When I read the story of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22, I noticed in verse 8 that Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering” and then in verse 14 that Abraham called the place, “the Lord will provide.”
“The Lord will provide” is the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah Jireh.”
It really clicked in my mind, though, when I was teaching an ESL Beginners Bible class early this morning. We were learning about Matthew 6:26-33.
"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Well, that reminded me of Philippians 4:4-6
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
So, when I read Genesis 24 later in the day, I kept thinking about how Abraham trusted Jehoveh Jireh, the Lord WILL provide. Abraham was willing to offer up his only son, Isaac, because he had full confidence that God would provide. And again in Genesis 24, Abraham trusted that God would provide a wife for that very same son.
This, friends, is FAITH. Faith is trusting that God will provide whatever we need, whatever is best for us.
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father,
You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are all-powerful and You are good. You see us. You hear us. You know our every need. You are a good Father who delights in giving Your children good gifts.
Again and again you force us to rely on You. Truly, Father, this is a severe mercy. We are thankful for our neediness, so that we can recognize our desperate need to rely on Your power.
We are such a weak and needy people. We need Your strength. We need our daily bread. We need breath and food and rest. We need wisdom. We need forgiveness. We need peace and hope and comfort and joy.
But what we need most, Father, is Your presence. Please, stay close to us, Father. Walk with us. Hold our hand. Abide with us and guide us by Your Spirit.
Thank You, Father, for providing everything that we need according to Your riches of glory in Christ Jesus.
Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Genesis 11, Psalm 16
Remember when God told Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Well, Noah’s family multiplied, but they didn’t want to spread out to fill the earth. They didn’t want to be dispersed. They wanted to stay in one place and make a name for themselves.
But God …
Like we read yesterday about God’s sovereign purpose and wisdom in the lives of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, God again carries out His good plan of mankind filling the earth. God confused the people’s language … for their good and His glory!
Can you image how that must have felt to suddenly not be able to communicate with your own family and friends? I’m sure that was very frustrating! It reminds me of the times I’ve spent in China, Hungary, and Russia.
But God …
I’m so thankful that God scattered those first people all over the world, and so thankful that God sovereignly ordained for Christians to be scattered all over the world so people from every tribe and tongue might know and worship Him — we’ll get to that again later but if you can’t wait take a peek at Acts 8:1-4 for a taste of how persecution caused the early believers in Christ to be scattered.
Let’s praise the Lord together from Psalm 16 –
Preserve me, O God. I take refuge in You.
You are my Lord. I have no good apart from You.
Protect us from the dangers and sins or running after other gods.
Lord, You are my chosen portion and my cup.
You hold my lot.You are my inheritance.
Even when things seem bad to me, You are working in my life, bringing good out of the ashes.
I bless You, Lord, for You are the One who gives me counsel.
You are always before me.
Because You are at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Strengthen me to turn to You when I don’t know what to do.
Strengthen me to trust and obey Your every word.
In You my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 John and 3 John
Once again John doesn’t sign his own name, but this time, he’s simply “the elder.” What a sweet title to give himself.
Once again John talks about TRUTH and LOVE – twin pillars on which the gospel rests. Jesus is the truth. The truth abides in the elect and will be with us forever (2 John 2). God’s grace, mercy, and peace will be with us in truth and love. (2 John 3).
"I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father." - 2 John 1:4 ESV
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." - 3 John 1:4 ESV
John rejoiced greatly at the good news that the elder woman’s children were walking in the truth and that his own children were walking in the truth. What greater joy is there? Whether it’s the children I’ve raised in my own house, or children I’ve discipled in the faith, or grown women I’ve walked with and helped them grow, what JOY it is to watch them walk in truth!
Who are you discipling? Who are your children in the faith? Who are you watching grow and walk in truth?
Everyone should have someone who they can pour into. You don’t have to wait until you’re an elder like John. Learn a little, teach a little. The walk is always nicer when you have someone to share it with. You’ll be amazed at how much it blesses YOU, how much JOY you receive, when you’re teaching someone else. How can I help you?
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father,
We pray that You will use us to equip the body for the work of ministry. Help us to work together with arms linked as one to grow Your church. Help us to be disciple makers, scattering seeds where we go and helping those little seedlings grow into mighty trees of righteousness that bear much fruit.
We pray for those who are young in their faith and that those elders will come alongside them to encourage them and minister to them. We pray for those who are elders in the faith to not lose heart or quit the fight. Help them to finish the race well, pouring out the last drop of their lives in the service of their king.
