DESPISING SMALLNESS

“For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth” (Zech 4:10 NKJV).

“Small things” are despised in every age. During the rebuilding the Temple, progress had been slow, and the small efforts were ridiculed by the enemy. Yet God promised that the Temple would be rebuilt. Our day also despises “small things.” If it is not big, it does not seem to count. But that is not a good philosophy; God’s people need to stop despising “small things.”

We need to stop despising small things in purity. Small sins should not be despised, for they can cause big trouble. Small sins are seeds of big sins which can ruin our lives.

We need to stop despising small things in prayer. Sometimes we do not pray for things because they do not seem big enough to bring to God. But if these things bother us, they need to be brought to the Lord in prayer. He does not despise small things.

We need to stop despising small things in progress. Sometimes we are discouraged because progress in some area of our life is slow. We should not despise the small progress. Instead, we should thank God for it, and make sure the progress continues. Though it is small, it will soon become big progress.

We need to stop despising small things in our performance. Little duties need to be done faithfully just as well as big duties. Small opportunities need to be attended to just as well as big opportunities.

We need to stop despising small things in piety. Small churches are not necessarily bad churches and big churches are not necessarily good churches. The Lord Jesus Christ was born in the small town of Bethlehem. When He went to the big city of Jerusalem, He did not stay there overnight but stayed in the small town of nearby Bethany. We may be small and obscure in men’s eyes, but we are not small and obscure with God.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“If we are faithful to God in little things, we shall gain experience and strength that will be helpful to us in the more serious trials of life!”

Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430)

Algerian Bishop, Theologian and Philosopher

Word Study

Envy

In Titus3:3 we read, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another!” (NKJV).

Envy is the Greek word phthónos (φθόνος = fthon'-os). It means not just wanting what another person has, but also resenting that person for having it. In classical Greek phthónos denotes ill will or a desire to harm others, especially stemming from envy or jealousy of the good fortunes of others. In the Septuagint, phthónos describes that which is particularly evil, deceitful, and covetous. In the New Testament, phthónos almost always carries a negative sense, and being active, results in treacherous acts. By definition, the envious person cannot be satisfied with what he has and will always crave for more.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased” (Psalm 49:16 KJV).

Did You Know…

According to Israelite law, a man who owed you money was to be forgiven the debt at the end of 7 years (Deut. 15:1).

Bible Quiz

What did David promise God about idols?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: The dry bones which came to life in Ezekiel 37 symbolizes the restoration of what people? Israel (Ezek. 37:11).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“ELECT ONE”

"Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles!” (Isa. 42:1 NKJV).

1. Meaning – ELECT ONE speaks of the Lord Jesus as the One who has been chosen by God before the foundation of the world.

2. Insights – Here God introduces His servant as the One in whom He delights and the One whom He strengthens through the Holy Spirit. And so the Lord Jesus, the Elect One, was chosen by God before the foundation of the world for the great work of redemption (1 Peter 1:20). This means that our redemption was not an afterthought to remedy an unforeseen evil (Eph 3:9, 11; 2 Tim.1:9-10). Further, this Elect One will bring justice to the nations.

Did You Know – Christian History

John Gibson Paton was born May 24, 1824 near Dumfries, Scotland. He was a Protestant missionary to the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific (modern nation of Vanuatu).

Paton’s family later moved to the village of Torthorwald, Scotland, where, in a humble thatched cottage of three rooms, his parents reared five sons and six daughters. The middle room of the cottage was known as the “sanctuary,” for it was there that John’s father went three times a day to pour out his heart in prayer to God for the needs of the family. At the age of twelve, Paton was helping his father in the stocking business but also studying Latin and Greek. During these years, Paton was greatly influenced by the devotion of his father.

During his youth Paton felt called by God to serve overseas as a missionary. Eventually, he became a missionary to the poor and for 10 years worked in the slums Glasgow. The work was discouraging, but during those faithful years, Paton learned to deal with all kinds of people, and saw the power of the gospel transform the most depraved. This work in Glasgow, prepared Paton for his work among the cannibals of the New Hebrides.

In 1858, the Reformed Church of Scotland asked for a missionary to help with the work in the New Hebrides Islands. Paton accepted, but there were people who tried to persuade him not to go. One old gentleman warned John, “The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals.” To this Paton replied that he may as will give his life for Christ, since in the end, his body will rot in the ground.

On November 5, 1858 the Patons landed on the island of Tanna and began their ministry. Since the natives had no written language, Paton communicated with them in sign language. Gradually he learned a few native words and after many months mastered their language and reduced it to writing. While there, his wife and infant son contracted a tropical fever and died. The natives repeatedly stole his equipment, his life was in constant danger, but still Paton remained and preached to them.

Moving to the island of Aniwa, Paton built a home, a mission headquarters, two orphanages, a church, and a schoolhouse, and after many years of patient ministry, the entire island professed Christianity. In 1899 Paton saw his Aniwa New Testament printed and missionaries on twenty-five of the thirty islands of the New Hebrides. Paton went to be with the Lord in 1907.

A Little Humor

Grace Davidson took her four-year-old granddaughter to church for the first time. The little girl sat quietly taking in every aspect of the service. Her attentive curiosity stayed in check until the pastoral prayer. The pastor said, “We thank You, Lord, for Your presence.” The little girl’s eyes flew open, and she whispered to her grandmother, “Granny, we’re gonna get presents!”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“One must be a wide-awake Christian before he can fall asleep in Jesus!”