Song of Solomon 8
Bride wished to have freedom to kiss husband verse 1- 3
O that you were as my brother – that sucked the breasts of my mother
when I should find you with out – I would kiss you
yea – I should not be despised
I would lead you – and bring you into my mother’s house
who would instruct me
I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the
juice of my pomegranate
His left hand should be under my head
and his right hand should embrace me
Bride talks to women of Jerusalem verse 4
I charge you – O daughters of Jerusalem – that you stir not up
nor awake my love – until he please
Young women of Jerusalem speak verse 5a
Who is this that comes up from the wilderness
leaning upon her beloved?
Bride speaks of the strength of love verse 5b- 7
I raised you up under the apple tree
there your mother brought you forth
there she brought you forth that bare you
Set me as a seal upon your heart – as a seal upon your arm
for love is strong as death
jealousy is cruel as the grave
the coals thereof are coals of fire
which has a most vehement flame
Many waters cannot quench love – neither can the floods drown it
if a man would give all the substance of his house for love
it would utterly be contemned
Bride’s brothers speak of younger sister verse 8- 9
We have a little sister – and she hath no breasts
what shall we do for our sister in the day
when she shall be spoken for?
If she be a wall – we will build upon her a palace of silver
and if she be a door – we will enclose her with
boards of cedar
Bride speaks of a physical attribute verse 10
I am a wall – and my breasts like towers
then was I in his eyes as one that found favor
Bride uses vineyard to express her freedom verse 11- 12
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon
he let out the vineyard unto keepers
everyone for the fruit thereof was to bring
a thousand pieces of silver
My vineyard – which is mine – is before me
you – O Solomon – must have a thousand
and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred
Groom wants to hear bride’s voice verse 13
You that dwells in the gardens
the companions hearken to your voice – cause me to hear it
Bride invites groom to come away with her verse 14
Make haste – my beloved
and be you like to a roe or to a young hart
upon the mountain of spices
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 O that you were as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find you without, I would kiss you; yea, I should not be despised. (936 “despised” [buwz] means contemned, hold as insignificant, to look down on with contempt, show contempt, scorn, or deride.)
DEVOTION: In the culture of the day it was OK to show affection to fellow family members but not to anyone else. So we find Solomon’s wife wishing that he was a close relative rather than an husband.
Today things are different. It is not always the best but we find that there are people who are showing public affection to their girlfriend or boyfriend that most of us would rather that they kept it in private.
Too often the family members are not showing love for one another today and that is something that should be happening while the public show of affection for others is not a problem.
God wants us to be individuals that honor HIM in both public and private life. We need to honor the LORD in all of our actions. This included when we are in church and when we are out.
CHALLENGE: It seems that today we can show everyone but God our affections in our times of worship and when we are outside of church. We need to be ones that honor the LORD in all of our actions.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 2 I would lead you, and bring you into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause you to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. (3925 “instruct” [lamad] means teach, learn, trained, exercise in, to impart skills or knowledge in, or well versed.)
DEVOTION: It is the responsibility of good parents to train their children in that facts of life. If children are not taught by their parents the difference between the right way and wrong way to do things than they will learn from those in our society that might think and act differently than we would like our children to act.
So if we are training our children there is always someone else who is willing to step in and train them improperly. If we leave it to their friends or society to train them than we have to except the consequences of their actions.
Most parents would like their children to have a good reputation in society. It doesn’t come easy. Here we find a mother training her daughter in the area of proper relationship with her husband. It doesn’t come naturally. Good training in this area is the responsibility of parents. If they are believers in Jesus Christ this training would include not having any sexual relations with someone other than their spouse until after the wedding. It is not what we find today even in many Christian homes because they either don’t train their children or they think the church will train them in this area. They are mistaken.
God wants Godly parents to train their children in this area from a Biblical point of view. This includes on man marrying one woman for life. Too many believer don’t enter their marriages with this attitude. So we have many mixed up children.
