Distance Devotion           –          April 1, 2020

Proverbs 14:9                   –          Only Fools Laugh at Sin

Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

The book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom.  It addresses our friends, family and our finances.  The first nine chapters have a focus that helps young people as they begin to step out into life.  The next section, chapters ten through thirty deal with mid-age and the last section deals with us in mature life.  Chapter thirty-one is most likely the best known passage of the book as it speaks of the virtuous woman. 

The America in which we live is much different than fifty years ago.  There has always been sin prevalent in our country, but there was also a push to keep sin hidden or practiced only “in the back alleys.”  Today, sin is rampant and open.  There are parades to honor perversion (Gay Pride Parades).  America is the largest purveyor of pornography and sex trafficking is a major problem here.  The average television show will either glamorize promiscuity or laugh about it.  This leads to the text for our Distance Devotion today:  Only Fools Laugh at Sin.

Sin is far more serious than we usually understand.  Remember, in the Garden of Eden, it was the mere eating of a forbidden fruit that plunged mankind into sin.  It was not the fruit, but the disobedience that was the underlying problem.  Now, in the year 2020, men openly laugh at wickedness.  Drunkenness is cause for humor as is sexual activity outside of marriage.  Men are laughed at as only wanting food and sensual entertainment.  Not only are we laughing at sin, but also desiring to do the same ourselves.  The Bible calls it being envious of the wicked.  The world says it this way, What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  May God help us to be more sober minded and never make a mock or laugh at sin.  The cost is too high.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Distance Devotions          –          March 31, 2020

Song of Solomon 5:9,10  –          He is the Chiefest

Song 5:9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?  10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

The Song of Solomon has other names.  The most common one other than the Song of Solomon is Canticles.  The book is a record of the love and marriage between King Solomon and a village girl name Shulamite.  (Song 6:13)  The style of the book is antiphonal singing.  The groom will sing and the bride will answer.  As I pointed out in a previous Distance Devotion, singing was the highest expression of joy in the Middle Eastern custom.  This little book is likely best known for the text we are using today and, perhaps, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys”. (Song 2:1)

In chapter five, the bride has become lazy and indifferent to the groom and offends him.  The bride is a picture of the Church and the groom is a picture of Christ in the Song of Solomon.  As her indifference was an offense to the groom, so our indifference to the Lord offends Him.  In this text, the bride is asked, What is thy beloved more than another….?  That is the question for you and me today as well.  If we profess to be Christians, how can we allow anything to come between us and the Savior who redeemed us?  What in this world can compare to Him?  The answer today is the same that the Shulamite gave centuries ago, He is the Chiefest….  The comparison is impossible.  Any ten thousand men may muster, Jesus outshines them all.  Any ten thousand of history are dwarfed by the Christ of God! 

Let us determine that we will not allow anything here on earth to come between us and He who loves our souls unto death.  May we always answer Him in the affirmative instead of making excuses for our lack of obedience.  May our testimony be that He is more than all else that is, that was, and that ever might be.  Jesus is all in all to the believer.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Distance Devotions          –          March 30, 2020

What’s in the Wagon?     –          Genesis 45:26-28

Genesis 45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.  27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Joseph has been elevated to prominence in Egypt.  His plan, under the leadership of God, will provide for the nation of Egypt and for his own people, helping them to survive a seven year famine.  Two years into the seven years of famine, Joseph has revealed himself to his brethren and sent them back to get his father and the rest of the family.  Israel is moving to Egypt for a period of 430 years, 400 of which will be years of slavery and servitude.  The mighty hands of God’s prophetic time clock are moving forward.  The iniquity of the Canaanites is yet to be filled and when it is God will remove His people from Egypt back into Canaan.

No doubt but that Jacob was somewhat overwhelmed with all that transpired in a compressed segment of time.  His sons return with news that Joseph is alive.  Alive?  How? What…?  Jacob struggles to grasp it all and is overwhelmed, until he sees the wagons.  The sight of the abundant supply sealed the knowledge to Jacob’s heart and he was convinced.  “And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.”  Israel spent the next seventeen years with Joseph and died in a good old age.

Can we stop for a moment, in the midst of concern about this novel coronavirus, and say, there is enough in the wagon?  God has promised to meet our needs.  Our problem is that we often confuse our wants with our needs.  The Lord has never failed His people and He is not about to start doing so now.  We have sufficient grace for whatever lies ahead of us.  Quit looking at the unbearable, quit considering the negative as primary in your life, and recognize that Jesus came out of the grave and His “wagon” will be enough for us.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Don’t Fall out of the Way
Genesis 45:24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

Joseph’s brethren, the patriarchs of the nation of Israel, less than stellar in their conduct. The jealousy among them was palpable and some of that was caused by Jacob and how he treated Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph, one of the few men in the Bible against whom no sin is recorded, was given to dreams. God would use these dreams not only to show the future, but also to protect and elevate Joseph in due season. Because of the jealousy and a big-brother mentality toward their younger brother, Joseph, they eventually sold him as a slave into Egypt and lied to Jacob by saying that an animal had torn him, producing the coat of many colors as evidence.

