Category Archives: Today’s Good News

March 12, 2021 · 8:59 am

Matthew 28:20 – Ladies Edition

Promises of Jesus

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from March 9, 2021. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Ruth Wiram

WELCOME

Hello, my name is Ruth and I would like to welcome you to Today’s Good News, Ladies Edition.

INTRODUCTION

I would like to share a verse with a promise today. Matthew 28:20.

” teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. surely I am with you always, to the end of the very age.”

At this time, Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer had just been resurrected from the tomb. He was speaking to His beloved disciples who must have been full of all kinds of emotions. From fear and disappointment to hope and joy. And now at the end of this chapter Jesus was sending them out into the world.

LONELINESS

Have you ever been or are you right now, lonely? This reminds me of a story. A woman saw a lonely penguin wandering in the streets of Rosarito. She immediately took her to the nearest police station to ask for advice. “Officer, I found this penguin, what should I do?” The Officer recommended that the lady take the penguin to the Zoo. The woman said ok and left the police station. A couple of hours later, the police officer was looking through the window and saw the woman and the penguin, holding hands and walking down the street. He ran outside and asked the woman, “Didn’t I tell you to take that penguin to the Zoo? The woman replied, “I did take her to the Zoo. And now we are going to the movies!”

Seriously, we all experience loneliness at times in our lives. And the promise that Jesus gave His disciples that He would be with them always, even to the end of the age is also true for us today.

Do you remember the story of Hagar in the Old Testament? She was the Egyptian slave who had a child with Abraham. Abraham’s wife despised her and caused her so much trouble that Hagar ran away into the dessert. She was lonely and desperate with no one to take care of her. The Angel of the Lord came and spoke to her reassuring her that she would have a son and that God would multiply her descendants exceedingly. She named him Ishmael, meaning the Lord has heard my affliction. Then Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-are-the-one-who-sees.

NEVER ALONE

Ladies, our Loving Heavenly Father sees all that we are going through. He sees our loneliness in sickness. He sees our loneliness in our struggles with difficult relationships. He sees our loneliness in all of the trials we face.

There is one supreme moment of loneliness in History, so dark and deep that only Jesus has ever experienced. It was on the cross the moment He became sin for us. In that horrible, lonely moment, He felt forsaken by His Father and all those He loved. He was ravaged physically and spiritually. No one has experienced or understands the depths of loneliness like Jesus. But He can and does understand our loneliness. He can sympathize with our weakness more than we know. Jesus doesn’t merely understand our loneliness; He destroyed it. Because He bore the sin that alienates us from God and died on our behalf, we are no longer strangers or aliens, but we are fellow citizens with all the saints and members of God’s family. He is with us always. He never leaves our sides, not even for a moment. He has a purpose for all that happens in our lives. He can use our troubles to teach us powerful lessons to strengthen our faith. In the darkness, where nothing but the light of Jesus shines, He is teaching us to trust Him completely. When He tests us through the troubles of life, we need to trust in His promises.

STRENGTH TOGETHER

These times of doubt are when our faith is grown. We all want out, a quick escape. There are two things we can do. We can try to get rid of our troubles or we can recognize that our trials are challenges that will bring about blessings in our lives. So, when we are tempted to give up, we must remember that we are more than conquerors through God’s Son who loves us and will never leave us.

Deuteronomy 21:6 says,

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

And that Ladies, is today’s good news!

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February 24, 2021 · 7:25 am

MATTHEW 28:20

Promises of Jesus

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from February 23rd, 2021. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News!

INTRODUCTION

Currently, we’re studying the Promises of Jesus. Today, we get to look at the promise contained in Matthew 28:20. It’s a promise that provides Jesus’ Disciples the ability to carry out the final instructions He gave them. Before diving into that, I want to take a quick poll that I think will shed some light on the importance of following instructions.

How many of you have purchased an item that required assembly and it came with assembly instructions? Most of you, I thought so.

How many of you have attempted to assemble an item like this without reading the instructions? Yes, I knew I wasn’t alone in this.

And, how many of you have had to disassemble such an item and start all over after reading the instructions which you failed to do in the first place? Isn’t it crazy how we ignore the instructions, the one thing that can enable us to do the assembly correctly, until we’ve proven that we can’t do it on our own? Keep this in mind as we take a look at today’s Scripture verse, Matthew 28:20.

