Archive for the ‘Acceptance’ Category

Spiritual Training 23 June 2014

Posted: June 23, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:12-17 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13) And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14) For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

 12-14 Because of their desire to serve Christ, some people in the Corinthian church thought they ought to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. But Paul affirmed the marriage commitment. God’s ideal is for marriages to stay together—even when one spouse is not a believer. The Christian spouse should try to win the other to Christ. It would be easy to rationalize leaving; however, Paul makes a strong case for staying with the unbelieving spouse and being a positive influence on the marriage. Paul, like Jesus, believed that marriage is permanent (see Mark 10:1–9).

7:14 The blessings that flow to believers don’t stop there, but extend to others. God regards the marriage as “sanctified” (set apart for his use) by the presence of one Christian spouse. The other does not receive salvation automatically, but is helped by this relationship. The children of such a marriage are to be regarded as “holy” (because of God’s blessing on the family unit) until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

15) But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16) How do you know wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know husband, whether you will save your wife?

15-16 This verse is misused by some as a loophole to get out of marriage. But Paul’s statements were given to encourage the Christian spouse to try to get along with the unbeliever and make the marriage work. If, however, the unbelieving spouse insisted on leaving, Paul said to let him or her go. The only alternative would be for the Christian to deny his or her faith to preserve the marriage, and that would be worse than dissolving the marriage. Paul’s chief purpose in writing this was to urge the married couples to seek unity, not separation

17) Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

 17) Apparently the Corinthians were ready to make wholesale changes without thinking through the ramifications. Paul was writing to say that people should be Christians where they are. You can do God’s work and demonstrate your faith anywhere. If you became a Christian after marriage, and your spouse is not a believer, remember that you don’t have to be married to a Christian to live for Christ.

Lets Bring It Home:Don’t assume that you are in the wrong place, or stuck with the wrong person. You may be just where God wants you

 

 

Spiritual Training 18 June 2014

Posted: June 18, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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1 Corinthians 7:7-9 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9: But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Both marriage and singleness are gifts from God. One is not morally better than the other, and both are valuable to accomplishing God’s purposes. It is important for us, therefore, to accept our present situation. When Paul said he wished that all people were like him (i.e., unmarried), he was expressing his desire that more people would devote themselves completely to the ministry without the added concerns of spouse and family, as he had done. He was not criticizing marriage-after all, it is God’s created way of providing companionship and populating the earth.

Sexual pressure is not the best motive for getting married, but it is better to marry the right person then to “burn with passion.” Many new believers in Corinth thought that all sex was wrong, and so engaged couples were deciding not to get married. In this passage, Paul was telling couples who wanted to marry that they should not frustrate their normal sexual drives by avoiding marriage.

Lets Bring It Home:This does not mean, however, that people who have trouble controlling themselves should marry the first person who comes along. It is better to deal with the pressure of desire than to deal with an unhappy marriage.

Proverbs 18:10 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 18, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 18, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe

When you are afraid, what kind of a tower do you want for protection and safety? The LORD is a strong tower in fearful times. You can run into it and be safe, whenever you need it. Nothing can breach it. His name is the LORD, and there is no other place for such protection from danger. Lay hold of this proverb by faith; it will save your life.

It is not merely the LORD’s name that is a strong tower, for His name has no magical properties for wicked men. It is the God by Whose name men know Him that is meant. It is the LORD Himself, with all His glorious attributes and perfections, that is meant. He is the living and true God, Creator of heaven and earth, Father of the fatherless, and Judge of the widow. Yes, it is that God. His name is the LORD. Do you know Him well?

What is His name? What is that LORD with all capital letters? Is it a quaint anachronism of the King James translators? Ah, consider this carefully, you who love the LORD. Those four capital letters stand for the sacred tetragrammaton of Israel. God revealed Himself to Moses as I AM THAT I AM. The Jews regarded this name unspeakable. They wrote it as a tetragram of four consonants, JHVH. It is pointed up with vowels from other Hebrew names of God, Elohim and Adonai, to be written and pronounced as Jehovah! The capitalized LORD means Jehovah, which is the God named I AM THAT I AM.

Is this God a strong tower? There is no other God but Him! The gods of the nations are the devilish imaginations of ignorant pagans. They are stumps, stones, animals, and insects. They must be carried about from place to place. Jehovah ridicules them repeatedly in the Bible, and He considers those who worship them to be just as stupid.