Fast forward several years, and we find Joseph in prison, interpreting dreams of two of Pharaoh’s staff. When Pharaoh has a dream that needs interpreting, the chief butler pointed out Joseph who interpreted the dream. In a whirlwind of events, Joseph goes from prison to the second ruler in the nation. Joseph’s brethren upon learning that he was still alive are naturally astounded and afraid. Joseph wants to bring his father and the whole family to live in Egypt and be supplied by his hand. This meant that his brothers were going to face the hard task of explaining how Joseph was alive and how he was now second only to Pharaoh in Egypt.

Wouldn’t you have loved to heard and seen that family meeting? “Dad, we…umm, we…um, dad, Joseph is alive and we sold him for a slave.” Maybe not the exact words as the Bible doesn’t tell us, but surely something like these words. The temptation would be to lie again. Perhaps even a temptation to run away. With all that in mind, Joseph said to his brothers, See that ye fall not out of the way.

Making hard decisions, facing hard events like seeking forgiveness, and facing one’s failures can drive us to make a second foolish decision. Let’s make sure that we do not fall out of the way of holy living, dedicated lives, and faithfulness to God. Do not get so used to this world that you lose your desire for the next and eternal one. Stay fresh in love with Jesus and do not fall out of the way.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Joy in Important Things – Psalm 122:1
Psalm 122:1 ¶ <<A Song of degrees of David.>> I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

This psalm is one of the fifteen psalms called the Songs of Degrees or by some the Songs of Ascent. Three times a year all the grown men had to come to Jerusalem for religious feasts. As they walked along and began to gather in numbers, it was natural for them to begin to sing. In the Middle East culture of the day, singing was the ultimate form of the expression of joy. We are reminded in Zephaniah 3:17 that the Lord will joy over us with singing.

It has been almost two weeks since we had to make the decision to shut the church doors in concern for the physical health of the congregation. These days have been filled with concern, some measure of fear, and a lot of confusion. Resting in the arms of the Lord is a good place to be. He is our shelter and refuge. When fear strikes your heart, remember Who it is that is watching over you in your deepest sleep. God is always thinking of you. (Psalm 40:5)

By now we, as individual believers, should be sorting out what is important and what is not. The government is using the terms essential and non-essential. Christians ought to be making decisions along those same lines. What really is essential? Sad to say, but to some sports carries as much importance as worshipping God. To others, free time, family time, or just indifference has become more important than worshipping the Savior who redeemed their souls. For me, as Joshua of old said, and my house we will serve the Lord. I cannot do without the gathering of the saints for worship. I am going to be very glad when we can say, Let us go unto the house of the Lord!

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Healing Takes Time – John 9:2,3,6,7

John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him…6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

In our text, we see a common misconception in biblical times, and even some today, we see a conclusion that personal sin caused this man’s blindness. Our Lord was quick to correct them for theological error. Indwelling sin, moral or total depravity, includes the potential of any man committing any sin under the right conditions. Also, because we are sinners and live in a world filled with it, we are all liable to any disease or malady.
Some of the Lord’s miracles were immediate. The man carried of four being told to take up his bed and walk; raising Lazarus from the tomb, but some were different. Today, think over the healing of this man born blind. Jesus saw him and moved with compassion, He reached out to the man born blind. Christ spit on the dust of the ground and applied the mixture to the man’s eyes and told him to go to the pool of Siloam. He returned healed and rejoicing.
Healing in a human sense always involves a process. God has graciously designed our bodies to fight infection and heal itself. Sometimes that process fails and a hospital visit it necessary. As some of our Lord’s miracles involved the passage of time and other included action on the part of person healed. But all of these were miracles nonetheless.
Sometimes the healing of our souls take time in the wisdom of God. We sin some more than others and in varying degrees. As we return to the Lord, a great burden is lifted, but has left its mark on us. Our conscience strikes in our solitude or when we lay down to sleep. Don’t despair. Once you are forgiven, God will cleanse you as He promised: 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That a process is going on in your heart is not a sign God is not pleased with you. No! A thousand times no! It is clear evidence that you are God’s child or He would not be disciplining you. Healing takes time. Rest in His arms and know all is well.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Genesis 2:16,18; Genesis 3

Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

The creation account is the linchpin of faith in the Word of God. If you cannot accept the account literally, you will have trouble with the rest of the Bible. Once one accepts that the Lord has the wisdom and power to bring into being everything that exists nothing is beyond Him. In fact the Bible says: Luke 1:37, For with God nothing shall be impossible. Being Creator, He is entitled to set rules and guidelines for His creation. Inside of that authority, the lord made man and gave him all the fruit of the trees in the Garden of Eden with a single exception, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And, He not only commanded man not to eat of that tree, but He also set a penalty for violating His commandment.
When Adam and his wife sinned by partaking, the penalty began immediately. Adam and his wife, soon to be called Eve, were immediately embarrassed by their nudity. Due to that fear, they were moved to cover themselves by sewing fig leaves to make aprons. When the Lord came to visit them, they hid from Him. Have you even given much thought to that action? Besides being an adequate covering, there had to be some consideration to how long the leaves might last. Adam knew that the trees were a source of his food. Perhaps he made some connection to the life-sustaining fruit and what these aprons might do for him and Eve. Is it possible that he might have viewed them a special source of strength and life?
He knew things had changed dramatically and He was desperate to regain what he had lost. This basically what men have been doing ever since that day. We’ve invented many religions. Almost without any exception, these man-made religions require men to do works of righteousness or sacrifices. Simply sowing more “fig leaves.” Like Adam, we believe these modern fig leaved aprons will provide life apart from God. However, they have all failed. Adam had not seen death so he failed to see his apron would soon dry up and deteriorate,
Our lesson today is this: there is only one source of life and that is in God. No fake religion created by man will stand the test of time nor produce life. Don’t hid from God run to Him. Ye, be ashamed and even be afraid, but know of certainty only God can forgive sin and provide eternal life.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Distance Devotions – March 25, 2020

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

As we read this chapter, we are smitten with many deeply spiritual truths. For instance, we are told that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. What a blessing to know that He is interested in mere mortals and not only in a distant manner, but in a personal and intimate way. Lest we get too far afield, let us focus on the interplay between Martha and Jesus then Mary and Jesus. We usually consider Martha to be the less spiritual of the two sisters. In John, chapter 11, she apparently rushes out when she learns that Jesus is coming and she seems to confront Him with the death of her brother, Lazarus. Contrast this with Mary’s approach. She waits for Him to send word through Martha that Jesus wishes to see her. When Mary comes to where Jesus is, she falls at His feet and says exactly the same words Martha used. “…Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

Many have looked at Martha’s words and actions and seen her as accusatory or at the least as complaining. Mary’s words exact a groan from the lips of the Son of God. But, let me point out some thoughts to you. Martha, for all of her faults, was the one who elicited one of the most wondrous statements ever heard: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live….” Think of how many people have been blessed by those words. Had not Martha hurriedly and with anguish of heart cried out to the Lord, she might well have missed hearing those comforting words about the resurrection.

Mary, with an obviously warm yet broken heart of devotion, cried out to the Savior. She didn’t hear Him declare Himself to be the resurrection, but she did see Him weep. She learned through His tears that his love was real. There was a deeper purpose that she would have to wait to see, but He would not leave her without comfort and revealed His heart to her as she had revealed hers to Him.

Dear Christian, do not worry about past failures. You cannot live in them. Look forward to His promises and remember He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He is still all that He claimed to be and still has a real love for us.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Distance Devotions – March 22, 2020

Psalm 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

The words of our text today are very thought, no pun intended, provoking.  I have read somewhere that it is a psychological impossibility for us to completely quit thinking.  Even as we sleep, our mind is functioning and resting itself in our dreams.  However, just as not all dreams are good, some of them are called nightmares because of their frightening nature, there are thoughts that are disquietening.  The Hebrew word for “thoughts” in our text is not a good word; it means thoughts that disquieten or make uneasy.  The fact is that all of us have thoughts that at times bring fear, consternation, concern, and pressure.  Every parent has thoughts of fear when their teenager leaves the house for the evening.  Every businessman has fears about his cash flow, insurance costs, and employee issues.  Every pastor has fearful thoughts about the congregation and the relationship issues that are so prevalent today.

With COVID-19 fears all around us, empty shelves at the store, reports of fights over food, and the pressure of the unknown, we are all likely to be having thoughts that are unpleasant and disconcerting.  Read the text again, in fact, read the context.  Verse 11, The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  The thoughts of the righteous man may be boiling up within him as well, but the comforts of the Lord will delight him.  Saved people think about the Lord and His Spirit brings things to our thought process.

I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I do know that when I get there, God will be waiting on me.  I cannot go anywhere His is not already there.  Draw comfort dear Christian.  His comforts will delight your soul!  When you seem overwhelmed by the confusion of current events, comfort yourself in knowing that the Lord God rules and reigns in the affairs of men.

Pastor F. J. Weems III

Genesis 32:29-31 (KJV)
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

In the text above, we meet Jacob as he fought desperately to maintain control of his circumstances. He was concerned about what Esau might do the next day and was left alone with his thoughts of what to do when suddenly Someone else showed up. Even then, Jacob wrestled till the Angel of the Lord shows him suddenly and decisively how weak he really was. Jacob won because he surrendered.

You and I have been suddenly reminded how weak and mortal we are. A virus, a micro sized disease, has for all intents and purposes, at least temporarily, changed the world as we know it. Let us learn Jacob’s lesson. God is in control, He intends good to His people, and our plans, thoughts, and attempts to control our circumstances are nothing. Surrender to Him and you will never regret it.

Pastor F. J. Weems III