Archive for the ‘decisions’ Category


Under Gods Command

Life Application Study Bible Named this Chapter

Judgement on Jerusalem and Judah

but I call it

Judgement on the United States of America

Isaiah 3:1-15 NIV
[1] See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, [2] the hero and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, [3] the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter. [4] “I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them.” [5] People will oppress each other—man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored. [6] A man will seize one of his brothers in his father’s house, and say, “You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!” [7] But in that day he will cry out, “I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.” [8] Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. [9] The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. [10] Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. [11] Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. [12] Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path. [13] The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. [14] The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: “It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. [15] What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

Love the Commentary Notes

Jerusalem besieged, her leaders destroyed—this unhappy picture would soon become a reality. Disobedience would bring serious affliction and great destruction, as God had warned (Deuteronomy 28).

3:4-9 This section describes what happens when a nation loses its leadership.

3:9-11 The people would be proud of their sins, parading them out in the open. But sin is self-destructive. In today’s world, sinful living often appears glamorous, exciting, and clever. But sin is wrong, regardless of how society perceives it, and, in the long run, sin will make us miserable and destroy us. God tries to protect us by warning us about the harm we will cause ourselves by sinning. Those who are proud of their sins will receive the punishment from God they deserve. Having rejected God’s path to life (see Psalm 1), they had only one alternative—the path to destruction.

3:10, 11 In the middle of this gloomy message, God gives hope: Eventually the righteous will receive God’s reward, and the wicked will receive their punishment. It is disheartening to see the wicked prosper, while we struggle to obey God and follow his plan. But let us keep holding on to God’s truth and take heart! God will bring about justice in the end, and he will reward those who have been faithful.

3:14 The elders and rulers were responsible to help people, but instead they stole from the poor. Because they were unjust, Isaiah said the leaders would be the first to receive God’s judgment. Leaders will be held accountable for how they lead. If you are in a position of leadership, you must lead according to God’s just commands. Put the needs of others before your own. Fulfill the purpose God intended. Don’t seek your own advantage. Corruption will bring God’s wrath, especially if others follow your example.

3:14 Why is justice so important in the Bible? (1) Justice is part of God’s nature; it is the way he runs the universe. (2) It is a natural desire in every person. Even as sinners, we all want justice for ourselves. (3) When government and church leaders are unjust, the poor and powerless suffer. Thus, they are hindered from worshiping God. (4) God holds the poor in high regard. They are the ones most likely to turn to him for help and comfort. Injustice, then, attacks God’s children.

Lets Bring it Home: Its time we take our eyes off the television and point them to God. Stop worrying about how corrupt our Government is, and keep or start praying about it. Lets be sure we keep focus on ourselves also. We do want our prayers to be heard. When we do nothing to help the oppressed, we are, in fact, joining with the oppressor. Because we follow a just God, we must uphold justice. Don’t stop fighting for Justice. In the end God will have the Victory.


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”

Blessings are the product of honest labor. Just as Abraham was rich in gold, silver, and cattle because he was blessed of God, God will bless you abundantly if you have the faith of Abraham. Abraham was saved and blessed by faith. We are blessed and saved by; faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Someone in a hurry to get rich is taking short cuts. His ways are not pleasing to God, because they are not honest. God will hold him responsible for the way he made his money. Wealth in itself is not evil. Our attitude toward the wealth can be very evil.


Under Gods Command

2nd Samuel 5:13-25

David Conquers Jerusalem

        13After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

    17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19so David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

    The LORD answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

    20So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. 21The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

    22Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeona to Gezer.

Although David sincerely sought after God, he had weaknesses like any other person. One of those weaknesses was his desire for many wives. Sadly, the children born to these wives caused David and the kingdom much grief. David also set an unhealthy pattern for his son Solomon.

The “stronghold” is the mountain stronghold in the Desert of Judah that David used when defending himself against Saul (see 23:14 and 1 Chronicles 12:8).

The Philistine oppression of Israel had begun in the days of Samson (Judges 13–16). The Philistines were still Israel’s most powerful enemy although David was once considered a friend and ally (1 Samuel 27; 29). Because they occupied much of Israel’s northern territory, they apparently did not bother David while he was king of Judah to the south. But when they learned that David was planning to unite all Israel, they tried to stop him.

How could David get such a clear message from God? He may have prayed and been urged to action by the Holy Spirit. He may have asked God through a prophet. Most likely, however, he went to the high priest, who consulted God through the Urim and Thummim, which God had told the Israelites to use for just such a purpose.

David fought his battles the way God instructed him. In each instance he

(1) asked if he should fight or not,

(2) followed instructions carefully, and

(3) gave God the glory.

 

We can err in our “battles” by ignoring these steps and instead:

(1) do what we want without considering God’s will,

(2) do things our way and ignore advice in the Bible or from other wise people, and (3) take the glory ourselves or give it to someone else without acknowledging the help we received from God.

All these responses are sinful.

5:25 After David became king, his first order of business was to subdue his enemies—a task the nation had failed to complete when they first entered the land (Judges 2:1-4). David knew this had to be done in order to

(1) protect the nation,

(2) unify the kingdom, and

(3) prepare for building the temple (which would unify religion under God and help abolish idolatrous influences).

The one thing that I truly admire about David is the fact that he prays to the LORD before making a military attack. In this case, when he prays to the LORD, the LORD tells David that He will give these Philistines to him. David will go against them and David will win. 

Lets Bring it Home: When we go into issues, spiritual battles or any other kind of adverse situations, do you go to God first, or do you wait until your plan fails, then seek God.  

We need to slow our roll and seek God first, even something that seems so small, because it’s always those small things that turn out to be the biggest problems.

 


Under Gods Command (More on Ruth)

Ruth 1:1-16 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a whiled in the country of Moab. 2The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

Now remember, Bethlehem meant The House of Bread. So you leave your praised and provision to follow your emotions. If Bethlehem was the House of Bread, why would you leave there to go to the country of Moab when you know that was a place that God singled out to be one of the worst enemies of Israel? In Psalm 60:08 God called Moab a Washbasin, a place where you wash feet.

 3Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

This indicates that when trouble came (famine in the land) you give up the House of Bread for the Washbasin of Moab and then tragedy strikes.

Point 1: Bad decisions cause horrible destinies.

6When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. 8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”     Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”  11But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13would you wait until they grew up Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!”   14At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

Orpah remained in Moab. Sometimes when people decide to leave, we need to let them go. Don’t keep begging them to come back.

Point 2: Sometime God will release people out of your life and we want to bring them back. LET THEM GO!

 15“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”  

16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Now remember, as Moabites she worship false gods. So what she means now is, she is leaving her false religion to follow the true God. So with living with Naomi’s and Elimelek with all the stress that happen in her life, something attracted her to God.

Point 3: God has a destiny for every person’s life.

Sometimes we need to understand that when God puts his finger on somebody, and how he selects them and how he puts his finger on them to bring them to a level where that person or the people around them would never realized that God has selected them. Are there some people in your life that thought you would never be where you’re at in life?

The woman who was stress out as a kid, sexually molested as a child and now preaching the Word of God all over the world like a Joyce Myer.

God has a way of selecting you, and singling you out. He does not regard your background, and use your background to select your future. What God does, he avoids the pit falls in your life and he selects you because he sees something in you that no one else can see.

Point 4: God does not select you base on the outside, but what is on the inside.   God looks at the heart.

Lets Bring it Home: It is so important that we make right decisions and no one should make decisions simply on basic economics. Where God leads you he will provide for you, but sometime we become impetuous and move on our emotions at that particular time.