A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of September 2-6, 2024
MONDAY
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
Consider all the great people in the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. Now think of yourself. Think of the many things that God has done with your life through your faith. Can you imagine what your life would be like without it? Faith is the wonderful gift through which many wonderful things happen in the earth.
Let us reflect this week on the importance of faith in God, and what that has done to help humanity. Without faith, God’s word would never benefit us on the earth, so let us see faith as the precious commodity that it is. Let us rejoice in the God our maker who has given us all things richly to enjoy… by faith!
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: 2 Kings 20:5 ~ Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.”
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
September 2: 1 Samuel 26, 1 Corinthians 7, Ezekiel 5, Psalms 42-43
September 3: 1 Samuel 27, 1 Corinthians 8, Ezekiel 6, Psalms 44
September 4: 1 Samuel 28, 1 Corinthians 9, Ezekiel 7, Psalms 45
September 5: 1 Samuel 29-30, 1 Corinthians 10, Ezekiel 8, Psalms 46-47
September 6: 1 Samuel 31, 1 Corinthians 11, Ezekiel 9, Psalms 48
September 7: 2 Samuel 1, 1 Corinthians 12, Ezekiel 10, Psalms 49
September 8: 2 Samuel 2, 1 Corinthians 13, Ezekiel 11, Psalms 50
TUESDAY
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
Kingdoms would never be subdued without faith. Imagine the unchecked spread of evil upon the earth. From the Tower of Babel, to Attila the Hun, to Hitler, to Sadam Hussein, evil kingdoms and governments are thrown down by faith. It may not be your faith or mine, but there is a faith at work in the earth to subdue oppressive kingdoms. When God hears the cry of the oppressed, He raises up a deliverer.
Is the deliverer popular? Not always. Deliverers are often despised in their generation. Joseph was despised, as was Moses and also, Jesus. The deliverer of this generation may not be recognized for many generations, but these people are raised up by the faith of someone on the earth who prays. They must have faith in God to sustain their actions.
WEDNESDAY
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
Righteousness is the right standing before God that can cause a whole nation to be exalted. Without faith, child abuse, immorality, racism and sexual harassment would go unchecked. There is a righteous cause that will triumph because of faith.
In 2005, Rosa Parks was eulogized. Many people said wonderful things about her, but without faith, she would never have remained in her seat on the bus. Faith is the power to stand for righteousness in the face of adversity. Rebellion will never cause a person to submit to the hands of their captors. Only an abiding faith in God, borne out of 42 years of a life that has known the goodness of God can cause this type of spiritual revolution to occur.
THURSDAY
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
The promises of God are obtained through faith. Part of what fueled the civil rights movement of the 1960’s was the fact that the marches began at the altar of God. The people would “pray and then go out,” as Martin Luther King III, remarked. It was the prayer of faith that gave the people the courage to enter the “lion’s den” of the passive resistance march.
The whole world watched as civil rights workers presented their bodies as living sacrifices, bringing to light what was always done in darkness. Millions were revolted as they watch men, women and children beaten and mauled by dogs, yet not being stopped until righteousness prevailed. This takes faith.
FRIDAY
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
The weak are made strong through faith. Martin Luther King, Jr. recalls the night that God met him and he was changed from that moment forward. He picked up the telephone late one night as he was in the kitchen preparing a pot of coffee. He had received many threats upon his life before, but this time, he was terribly alarmed by the sound of the person’s voice. He hung up the phone and considered what to do. He reported that a power came over him that was hard to explain, but from that night on, he no longer feared for his life or for the safety of his family. The shield of faith became very real to him on that occasion.