CHALLENGE: Be sure to train your children in this area of life before it is too late. Some will have to train their grandchildren if the parents are not willing to do it. Pray for your children to train their children in this important area of life.
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: 6 Set me as a seal upon their heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. (7069 “jealousy” [qin’ah] means zeal, ardor, ardent love, passion, desire of exclusivity in relationship, or envy.
DEVOTION: To be in love with someone so much that it hurts if they do anything wrong is spoken of here. The bride loved her husband so much that nothing but death could separate them. They wanted nothing or no one to get between them.
If someone tried to get between them there was a proper zeal to deal with that individual in a hurry. There would be no ground given to that individual. The matter had to be settled quickly.
Once a wedding ring is given to a spouse there should be a lifelong relationship established. The seal of their love for each other was given. The ring symbolizes an unending circle of love. There is no break in the ring. It is unending. Once on the finger of the spouse it should be worn for life. A vow is given to keep that individual close until death do you part.
Marriage is supposed to last. It takes a lot of effort to keep a marriage together. There are so many obstacles to a couple staying together for a lifetime. There are sometimes family members who never liked the spouse. There are individuals who look at the spouse as someone they want and don’t care how they get them. There are sometimes even people in churches that will tell one spouse to leave the other over even simple problems.
When there is genuine love in a marriage all these obstacles won’t matter if they are taken to the LORD in prayer. A couple that genuine worships the LORD can overcome any obstacle. Forgiveness is key to the relationship. We are to forgive each other if we want the LORD to forgive us. There might be times of separation if one is acting out but these should be resolved with the help of the LORD.
Marriage is exclusive. Working together to keep it that way is a lifetime of W.O.R.K. We have to be willing to fight for our marriage.
CHALLENGE: Never give up on the marriage if the LORD gives you the courage to keep fighting. HE will give you the power to overcome any obstacle. Trust your marriage to HIM!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. (936 “contemned” [buwz] means to disrespect, despise, or hold as insignificant.
DEVOTION: In the culture of Solomon’s time, it was not appropriate for husband and wife to show affection in public. It was OK for brothers and sisters to show affection. The brothers were partially responsible for the virtue of their sisters.
If she was a wall or morally right, the brothers gave her more freedom. If she was a door or morally wrong, the brothers would lock her down. This bride was a wall. Solomon had nothing to be concerned about regarding his wife.
The verse we are unpacking today deals with the fact that love cannot be bought. There is no price high enough to buy love. True love is beyond price. It is priceless. It can only be earned. Anyone who would try to buy love was despised. Not only can love not be brought but it also cannot be drowned.
When we look at this final chapter of this book on martial love, we find that compliments are a way of helping our love relationship. All our possessions are not as important as our love for our spouse.
This verse wants us to realize that our love for our spouse is more important that anything we can ever own. Is our spouse more valuable than anything we own? Would we be willing to give up everything for our spouse except the LORD?
Our love for Christ should make HIM first on our list. Where is the focus of our love? Remember that we are to love one another, as the Father, loved the Son.
