Archive for the ‘Encourgement’ Category

Spiritual Training 22 August 2014

Posted: August 22, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 21, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command                                                                                                 I

1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

Idol worship was the major expression of religion in Corith. There were several pagan temples in the city, and they were very popular. The statues of wood or stone were not evil in themselves, but people gave them credit for what only God could do, such as provide good weather, crops, and children, idolatry is still a serious problem today, but it takes a different form. We don’t put our trust in statures of wood and stone, but in paper money and plastic cards.

Lets Bring it Home: Trusting anything for what God alone provides is idolatry. Our modern idols are those symbols of power, pleasure, or prestige that we so highly regard. When we understand contemporary parallels to idolatry, Paul’s words to “flee from idolatry” become much more meaningful.

 

Proverbs 22:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 22, 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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Proverbs 22:12 – The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

True knowledge is eternal. Jehovah God of the Bible has had all of it from the beginning (Pr 8:22-31). And He will preserve all of it forever (Ps 119:152,160). But He despises arrogant thoughts of the wicked (Ps 119:113). He will destroy and humiliate them by exposing their words as lies and their thoughts as hallucinations (I Cor 1:19-20; 3:19-20).

“Knowledge” refers to those who have knowledge, those who live right and speak the truth. It takes discipline, determination, and hard work to live God’s way, but God protects and rewards those who make the commitment to follow him.

The eyes of the LORD are a metonym for His providence in the affairs of men. Eyes are used for His providence because they are the human sense that perceives and guides, and this usage is easily found elsewhere in Scripture (II Chron 16:9; Ps 32:8; Zech 4:10). The God of heaven has committed His government of the universe to the preservation of true knowledge and the revealing of it to His dear children. You should thank Him gratefully.

But the dreadful and terrible God is just as committed to expose and destroy the thoughts and words of sinners. He is committed to blind, confuse, deceive, harden, and damn those who reject the knowledge He offers in creation, providence, conscience, and Scripture. Do you know the God of the Bible? Most preachers have replaced sound doctrine with entertainment and fables to scratch the itching lusts of carnal Christians (II Tim 4:1-4)!

Introduce yourself to the God of the Bible, Who will do exactly as described above, by reading any two of these passages: I Kgs 22:1-4; Job 5:8-14; 12:14-25; Ps 147:19-20; Is 8:13-16; 19:11-17; 29:9-16; Jer 4:9-10; Ezek 14:1-11; Matt 11:25-27; 13:10-15; 15:12-14; John 12:37-41; Rom 1:18-32; I Cor 1:17-24; 3:19-20; II Thess 2:9-12; I Pet 2:6-8. There are more passages, but these should get the sober point across to noble readers.

Pharaoh, the greatest ruler on earth, told Moses, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” Famous last words! After destroying Egypt, killing their firstborn, giving their wealth to Israel, and drowning Pharoah and his army in the Red Sea, the world knew the LORD. God had blessed Pharaoh’s life and rise to power just for this event (Ex 9:16; Rom 9:17). In fact, He told Moses beforehand exactly how the event would play out (Ex 14:4,17; Rom 9:18).

On March 31, 1912 the Harland and Wolff shipyard in England had finished their finest project. In just two years, 1000 workers had built the world’s largest and finest ship. So confident were the architects and workers that some called the ship unsinkable and said, “Not even God Himself could sink this ship.” Famous last words! Two weeks later the Titanic was in two pieces at the bottom of the North Atlantic with the loss of 1507 lives. Great human confidence, wealthy luminaries, and many children did not move the Lord!

God has reserved knowledge to Himself, which are His secret things, but He has also revealed much for His people to learn and do (Deut 29:29). He inspired men to write the Bible, and then He preserved its copying and translating so that His knowledge is available for those who will read it (Ps 12:6-7; 45:1; Is 30:8; II Tim 3:16-17; I Pet 1:25; II Pet 1:19-21). He prepares men to preach His word and form churches, which are the defense and support of knowledge on earth (Jer 3:15; Eph 4:8-16; I Tim 3:15; Jude 1:3).

Education is a handicap for finding true knowledge (Matt 11:25-27; I Cor 1:19-20; 3:19-20; I Tim 6:3-5,20-21). The faithless speculations of educated men have created the following absurdities among many others: the universe and reproducing life resulted from an explosion, mankind evolved from monkeys, capital punishment is not a deterrent, sodomy is normal, men and women are equal, the greatest love is self-love, Picasso was an artist, rap is music, war helps economies, corporal punishment warps children, etc.