We pray for the children that are still in our homes. Lord, strengthen us to strengthen them. Draw them into a living relationship with You that they will walk in truth and love to the glory of Your name.
"Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” - John 20:24-29 ESV
As an atheist, I refused to believe in anything I couldn’t see with my eyes.
Now I see the many contradictions in my own worldview. Why did I believe my world history teacher when she taught about things that happened hundreds of years ago? Why did I believe my chemistry teacher when he taught about how chemical elements worked?
Now I see the irony in my faith in evolution – how that was as much a leap of faith as faith in Jesus is – but at the time I believed that the images of fossils and ape men I’d seen in my science textbooks and on TV were “scientific proof” of evolution.
Reading John 20, I noticed how John and Peter and Mary and Thomas believed because they saw.
I have such empathy for Thomas when I think about how much he had just been through. He just couldn’t fully trust his friends’ testimonies when they said, “We have seen the Lord.”
Judas, a fellow apostle, had just betrayed Jesus. Jesus, their messiah, had just been publicly beaten and executed on a Roman cross. And now Thomas has to figure out what is next for his life. How can you be a full-time disciple of someone who’s dead? Is this whole “Jesus is risen from the dead” thing real or just a hoax?
So Thomas demands, “Unless I see in his hands, the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Strong words. Strong demands. It’s not enough just to see the mark of the nails on Jesus’s hands. He has to place his own finger in those nail-pierced hands and place his own hand on His spear-pierced side. Merely seeing, apparently, is not believing, either.
Oh, that Jesus then appeared to the disciples again when Thomas was there … And went directly to Thomas and give him what he had requested.
How is it possible? Why didn’t Jesus rebuke him? How can Jesus say, “Put your finger here. See my hands. Place your hand on my side”?
Such grace. Such mercy. Such love.
Will you pray with me?
Jesus, we are not worthy. I am not worthy. Thomas was not worthy. We cry with Thomas, my Lord and my God.
Jesus, You are not only our Messiah and Savior and Lord, but you are God. This is the gift of faith, the precious, priceless gift to those who have not seen and yet believed.
Remembering the words of Hebrews 11:1, that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, We ask that you will open our eyes to have faith to be sure what we hope for and fully convinced of the things that we have not seen, but what we have read in your word. Help us to believe these eyewitness testimonies that have been passed down and preserved for us. Help us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, that by believing we may have eternal life in his name.
“And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.” – John 19:2-3 ESV
When I was growing up, I was such a sarcastic person. I regularly poked fun at others to get laughs and attention for myself at their expense, so reading this passage breaks my heart. I see now the cruelty of these soldiers as they mock Jesus, pressing a crown of thorns on his head, dressing him in a purple robe, saying “Hail, King of the Jews,” while they slap his face.
In verse 4, Pilate says, “Behold the man,” then moments later in verse 14, Pilate says, “Behold your king.”
Yet the chief priests – the Jewish chief priests – say, “We have no king but Caesar,” and my heart again breaks again.
My heart breaks for all those people in our world who have turned their backs on the king who came to save us. My heart breaks for the Jews who missed their Messiah who came for them, His own people. And my heart breaks for all of those Christians who are too busy to behold their king.
But my heart also breaks for Jesus Himself.
Can you imagine how it would feel to come into the world that you yourself had made, to take on human form and be born as a baby, to live among your own chosen people, and speak to that weak after week from more than 2 years, to perform miracle after miracle to really prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you indeed are the long awaited messiah, only to hear your own people say not only “Crucify him,” but “We have no king but Caesar.”
They did not say, “We have no king but Almighty God.” They said, “We have no king but Caesar.”
Who is your king? The reigning president of the United States? The previous president of the United States? Maybe a president of another nation of the world?
Maybe money? Fame? The news media?
Your kids? Your stomach? Your couch? Your bed? Your phone?
What do you live for and serve and obey?
Let’s say together, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we will have no king but Jesus.”
Will you pray with me?
Oh, Heavenly Father,
How I long to behold you, to see you face-to-face, to gaze upon Your glory. Hold me close to you. Bind me to you. Let me not wander away out of fear of the disapproval of man. May the fear of God be stronger than the fear of man in my life. Help me to remember that You are for me and if You are for me, what can man do to me?
Keep me from having a biting, sarcastic tongue. May my words be apples of gold in a setting of silver, full of grace and mercy and seasoned with salt.
