STATUS IN THE WORLD

“And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh, says the LORD. But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go” (Jer. 45:5 NKJV).

In our verse Jeremiah warns Baruch about seeking greatness in the world. This warning applies to all of us. We cite three reasons for not seeking greatness in the world.

Determiner of greatness – In our world today public opinion is one of the things that determines greatness. To be great, one has to become a slave of public opinion, affected and influenced by the polls and by the applause of men. However, the opinion of men is fickle; it is changeable and will not satisfy. Those who seek to be great in the world are dissatisfied and unhappy.

Defilement of greatness - To be great in the world, one has to be promoted by the world. This world is not in the habit of promoting godly people. To insist on a holy and godly lifestyle means falling out of favor with the world. To move up in this world in greatness, character will have to go as it stands in the way of achieving worldly fame. However, most folks quickly find out that the price of popularity, fame, and worldly status is defilement.

Deficiency of greatness - Worldly greatness is not true greatness. Worldly greatness is not greatness in God’s sight. God is not impressed by the awards and honors of the world. It is more important to be great before God in faith and holiness, than to seek greatness in the world. Faith and holiness may not impress the world, but it will surely impress God.

(Adapted from Butler's Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“When we live for the approval of God, we need not to be disturbed by the opinion of others!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Doubting

In Jam. 1:6 we read, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (NKJV).

Doubting is the Greek word diakrinō (διακρίνω = dee-ak-ree'-no). It is made up of two words: “día” which means separation and “krinō” which means distinguish, decide, judge. Thus the word means a distinction, decide, judge, dispute, doubt. Literally, it means I judge through.

In classical Greek diakrinō means to discern, to judge, or to make distinction. In the Septuagintdiakrinō carries the idea of judge or govern, as well as choice or discernment. In the New Testament, diakrinō also carries the idea of discernment, to judge, or to make distinction. An unusual use of diakrinō meaning to doubt appears here in Jam. 1:6. In essence it is to be at odds with one’s self and so to hesitate or waver. This person is the one who is vacillating between two opinions or decisions.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would be both God and Man (Jer. 23:5-6)

New Testament Fulfillment – John 13:13; 1 Tim. 3:16

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that the Christian dead have fallen asleep in Jesus (1 Thess. 4:13-15)

Bible Quiz

According to Numbers Chapter 1, which Israelite tribe did God say should set up their camp around the tabernacle?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: According to the Book of Proverbs, instead of living in a house with a quarreling wife, where would Solomon rather live? “In a corner of a housetop” (Prov. 21:9).

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“True Vine”

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit!” (John 15:1-2).

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is our evergreen source of life.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus is our connection to the source of life. As God, He has life in Himself. Having become a man, He extends that life to all who believe in Him..

3. Related Titles – Branch (Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 3:8; 6:12).

Did You Know – Christian History

John Sung was September 27, 1901 in Hong Chek Village, Putian, Fujian Province, China. He was a renowned Chinese Christian evangelist.

Sung was the sixth child of a Methodist pastor. After primary and secondary education in mission schools, he was sent to America to study Bible and theology in preparation for Christian ministry in China. When he arrived in the United States, however, he chose to study chemistry instead, earning a Masters as well as a Ph.D. in Chemistry. But the importance of the soul did not escape him. He entered Union Theological Seminary. This brought him to the crisis of his life. Union had abandoned many clear teachings of Scripture and substituted modern theology. Sung began to doubt everything that he had been taught while growing up. This troubled him and he prayed and studied the Bible looking for answers.

One night his soul was transformed. He began to weep and to shout for joy. He raced to tell teachers and fellow students. The next thing he knew, he was locked in an insane asylum! In the eyes of the spiritually dead school authorities, his behavior indicated that he had gone mad. Sung was allowed to take only his Bible and a pen into his cell. During the 193 days that he was locked up, Sung read through the entire Bible a number of times. He would later say that that was his real theological training.

After his release, Sung returned to China. On the ship, he threw overboard all of his diplomas, certificates and awards, keeping only his doctorate for his father’s sake. From that moment on, his life was dedicated to winning souls. God sent him from end to end of China and around Southeast Asia where his sermons stressed mankind’s sin and need for the gospel. In his sermons, he would name specific sins. Stung to the heart, his listeners wept openly. Many confessed their sins in front of the whole congregation.

Meeting after meeting, people would listen to Sung and then repented. He preached for only fifteen years, but in that time, he led hundreds of thousands to Christ. The secret of his success was hours of prayer. Every morning he rose early to pray for two or three hours. People said he prayed as if Christ were an intimate friend in the room with him. To him, faith was watching God work while you were on your knees.

Towards the last years of his life, intestinal tuberculosis plagued him and deeply affected his work. Despite this, he continued to preach and even had to speak in a leaning position to lessen the pain. He succumbed to the disease in 1944 at the age of 43. It is claimed that Sung was the most influential Chinese evangelist during the 1930s and his ministry had a profound impact on Christianity in China and Southeast Asia. He also helped found the Church Assembly Hall along with Watchman Nee and others. Countless Chinese were converted and revived through his ministry and they would play a significant role in the growth of Christianity in the region.

A Little Humor

When the restaurant next to a chapel put out a big sign with red letters that said, “Open Sundays,” the chapel reciprocated with its own message: “We are open on Sundays, too.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“In salvation, it’s who you know that counts”