THE GREAT COMMISSION

To begin understanding this verse, it’s necessary to look at it in context. It is the last verse in the last section of Matthew’s gospel. That section, Matthew 28:16-20, is widely known as The Great Commission. It says:

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;’ and He ends with today’s verse, ‘lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

GREATLY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS

In preparing for this teaching, I was reminded of the crucial importance of Chapter 28. Though it ends with what we’re looking at today, The Great Commission, it begins with The Resurrection.

Nothing could be more important to Christians. As we’re told in 1 Corinthians 15:13-19,

… if Christ is not risen … we are of all men the most pitiable.

But Christ is risen.

With that and its importance understood, it seems pretty obvious that the final instructions he gave His Disciples are greatly important too. So let’s take a closer look at His Great Commission and the Promise it contains.

First of all, the disciples were sent to a specific place, at an appointed time, for a specific purpose, to meet with the resurrected Jesus. This was not just a fluke meeting. Obviously, the Lord did this intentionally, to give His disciples their final marching orders.

“But”, we’re told, “some doubted.” Scripture doesn’t tell us what they doubted, going into this meeting. However, it becomes understandable why they might have doubts about their ability to carry out the instructions Jesus gave them in the meeting. They were told:

Go … make disciples of all nations. Not be prepared when they come to you.

Not just let them know about, make disciples.

Baptizing. An open and public action, not private.

In the name of … The Trinity, requiring deep understanding, not just scratching the surface.

Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you … Walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

HUMAN DOUBT

The disciples probably doubted if doing all this was humanly possible. Since they had witnessed Jesus’ resurrection and He had told them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” they probably had little doubt that Jesus could do this divinely. But they were human, not divine. He had the authority, not them. Just the same, this wasn’t man-made liturgy, it was commanded by the Lord. So what were they to do?

DIVINE PROMISE

Well, that is where Jesus’ final promise to them comes in, “… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And, if He would be with them, His authority would be with them too. He assured them that they wouldn’t have to try to “Go” on their own. He, the resurrected Jesus, would be with them, not just at the beginning, not occasionally, but “always”, now and “even to the end of the age.”

It’s important for us to recognize that this precious promise reaches down the centuries, touching each of us, His children. Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us, no matter what situation we find ourselves in – no matter what difficult life-circumstances we face. All authority has been placed under His control, and He says to us with that authority – “Lo, I am with You, always.”

And THAT is Today’s Good News!

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January 26, 2021 · 8:16 am

1 Samuel 16:7 – Ladies Edition

Old Testament Promises

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from January 26th, 2021. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Ruth Wiram

WELCOME

Hello!  My name is Ruth and I would like to share with you Today’s Good News, Ladies Edition!

INTRODUCTION

I want to read to you a poem entitled Judge Not

I was shocked, confused, bewildered

As I entered Heaven’s door,

Not by the beauty of it all,

Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven

Who made me sputter and gasp–

The thieves, the liars, the sinners,

The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade..

Who swiped my lunch money twice.

Next to him was my old neighbor

Who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought

Was rotting away in hell,

Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,

Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal?

I would love to hear Your take.

How’d all these sinners get up here?

God must’ve made a mistake.

‘And why’s everyone so quiet,

So somber – give me a clue.’

‘Hush, child,’ He said, ‘they’re all in shock.

No one thought they’d be seeing you.’

PROMISE

The Bible promise we are studying today is found at the end of the verse in 1 Samuel 16:7. 

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

We tend to judge the character and worth of others by looking at outward appearances. If a person is tall, good-looking, and nicely dressed, then he or she possesses physical qualities that we generally admire and respect. 

But God has the unique ability to see inside a person. 

God knows our true character because He “looks at the heart.”  Moral and spiritual qualities are far more important to God than outward appearance.

The heart in Scripture is a person’s inner moral and spiritual life. The heart is the core, the inner essence of who we are.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.  And the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

My hope and prayer is that when God looks into our hearts, He sees hearts that are seeking Him.

GOD’S HEART

But, how do we seek God With our Whole Hearts?

This is a work of the Holy Spirit.  And I definitely don’t have it all “figured out”! So, if you feel me; like you’re lost in a sea of worldly distractions, and you don’t know how to seek God wholeheartedly, rest assured you are not alone. 

