Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 12:12-13.

 

“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.”  Hebrews 12:12-13.

 

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When we look straight ahead, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, then we become less discouraged and less distracted and less weary.

 

When we walk straight ahead, not turning to the left or the right, then we are less likely to get lost and less likely to stumble and fall and less likely to get hurt.

 

When we talk straight, then our followers are less likely to be deceived and confused.

 

“²⁵ Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
²⁶ Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.”  Proverbs 4:25-27. 

 

“²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.”  Proverbs 4:24. 

 

 

 

Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

 

Jeremiah 31:9
“With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them;  I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble;  For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

 

“⁴ They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region;
They did not find a way to an inhabited city.
⁵ They were hungry and thirsty;
Their soul fainted within them.
⁶ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷ He led them also by a straight way,
To go to an inhabited city.
⁸ Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!”  Psalm 107:4-8.

 

“⁵ ‘Every ravine will be filled,
And every mountain and hill will be brought low;
The crooked will become straight,
And the rough roads smooth;
⁶ And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’”  Luke 3:5-6.

 

 

 

Proverbs 11:3
“The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.”

 

Proverbs 21:8
“The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.”

 

Proverbs 28:6
“Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked though he be rich.”

 

Proverbs 28:18
“He who walks blamelessly will be delivered, But he who is crooked will fall all at once.”

 

 

 

Psalm 125:5
“But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.  Peace be upon Israel.”

 

^“13 … those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
¹⁴ Who delight in doing evil
And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
¹⁵ Whose paths are crooked,
And who are devious in their ways;”  Proverbs 2:13-15.

 

Proverbs 17:20
“He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.”

 

Isaiah 59:8
“They do not know the way of peace, And there is no justice in their tracks;  They have made their paths crooked, Whoever treads on them does not know peace.”

 

Jeremiah 6:16
“Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it;  And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

 

Jeremiah 18:15
“‘For My people have forgotten Me, They burn incense to worthless gods And they have stumbled from their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in bypaths, Not on a highway,”

 

 

 

Psalm 23:3
“He restores my soul;  He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

 

Proverbs 8:20
“I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,”

 

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 12:4-11.

 

“⁴ You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;  ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons;  for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;  shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;  yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:4-11.

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Today’s devotion focuses on God’s discipline of us.  Although there are certain parallels to a natural parent’s discipline of his or her child, we will focus on the God’s perfect insight and perfect discipline of us in the hope that we learn to react better to it. 

First of all, let us understand more that God loves us, and His discipline arises out of His love for us, demonstrating His love for us. 

“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”  Verse 6.

“For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”  Proverbs 3:12.

“He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”  Proverbs 13:24.

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”  Revelation 3:19.

Second, God’s discipline is not just a quick, spontaneous, reactionary, violent, and physical action like a spanking. 

Although God’s discipline, through His agent (natural parent) can include spanking, God’s discipline is more like a time-consuming, planned, initiative, withholding, and spiritual action like a humbling.  

“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.  Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.  Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.  Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.”  Deuteronomy 8:2-6. 

Now, we are not in the wilderness.  We are not necessarily hungry.  But, God does withhold things for sometimes lengthy times to humble us and build our faith and test our faith, so that we will look to Him more and trust Him more.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  James 1:2-4.

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”  1 Peter 1:6-9.    

Third, let us then react well to God’s discipline.

“Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”  Job 5:17.

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”  Proverbs 3:11-12.

“A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”  Proverbs 13:1.

“A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible.”  Proverbs 15:5.

“Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.”  Proverbs 19:20.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.  To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:6-11.

Fourth, let us appreciate more the fruit of discipline. 

“… He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”  Verse 10.

“… it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Verse 11.

“And the work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”  Isaiah 32:17.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 12:2-3.  Although we covered verse 2 yesterday, it fits so well with verse 3 that we will cover it again.

 

“² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

                                 

Jesus is your example of excellence and your perfector of faith, “so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  

 

“²⁸ Do you not know?  Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
³⁰ Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
³¹ Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.”  Isaiah 40:28-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 12:1-2.