CHALLENGE: Protect the relationship that you have with your spouse at all costs. Let nothing/no one get between you and your spouse. God wants the two of you to work out all the details of your marriage.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Brother verse 1
Mother verse 1, 2, 5
Daughters verse 4
Beloved verse 5, 14
Sister verse 8, 9
Keepers verse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Despised verse 1
Jealousy verse 6
Give substance for love verse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Listen to mother’s instructions verse 2
Love verse 6, 7
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Daughters of Jerusalem verse 4
Solomon verse 11, 12
Vineyard at Baalhamon verse 11
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
The most difficult problem is the meaning of the Hebrew tĕlammĕdēnî. The verb is used nearly ninety times in the Old Testament, with the meaning ‘teach’ or ‘learn’. The form here can be either second person masculine singular or third person feminine singular, and can refer either to the lover ‘you will teach’ or to the mother ‘she taught’. The translations reflect the options: av, asv who would instruct me; jb you would teach me; niv she who has taught me; neb mg. to teach me how to love you (neb text for you to embrace me). If the feminine form is assumed, the teacher is the mother who has instructed her daughter in the ‘facts of life’, and it is to that ‘schoolroom’ she wants to return to show how well she has learned her lessons. If the masculine form is correct, her request is that her lover teach her the intricacies of love in the place where she had her first intimate contacts. In light of the last part of the verse, the feminine form is preferred: the art of preparing for love is best learned at home. (Carr, G. L. (1984). Song of Solomon: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 19, p. 182). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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8:2 The English versions are incorrect and misleading here since “I would lead” implies that this is a continuation of the impossible-to-attain wish of v. 1. The sexual desire to take him to her “mother’s house” (which again is euphemism for the female parts) and to give him spiced wine and the “nectar of my pomegranates”182 is incompatible with the wish that he were her brother. The mood of her words here is not subjunctive but indicative and indeed determined, as shown by the juxtaposition of the two verbs; and it should be translated: “I will lead you; I will take you to the house of my mother.” Since she cannot express her love with a kiss openly, she will express her love much more fully privately. The next phrase, “She who has taught me,” could be taken to mean that her mother instructed her in the ways of love, but the text is uncertain. It probably is best to emend it to read “to the room of she who bore me” as in 3:4; 6:9; and 8:5. Taken thus, it parallels “my mother’s house” and again is sexual euphemism. (Garrett, D. A. (1993). Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of songs (Vol. 14, p. 425). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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1–2 The bride continues to speak about leaving the security of their bed chamber and going into the fields and villages with him. Yet she is reluctant to leave the freedom that they have behind closed doors to express their love for each other. The proprieties demanded in public seem limiting. She would like the liberty in public that the brother and sister in that day had (v. 1). So she wishes she could freely kiss him in public. She would like to take him to the house of her own mother and to the very chamber where she was conceived (v. 2).
There is no sense of wrongness about their love. She is reminded of her mother, who in a similar relationship gave to her the life that she now enjoys with her groom. Her joy in him strengthens her identification with her own mother who taught her. With all the strength of the union with her husband, there is still the consciousness that she is a woman. She longs for a woman with whom she can share, and the appropriate one is her mother. This is no indication of withdrawal from her spouse. She would like to take him to the place of her conception and there give herself to him. (Kinlaw, D. F. (1991). Song of Songs. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, pp. 1239–1240). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Ver. 2. I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, &c.] The general assembly and church of the first-born is mother to the church visible, to particular churches and believers, where they are born, educated, and brought up; for which they have a great affection, as persons usually have for the place of their nativity and education. And here the church desires to have Christ with her; either to consummate the marriage between them, Gen. 24:67 or to have the knowledge of him spread among her relations, those of her mother’s house, who belonged to the election of grace; or to enjoy his presence there, with great delight and pleasure: the act of leading thither shews great familiarity with him, great love and respect for him, a hearty welcome to her mother’s house; and was treating him becoming his majesty, great personages being led, Isa. 60:11 all which is done by prayer, in the exercise of faith: and the act of bringing denotes on her part the strength of faith in prayer; and on his part great condescension; see ch. 3:4. Her end in all was, as follows, who would instruct me; meaning her mother; the allusion may be to a grave and prudent woman, who, taking her new-married daughter apart, teaches her how to behave towards her husband, that she may have his affections, and live happily with him: the house of God is a school of instruction, where souls are taught the ways of Christ, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the duties of religion; nor are the greatest believers above instruction, and the means of it. Some render the words, thou shalt, or thou wouldest teach me; meaning Christ, who teaches as none else can; he teaches by his spirit, who leads into all truth; by the Scriptures, which are profitable for instruction; by his ministers, called pastors and teachers; and by his ordinances administered in his house; where the church desired the presence of Christ, and might expect instruction from him, being in the way of her duty; and to hear such marriage-precepts, as in Psal. 45:10, 11. In return, the church promises Christ, I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate; or, wine of my pomegranate; of which mention is made in Jewish writingsx, and by other authors: there was a city in the tribe of Dan, called Gath-rimmon, Josh. 21:24 the wine-press of the pomegranate, or where they made pomegranate-wine. Spiced wine was much used by the ancients, and in the eastern countries: so Phœnician wine, or wine of Byblis, is said to be odoriferous; so the wine of Lebanon, Hos. 14:7 the Babylonians had a wine they called nectar: spiced wine was thought less inebriatingb, and therefore the ancients sometimes put into their wine myrrh and calamus, and other spices; sometimes it was a mixture of old wine, water, and balsam; and of wine, honey, and pepperd. Now these sorts of wine being accounted the best and most agreeable, the church proposes to treat Christ with them; by which may be meant the various graces of the spirit, and the exercise of them in believers; which give Christ pleasure and delight, and are preferred by him to the best wine; see ch. 4:10 and 5:1. With the Hebrew writers, pomegranates are said to be a symbol of concord: the pomegranate was a tree of Venusf. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 686–687). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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3 John 1
John praises and encourages Gaius for his “witness of . . . love before the church” (v. 6).
