“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Call out to the Lord when stressed

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalms 118:5-6 ESV) 

God provides a way of escape

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV)

God’s divine power will destroy strongholds 

 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3-5 ESV)

In this you rejoice

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV)

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4 NIV)

Faith – Bible Dictionary definition:

“Belief, trust, and loyalty to a person or thing. Christians find their security and hope in God as revealed in Jesus Christ, and say "amen" to that unique relationship to God in the Holy Spirit through love and obedience as expressed in lives of discipleship and service.” – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary

Faith - Bible’s definition:  

The most definitive definition of faith in the Bible is, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1 NIV) 

It’s impossible to please God without faith

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NIV) 

The above verse explains that faith comes by doing  two “musts”

1)    You must believe that He is.

2)    You must believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Faith is asking and believing without doubt

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6 NIV)

Examples of faith in action

An old woman has a child: “And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.” (Heb. 11:11 NIV) 

A blind man is healed: “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (Mark 10:52 NIV)

Therefore…

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV)

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV)

“Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Eph. 5:19 ESV)

Songs stuck in your head

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head with the same lines repeating over and over? I have, many times. Some who have studied this phenomenon call it a “brain itch,” and similar to a mosquito bite, the more you scratch it, the more it itches. They say when you listen to a song, it triggers a part of the brain called the auditory cortex. Researchers at Dartmouth University found that when they played part of a familiar song to research subjects, the participants’ auditory cortex automatically filled in the rest—in other words, their brains kept “singing” long after the song had ended [source: Prokhorov]. I personally believe God has given us this ability for a very good reason, so that we can “make melody in our hearts to the Lord” so that we can worship and praise Him (Eph. 5:19). We are the ones who choose which songs get stuck in our heads by what songs we listen to. Our brains are similar to computers and are programmed by what we put into them. Whatever we put in through our ear gates, that’s what our brains play back to us. 

Therefore

“What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor. 14:15 ESV)

Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV) 

Singing praises with your soul

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.” (Psalm. 71:23 ESV)

God is seeking such people to worship Him

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23 ESV)

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Rom. 15:1 ESV)

Follow Christ’s great example

The Scripture passage, Rom. 15:1-11, (written out above and below) is the example of Christ that we must follow as His followers.

Please your neighbor

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” (Rom. 15:2-3 ESV)

To give hope and encouragement

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4 ESV)

Live in harmony with one another

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,” (Rom. 15:5 ESV)

So that you may glorify God

“…that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 15:6 ESV)

As Christ welcomed you, welcome one another

“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Rom. 15:1-11 ESV)

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:22 KJV)

Last week I was speaking with one of my grandchildren who was excited about Halloween. I told him that grandma and I do not like Halloween, do not celebrate it, and we avoid it as much as we can. He was shocked and asked me why. I told him that Halloween is one more example of Satan stealing a Christian holiday and turning it into a tool for his own evil purposes, just as he has done with other Christian holidays (by the way, holiday means holy day). A couple of examples are Easter (instead of the resurrection, it is about the Easter bunny) and Christmas (instead of the birth of Jesus, it is about Santa Claus and getting gifts). Sadly, most people do not know that Halloween began as a Christian holiday known as All Hallows Eve, or All Saints' Eve, held on the 31st of October, at the beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide, a time to remember the passing of saints and martyrs (hallows). But now that day has become a celebration of horror, being associated with the macabre and supernatural. It is a celebration of evil, about witches, death (skeletons, graves, ghosts, ghouls), and jack-o-lanterns (from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a drunkard who bargains with the devil and is doomed to roam the earth without hope). Today, people celebrate Halloween with costumes (deception), putting up evil decorations, and by sending their children from door to door saying, “Trick or treat” (give me a treat or I will trick you). And just as it is with Christmas and Easter, Halloween has become extremely commercialized, profitable, and accepted.

What do we do?

Personally, we try to ignore it as much as possible and do not celebrate it. We don't put up Halloween decorations. However, we do love fall colors and decorations, which are seasonal but neutral. We focus on loving people and upcoming Thanksgiving, and mostly we understand that most are simply unaware of what is behind Halloween, and they are just having fun.

What the Bible says

The Bible does give guidance about dealing with evil. The verse at the top of the page says to “abstain from all appearance of evil,” which is difficult to do with it being virtually everywhere, including the neighbor’s yards and at the grocery store. But we still work to ignore it or use it to share Christ when possible. The Apostle Paul faced the presence of idols when he visited the city of Athens, and he used one of them to present Christ to the group of philosophers that were there on Mars Hill (see Acts 17).

Therefore

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Cor. 13:6)

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) 

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isa. 5:20)

The promise

“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; will see a land that stretches afar.” (Isa. 33:15-17 ESV)

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Rom. 14:19 ESV)

Encourage and build one another up

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (2 Thess. 5:11 ESV)

Consider how to stir one another up to love and good works

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24-25 ESV)

Build each other up with what you say

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:22-24 ESV)

The above passage contains multiple promises

·      God’s love is steadfast

·      God’s Love never ceases

·      God’s mercies never come to an end

·      God’s mercies are new every morning

·      God’s faithfulness is great

·      He is your soul’s portion

·      Therefore, you have hope in Him

And, we can proclaim with confidence…

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

Put on the new self, created in the likeness of God

“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24 ESV)

God is doing a new thing

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert..” (Isa. 43:19 ESV)

God’s plan for you

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23 ESV) 

Gift of love to you is Jesus

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV) 

Gift of the Holy Spirit 

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 ESV)

Thank God for His inexpressible gift to you

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15 ESV)

Therefore…

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Rom. 12:11 ESV)