I pray for the leaders of my nation and the leaders of all the nations of the world. I pray that they will bow the knee before King Jesus, that they will humble themselves before You. Lord, I praise You as Daniel did so many years ago – You are who changes times and seasons; You are who removes kings and sets up kings; You are who gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” (Daniel 2:21 ESV) Make our nation’s leaders like King Nebuchadnezzar who said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”” (Daniel 2:47 ESV)
Let us behold You, seated on Your throne. Let us worship and adore You alone, for nothing compares to You.
In China, June 1 every year is Children’s Day. Here in the U.S., it seems like every day is Children’s Day. 😆
Have you ever heard the phrase, “We’re all God’s children?” It’s a pretty popular saying and somewhat accurate in that we are all God’s creation, or that we are all created in the image of God. Every man, woman, and child, born or unborn, has been created by God, after the image of God, for the intentional purpose of God. In that way, yes, we’re all God’s children.
But, today, as I was reading Ephesians 2, verses 2 and 3 jumped out at me. They say that we were all once by nature sons of disobedience and children of wrath. Verses 4-10 go on to explain that because of God’s rich mercy and love and grace, we have been saved from His wrath by faith in His Son, Jesus.
In order to be God’s children, we must be born again and be made new by the Holy Spirit. In order to call on God as our Father, we must be adopted as His sons and daughters.
I pray that today, as Children’s Day is being celebrated on the other side of the globe, you will call out to your Creator, that you will receive Him as Your Father, confessing your sins to Him and asking Him to welcome you into His family, coming to Him by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. I’d love to call you my brother or sister and welcome you into the household of God.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:9-13 ESV
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-17 ESV
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Galatians 3:26 ESV
“Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies.” Psalm 119:157 ESV
Excerpt from The Insanity of God – Nik Ripken
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:10-16 ESV
Please watch the full movie or order a copy of the DVD.
Please commit to pray daily for our brothers and sisters who are living under daily persecution, as well as those brothers and sisters who remain silent despite their freedom. God help us all.
Father, strengthen us. Grow our faith. Help us to be confirmed to the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to love others, to seek out the lost, to share the good news of the gospel for those who are perishing.
Let us not be ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Lord, you have not given us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Let us be willing to share in suffering for the gospel by the power You give us, for You saved us and called us to a HOLY calling, not because of our works but because of Your own purpose and grace, which You gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began! Thank You for giving us Your grace. Thank You for giving us purpose! Thank You for your LOVE!
This is my lesson for this week. May it bless many and bear fruit to the glory of Jesus.
I am the younger of two children. I have only one sister. She is older than me. Her name is Kristan.
Growing up, I was always competing with Kristan. I never felt like I was as good as her. She was a quiet girl who didn’t cause much trouble. I always thought she was prettier than me. She was taller than me – and she still is. She was an excellent piano player while I struggled through my piano lessons.
Because I felt like she was better than me in so many ways, I tried to be better than her in other ways. I showed off by being talkative, friendly, outspoken, and loud. I earned awards in science fairs and debate competitions. I went to a special school for the top students in my city, yet I still felt like I was in her shadow.
Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever compared yourself to someone else and felt like you weren’t as good, as smart, or as pretty as them?
Last week we talked about what people like to share on social media like WeChat and Facebook.
I think one reason why people like sharing on social media is because they want people to praise them. We all want people to think we’re smart, beautiful, kind, and good. We all want people’s praise.
Now that I am an adult, I still find myself comparing my strengths to others’ weaknesses. I like to share the highlights of my week when my family did something special. I don’t share the moments when I got mad at my husband. I don’t share when my house was a mess and I served frozen pizzas for dinner. I don’t share when I spent 2 hours scrolling mindlessly through Facebook. I want to show the good things my kids or my husband or I did. I still want so much for people to praise and value me. This is still a struggle for me.
How about you?
I want to show you a short video of a young man with Down Syndrome speaking at a meeting for some American government leaders. While you’re watching this video, I want you to think about how you feel watching this young man and how you would feel if he was your son.
If you were this young man’s mom, would you be proud to call him your son? Why? Why not?
Now let’s think about our own families. If you had a son, would you value him more if he was the top student in his Chinese class? What if he won a track meet or an English competition? What would he have to do to make you proud?