There are three things we can do to seek God whole-heartedly.

OUR ATTITUDE

One is to approach God with an attitude of fear, reverence, awe and worship.

Do you ever stop and think about how amazing it is that God created you? That He knew you even before you were born?  God created us for a relationship with Him, and He desires our full devotion and adoration.

The second thing we can do to seek God whole-heartedly is to cultivate a humble and repentant heart.

Since we know God is worthy of all praise and glory, we should seek Him with humble hearts. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory, and yet He gave His only Son Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins. So, if we’re to seek God honestly and openly, we need to confess our sins regularly, repent, and make a sincere effort to turn away from them.

This brings us to our last point; which is to lean on God’s grace. 

As we’re seeking God, it can be tempting to try and accomplish things in our own strength, like trying to love difficult people, or being more generous with our resources.  But at the end of the day, we find ourselves still falling short.

I can’t tell you how many days I’ve tried to pray continually, or love my neighbors, or stay focused on Jesus, but felt  I was failing miserably.  What I realized is that I was TRYING to do all those things, without seeking God. It’s only when I make a point to come to God first thing in the morning and throughout the day, that I can do these things.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And I can also rest in His Grace and not feel guilty for the areas where I fall short.

If our aim is to genuinely seek Him, we WILL find Him. 

Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

And that Ladies, is Today’s Good News.

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January 19, 2021 · 9:02 am

1 SAMUEL 16:7

Old Testament Promises

A Five Minute Devotiomnal

The video shown below is the devotional from January 18th, 2021. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News.

INTRODUCTION

Presently, Today’s Good News is doing a series on Old Testament Promises. The focus of today’s lesson is 1 Samuel 16:7 which involves the subject of outward appearance. Before looking closely at that verse, I want to share a non-Biblical story to help us get the right perspective on this topic.

One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church wearing clothes that were ragged and worn, though they were spotlessly clean. The church was in a wealthy area and the attire of the congregation reflected that. No one welcomed the old cowboy or even sat near him. As he was leaving, the preacher approached him and said, “Before you come back, please ask God what He thinks would be appropriate attire for you to worship here.” The old cowboy said he would do that. The next Sunday, he showed up wearing the same ragged clothes. Once again, the congregation completely shunned him. This time, when the preacher approached the old cowboy, he said, “I thought you promised to ask God what He thinks would be appropriate attire for you to worship here. “I did,” replied the old cowboy. “What did He tell you?” asked the preacher. The old cowboy answered, “Well, sir, God told me that He didn’t have a clue what I should wear. He said He’d never been in this church.”

Have you ever been to a church like that? I have and I’m very thankful that Calvary Chapel Rosarito is very much the opposite. I hope and pray that it always will be. But, the story does give us a very clear illustration of how  judging by outward appearance can be so wrong.

Now, let’s take a look at today’s Scripture to see what it has to say about outward appearance and to see what we can learn from the promise that Scripture holds. 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

GIVE US A KING!

These are instructions God gave Samuel as He sent him to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s Sons to replace Saul as King. Before Saul, when Israel was straying from God, He would send nations to conquer them, to get their attention, then He would send a Judge to save them. When Samuel was getting old, he intended to set up his Sons as Judges, though they did not walk in his ways. But the Elders of Israel rejected that, insisting that they have a King, like other nations. That displeased Samuel but, in 1 Samuel 8:7, God told Samuel,  “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” And, in verse 9, He went on to say, “However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” When Samuel gave that forewarning to the people, he gave them a long list of negatives that they could expect from having a King rule over them instead of God. At first, Saul’s reign went well for the people, as he sought to obey God’s will. Eventually, though, he ruled according to his own will and God’s forewarnings came to pass.

THE KING’S APPEARANCE

When Samuel anointed Saul as King, it was obvious that his outward appearance played a part in Saul being accepted as King. No doubt, warning against making that mistake again is a goal of 1 Samuel 16:7. But, greater than God’s warning to “not look at … appearance or … physical stature” is the promise included in the reminder that, instead of that, “the Lord looks at the heart.”