INSIGHT
Affirmation is a powerful force for good in the Christian life. We all long to be affirmed for who we are and what we are doing. We all like to hear: “Good job.” In essence, that is what John writes in his third epistle. He affirms Gaius in several areas: for his knowledge of truth, for his application of that knowledge, for offering hospitality to fellow Christians and to strangers, and for helping to support traveling missionaries. Good job, Gaius.
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WE ARE EXHORTED TO PRAY
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. 1 John 5:14
We must be exceptionally careful in the matter of comparing Scripture with Scripture. The Bible never contradicts itself. We must never base our doctrine upon one statement only; or to put it in another way, our doctrine must never be so formulated as to be in conflict with any other statement of Scripture or to contradict any other clear and obvious scriptural teaching.
Then, having done that, we come to certain conclusions. One conclusion is that there is an element of mystery about this question of prayer; it is one of those aspects of God’s gracious dealings with us that is beyond our understanding. Now I feel like saying, “Thank God for that!” I mean that in an ultimate and absolute sense you and I simply cannot reconcile God’s omniscience and foreknowledge and sovereignty with this fact of prayer that we find so clearly taught in Scripture.
But there are so many other things one cannot understand. I cannot understand how a holy God would ever forgive or can ever forgive a single soul. I cannot understand it, but thank God, I believe it! I cannot understand the eternal mind and heart, but I thank God for a revelation that assures me that God can be just and a justifier of the ungodly. And there are many other instances and illustrations that I could give of exactly the same thing, and this question of prayer is one of them. In an ultimate philosophical sense there is an element of mystery about it, but praise God, we are not left with philosophy. We have a Gospel that comes to us in its simplicity and tells us what to do. So though our little minds cannot understand it philosophically, there is nothing that is so plain and clear in Scripture as that we are taught and exhorted to pray. Go through the Scriptures, and notice the frequency of the exhortations to pray.
A Thought to Ponder: Prayer is one of those aspects of God’s gracious dealings with us that is beyond our understanding. (From Life in God, p. 116., by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Triune Comforter
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
One of the titles of the Holy Spirit, especially as used in the King James Version, is His beautiful identification as “the Comforter.” The Greek word is parakletos, meaning literally “one who is called alongside to help.” A familiar verse is John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.” He is our teacher, our guide, our helper, our Comforter.
The same word is also translated “advocate,” meaning an attorney for the defense. In this capacity, it is applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). Though we are guilty and lost sinners, He takes our side before the Judge, pleading the sacrificial offering of His own blood for our sins, and we are saved (1 John 2:2).
Even the Father is our “paraclete,” according to the verses cited above. He is “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (Greekparaklesis), and as we pray to our heavenly Father, He indeed does provide great consolation in every hour of trouble and sorrow.