How strong is the tower? Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (Is 26:3-4)! Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew Him as the Almighty God, but He revealed Himself further to Moses (Ex 6:3). Hagar named Him, “Thou God seest me” (Gen 16:13). “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation” (Ps 68:5). None have ever been lost who put their trust in Him!

Let David be your example. Call upon the LORD in your troubles, and let Him rescue you (Ps 18:1-6). He was David’s rock, fortress, deliverer, God, strength, buckler, horn, and high tower (Ps 18:2).  David said, “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength” (Ps 18:1).

He rescues the righteous like this: “Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies” (Ps 18:7-11). Do you know this glorious God? Do you delight and trust in Him?

Do you think Allah can do such things? Or the Great Spirit of American Indians? Or the sacred dog of the Egyptians? Or the water bug from heaven of the Ethiopians? Or the sun, moon, or starts, which many have adored? There is only one living and true God – Jehovah. You should know Him. He has made you for Himself (Pr 16:4). Worship Him.

If you do not like making fun of the ridiculous false gods of the heathen, then either you need to read the Bible or find a new religion, for Jehovah takes pleasure in ridiculing the pitiful pretenders of pagan religion. None compare to Him! Check out I Kgs 18:27; Psalm 115:1-8; 135:15-18; Isaiah 40:18-20; 44:9-20; 46:1-9; Jer 10:1-5; and Hab 2:18-20.

“Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Having tired of manmade idols of wood and stone, the world’s pagans have outdone themselves with new inventions. The Muslims worship Allah, the moon god of the Arabians (note the crescent moon on top of every mosque). The Hindus have narrowed down their million gods to the unholy trinity of Shiva (destroyer), Brahma (creator), and Vishnu (preserver). None of these can be compared to God the LORD at all.

Rejecting the ridiculous pagan deities of the Muslims and Hindus, the Russian Communists worshipped an ignorant skinny man named Vladimir Lenin, and the Chinese Communists worshipped an ignorant fat man named Mao Tse Tung. The devils know all these imposters from Allah to Mao, and they laugh all the way to hell about them.

But there is one Man the devils fear more than all gods, angels, and men combined. And it is not Joseph Smith, Muhammed, or Pope Francis I. It is the Man Jesus of Nazareth. When He was on earth in a state of great humility, they ran and worshipped Him repeatedly, and they begged Him not to torment them before their appointed time of judgment. Now exalted at the right hand of God, He is far above all of them, preparing to use them as a footstool and consign them to an eternity in hell.

Nor do real Christians stoop to Babylonian and Roman superstition and pray to Mary. She is neither a tower nor strong. She could not even help herself. Mary needed a Saviour as much as any woman, as she told her cousin Elizabeth (Lu 1:46-49). She knew she was a lowly handmaiden and the object of blessing, not a giver of blessings. Jesus said His mother was no more important than any believer in God (Luke 11:27-28; Matt 12:46-50).

Nor do real Christians pray to saints, for they are dead and buried to this day. They cannot help. They are no tower of safety. They died because they were sinners under God’s curse. Forget their names. The Catholics invent them as fast and frivolously as the Hindus invent new gods. The names of both are worthless. Mother Theresa? She could not climb 20 feet of rope, if her life depended on it. Call on the LORD!

Your parents, pastor, pope, or priest are no better. They cannot help you. They need a strong tower as much or more than you. There is only one name by which any man must be saved; there is only one name that is above every name; there is only one name that is a strong tower. It is the name of Jesus, before which every knee shall bow (Phil 2:9-11).

When a Christian closes his prayers to God “in Jesus name,” he invokes the highest name in the universe (Phil 2:9-11). For you are using the name that means the LORD Jehovah is salvation (Matt 1:21). Now that is a strong tower!  You will be safe in it!

Let it be known forever that Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of Israel, the Christ of God, is Jehovah Himself, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Blessed and Only Potentate, Immanuel, the Word of God! He is LORD, and He is Lord of all!

Dear Christian reader, you know the LORD. He is your strong tower. He will save you from any and every danger. “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Ps 62:8). “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Ps 34:7).

Run to Him! There is no help anywhere else. Run to Him by prayer. Run to Him believing. Run to Him in faith. Run to Him now! He will deliver you from all your enemies and troubles in this life and life in the world to come. Run to Him, ye righteous!

But do not run to Him with unconfessed sin, for He will turn you away (Pr 15:8,29; 28:9; Ps 66:18; Is 1:15; Jas 4:3). God is not mocked by such profane prayers or worship; if you have rejected His warnings, He will laugh at your calamity (Pr 1:20-32). He is holy.