THE KING’S HEART

In following the instructions of 1 Samuel 16:7, Samuel anointed David as King. What are the first things you think of when you think of King David? Goliath? Bathsheba? Absalom? For me, first and foremost I think of him as “A man after God’s own heart”. But what does that mean?

We know that it doesn’t mean that David was morally better than everyone else. Bathsheba, who we just mentioned, is a great example of that. The meaning that can easily be missed from man’s point of view is that David had a heart that was willing to be compliant with what was on God’s heart. That included choosing David as the first ruler to sit on the throne of God’s everlasting kingdom, foreshadowing Jesus in many ways. His life pointed forward to the Messiah, the Son of David, who would come to be our Savior and King. That is the great promise included in the reminder that, “the Lord looks at the heart.”

GOD’S HEART

And, that promise holds a great lesson for us about how we can be men and women after God’s own heart. It doesn’t mean that we are sinless but that we are seeking after God, that our hearts are open and submissive to God, and that when we do sin, like David, we confess and repent. Our hearts really matter to God. And, if we truly become men and women after God’s own heart, He can and will use us, as He did David.

And THAT, is Today’s Good News.

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December 9, 2020 · 7:15 am

Immanuel, God With Us

A Five Minute Devotional

During the 2020 Christmas Season, Calvary Chapel Rosarito provided devotionals every weekday under the heading of Today’s Good News – Christmas Edition. The video shown below is the devotional from Wednesday, December 9th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Merry Christmas! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Glad Tidings.

INTRODUCTION

Glad Tidings. Now there’s a phrase you don’t hear much. It’s an Old English phrase that was common in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although you will find it used in the King James Version of the Bible, in my lifetime, I’ve mostly heard it used in connection with Christmas. Since its meaning fits right into today’s lesson, we will be taking a closer look at that. First, let me tell you a story about missing the mark with the meaning of Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, a man went out to buy his wife a gift for the next day. Being short of money, he was unsure about what to buy. He decided to try the cosmetics area in a department store. He asked the salesgirl there, ‘How about some perfume?’  She showed him a bottle costing $150. ‘Too expensive,’ he complained. So, she returned with a smaller bottle for $100.  ‘Still far too much’, he growled. Then, becoming annoyed at the man’s attitude, she offered him a tiny  $20 bottle. He became really agitated. ‘What I mean’, he snarled, ‘is I’d like to see something really cheap.’ So the sales girl handed him a mirror.

GOOD NEWS

The meaning of the phrase “Glad Tidings” is “Good News”. Although the story of this cheap man is amusing, it’s actually pretty sad when you consider how lost that message has become in the way many celebrate Christmas.

Our Scripture for today is Matthew 1:22-23. Please open your Bibles to these verses. Let’s read them and consider them together. – “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

This Scripture References Isaiah 7:14, that says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” And this Scripture concludes by telling us that “Immanuel” translated is “God with us.”

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

But wait a minute, don’t we see God being with people throughout the Old Testament after the fall of man? He spoke to Noah about the ark. He spoke to Moses from the burning bush. When Israel was wandering in the wilderness, God went before them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Why is this “God with us” such a big deal?

To help understand this, let me share a personal story with you. In my favorite job ever, my mentor was a VP based on the East Coast. I benefited from lessons he would share with the company through various media. I gained more from him through phone meetings that we both joined in. But it was most meaningful for me when he visited the West Coast. His spending time with me in my office, with my clients and prospects, riding together, dining together, etc, was, by far, the most helpful and the most rewarding for me.   

My gaining from my mentor through knowing that he was there for me and even hearing from him, wasn’t enough for me. I needed to connect with him person-to person. In the Old Testament, we hear man crying out for that level of relationship with God time and time again. One of the best examples is found in Job 9:32-33 when Job laments the impossibility of his being able to commune directly with God. He says, “For (God) is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.”

God’s response to this, our lonely cry, was to reach down to earth, in the flesh of Christ, to be with us, to assure us that we are not alone. Whether we’re suffering through: unemployment, a death, divorce, bankruptcy, poverty, illness, etc, “Immanuel” means that God is with us in such situations; understanding our pain, our anger, our fear, etc. “Immanuel” means that understanding these things, God surrounds us with His love, His presence, and His Spirit.