What about God? What does God value? What makes God proud? To find an answer, let’s consider the story of the shepherd boy David who grew up to be the King of Israel. The first king of Israel, King Saul, had disobeyed God and God was looking for a new man to be king of Israel. God sent His prophet Samuel to a man named Jesse to find a new king from one of Jesse’s sons. When Jesse’s first son arrived, Samuel thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed,” but Samuel was wrong.
“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT)
Let’s try reciting this verse together. First, you can listen to me say it. Then, we will say it together. Finally, I’d like a few sisters to try it by themselves.
God had chosen Jesse’s youngest son who was out in the field caring for the sheep. As we are told in Acts 13:22, God had chosen David, the son of Jesse, because he was a man after God’s own heart who would do everything God wanted him to do.
Does that mean that David never sinned? Does that mean that David never broke God’s laws? No, it doesn’t. In fact, David committed adultery with a married woman and had her husband killed. Yet, David was repentant over his sin. David grieved over his sin and turned to God for forgiveness. David held fast to God and had faith in God even when life was very hard.
So, what exactly is in a man’s heart which makes God value him?
What do you think, sisters? What makes a person worthy to be called God’s child?
God created each and every person in His very own image. Every single person ever made was created in the image of God – no matter their skin color, no matter their wealth, no matter their intelligence or ability level, no matter how much money they have. Every single person has value in the sight of God because every single person is created in the image of God.
But not everyone is God’s child.
Jesus “came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn–not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” (John 1:10-13)
The only thing that can make you God’s child is faith, faith in Jesus Christ, the only Son of our Heavenly Father God. This alone is what makes you worthy. Faith is the greatest value.
And even this faith is a gift, as we read in Ephesians 2:8, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
As you trust in God, then He will strengthen you and guide you to do great things for Him. He will change you, grow you and make you more like His Son as you trust in Him.
Like I once worked so hard to be better than my sister, when I became a Christian, I worked so hard to earn God’s love. But I was wrong. There was nothing I could do to deserve God’s love.
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24) 耶和华这样说：“智慧人不可夸耀自己的智慧，勇士不可夸耀自己的勇力，财主不可夸耀自己的财富。 夸口的却要因了解我，认识我而夸口；认识我是耶和华，我在地上施行慈爱、 公正、公义；因为我喜悦这些事。”这是耶和华的宣告。
Let’s try reciting this verse together. First, you can listen to me say it. Then, we will say it together. Finally, I’d like a few sisters to try it by themselves.
God delights in steadfast love, justice and righteousness. Yes, He does. And He wants us to do these things, too, but He wants us to do them by faith. He wants us to obey Him by faith.
Jesus chose the intellectual Paul, a Jewish Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians, to share the good news of salvation with the lost. But Jesus also chose four common fishermen like Peter to spread the gospel. Does Jesus love the intellectual Paul more than simple Peter? No.
As Paul wrote in the beginning of his letter to the church in Corinth,
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
Do you think if your child got better grades or your husband had a better job, then God would love you more?
Do you think that if you were prettier or smarter or richer, then God would love you?
What if you memorized more Bible verses or prayed more or went to church more often, then would you be worthy of God’s love?
What if you gave all you owned to the poor or gave up your life as a martyr for Christ, then would you finally be valuable to God? (See 1 Corinthians 13 for more on this!)
Look at these pictures of my husband and my son in our backyard. My husband is much taller than my son when you look at them up close, but when you compare either of them to the height of the trees, they are both so tiny.
We may like to compare ourselves to one other, but when we compare ourselves to God, then we see how short we truly are. None of us are perfectly good, wise or holy. Only God. God loves you because He is God. He is your Creator, and He wants to be your Father. There is nothing you can say or do or think to make yourself worthy of His love.
In your own power, you are unworthy and undeserving, but in Christ Jesus you have infinite worth.
I don’t know whether you need to hear this because you need to be reminded not to show favoritism to your children or your coworkers or your friends, or because you need the reminder that you can’t earn God’s love, but I know that you need to hear this.
When you place your trust in Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. When God looks at you, He sees His Son, Jesus Christ, in your heart. Jesus Christ is who makes you worthy and valuable, completely worthy and infinitely valuable, and Jesus Christ is the truly the only one truly worthy of praise.
Let me encourage you to share this good news with someone else this week.
This is my lesson from last week with the international women’s discipleship group. I pray it would bless many!
WORTH can describe either a monetary value (cost) or a personal, moral value. This coat is worth more money than that coat. Spending time with my mom is worth more than watching TV. Let’s try this dialogue to learn more about the word “worth.”
