Spirituality Instead Of Serenity

The people of Laish chose serenity instead of spirituality

The result was sudden destruction

     Today Brother Bob tells all his friends everywhere to choose spirituality instead of serenity. Choose to be spiritual and follow Jesus, helping people, instead of being serene and selfish in isolation from everyone. Spirituality, following Jesus, and helping people causes peace and eternal life. Serenity and isolation from all people causes sudden destruction. 

     The people of Laish were suddenly destroyed because they chose serenity instead of spirituality. Judges 18:7 says Then the five men departed and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. 

     Notice that the people of Laish chose to be careless, quiet, and secure with no police or government. Also we see that the people of Laish had no business with any man. In other words the people of Laish chose to be an island and isolate themselves from everyone. The people of Laish were quiet and secure, living a serene life, refusing to associate with anyone.

     Alright let's see what happened to the people of Laish who chose serenity instead of spirituality. Judges 18:27 says And they (the enemy of Laish) took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man, and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein. 

     Notice the sudden destruction of the people of Laish because they chose to be serene with no business with any man. When Laish was attacked by the enemy, they had no deliverer, magistrate or leadership to defend them. Instead of being like the people of Laish, avoid destruction by being spiritual, attending church with other believers while you help others. Instead of being serenely isolated, get involved spiritually in helping people and your church, and the result will be peace and everlasting life. James 1:27 says Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

     And stay spiritually alert instead of being carelessly serene like the people of Laish. The people of Laish ignored the devil and were destroyed. Instead obey James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Notice that you must first submit to the Lord Jesus before you can resist and overcome the devil. 1 Peter 5:8 says Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. Stay spiritually alert and obey Matthew 26:41:Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

     Many people today choose a cursed isolated life of serenity, instead of a blessed life of spirituality, while they avoid going to church and helping people. They say I can be closer to God out on a lake in a peaceful boat pictured above than I can at church.  They say I can be closer to God out on the golf course pictured above than I can at church. They say I can get closer to God in the woods camping in a tent than I can at church. Riding on a boat, playing golf, and camping are not bad if they don't conflict with your time at church while you help others and serve the Lord Jesus. But it's not good to ride a boat, golf, hunt, and camp in the woods when you should be at church helping others. Mark 8:36 says For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

     The blessed spiritual life ushers us into a life of ministry to people for the rest of our lives. Spirituality gets you involved in people's lives, praying for them, and trying to help them out of troubles. It's better to be spiritual and get involved with people in the church, instead of being isolated and serene away from everyone like the people of Laish that ends in sudden destruction. Be like Jesus and roll up your sleeves, constantly ministering to people, instead of isolating yourself from society. Like Jesus, get involved with people. Go to church and visit the elderly, homeless, sick in the hospitals, having a kind word for everyone, while you always try to win and save souls for our Lord Jesus Christ.

     Jesus told us to minister to people and live a spiritual life. Jesus said at Mark 16:15 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Brother Bob chooses spirituality instead of serenity and tells anyone reading this to get saved. Get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning, confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died on the cross for you, was buried, and rose again. 

     Pictured above we see why it's better to live a spiritual life helping people with your church, instead of living an isolated serene life away from everyone. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

     Jesus and the Word told us that two is better than one. Deuteronomy 32:30 says How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. We have ten times more power against the devil when two people agree in prayer, instead of one person in serene isolation praying. One ant can push a crumb but ten ants can push the crumb better. And note that Hebrews 10:25 tells us to be spiritual and go to church saying Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

     Get involved with people and attend your local church. Don't be like the people of Laish in serene isolation from everyone, doing nothing all weekend while you watch sports and gossip all day on tiktok and facebook. Proverbs 23:21 says For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. People who are selfish, choosing serenity and safety should take heed to the following two bible verses. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 warns us For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. And Amos 6:1 warns us Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came.

     We will have all of eternity to rest and be peaceful. Now we need to be busy and spiritual because we only have a short time to reach one more soul with the gospel of our Lord Jesus. We only have a short time to try to mentor and disciple a new babe in Jesus to get them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

     Ephesians 5:14 says Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly (diligently), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Luke 21:34 says And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (hangover after drunkenness), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Married couples should be spiritual, serve the Lord Jesus, and help people

instead of being serene in isolation from everyone

     Pictured above we see some blessed advice to married couples from Leo Tolstoy encouraging them to live blessed spiritual lives instead of cursed isolated serene lives. If you are a married couple reading this today, I pray in Jesus name both the husband and the wife say the following blessed words written by Leo Tolstoy: 

The goal of our life should not be to find joy in marriage, 

but to bring more love and truth into the world. 

We marry to assist each other in this task. 

The most selfish and hateful life of all

is that of two beings who unite in order to enjoy life.

The highest calling is that of the man

who has dedicated his life to serving God and doing good, 

and who unites with a woman in order to further that purpose. 

     We learn from the blessed quote above that people should marry to serve the Lord together and help people. A marriage is blessed when you can receive prayer from both the husband and the wife.  It's wrong for married people to say I'm married now and I'm busy with my husband or wife. We can't get together with you any more. These people get married and you never see them again.  

     These people use their marriage as an excuse to no longer serve the Lord Jesus. Instead they choose to be selfishly serene and only be concerned about themselves. Since a husband and wife after marriage are one flesh, it is selfish when married people isolate themselves and help no one. Pictured above we see that when a man was invited to a supper made by the Lord Jesus, his excuse was I married a wife and cannot come. Luke 14:16 says Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: One of the men made the following excuse. I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 

     Avoid making the excuse that I am married and cannot serve the Lord. Instead become a married couple that serves the Lord Jesus together, while they serve people. Be like  Aquila and Priscilla who chose to serve the Lord Jesus and allowed Paul to live at their home, ministering daily to Paul's needs. And Aquila and Priscilla assisted Apollos in his ministry. Acts 18:26 says And he (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded (declared) unto him the way of God more perfectly. You know a married couple is blessed when you can receive prayer from both the husband and wife like Aquila and Priscilla.

     Marriage between a man and a woman (not a man and a man or a woman and a woman) is blessed and honourable. Hebrews 13:3 says Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Notice that it was not a sin for Paul to live in the same house with Aquila and Priscilla. Instead Paul got blessed when he lived at Aquila and Priscilla's home. 

     Brother Bob stayed overnight at a blessed married couple's home (Rick and Jan Lower) lifting up the Lord Jesus all night and it was anointed. But Brother Bob will not stay overnight at a single woman's home. Brother Bob has refused to stay overnight in a single woman's home when it was ten degrees below zero at midnight. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

     I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Until we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.