That answers the question, “Why is this ‘God with us’ such a big deal?” And, it gets us back to the story of the man who was missing the mark with the meaning of Christmas in shopping for some cheap perfume for his Wife. If I were asked to sum up the rich meaning of Christmas in one word, it would be “Immanuel.” It captures the mystery and the miracle that is Christmas. The Almighty God, who crafted the galaxies with His bare hands, the Eternal Word, Who always was and always will be, came to Earth in the form of a helpless baby. For God, it was not enough for Him to remain in Heaven and love us from a distance. No, He sent His Son to walk with us, talk with us, teach us about Himself, and show us His great love in a personal and intimate way.

HIS GRACIOUS GIFT

Immanuel. God with us. What an incredible gift?! What a marvelous Christmas gift?! That is the meaning to have in mind when we say “Merry Christmas”!

So, let me say to you all, Merry Christmas. And for us all, that is Today’s Glad Tidings!

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November 26, 2020 · 7:15 am

MATTHEW 5:7

The Beatitudes – Mercy

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from November 26th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Hello! My name is Ruth and I would like to welcome you to today’s Good News, Ladies Edition.

INTRODUCTION

Our Scripture verse today is Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

The definition of Biblical mercy is God’s pity, compassion and kindness toward people who do not deserve it.

We’ve all heard the story of the prophet Jonah. 

And this reminds me of a story.

A young girl and her teacher were arguing about whether humans can be swallowed by whales. Her teacher said that it’s impossible. The little girl said, “How can this be? Jonah got swallowed by a whale; and when I get to heaven, I’ll ask him.” The teacher said, “What if Jonah didn’t go to heaven?” The girl said, “Then you ask him.”

GOD’S MERCY

Jonah was the earliest of the prophets in the Old Testament. God sent Jonah to preach repentance to the Ninevites.   

We can learn a great deal about God’s mercy from this story.  One thing that really stands out about the story of Jonah is the fact that he heard what God wanted him to do and he did the opposite. Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.

We may ask ourselves why would Jonah do such a thing? Then we realize that we’ve probably done the same thing at some time in our own lives, maybe even now.  Reflecting on the choices we’ve made when we have wanted to do things our own way can create anxiety and sleepless nights. There also may be times where we’ve tried to numb our pain with people or things that are not of God. Afterwards we felt even more empty than we did before.  What Jonah should have done and what we should do is repent, humble ourselves and surrender to God’s will.

It’s not always easy to show people mercy.  But what we should remember is that whenever we don’t show other people mercy, we are forgetting that we have already been shown such great mercy by God. Jonah should have shown the people of Nineveh mercy because he had already been shown the exact same kind of mercy from God when the whale spewed him out.  We all deserve to stay dead in our sins and separated from God forever, but in His mercy, God gives us new life in Christ.  God has forgiven us such a great debt and shown us such mercy. How can we not show mercy to others?

How did God react to the Ninevites’ repentance?  “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on the destruction He had threatened.  God’s righteous anger against Nineveh simply subsided. He observed the change in the people and saw that the punishment He had intended to bring on them would no longer be fitting.  Some people may see God as cold, rigid and harsh. But His true character shows that He is indeed reasonable, adaptable and merciful.

When we show mercy, we receive mercy. Jesus also says that “if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will Your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”  Mercy triumphs over judgment.  If Jonah had the opportunity to reflect on these verses, he may  have been able with God’s help to show mercy on the Ninevites.  Only the merciful will receive mercy in the Kingdom of God. And the ones who show mercy will reap mercy.

One of the most important lessons from Jonah on God’s mercy has to do with God’s character. When we practice mercy, we display God’s character for everyone around us to see.   Jonah calls God “a gracious and merciful God.”  Paul says that God’s nature is “rich in mercy.” As Christians, we know that God is making us into the image of His Son and that we are the light of the world.  Mercy isn’t something we do simply because we are commanded to do it. Mercy is something we do to reflect God’s character in a worshipful way. God shows us mercy and grace. We should also reflect the same in our lives.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes!  He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.”

And that ladies, is today’s good news!

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November 20, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 30:5-6

Proverbs Greatest Hits

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from November 20th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News.