Thus, each person of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—serves as Comforter (“paraclete”) to the believer, as needed, who also has access to the “comfort of the scriptures” (Romans 15:4). But there is still another “comforter.” Each believer receives such comfort so that we ourselves “may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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I HEARD SOMEONE SAY, “Kids are just different these days.” I disagree. Kids are the same. What’s changed is a society with lowered expectations, lack of discipline, and acceptance of disrespect. Give kids boundaries, expectations, rules, limits, rewards, and consequences. They will rise to the challenge and exceed your expectations every time. (Sally Dela Cruz-Never too old for Snoopy)
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His Name Is Wonderful
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ISAIAH 9:6
Certain verses of Scripture leap to our minds as we draw close to Christmas. In the majestic titles of Jesus found in the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6, we find Him to be everything we need. We find Him not only the “reason for the season” but the name that should be on our lips every day as God puts us in touch with others over the Christmas holidays.
Who doesn’t need to know the Wonderful Counselor? Who doesn’t need to know this One who can offer advice when they are facing a difficult situation? This One who has the answers for their marriage and family dilemmas?
Who doesn’t need to know the Mighty God? You certainly know people who are dealing with a rebellious teenager or an aging parent or a sick child or an impossible job situation. When was the last time you told them how strong the arms of your God are? Perhaps you need to be reminded of how mighty God is by reading Isaiah 40.
Who doesn’t need to know the Eternal Father? Who doesn’t need the sense of hope that comes from knowing that—although we may suffer for a while—we have a God who dwells in eternity, which means that there is more to life than what we see around us?
Who doesn’t need to know the Prince of Peace? In a culture of road rage and long lines and short fuses, with strained relationships and simmering discontentment, who isn’t starving for deeper, more-lasting peace? Who doesn’t need to know why even the most desirable possessions and experiences leave them feeling unsatisfied? Who doesn’t need a peace that passes understanding?
Who doesn’t need more of the Prince of Peace and His peace in their home?
This Christmas, be watching for people who need to know Jesus for who He is.
(Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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THE GOSPEL OF LIGHT
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6
Are we all doomed to perpetual blindness and darkness? There is but one hope. There is but one answer. There is but one cure. According to the Gospel, Jesus of Nazareth was the only begotten Son of God. He came down to earth because of the blindness of mankind, because man had been deluded by the god of this world. He came and brought that treatment that alone can avail. He has removed by His sacrificial, atoning death and His resurrection the stain of the guilt of sin. He has given new life and power to our diseased and paralyzed spiritual optic nerves. He enables us to see God, to behold the Father’s face. And, looking at Him, the light of the eternal countenance irradiates our whole being.
He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). And that statement has been verified in countless thousands of experiences. He said that He was “the light of the world” (John 8:12) and that anyone who followed Him need no longer walk in darkness but will have “the light of life” (John 8:12). It is He alone who can reconcile us to God and enable us to see and to know God. The message of the gospel therefore to this modern, distracted world is that in simplicity it has but to offer this prayer:
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
The gospel states with assurance that all who offer this prayer in sincerity and truth will be able to say with the apostle Paul that “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6) has shined into their hearts.
A Thought to Ponder: Jesus Christ alone can reconcile us to God and enable us to see and to know God.
(From Truth Unchanged, Unchanging, pp. 103-104, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
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Hereby Know
“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” (1 John 4:13)
It is surprising to note that this phrase “hereby know” occurs eight times in the little epistle of 1 John. Each of these listed below is given as a means of both testing the genuineness of our professed faith in Christ and then of giving assurance and comfort to the true believer.
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3).
“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:5).
“Hereby perceive [same Greek word as ‘know’] we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him” (1 John 3:18-19).
“And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us” (1 John 3:24).
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2).
“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).
The eighth and last such reference is our text for the day. Note that the common thread running through all is the importance of the indwelling Spirit of truth, leading those who know the Lord into lives of doctrinal purity, obedience to God’s Word, and love toward the brethren. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Pressing Pause to Pray
[They] did not inquire of the Lord. Joshua 9:14
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