 

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-2.

 

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Many football players want to play in the larger stadiums.  They also want to be seen on TV.  They love the electric environment of so many people cheering for them.  

 

By faith, we know that we too “have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us”.  “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”  Hebrews 12:22-24. 

 

By faith, we know that they are cheering for us.  “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”  Romans 8:19.

 

So, with that knowledge, as a runner in a race wears the lightest clothes and shoes, “let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”.

 

We don’t know exactly who are the witnesses in that “so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us”.

                                        

Maybe, Abel is watching us.

Maybe, Enoch is watching us.

Maybe, Noah is watching us.

Maybe, Abraham is watching us.

Maybe, Sarah is watching us.

Maybe, Isaac is watching us.

Maybe, Jacob is watching us.

Maybe, Moses is watching us.

Maybe, Rahab is watching us.

Maybe, Gideon is watching us.

Maybe, Barak is watching us.

Maybe, Samson is watching us.

Maybe, Jephthah is watching us.

Maybe, David is watching us.

Maybe, Samuel is watching us.               

I do think that they all are watching us due to the immediate proximity of today’s Scripture to Hebrews Chapter 11 in which all these names are found in the Hall of Fame of Faith and due to the use of the word “Therefore” as in “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us”. 

But, in any event, we know for certain that we have a coach who is watching us and coaching us and interceding for us.  Let us run, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”.  “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”   1 John 2:1  “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”  Hebrews 7:25

In conclusion, this is an electric environment.  We have “so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us”.  So, with goose bumps and hairs standing straight up and joy swelling up in our hearts, “let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:32-40.

 

“³² And what more shall I say?  For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  ³⁵ Women received back their dead by resurrection;  and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;  ³⁶ and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword;  they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ³⁸ (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

 

³⁹ And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”  Hebrews 11:32-40.

 

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At first reading, there seems to be two groups of those who have faith and a sharp contrast between them.  The first group is “the victorious achievers”:  those who “conquered kingdoms”, “shut the mouths of lions”, and “put foreign armies to flight”.  Verses 32-34.  The second group is “the suffering believers”:  who were “tortured”, “afflicted” and “ill-treated”.  Verses 35-38.  

But then, we read verses 39-40.  “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”  Then, we understand that there is something better than victories in war and other miraculous success on earth which the first class, “the victorious achievers”, did receive.  There is also something better than peace on earth, absence of suffering, and abundant food, clothing and shelter which the second class, “the suffering believers”, did not receive. 

Then, we understand that there is really only one class.  We are all simply “believers” who have not yet received what is really important. 

We all believe and look forward to that  “something better” which God has promised us and provided for us which is heaven.  And, we all believe and look forward to being “made perfect” together. 

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”  Hebrews 12:22-24. 

Today’s Scripture gives us hope and encouragement this Monday morning and throughout the week that no matter if we feel like a “victorious achiever” or a “suffering believer”, there is that “something better” for us that God has prepared for us. 

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:2.  Through faith, “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect”.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:30-31.

 

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.  By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.”  Hebrews 11:30-31.

 

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Joshua Chapter 2 provides the story of Rahab. 

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:23-29.

 

“²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child;  and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt;  for he was looking to the reward.  ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king;  for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.  ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.  ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land;  and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.”  Hebrews 11:23-29.

 

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1.  “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”  Exodus 1:22.  But, Moses’ parents had faith producing the courage to risk death, “they were not afraid of the king’s edict”, and they hid Moses’ for three months.  Verse 23.  “But when she (Moses’ mother) could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch.  Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.”  Exodus 2:3.  Pharoah’s daughter discovered Moses, had pity on him, and raised him as her son.  Exodus 2:5-10.    

 

2.  “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.”  Verses 24 to 26.  By faith, Moses had courage to endure suffering.

 

3.  Moses had faith producing courage to leave Egypt “not fearing the wrath of the king;  for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.”  Verse 27.