INTRODUCTION

As we continue the Today’s Good News series on The Greatest Hits From Proverbs, we’re getting pretty close to the end. Today, we will be in Proverbs Chapter 30 which is, in fact, the next-to-last chapter in the book. Proverbs has been referred to as a workshop in wisdom. So, not surprisingly, Chapter 30 continues with wisdom as its theme. What really draws it apart from the rest of the book, though, is that it is not presented as human wisdom, gained through life experience but as prophecy, given by the Holy Spirit.

As we prepare to dive into this very interesting Scripture, let me share a non-Scriptural story with you that may aid us in keeping open minds about what is and what isn’t true wisdom.

A young woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents. After dinner, the father invites the fiancé to his study for a chat. “So what are your plans?” the father asks. “I am a bible scholar.” replies the fiancé. “Hmmm,” the father says. “But what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in?” “I will study and God will provide for us”, the young man replies. “And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring?” asks the father. “I will concentrate on my studies,” the young man replies. “God will provide for us.” “And children?” asks the father. “How will you support children?” “Don’t worry, sir, God will provide,” replies the fiancé. With each of the father’s questions, the young man continues to insist that God will provide. Afterwards, the mother asks, “How did it go, honey?” The father answers, “The bad news is, he has no job and no plans. The good news is he thinks I’m God.”

HUMILITY

Agur, the author of Proverbs 30, starts out with humility when he says, “Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.”

Then he points out the need for humility by asking, “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?”

ADMONITIONS

Then, he goes on to provide a series of admonitions.

The ability to address Agur’s opening statement of humility, to answer his follow-up question revealing our need for humility and to comply with his admonitions are all wrapped up in verses 5 and 6. Please turn with me now in your Bibles to Proverbs Chapter 30, Verses 5 and 6 and we will read them together.

“Every word of God is pure;

He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

Do not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”

GOD’S WORD IS PURE

“Every word of God is pure;” – When we read God’s word, we can take comfort in the fact that we don’t have to pick and choose what’s good and what’s not. The Bible is not a book filled with mostly true information mixed with some false information, leaving it up to us to distinguish which is which. The Bible isn’t that way because God isn’t that way! He is 100% pure. We can fully depend on getting the perfect and complete truth from Him and His Word.

GOD IS A SHIELD

“He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.” – This statement is a reminder that God will always be there to stand in the way of dangers that come to His followers. This doesn’t mean we should take this for granted but it should give us confidence where God wants us to have confidence. Though overconfidence is dangerous, under-confidence can be destructive.

DO NOT ADD TO GOD’S WORD

“Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” – Every Word of God is pure but man’s word is not. Thus the importance of not adding to or taking away from it. Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand.” Can you identify with that? Have you encountered Scripture that you wished you could change because it convicted you of your own shortcomings? I certainly have. But, Agur tells us that those who choose to do so are liars. To say we trust God and then try to change His Word is lying, proving that we don’t actually trust Him. Unfortunately, much of the religious world seems to think that changing God’s Word is not only “OK” but necessary in order to accommodate changing social standards. But that’s not the way the Bible is to be read or followed. It is timeless. It is a perfect and complete book that is only spoiled when man chooses to change or add to or take away from its instruction. We should spend our time following God’s Word, not looking for opportunities to change it!

GOD’S WORD IS REWARDING

Here, at Calvary Chapel Rosarito, we point our church to the Word of God, studying it verse-by-verse. In Proverbs 30, Verses 5 & 6, we’re given three foundational reasons for our doing that:

  1. God’s Words are true.
  2. God protects His people through His Word.
  3. He gives us the ability to not be deceived because we can identify when His Word is being misquoted or misused out of context.

And that is TODAY’S GOOD NEWS!

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November 12, 2020 · 7:15 am

MATTHEW 5:3

The Beatitudes – Poor In Spirit

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from November 12th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Ruth Wiram

WELCOME

Hello!  My name is Ruth and I would like to share with you today The Good News… Ladies Edition!

INTRODUCTION

Let’s read Matthew, chapter 5 verse 3 together.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

This reminds me of a funny story about heaven.

A woman dies and goes to heaven.  Of course, St. Peter meets her at the pearly gates.  St. Peter says, “Here’s how this works.  You need 100 points to make it into heaven.  You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each one, depending on how good it was.  When you reach 100 points, you get in.”

“Okay,” the woman says, “I was married to the same man for 50 years and never cheated on him.”

