What is Evil?

Scripture reading: James 4:13-17

Focus verse: "that nation that turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would." Jeremiah 18:10

Mostly, when people think of evil, they think of things like murder, theft and lying. However, in Jeremiah 18:10 God is speaking to the people and says that a nation (or person) does evil by not obeying His voice. Simply put, disobedience is evil in God's sight. This means disobedience to His word, disobedience of parents, disobedience of authorities over us.

Then, James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that if we know the right thing to do, but don't do it, that is also sin. Some examples of knowing the right thing to do but not doing it could be taking care of someone in need, or studying God's Word every day, or praying about something we promised to pray about.

As you go through the day, see things that happen as opportunities to obey God's voice. In order to obey His voice, we have to know His word and what it says.

Spend time studying God's word and find ways to obey what He says. Then, when you know the right thing to do, do it! And in doing so, you will please God.

by Amy Warr
(friend of Mfangano and supporter of Interlocking Ministries)

Laughing all the way to Heaven

Bible reading: Psalm 139

Focus verse: Proverbs 29:25..."The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe."

            For many years of my life I was worried about what people thought of me.  I covered my insecurity many times with humor.  I thought if I could make people laugh at what I said they really would never know the real me.

Believe it or not, it worked.  The problem was it didn't last and I was worn out trying to be someone I really was not.  Laughter is great but it must come from a sincere heart not a means of control.

Then, I met Jesus, and I slowly began to find out who I really was "in Him"  My insecurities began to dissolve as I put my trust in The only one who truly knows me, and guess what, I still make people laugh but now it is from my heart and all the glory goes to Lord...not to me.

Stay focused on the one who will keep you safe and you will never have to wear a mask for other people again.  He will make you the "life of His party" !!!

by Nancy Creagh (friend and supporter of Interlocking Ministries)

Encourage the Children

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Focus Verse: Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21

Samantha Garvey is a precocious 18-year-old high school student who was a semifinalist in a national talent search competition for her research in marine biology. She was invited to attend the president's 2012 State of the Union address, and the next morning she appeared on NBC's Today TV show. While Samantha's accomplishments would be noteworthy under any circumstances, her family's situation is unique: they are homeless. In December 2011, Samantha and her brother, sister, and parents lost their home. They are living in a homeless shelter while waiting for rent-subsidized housing to become available. In spite of their situation, Samantha's father said he and his wife have always encouraged their children to study hard and pursue their goals. Their encouragement obviously paid off.

Encouragement may be the most important emotional ingredient in raising children who have the courage to overcome obstacles in life. Paul warned about the dangers of provoking children to anger and frustration (Ephesians 6:4). The opposite strategy is the one that works: Encourage them to become all God created them to be.

More people fail for lack of encouragement than for any other reason

~David Jeremiah
Turning Point

Make Your Choice

Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 18:19-40

Focus Verse:  1 Kings 18:21  And Elijah came to all the people and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions?  If the Lord is God, follow Him."

Have you ever had a day when you had trouble making decisions?  I could drink tea or soda.  I might wear a suit or a T-shirt.  Some decisions don't seem as important as others.  But when people are indecisive with God, that is a serious problem.  For eighty-five years the nation of Israel had gone back and forth between false gods and the one true God.  They would reap the painful results of following false gods.  Then come back to the one true God.  Then when their problems went away, they would go right back to the false gods again.  Then Elijah said that they should not do that anymore.  They should make a choice.  Will they follow the Lord?

Moses gave Israel the same question in Exodus 32:26.  He said, "Whoever is on the Lord's side come to me."  Joshua also challenged Israel.  "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."  Joshua 24:15.  And in Matthew 12:30  Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me.

Following Jesus is not just something you say.  It requires a change in leadership.  You can not remain the leader and also follow Jesus.  You allow Jesus to be the leader.  In the book of Luke Jesus declares, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."  Luke 9:23-24.

It's a decision we must make every day of our lives.  Choose this day whom you will serve.  Will you follow Him?

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Children of Lies or Light

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32

Focus Verse:  "The Lord detests lying lips but he delights in those who tell the truth."  Proverbs 12:22

I once met a man who said that lying was bad only if you get caught.  This is wrong.  Lies do not come from God, but from the selfish nature of man or from Satan.  If we are followers of Christ, we should not fall into being tempted to tell something that isn't true.  We should not seek to mislead someone.  We should not seek to deceive.  If you don't say the lie, but say things that would make someone believe something that wasn't true, that is deceit.  It is so easy to lie.

Do you think these things are a lie?

1. When you tell someone the wrong price for an item?

2. When you send an SMS or email from someone's phone pretending to be them.

3. When you lie, but you think you are helping the situation with the lie? 

4. When you hear a lie, know it's a lie, but don't say anything so that others will believe it?

It is human and natural to lie since Satan lied in the garden of Eden.  It is of Satan.  We are to follow the Father of Light.  With Jesus as our Savior, he can give us the courage to tell the truth.  He can help us to be honest.  If you have lied to your neighbor or brother, you should confess before God.  You should then ask your neighbor for forgiveness. 

You will choose today to be the children of lies or the children of LIGHT!

~Page Johnson of Interlocking Ministries

The Bible is full of scripture about lying:

Leviticus 19:11 You shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Psalms 119:163 I hate and abhor lying: but your law do I love.
Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame.
Proverbs 14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Hosea 11:12 Ephraim compasses me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet rules with God, and is faithful with the saints.
Zephaniah 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stayed not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.
Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds;
1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;