THE USER'S MANUAL

SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

VERSE FOR TODAY: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2Timothy 3:16).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Trust and Obey"

When you buy a new car, the makers of it give you a manual telling you how to use it. For example, your engine is designed to work with oil in the crankcase. Suppose you say, "This is my car. I'm going to run it any way I please, and I please to run it with oil." Soon the bearings are burned out, and you can't use the car at all.

God made you and me and all other people. He provided a manual telling us how we are designed to work. For example He said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18). Sometimes someones says, "I'm my own person. I'm going to do as I please, and I please to love myself best of all." What happens then? A child fights with his brothers. A man veatshis wife. A robber hold up a store. A Schoolboy shoots a teacher, Somebody hijack an airplane, orblows up a federal building. You've read about all these events. Your newspaper records them. Of course we have to have laws and police and jails to punish people who do such unloving things. It's costly and unpleasant.

What a wonderful world this would be if everybody woylddo what the Bible says! Let's do our part.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Thank the great Creator for the manual that tells us how to get along together and be happy. If you have disobeys the manual yesterday or today, ask God to forgive you. Promise to do better from now on. Ask God to help you understand the manual.

CAN WE FIGHT PEACEFULY?

SCRIPTURE: Roman 16:17-20

VERSE FOR TODAY: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men (Roman 12:18).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Onward Christian soldiers"

A few years ago some people where planning a new hymnbook. They thought of leaving out "Onward Christian Soldiers" because it was too warlike. Christian should be peaceful, they said. But many earnest Christians protested, and the song was included in the book.

We can see two sides to this question. Christian's ought to "fight the good fight" and "earnestly contend for the faith" (1Timothy 6:12; Jude 3). On the other hand, some people start fights about ideas that are "contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned." Christian's have learned the teaching of Jesus and His apostle. We do not want to fight against that, but we may have to fight for it

The teaching of Jesus and th eapostle is recorded in the Nrw Testament. We needto read ir carefully and often. We need to know it so well that we can recognize any teaching that is contrary to it. If we have to fight against such false teaching, wemustbecareful to fight fairly. We don't shout insults at the people who are teaching falsely. We just tell the truth, and point out where it written in the Bible. That's why we need to know the Bible very well.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Thank God for the teaching we know is right, the teaching of Jesus and the apostle. Promise to keep studying and learning more about it. Ask the Lord for wisdom to live peaceably when we can, and argue honestlywhen we must.

JESUS IS THE BEST

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 17:1-8

VERSE FOR TODAY: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him (Matthew 17:5).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "More About Jesus"

Jim and Jerry were pals in high school, and both of them enrolled in the community college. There they found a professor who thought he could improve Jesus' teaching. "Loving your neighbor is OK," the man said, "but loving your enemies doing good to them---that's nonsense. It will get you in trouble every time.

Jerry thought the teacher might be right; Jim said, "No way! Jesus is the best." 

God said something like that to Jesus' disciple long ago. Moses and Elijah were God's prophets, more dependable than any teacher on earth now. Simon Peter thought it would be great to build some shelters out there in the mountains, keep the prophets there and listen to their teaching along with Jesus' teaching.

God had another idea. He said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I  well pleased; hear ye him." Moses Elijah were gone. Only Jesus was left. He is the best.

Good Christian teachers can help us understand Jesus' teaching and follow it. But when any teacher disagress with Jesus, we know that one is wrong. Jesus is the best. You can count on that.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Thank God for sending His Son to teach us as well as to redeem us. Thank God for the Bible, where Jesus' teaching is preserved. Thank Him for Christian teachers who agree with Jesus and teach His Word truly. Promise to keep on learning from Jesus.

DON'T FIGHT AGAINST GOD

SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 2:1-10

VERSE FOR TODAY: The knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation (2Pheter2:9).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Only Trust Him"

"He's drowning!" A woman screamed it, clutching my arm and shaking me.

It was true. A boy in the deep end of the pool couldn't swim. He was out of sight when I reached him. When I pulled him to the surface he sputtered and coughed. Then he hit me with his first and yelled, "Let me go!"

He was so small that I managed to drag him ashore, but he kicked and screamed and fought me all the way. Later he explained. In his panic he thought I was trying to drown him.