“That wonderful,” says St. Peter, “that’s worth 3 points!”

“Three points?” she says.  “Well I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.”

“Terrific!” says St. Peter, “ that’s certainly worth a point.”

“One point?  Golly.  How about this.  I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for battered women.”

Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says.

“Two points!” the woman cries, “At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!”

“Come on in!”

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

What truth there is in that humorous story?

The main focus of this verse in Matthew is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

Let’s get into a little background of this verse.  This is a fantastic portion of Scripture called the Sermon on the Mount.

The first thing we notice about the Sermon on the Mount is that it is not for everyone.   

In Matthew 5, Jesus gets aways from the crowds and teaches His disciples.  And even though this message was preached 2000 years ago, it is for our ears and hearts today, Ladies.

Matthew 5:1-12 is known as the Beatitudes or pronounced blessings.  The word literally means, “O, how happy!”

Our verse today says that the poor in spirit are blessed.  How can that be? 

We don’t usually think of the poor in spirit as being happy people.

Jesus is not talking about financially poor.  He is talking about being spiritually bankrupt.

It is the opposite of being proud.  And it is the glorious consequence of our coming into a real personal recognition of who God is.  And immediately when we compare ourselves to the Holy Perfect Savior of our souls, we must admit our true position.  We say with the Apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver me from this body of death?”

TREASURE IN HEAVEN

And because we have had a true encounter with God, and have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the kingdom of heaven belongs to us.

We no longer live in just this physical material world.  We are transported into the kingdom as a child of God and a citizen of the eternal kingdom. 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the following story about someone who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.  Two women went to the temple to pray.  One was a famous Bible teacher, a world wide celebrity, and the other one was a mere mother and housewife.  The famous teacher stood by herself and prayed this prayer, “I thank You, God, that I am not like other people – cheaters, sinners, adulterers.  I’m certainly not like this meager housewife.  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my sizable income.”

But the housewife stood at a distance and dared not even lift her eyes to heaven as she prayed.  Instead, she lowered her head in sorrow, saying, “O God, be merciful to me for I am such a sinner.”

Jesus tells us that this sinner, not the famous teacher would return home justified before God.  

Because those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Those who humble themselves and realize that only God can fill them and bring lasting fulfillment are truly blessed. 

Ladies, which one of these 2 women are you?

We see our ultimate reward in trusting and obeying God in humbleness of mind and actions in 1 Corinthians 2:9.

 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor has entered into the heart of woman the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

And that, Ladies, is today’s Good News.

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October 16, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 11:1

Proverbs Greatest Hits

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from October 16th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News.

INTRODUCTION

Presently, Today’s Good News is doing a series on The Greatest Hits From Proverbs. In this series, each of us is given a Chapter in Proverbs and our assignment is to select what we see as the single most meaningful verse in that chapter and to teach on that verse. For today, I have Proverbs Chapter 11 and I’ve chosen verse 1, that says, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.”

To set the stage for this lesson, I want to share an amusing story that Pastor Chuck Smith included in his commentary on this verse in The Word For Today Bible:

There was a farmer who was taken to court by a baker. The baker accused the farmer of cutting the amount of butter he was selling him, giving him less than a pound of butter for the price of a full pound. The baker said that the farmer used to always weigh out a full pound but, gradually, he had been giving him less until now the “pound” of butter weighed only about 12 ounces. When the farmer got on the stand, he said, “Your Honor, the only scales I have are balanced scales and I’ve always balanced out his butter with a pound loaf of bread he sold me.” The case was dismissed, 

THE FOLLY OF WICKEDNESS

The focus of the first nine chapters of Proverbs contrasts wisdom and foolishness. Chapters 10 through 24 offer themes on ways in which these contrasts can be seen. The theme of Chapter 11 is The Folly of Wickedness. In addition to the folly of using dishonest scales, Chapter 11 also speaks of other forms of folly, such as: pride, hypocrisy, cruelty, deceit, perversity and selfishness. In each case, we’re told how God punishes these behaviors and rewards the opposite behaviors. This is because God is fair and right. He expects us to be fair and right. He is perfect. He expects us to be perfect. As emphasized in Verse 1, He counts cheating or compromise to be an abomination. This word means a combination of disgust and hatred; abhorrence, detestation, loathing. When God considers things to be an abomination, He brings His wrath upon those who practice such things.  But, He loves honesty and integrity. He will ruin us personally and professionally, if we cheat. But, He will bless us, if we are just and fair.