No matter what your fears or troubles, in time or eternity, the LORD is your strong tower, and He will save you. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev 1:17-18).

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:11-16).

“If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (I Cor 16:22-23).

 

Spiritual Training 16 June 2014

Posted: June 16, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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1 Corinthians 7:3-5 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone, but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.  

Sexual temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and natural desires that God has given us. Marriage provides God’s way to satisfy these natural sexual desires and to strengthen the partners against temptation. Married couples have the responsibility to care for each other. Why would God say come together again due to our lack of self-control?

Lets Bring It Home: Therefore, husbands and wives should not withhold themselves sexually from one another, but should fulfill each other’s needs and desires. How many of you are leading your spouses into sexual temptation?

Proverbs 16:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 16, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 16, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 16:26 The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

Why do you work a job or business? Because you enjoy it? Because others expect you to? Out of love for society? Because you want to help some enterprise succeed? Because you are bored? You work because you have to, and this fact of life teaches wisdom.

A life sentence of hard labor was Adam’s curse for listening to his wife rather than God (Gen 3:17-19). Instead of leisurely dressing a garden and enjoying a great variety of easy food, men must scratch in the ground to survive. But whether a man knows about Eden or not, there is a powerful necessity that drives him to hard labor – he must work or starve.

Solomon’s observation teaches wisdom, if you will think upon it. Men work hard by a selfish necessity – for themselves. If they do not work, they will starve. This is man’s condition in the world, whether he wears a white or blue collar: he must labor to eat. If he does not work, he will not eat; the fear of hunger forces him to work every day (Eccl 6:7).

Selfishness is a strong motivator that can produce good results, such as a hardworking society when selfishness is allowed to satisfy itself by diligent labor. Even God’s laws through Moses included divine reasoning about man’s selfishness to govern his conduct (Ex 21:20-21; Pr 27:18). Rightly understood, selfishness is a rule of ethics and wisdom.

A perverse society resents this wonderful motive for labor. Children are given everything, for doing nothing. Parents say, “Let him be a child; there will be plenty of time for work later,” meaning he should play all day. They legislate welfare, which mysteriously multiplies those needing handouts. Others provide meals for men too lazy to work. A government could quickly reduce welfare, increase national productivity, and raise tax revenues by simply punishing any citizens harboring or feeding slothful persons.

Here is the cure for sluggards – no work, no food! This rule is inspired wisdom. Solomon knew laziness was a common problem in young men (Pr 6:6-11; 10:26; 12:27; 13:4; 15:19; 19:24; 21:25; 22:13; 24:30-34; 26:13-15). It is difficult to teach or force foolish young men to work hard. But just a few days without food will produce a laborer! Both Solomon and Paul endorsed and taught this wise rule (Pr 20:4; II Thess 3:8-12).

Here is the profit motive in Scripture! Communism hallucinates, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” Yet it has never worked! A man will never apply himself diligently for an idiotic theory that gives the lazy as much as the diligent, but he will apply himself for a proportionate reward. Let him see the endless possibilities in a free market system, and he will very gladly do his job well and look for extra work. Wise employers use incentive compensation to raise employee productivity even higher.

The wisdom here can be enhanced or leveraged! Give a man a loving wife and dependent children, and he will work even harder. Two are better than one, because they have a reward for their labor, among other benefits (Eccl 4:9-12). But the extra mouths to feed of those he loves above all others on earth will further motivate him. How does a boy become a man? Right training; no allowance; early job; early marriage; and early baby!

Parent, are you using this proverb with your children? Eating is not a right, except for helpless infants. Even young children can do chores, and they should be required to do them before eating. Most parents have an open-refrigerator policy, which fosters laziness and self-indulgence that leads to an undisciplined life. When most grew up on farms, this proverb was generally practiced, for everyone had to help with the chores in order to eat.

Christianity teaches a great work ethic! Shame on Christians who are slothful at work! Whatever you find to do professionally, do it with your might (Eccl 9:10; Col 3:23). Diligent labor at your own business is part of sanctification for a believer (I Thess 4:11-12). And those disliking hard work are to be starved into enjoying it (Pr 20:4; II Thess 3:8-12), or they are to be excluded from the churches of Jesus Christ (II Thess 3:6,14).