The Lord is able to rescue the godly from troubles, but He does not drag us kicking and screaming to safety. If we choose to fight Him. He lets us go. He saved Noah's family, but everybody else in the world drowned. He saved Lot and His daughters from Sodom, but the people burned. And angels that rebelled lost Heaven forever.

God is our friend. His rules are not meant toharm us. They are designed to save us from troubles, to help us be happy in our life on earth, and happier still in Heaven. Let's not fight against God. Let's turn our lives over to Him and be happy.

PRAYER TBOUGHTS: Tell God we know we need help, and thank Him for helping us. Tell Him we really want to do right, and will keep on trying. Thank Him for the Bible, because it help us know what todotobe happy. Ask Him to keep on helping us every day.

A HOUSE FULL OF SAINTS

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:7-16

VERSE FOR TODAY: Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Higher Ground"

Mary Smith tailored beautiful drapes for the Sunday School classroom, and she was embarrassed by the praise heaped on her when the class met. "I'm not a saint," she protested uncomfortably. "I just like to do what I can for the Lord.' "Then you are a saint," the teacher said, "That name means you're dedicated to the Lord, not you're better than anybody else."

"Wow!" Mary grinned. "I'm a saint. Imagine my surprise." "This place is full of saints," the teacher went on. "Saint Bill knows all about the furnace. He missed his breakfast to come in early and make sure we'd have a warm place to meet after that storm yesterday. Right now nearly room in the house has a saint like me trying to help a bunch of saint like you become better a better saints. That's 'the perfecting of the ssints' All of us are becoming better than we were."

Mary's embarrassment was gone. "I'm glad some saint with a shovel cleared the way to the door," she quipped " sure," the teacher agreed, "and I appreciate the saint on the snow plow who cleared the parking lot."

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Thank God first for Jesus, who not only showed us how to live, but also grants forgiveness when we confess our failures. Then thank Him for the saint who wrote about Jesus in the Bible, and for the saint who help us understand it.

A BETTER WAY

SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 2:10-16

VERSE FOR TODAY: Depart from evil, and do good (Psalm 35:14).

HYMN FOR TODAY: " More Like the Master"

Thirty high school students crowded onto a city bus after school. At a downtown stop they transferred to other busses. They had great fun while they waited, running, shouting, pushing, wrestling, and often jostling other people as well as each other. They were so disorderly that police came to quiet them and clear the sidewalk.

Theron and Daren stood in the middle of the sidewalk and said no pigs were going to push them around. When the price pushed, they pushed right back. Sirens screamed and more police came. The scuffle was soon over. Twenty-eight students stood quietly, leaving the sidewalk open for the people walking by. Theron and Daren sat quietly in jail cell.

Today's Scripture tells about older people like Theron and Daren , people who intend to do as they please, regardless of the police, the law people around them, and even God himself. For money, fun, or just to show that they can, they do all kind of wrong things ranging from selfish rudeness to rubbery and murder. But sooner or later they "shall receive the reward of unrighteousness." It's better to do right.

PRAYER THOUGHTS Thank God for the Bible, parents, for friend , for teacher, for police, for all the people who help us do it right. Promise to think more about doing right than about having fun or having your own way. Promise to keep trying to do right.

WHEN OUR HEART ARE OPEN TO GOD

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:1-12

VERSE FOR TODAY: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10, New Internatiinal Version).

HYMN FOR TODAY: " Give Me Thy Heart"

A Former athlete told his friends head lung cancer. " It's my own fault," he said. "Plenty of people told me was mistreating my body by smoking, I'm going to act like Christian for the few years I have left." Such a humble spirit leads to a new kind of living.

Jesus encountered people who polished their appearance at the expense of genuine spirituality. The Pharisees looked good, but they were rotting from the inside out. Even His own disciples were concerned about having the chief seats in His kingdom. How refreshing it was to meet people like the Samaritan woman at the well or Zaccheus! Although their sins were evident, their spirit was humble and open to change.

Christ's beatitudes suggest the possiblity of change. Those who mourn over personal sin and pursue righteousness with a passion will receive the blessings of mercy and forgiveness. They will also demonstrate the grace of God has shown them in their dealing with others.

Today, assume a humble position toward God. Allow Him continually to transform you and prapare you for greater work of service.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Dear Father, I come into Tour presence with a humble heart. Show me areas of my life that have not been fully surrendered to You. Help me me build genuine spiritual character from the inside out Amen.