The First Dorcas

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. Acts 9:36.
At Joppa, which was near Lydda, there lived a woman named Dorcas, whose good deeds had made her greatly beloved. She was a worthy disciple of Jesus, and her life was filled with acts of kindness. She knew who needed comfortable clothing and who needed sympathy, and she freely ministered to the poor and the sorrowful….
“And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died.” … Hearing that Peter was at Lydda, the believers sent messengers to him…. “When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.” …
The apostle’s heart was touched with sympathy as he beheld their sorrow. Then, directing that the weeping friends be sent from the room, he kneeled down and prayed fervently to God to restore Dorcas to life and health…. Dorcas had been of great service to the church, and God saw fit to bring her back from the land of the enemy, that her skill and energy might still be a blessing to others, and also that by this manifestation of His power the cause of Christ might be strengthened.
Let the children and youth learn from the Bible how God has honored the work of the everyday toiler…. Let them read of Jesus the carpenter, and Paul the tent-maker, who with the toil of the craftsman linked the highest ministry, human and divine. Let them read of the lad whose five loaves were used by the Saviour in that wonderful miracle for the feeding of the multitude; of Dorcas the seamstress, called back from death, that she might continue to make garments for the poor; of the wise woman described in the Proverbs, who “seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.” … who “stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, … reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” …
Of such a one, God says: “She shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Conflict and Courage p. 333
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for the mother who left her baby in the car instead of taking him to daycare. He was in the car for ten hours and died. She is being charged for his death. Danniella
—–Please pray for the family of Myrtle as she has passed. Rose
—–Our friend Hutch is going into the hospital for furthered tests and heart surgery today. I have left a small Gideon Bible with him, about two months ago and gave him a beautiful inspiration writing and photo yesterday. Please lift Hutch up in your prayers and, also, that he will give his heart seriously to The LORD. Katherin
—–Please pray for Josh, a homeless man, who has been missing for about a week.
—–Please pray for me. I feel trapped –
in more ways than one, and I have been
extremely depressed for many weeks now.
M
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Dear Friends,
What an important job is that of a teacher! As a teacher stands before his students, he can awaken a thirst for learning, or he can cause the exact opposite to occur. Over the years, I had good teachers and not-so-good teachers, but my history teachers were the worst of all. Mr. Jochim, my eighth grade history teacher was a likeable fellow, but his teaching of history was lifeless, dull, boring. He inadvertently taught that history was nothing but memorizing a set of facts and their corresponding dates. The only thing I remember about his class was that every day as I came into the room he would sing “Sweet Rosie O’Grady” to me. The other memory of him was that he lost his temper one day at John, who continually acted up in class, and took him out into the hallway, picked him up, and slammed him against the locker-lined wall. That was hardly something to give me a well-rounded education, but it certainly made me determine never to make him mad! My high school history teacher was much worse. He had not even one redeeming feature. Taking history from him bordered upon torture. He went so far as to hit me for looking at the blackboard instead of looking at him constantly while he walked around the room lecturing.
It was no wonder that I hated history! I’m sure that most of my other classmates felt the same as I did. Only after I was out of school did I realize the importance of knowing what had happened in the past. Later, when I needed the information that I should have known, I felt the lack. Because I had only learned the material well enough to pass a test and then never thought of it again, I could not retrieve it when I needed it.
How often the Bible is viewed in the same light. Sometimes it is thought of as an out-of-date book that is lifeless, dull, boring. How many feel that it no longer applies to our lives, but is only a collection of stories. Yet, “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim 3:16,17 That includes the parts that might not be as interesting to us as the stories are. Those parts also have a lesson for us. Even the stories, themselves teach us lessons that will help us make right decisions. Paul explains the necessity of our learning the history God has revealed in His Holy Word, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” I Cor 10:11,12
Our Dear Saviour said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39 From Genesis to Revelation, the Great Plan of Salvation is revealed. In fact, John begins his gospel with this important point. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made….He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3,10,14
On His resurrection day, Jesus disguised himself and walked home with two of his followers. These men were perplexed and disheartened. They had been so sure that Jesus was the Messiah, yet things did not happen exactly as they thought they would. They did not realize that it was their own misunderstanding of the Scriptures that had led them into discouragement. Our Merciful Saviour did not leave them there. He joined himself to them to guide their thinking that they might have hope. “And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:13-27
Notice that Jesus led their minds to comprehend the fact the Old Testament reveals Him as our Creator, Friend, Redeemer, Guide, Coming King. He enlightened their minds to see the mighty prophecies relating to Himself. We, too, can have this experience. When we read the Scriptures, we have the privilege of claiming Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13) All we need to do is ask, for He has told us, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13 “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24
May we ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance each day that we may be enlightened. May we study God’s Word with enthusiasm knowing that we will find Jesus in all of the Scriptures. May our love for Him will grow deeper and stronger each day is my prayer.
Rose