This proverb also rebukes greed and covetousness. The ambitious man, obsessed with the reward of hard work, forgets he will die and leave his wealth to another (Eccl 2:17-24; Luke 12:16-21). He heaps up riches, not knowing who will spend them (Ps 39:6). Therefore, wisdom and true success are learning godly contentment with essentials, not seeking wealth (Pr 12:9; I Tim 6:6-10). Convenient food is the wise choice (Pr 30:7-9).

Pastor, do you labor diligently in your holy calling? The Lord Christ chose you to endure hardness as a good soldier (II Tim 2:3-4). Paul worked night and day to be the greatest apostle (I Cor 15:10; I Thess 2:9). Does your soul crave laboring in order to hear your Captain say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”? Let Paul’s inspired example and instruction invigorate your soul for Christ’s kingdom (I Cor 9:16; I Tim 4:13-16).

Reader, does your soul crave God and His word? It never will without God’s sovereign grace. Have you checked your hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt 5:6)? Does it drive you to separate yourself from foolish, worldly pursuits to learn wisdom (Pr 18:1)? You must stimulate your appetite and desire for the sincere milk of the word (I Pet 2:1-3).

Jesus met a great crowd, five thousand men plus women and children, who wanted to make Him king, so He could fill their bellies with free bread and fish (John 6:15,26). He told them to labor rather for the food that endures unto eternal life (John 6:27). Are you laboring for yourself in this crucial matter, reader? This is labor with a fantastic reward!

How much does your soul crave the kingdom of heaven? Jesus described it as a man finding a treasure in a field and joyfully selling all that he had in order to buy the field for its treasure (Matt 13:44). You should pray, “Lord, increase the craving of my soul for Thee and the things of Thy kingdom, and direct my labor fervently toward them. Amen.”

Proverbs 12:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 12, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 12, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 12:20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.

What a classic proverb! If you love unlocking dark sayings, here is your opportunity (Pr 1:6). The key to understanding the lesson is in the contrast between the two clauses. Those who imagine evil against others are liars and will be punished for it. Righteous men pursue peace with their words and advice, and God will bless them with happy lives.

While context is often of little value in Proverbs – many of the verses stand alone, there is some direction for this proverb. Solomon exalted truth and condemned lying in the context (Pr 12:17-19,21-22). Therefore, “deceit” in this proverb is not self-deception of those that imagine evil, but the deceit that evil men plan and use against others. Men with evil ambitions or envy against their neighbors will lie to take advantage of them.

The contrast in many proverbs is very helpful in finding the ellipses. Those that imagine evil against others are contrasted to those that counsel peace. Some men have evil ambitions against their neighbors, but other men only desire their good and peace. While the one uses deceit to corrupt, steal, or hurt, the other uses truth to heal and strengthen. The reward to the former is sorrow and trouble, but the blessing to the righteous is joy.

Is there a lesson? Lying originates in the human heart, where it begins with evil thoughts about other people. If you have bitter resentment or hateful envy toward others, it will corrupt your dealings with them. Instead of dealing honestly and truthfully with their best interests in mind, you will lie to them or about them to pursue your wicked agenda.

The cure is to keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (Pr 4:23). Jesus and James warned very clearly that all sins begin in the heart (Matt 12:34-37; 15:18-20; Jas 1:13-16). If you harbor envy or strife in your heart, it makes you completely vulnerable to confusion and every evil work of the devil (Jas 3:14-16).

Is there another lesson? God loves and blesses peacemakers (Matt 5:9). If your words and advice to others are truth and peace, God will favor your life (Pr 15:23; I Pet 3:10-13). Opposite the hellish confusion and evil of strife and envy is the peace and righteousness of heavenly wisdom (Jas 3:17-18). The difference is very great. Counsel peace today!

Differences between men are common. How will you deal with them? Will you forgive those who trespass against you (Pr 19:11; Matt 18:21-22)? If you have offended others, will you quickly seek reconciliation (Matt 5:23-26)? If you know of trouble between others, will you counsel them to peace and unity (Rom 14:17-19)? Counsel peace today!

Spiritual Training 12 June 2014

Posted: June 12, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

What did Paul mean when he said that our bodies belong to God? Many people say they have the right to do what ever they want with their own bodies. Although they think that this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit fills and lives in us. Therefore, we no longer own our bodies. “Bought at a price” refers to slaves purchased at auction. Christ’s death freed us from sin, but also obligates us to his service. If you live in a building owned by someone else, you try not to violate the building’s rules.

Lets Bring it Home:Because your body belongs to God, you must not violate his standards for living.