 

4.  “By faith he (Moses) kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.”  Verse 28.  Moses had faith producing courage to keep the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, saving provisions that God gave to the people of Israel, and in the following language of Psalm 91:5-9, Moses was not afraid of the terror by night wherein thousands were falling at his side.

 

“⁵ You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
⁶ Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
⁸ You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
⁹ For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.”  Psalm 91:5-9.

 

5.  By faith, the people of Israel were not afraid of the forces of nature in the Red Sea and had courage to pass through it.  Verse 29.

 

And so, these five lessons from the life of Moses inspire us, give us faith, producing courage to face and overcome whatever comes our way today. 

 

Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 

 

Joshua 1:6
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”

 

Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

Joshua 10:25
“Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed!  Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.”

 

2 Samuel 10:12
“Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God;  and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

 

1 Chronicles 22:13
“Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel.  Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.”

 

1 Chronicles 28:20
“Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act;  do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.”

 

2 Chronicles 15:7
“But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

 

2 Chronicles 32:7
“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him;  for the one with us is greater than the one with him.”

 

Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the LORD;  Be strong and let your heart take courage;  Yes, wait for the LORD.”

 

Psalm 31:24
“Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.”

 

Isaiah 35:4
“Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not.  Behold, your God will come with vengeance;  The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”

 

Matthew 14:27
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I;  do not be afraid.”

 

John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;  I have overcome the world.”

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:20-23.

 

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.  By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.  By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.”  Hebrews 11:20-23.

 

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By faith, we believe that God blesses us.  By faith, we pronounce a blessing on our children believing that God will also bless them.

 

When we read that God promised:  “I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations… to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee” (Gen. 17:7), we believe that such covenant and blessing includes us and our children.

 

So, what is this covenant?  What is this blessing for us and our children?   

 

Professor David J. Engelsma wrote in his article “THE COVENANT OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS”:  “The covenant is the relationship of friendship between the triune God and His chosen people in Jesus Christ.”  Click here: THE COVENANT OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS

 

He further writes:

“But above all, the place of the children in the covenant is important to God.  He said at the beginning of the history of the covenant with Abraham, “I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations… to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee” (Gen. 17:7).  He inspired the apostle, on the very day that the covenant became new, to proclaim as gospel, “the promise is unto you, and to your children… even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).  Rebuking His unfaithful wife, Judah, in Ezekiel 16:20, 21, God exclaims, like an aggrieved Husband and Father, “Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain My children…?”  In Malachi 2:15, God condemns the divorcing that was prevalent in Judah, because divorce jeopardizes the “godly seed.” (And still today the unchangeable God hates divorce in the covenant community because it is destructive of the children who, as covenant children, are His children.)

How important our children’s inclusion in the covenant is to God is shown in the New Testament (Covenant) by Christ’s command, “Suffer little children (infants) to come unto Me… for of such (infants of believers) is the kingdom of God (made up)” (Luke 18:15ff.).  It is shown also by the careful provision God makes for the children, as members of the congregation, in Ephesians 6:1 ff.:  “Children, obey your parents in the Lord … and, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath:  but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

And so, by faith, we bless our children.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:17-19.

 

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;  it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”  He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”  Hebrews 11:17-19. 

 

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By faith, we believe that God is able to even raise people from the dead.  We need that faith in order to believe that despite our death we will go to heaven.  Abraham needed that faith in order to believe that despite his offering of Isaac he would have descendants through Isaac.

 

We profess to the world our faith in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting every time we confess the Apostle’s Creed:  “I believe in … the resurrection of the body;  and the life everlasting.  AMEN.” 

 

We profess to the world our comfort in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting every time we confess the Heidelberg Catechism:

 

 

 

 

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:13-16.

 

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.  And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;  for He has prepared a city for them.”  Hebrews 11:13-16.

 

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We are pilgrims on a journey.  We are passing though this earthly life.  We do the good works that God created us to do on earth, but we look forward to heaven.

 

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.  Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”  I Timothy 6:17-19.