BE GENEROUS

The example that Pastor Chuck gave us of the Farmer and the Baker alluded to a time before the age of computers when all merchandising was done with balanced scales. But it still makes it clear how we should conduct ourselves in business dealings today and in fact, how we should apply the wisdom of Proverbs 11:1 to all aspects of our lives. Be careful in all your dealings with others, making sure your motives are just and pure and look out especially for those in need. Be generously other-oriented, not selfishly stingy.

GOD’S STANDARDS

One pitfall that we need to consciously avoid in this is in wanting to be weighed according to the world’s standards. Doesn’t it seem natural to look at others and to want to be weighed according to what is right in their eyes? Typically, though, the world’s standards don’t measure up to God’s standards. Another common and somewhat similar pitfall is found in being OK with the way we conduct ourselves because our behavior doesn’t seem so bad when compared to the behavior of others. Have you ever done that? I know I have. But, of course, this doesn’t measure up to God’s standards either. 

Godly men and women strive to be perfectly honest, never taking advantage of others. They’re willing to go beyond what’s required, paying more than their share, if necessary. They keep every term of an agreement. They tip generously. They pay debts on time. They show up on time. They’re never out sick when they are well. They fully disclose all problems with things they sell.

The Lord delights in seeing the pure honesty and generosity of the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect of our lives. What a blessing to have Him delighting in our integrity! As noted earlier, while God punishes the folly of dishonesty, He rewards the opposite behaviors. The scope of His rewards are described well in Luke 6:38, that says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

And that is TODAY’S GOOD NEWS!

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October 8, 2020 · 7:15 am

SPIRITUAL FRUIT – JOY

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from October 8th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Ruth Wiram

WELCOME

Hello, my name is Ruth.  And I want to welcome you to TODAY’S GOOD NEWS- Ladies edition.

INTRODUCTION

Today we are going to be looking at the Fruit of the  Spirit…Joy.

Do you want more joy in your life?  Do you want the kind of joy that runs deep?  Do you want the kind of joy that lasts even when trials and struggles come your way?  Do you want the kind of joy children sing about in Sunday School?

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.

And I’m so happy,
So very happy;
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.
And I’m so happy,
So very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

I have 3 suggestions for you, ladies.  And I guarantee you that if you put these three in their proper order, you will have more joy.

JESUS

Jesus.  We were made for relationship and fellowship with God.  We were created in His image to enjoy intimacy and closeness with Him.  All of our joy, all of our peace, and all of our being finds fullness and satisfaction in relationship with God.

Put God first in your life.  Start and end your days with  praise and worship.  Spend time in prayer and the Word.

You will find that Jesus is all you ever need.  There is no replacement for the beauty and contentment found in the Lord…not even the excitement that comes our way when He blesses us.

We must deliberately determine to put Jesus first in all things.  It is a decision of the mind and heart.  We must begin to see the Lord Jesus the way He really is “the way, the truth and the life” who is the only way to God in heaven.

Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

OTHERS

Others.  After we have come to recognize the significance of putting Jesus first, we must reach out to others.  We must serve others in Jesus’ name.  These people are our families, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ.  They are also the clerks at the grocery store or at the gas station.  They are the person who cuts in front of us in line or honks at us when we drive slow.  They are that homeless person. They are widows and children who barely have enough to get by.  

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan.  It is about a traveller who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road.  First a Jewish priest and then a Levite comes by, both avoid the man.  Finally, a Samaritan who was hated by the Jews happens upon the traveller and helps the injured man.    So, the moral of this story is that everyone, even those normally considered our enemies, are in fact our neighbors.

YOURSELF

Yourself.  Yes, ladies, we come last, after the Lord and our families and our neighbors.   This is not to say that we should be doormats or run ourselves ragged to serve.  We must take care of ourselves.  We must eat healthy, drink plenty of water, exercise, get enough sleep and do fun stuff!  We are no good to others if we are  emotionally or physically exhausted or sick.

In Matthew 22, verses 37 through 40, Jesus answers the question, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest commandment.

The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

And that, ladies is today’s Good News.

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