Spiritual Training 11 June 2014

Posted: June 11, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

Christians are free to be all they can be for God, but they are not free from God. God created sex to be a beautiful and essential ingredient of marriage, but sexual sin-sex outside the marriage relationship always hurts someone. It hurts God because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. It often brings disease to our bodies. And it deeply affects our personalities, which respond in anguish when we harm ourselves physically and spiritually.

Lets Bring it Home:“Flee fornication avoid it, keep out of the reach of temptations to it, of provoking objects. Direct the eyes and mind to other things and thoughts.’’

Proverbs 11:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 11, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 11, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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 Proverbs 11:21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

It does not matter if evil men conspire together: the Judge of all will punish them. Numbers mean nothing to God, and He loves to break up associations and confederacies of wicked men (Pr 16:5). Vengeance is His: He will repay. And He will also direct His providence to save and bless good men and their children, though they may be very few.

The choice is simple. God will deliver and help godly men and their families. But He will crush the wicked, no matter how large and powerful they become. It is your daily choice to be righteous or wicked. The results are certain; there is no escape (Pr 12:3). Future punishment is certain, if Jehovah is against you. The choice is simple – choose godliness.

Go back 4,400 years. The world was full of violence and wickedness. Children of God were marrying women of the world. Their children were great successes. Mankind was united in rejecting God and His ways (Gen 6:1-7,11-12). But there was one faithful man, who was just, perfect, and righteous, and he walked with God (Gen 6:8-10; 7:1). It began to rain! Every man, woman, and child drowned! But Noah and his family were saved!

Go back 2000 years. Kings and Israel’s rulers conspired against Jesus of Nazareth (Ps 2:1-3). How did God react to this international confederacy? He laughed hard (Ps 2:4)! What else did He do? He got angry and vexed them with tribulation in 70AD worse than anything before or since (Ps 2:5; Matt 24:21). Were any delivered? Only the few who feared the Lord, kissed the Son, and trusted in Him (Ps 2:10-12; Matt 24:22; Acts 2:40)!

Consider today. Hollywood, the UN, communism, the NEA, Democrats, the PTA, Muslims, the NBA, Republicans, the ACLU, and Hell’s Angels all have something in common – they despise Bible Christians. And most of today’s carnal Christians and churches agree with them (II Tim 3:1 – 4:5). But do not let their numbers or agreement bother you. Hold fast, and you will rule with Jesus Christ over them (Rev 2:25-27).

The majority means nothing, except to be wrong. Truth has always been held by a small minority (Matt 7:14). God cannot stand the choices and trends of the majority (Ex 23:2; Num 14:1-10; I John 5:19-20). Good men reject the majority (Joshua 24:15; Job 31:34; Dan 3:1-18). One man with God on his side is invincible (Ezek 22:30; II Tim 4:16-18)!

Your daily choice to be godly or wicked affects children and grandchildren (Ex 20:5; Ps 37:25-26; 112:1-2; Jer 32:39). Do not fear this world and its united front against truth and godliness. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (I Cor 16:13).

Proverbs 10:04 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 10, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 10, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Poverty or riches, the choice is yours! You will make the choice today, tomorrow, and the next day. The man who applies himself diligently to his profession and other duties will be rich, but the man who is a slacker, or sluggard, will be poor. The choice is yours!

A great temptation for men, especially young men, is laziness about work. Solomon often warned against this error, and here he used synecdoche to represent a man by his hand. He used arm (Pr 31:17), soul (Pr 13:4), or the whole man (Pr 22:29) at other times for the same lesson. Success requires energized focus and persistent effort. Get to work now!

Since the hand is a figure of speech for the whole man, do not be distracted by it, as some do with metaphorical language. However, sluggards like to keep their hands in their pockets or folded against their chests (Pr 19:24), which surely brings their lives to ruin (Eccl 10:18). And it is a fact that wise employers note the handshake of an applicant, for they are fearful of the limp, effeminate, weak handshake of a slothful and/or timid loser.

Working for pay or profit is a privilege and blessing (Eccl 9:10). The godly man attacks daily tasks with zeal and force. If he is consistently diligent, all other things being equal, he will quickly and greatly surpass the man who is lazy, slow, and avoids hard work. This is the law of God and nature, and it is a simple lesson to teach children. Diligent work brings financial reward, and it can bring its own emotional reward in a job well done.

