by the landowner to tend to His vineyard until the harvest. When He sent the slaves to collect His produce, the vine growers beat and killed and stoned His slaves. After sending another group with the same result, He sent them His son. The vine growers, believing that could take the inheritance for themselves, beat and killed His son and threw Him out of the vineyard. Like the vine growers, many have rejected the servants of God and the truth they brought. One day the Owner will return and bring a day of reckoning to all who squandered the vineyard. What will be found of you when the Owner returns?
