by Don Ruhl

             Read Psalm 119:1--8

    You Have Brought Me This Far, God

 The psalmist speaks to God,

73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. (Psa. 119:73, NKJV).

 The psalmist confesses that he is the creation of the God of heaven, but he does not want it to stop there. God continues to fashion us when we gain understanding. Therefore, he requests from God the gift of understanding. What have we gained, if God makes us, but only in body and not in understanding? If God fashions our bodies only, then we are made in the image of the dog outside, but if God gives us understanding, we are like the God above, made in His image! 

 Therefore, make it your life's aim to gain understanding from God with the goal that you might learn the commandments of God.

Don Ruhl 441 Damont Street Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601-2311

by Don Ruhl

 The psalmist has a good question and gives a good answer.

12 What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows to the LORD Now in the presence of all His people. (Psa. 116:12--14, NKJV).

 Have you taken the time to count all God's benefits toward you, to name them one by one? Please, do not restrict your thinking to His benefits for the flesh, but mostly for the soul. Quickly, it will become an overwhelming task, and then you shall have the same question as the psalmist. 

 What does the Lord want us to render to Him for all His benefits toward us? He wants us to take up the cup of salvation, to call upon His name and to pay our vows to Him, that is, be committed to Him. Is that too much to ask? If you start to say yes, start to count your many blessings again, naming them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done, then you will conclude that it is not too much to ask!

Don Ruhl 3535 Elk Lane Grants Pass, Oregon 97527

by Don Ruhl

Watch an unmarried couple in love. It seems that they can only think of the other one. Then they marry and they can only think of themselves. Therefore, there are many teachings in the Scriptures, showing us that we must love one another. Interesting, is it not, that two people loved each other without anyone telling them that they had to love each other, then they get married and they have to be told to love one another!

 First Corinthians chapter seven has many teachings with this emphasis. For example, think on verse three.

 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband (1 Cor. 7:3, NKJV). 

 This is truly the theme of Christianity that we think of one another, how we may serve the other rather than how the other may serve me, and this emphasis continues when we go home. 

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Disciples of Christ cannot allow themselves to be brought under the control of anything.

 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (1 Cor. 6:12, NKJV). 

 There are things that are perfectly allowable for us to do, but that does not mean that we have to do them! They may not be helpful to us or they might be a stumbling block to someone watching us. For example, we are free to eat all food, but if I have a health problem, such as diabetes, then I should not insist on eating what is harmful to my body, because my body is supposed to be for the glory of God. I cannot say that God allows me to eat whatever I want. Again, take food for an example. If there are Jews around me who believe that eating pork is not right, I cannot demand on my God-given right to be able to eat that food. I must restrain myself in the presence of that Jew for the sake of his soul that he might see how Christians think of others and perhaps he will give consideration to converting to Christ. 

 I cannot be so under the power of something that I like that I refuse to give it up, whether permanently or temporarily, according to the situation. Interestingly, in the next verse (13), Paul uses food as one of his examples. Food is necessary for life, but even food cannot have power over us, and fasting is a good way to prove the point to ourselves, to God and to others. 

 Whatever we do, let us do it for the glory of God, the salvation of lost souls and the edification of our fellow-Christians.

Don Ruhl 441 Damont Street Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601-2311

by Don Ruhl

Why do servants exist? Why do the servants of the Lord exist? Is it for their glory or for the Lord? Psalm 113:1 answers the questions for us.

1 Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. (Psa. 113:1, NKJV).

 We exist for Him, not He for us! Therefore, our life's business is to serve Him rather than looking for ways in which He ought to be serving us. Yet, here is the amazing thing. He will serve us. Jesus prophesied in a parable, 

 37 "Blessed are those servants who the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them" (Luk. 12:37, NKJV).

 Wow! If I devote myself to serving Him now, He will serve me later? "Lord, are You serving me? Lord, You shall never serve me!" Oh, wait that is what Peter said to Jesus as the Lord washed the feet of the humble apostle! Eventually Peter let the Lord do it. Friends, live and die serving the Lord, and what shall happen to us afterwards, we cannot even begin to tell!

Don Ruhl 441 Damont Street Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601-2311