A slack hand represents the man who lacks energy or diligence, is inclined to be lazy or idle, remiss, careless, or negligent or lax in regard to his duties. A slacker is a slack person, who shirks work or avoids exertion. This kind of person puts off work as long as he can; he resents real labor; he hates tasks requiring focus and effort. He is a lazy loser.

The slacker always has conceited excuses for his laziness; he will reject sound reasons from even seven men who warn him (Pr 26:16). He has an evil disease – laziness – and will not listen to wisdom. Dear reader, crush your thoughts and believe the proverb!  Solomon learned more in a day than you will learn in a lifetime, and he wrote by the inspiration of the omniscient God, Who knows all things. Hard work wins! Get to work!

What are the slacker’s excuses? He loves sleep (Pr 20:13), which ruins men and women and brings poverty (Pr 6:6-11; 24:30-34). He loves folding lazy hands and huddling under covers in the morning. He loves the snooze button on the alarm. He loves turning back and forth in bed like a door on hinges (Pr 26:14). He hates mornings. He is too foolish and addicted to sleep to realize that extra sleep can make him sleepier (Pr 19:15).

He fears and resents adversity or difficulty (Pr 20:4). He will not plow by reason of the cold. He is always looking for a “snow day” to take the day off. Instead of putting on a coat and working anyway, he loves any excuse to stay home or avoid a difficult job. The blessed God will put extra thorns in his way to teach him or tear him (Pr 15:19; 22:5).

He is intimidated by challenges (Pr 22:13; 26:13). He imagines a lion in the way. His favorite words are, “I can’t do it,” and, “It won’t work.” Long-term business or career plans are overwhelming. He wants something easier; he wants success that will fall in his lap. So instead of tackling the challenge, he does nothing (Pr 26:14-15). But ever since Adam chose hard labor instead of dressing the Garden, there is no easy alternative.

He resents authority and being told what to do by another (Pr 19:10; 27:18; 30:22). This socialist thinks a tribe of all chiefs, or all Indians, would work well. He does not want to be an Indian under a chief. He likes to work for himself. His rebellion keeps him from seeing that all chiefs were once hard-working Indians (Pr 17:2; 22:29).

He is seduced by vain ideas of easier and more exciting ways to make money (Pr 12:11; 28:19). He associates with the discontented and listens to schemes on how they will beat the system (Pr 14:23; 21:5). He is always busy planning his future success. He believes he has figured out life better than Solomon and seven successful men (Pr 26:16).

The diligent man laughs at slackers and mocks their five excuses, goes to work early every single day, and attacks his job with energy and persistence. He knows that life is short; he knows that God made him to work; he looks forward to getting his diligent hands on a project; and he will do it with his might (Eccl 9:10). He will soon rule over the slacker in riches and honor (Pr 12:24; 13:4; 22:29). Guaranteed!

Nothing has changed in 3000 years since Solomon penned these words. And nothing has changed in 2000 years, since Paul wrote his own warnings against slackers (Rom 12:11; I Thes 4:11-12; II Thes 3:6-13). Diligent labor is the law of God and the law of success. It must be taught faithfully and strongly, for the excuses of slackers have not diminished. Parents must train children to work hard and to hate and repudiate the slacker’s excuses.

There are many other excuses that lazy souls use, such as discrimination for age, creed, race, or sex, such as lack of education, lack of intelligence, lack of friends higher in the organization, etc. But the wisest man that ever lived taught here and in other places that hard work will make up for any of these perceived disadvantages (Pr 14:35; 17:2; 22:29).

If you put the fear and love of God first in your life and then work diligently on the job as you should, you will be honored and compensated. Guaranteed! Joseph prospered in Egypt, though having the wrong nationality, a despised business background, and starting as a chained slave. Daniel prospered for 70 years near the top of the Babylonian Empire though of a despised race, enemy nation, hated religion, and starting out as a eunuch!

Christians should be the most diligent workers in any company or on any job. The world should see a living example of focused energy, intense persistence, and cheerful zeal to do anything necessary to finish even unpleasant tasks. Christians should never consider the excuses of the slacker, as they are contrary to sound doctrine (Eph 6:5-8; Tit 2:9-10).

The blessed Lord Christ was exceptionally diligent (Mark 3:20-21; 6:31; John 4:34; 9:4). And the apostles followed His great example (I Cor 4:9-14; II Thess 3:8). In fact, beloved brother Paul boasted in the grace of God that he labored more abundantly than all the other apostles (I Cor 15:10). There are many duties and privileges of service in the New Testament for you. Can you, reader, boast of diligent use of God’s grace in doing them?

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