Abby: Hey, Mom. Look at these shoes! Aren’t they cool?
Mom: Yes, they are. Those shoes are beautiful. How much do they cost?
Abby: $120.
Mom: Wow, Abby. They are so expensive! Are they worth that much to you?
Abby: Not really, Mom. I found this pair over here. They’re only $40 and I think they’ll be great.
Mom: Good work, Abby. I think these shoes are worth $40. Let’s get them.
When we’re buying something, we look at how much the thing is worth. How much will I pay for a car or a house or a pair of shoes? How much will I pay someone to clean my house or take care of my children? It depends how much it’s worth.
VALUE has a similar meaning to WORTH. VALUABLE has a similar meaning to WORTHY.
Let’s try this dialogue to learn about the words, “value” and “valuable.”
Betty: Honey, I love you so much. I really value the time that we spend together. Thank you for taking me out for dinner tonight. I had a great time.
Husband: Betty, I love you, too. You are my most valuable treasure. You are worth so much to me!
We can also use the word “WORTHLESS” to describe something that is notimportant, something that is notvaluable. Worth + less = not worthy.
In looking at the Bible for “worthless,” I really liked this Bible verse. Let’s learn it together.
“Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.” Psalm 119:37. 求你使我转眼不看虚空的事；又使我在你的道中存活。
First, listen to me say it, then we will say it together. Finally, I’d like three ladies to try it on their own.
“Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.” (Psalm 119:37 NLT)
Just like we have limited amounts of money, we also have limited amounts of time. Our lives here on earth won’t last forever. There are only 24 hours in a day. There are only 365 days in a year. We don’t want to waste our time or our money on worthless things.
One way you can see what is valuable to you is by looking at where you spend your time and your money. Pay attention to your calendar and your bank account.
If you suddenly had three hours of free time what would you do?
Go shopping or go to a fancy restaurant?
Clean the house or play with your children?
Read through WeChat or read through the Bible?
I’d like three new women to share their answers.
If you were surprised to receive an extra 1,000 yuan, what would you do with it?
Would you pay your electric bill or buy your groceries?
Would you buy a new purse or a new book?
Would you give it to your parents or to someone in need?
I’d like three women to share their answers.
Let’s look at another Bible verse about what is valuable versus what is worthless.
Job 28:17-18 says, “Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.” 黄金和玻璃不能与它比较，纯金的器皿不能与它交换。 珊瑚和水晶都不值一提，取得智慧胜过取得红宝石。
We can also show what we value by what we think about and talk about. What do you fall asleep thinking about and wake up thinking about? What are you excited to talk about to your parents, friends, kids or husband? What do you post on social media?
Your cats or your kids?
Your favorite movies and music?
A new restaurant or a new coat?
A Bible verse or prayer request?
I’d like three new women to share their answers.
As a women’s group, we want to value what God values. We want to love what God loves.
We’re going to talk about this more next week, but tonight let’s just look at this one Bible verse:
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT) 不要单注重外表的装饰, 就如鬈头发, 戴金饰, 穿华丽衣服； 却要在里面存着温柔安静的心灵, 作不能毁坏的装饰, 这在 神面前是极宝贵的
What is valuable to God? What should a woman value? What should a woman not value?
Further reading: Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 6:19-34
Here is last week’s lesson from my online international women’s ministry. I hope it blesses you, too!
Hello, sisters! Today we are going to look at the ideas of MERCY and GRACE.
Before we talk about mercy and grace, we need to talk about three more words: Earn, deserve, and wage.
Earn – er+n – rhymes with learn
De-serve – dee-zerv
Wage – long a – way+j. Way – wage.
First, I’ll explain these three words to you using a story from my life.
I remember when I got my first job. I was only 14 years old. I worked as a cashier in a fast-food restaurant. I EARNED $3.35 for every hour that I worked. $3.35 was my hourly WAGE.
I really looked forward to getting my paycheck every week. I worked hard for every dollar that I earned. I EARNED money every week for my hard work. I DESERVED my paycheck because I worked hard at the fast-food restaurant.
Now I work as an English teacher online. I work hard before class to prepare for the lessons. During class, I pay attention carefully to my students’ pronunciation and grammar, so I can help them learn English well. After class, I write a report for the parents, so my students can review and prepare for their next lesson.
In exchange for my hard work, I earn an hourly WAGE. I DESERVE every dollar that I EARN for my hard work.
What would happen if I didn’t show up to teach my classes? What if I forgot to come to class? What if I slept through my classes?
Would I still get paid? Would I still earn by hourly wage if I didn’t work? Would I deserve to get paid if I didn’t work? Would I keep my job?
No, I wouldn’t. I would LOSE my job. I would be FIRED.
So, what if VIPKID said, “Oh, Kim. We understand. You had a hard week. You weren’t feeling well, and you were so busy. We like you so much that we will not fire you. You can keep working for us.” This, my friends, is MERCY.
Mercy means NOT getting what you DESERVE.
Mercy means NOT getting what you have EARNED.
Let’s try learning those sentences. First, I’ll say them slowly while you listen and watch. Then, we will repeat those sentences together. Finally, I’d like three people to try saying it by themselves.
Mercy means NOT getting punished when you’ve done something bad. Mercy is not getting fired when you don’t show up to work.
What if I was a really bad worker? What if I played on my phone during class instead of teaching? What if I taught my students the wrong pronunciation and grammar?
Now, I should be FINED. I should be PUNISHED. I should get in TROUBLE.
What if VIPKID said, “Oh, Kim. We understand. You haven’t had enough training. You didn’t really know what you were doing. You aren’t in trouble. We like you so much. We will not punish you.” This, too, is MERCY.
Mercy means NOT getting what you DESERVE.
Mercy means NOT getting what you have EARNED.
Let’s repeat those sentences together again. Now, I’d like three new people to try saying it by themselves.
Remember, Mercy means NOT getting punished when you’ve done something bad.
Now what if VIPKID said, “Oh, Kim. We love you so much that we hired a teacher to teach in your place. Teacher Beth has agreed to teach your classes for you. She will give YOU her pay. She will give you her hourly wage. She will give you what she earns. You will still get paid every week your hourly wage, because she will do your work for you, and give you what she deserves.”
This, my sisters, is GRACE. This is GRACE. Grace is GETTING what is NOT deserved … what is undeserved. Grace is GETTING what is NOT earned … what is unearned.
GRACE means GETTING what you do NOT DESERVE.
GRACE means GETTING what you have NOT EARNED.
Let’s try learning those sentences. First, I’ll say them slowly while you listen and watch. Then, we will repeat those sentences together. Finally, I’d like three people to try saying it by themselves.
GRACE means GETTING what you do NOT DESERVE.
GRACE means GETTING what you have NOT EARNED.
Grace is GETTING an A when you deserve an F.
Grace is GETTING a hug when you deserve a slap.
Grace is GETTING heaven when you deserve hell.
Grace is getting kindness, goodness, favor, and love when you DESERVE punishment, anger, and wrath.
Romans 4:4-5 tells us, “When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.”
God gives you righteousness, not because of your good deeds, but because of your faith in Jesus Christ who died in your place. God gives you Jesus’s righteousness.
God takes Jesus’s perfect holiness and gives it to you, a sinner. Not because of anything that you DO, but because of your FAITH in Jesus.
In God’s great grace, He gives us His love. In God’s great grace, He gives us eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord.
Romans 6:23 explains that, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s grace gives us His Holy Spirit and His Living Word. God’s grace gives us joy and peace and comfort. God’s grace gives us purpose and hope.
The Bible is so FULL of stories of God’s mercy and grace.
One of these stories is about a poor servant who refused to have mercy on another servant, even though the king had shown him great, great mercy. You can read the whole story in Matthew 18:21-35, but I’m going to read you just one verse, Matthew 18:33. “Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'”
Let’s try learning that verse together. First, I’ll say it slowly while you listen and watch. Then, we will repeat the verse together. Finally, I’d like three people to try saying it by themselves.
“Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'”
Last week we talked about encouraging words – God encourages us with His Word and now we can encourage others … So, God gives mercy and grace to us and we can have mercy and grace to others.
This week you can read about the story of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35), the story of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) and the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).
This week you can read Psalm 51, Ephesians 2:1-8 and Romans 5:1-11.
Try reading these stories in English and in Chinese. Try reading them aloud. Tell someone else about what you learned this week! You could even try making a video of yourself reading and share it with someone else.
Before we end, I want you share my favorite passage in the Bible with you. This is my favorite passage in the Bible because it describes my life. Paul wrote this about himself, but I feel like he was talking about me.
“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.
But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
— 1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV
Let’s pray together and then we can talk about a few questions.
What are some ways that God has had mercy on you?
How has God given you His grace?
How can you give mercy and grace to someone else this week?
Teach What is Good 
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