Though great efforts have been made by secular and religious powers to destroy Bible Christianity, it is still represented in most every city on every continent. Bibles have been burned, ministers and believers imprisoned or put to death, threats issued, counterfeit doctrines created, religious ridicule used, and worldly temptations offered. But the eyes of the LORD have preserved His knowledge and His people in the earth. Glory to God!

What is the lesson? There is only one place to go for knowledge – the Creator God and His Bible. All other thinking is total darkness (Is 8:20; Ps 119:128). The information explosion has not helped at all, for men are ever learning without any truth (II Tim 3:1-7). Humble yourself before the God of heaven and beg Him to teach you true knowledge. Seek out a true preacher of the word that you might have help in learning (Acts 8:30-35).

Proverbs 20:28 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 20, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 21, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 20:28 Love and faithfulness keep a King safe; through love his throne is made secure.

The Secret Service does little. Public opinion does less. Presidents desire both and often significantly overestimate both. Mercy and truth are their greatest allies and preservers.

God ordained civil rule, and He raises up the men that fill the offices in every nation, no matter what you think (Dan 2:20-22; 4:17; Rom 13:1-7). As the Supreme Ruler of the universe, He protects or punishes rulers, and this proverb teaches clearly on what basis.

Political science is taught in the Bible. Since the Bible reveals God’s will, it reveals His will about civil government. Since Solomon was a king writing in particular to his son, he also covered this subject by God’s direction for the lasting benefit of the nation of Israel.

Every ruler on earth, whether great or small, should humble himself before the divine wisdom of this proverb. Their personal survival, the length of their time in office, and the future of their nation or other political subdivision depends on their mercy and truth.

Truth is what is right, especially as defined by the true God in the Bible. Truth is the consistent application of honesty, integrity, justice, judgment, equity, righteousness, and virtue. Truth rejects all deception, dishonesty, lies, fraud, corruption, or compromise.

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness to those under a ruler’s authority who have no claim to receive kindness nor the power to defend themselves from the strict sentence of the law. Mercy is benevolence, gentleness, and graciousness to offenders or the powerless.

God is a God of truth, and He expects truth from all men, but especially from those in positions of rule (Deut 32:4; Ex 18:21; Is 16:5; 59:4,14-15; Jer 5:1; Zech 8:16). Any man that rules over others must be fully committed to truth defined by God (II Sam 23:3).

God is a God of mercy, and He expects mercy from all men, but especially from those in positions of rule (Mic 7:18; Ex 34:5-7; Ezek 33:11; Luke 15:7; Eph 2:4-7). Any man that rules over others must be fully committed to mercy for the oppressed (Pr 31:8-9).

God will preserve a ruler, a government, or a nation that exalts mercy and truth. He will destroy rulers, governments, or nations that compromise or corrupt either or both. The security of rulers and nations is right here, not in bodyguards, military strength, or polls.

David’s life and reign, recorded in great detail in the Bible, show many cases of mercy and truth, so you should not be surprised that God mercifully forgave him for sins in his own life, because he had been very merciful to others (Ps 18:25; Ps 41:1-4; 112:4-6).

David mercifully forgave Abner, King Saul’s military commander that had tried to kill him (II Sam 3:12-21). However, David’s nephew Joab killed Abner in jealous revenge (II Sam 3:22-27). So David in truth had Joab killed (II Sam 3:28-29; I Kgs 2:5-6).

At times mercy may seem to compromise truth, but truth rightly understood includes mercy. God punishes sinners, but it is His strange work (Is 28:21). God is merciful to sinners, and it is His delight (Mic 7:18). Mercy rejoices against strict judgment (Jas 2:13).

David with 600 men pursued Amalekites that had taken his family, but 200 had to stop because they were too tired. The 400 did not think the 200 should get any spoil because they in truth did not recover it, but David mercifully included them (I Sam 30:9-25).

How did David eat the shewbread (I Sam 21:1-6)? As a matter of truth, the shewbread was to be eaten only by the priests (Lev 24:5-9). Yet David knew God’s mercy allowed him to eat the holy bread (Pr 21:3; Hos 6:6). Jesus totally exonerated him (Matt 12:3-4).

But consider Rehoboam, David’s grandson, and Solomon’s son. The nation asked for a little mercy in reduced taxes, but he exaggerated the truth of civil authority, threatened them foolishly, and lost ten of the nation’s twelve tribes to a competitor (I Kgs 12:1-20).

Consider Pilate, the Roman governor. He had neither mercy nor truth. When examining Jesus, he asked skeptically, “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38). And when he found no crime in His life, he had Him killed anyway for political expediency (Is 53:7-9; John 19:12-16).

How merciful is America, killing 1.2 million unborn children a year? Choosing deficit spending and inflation to transfer wealth and confiscate savings from bondholders and widows? Enforcing penalties for cruelty to animals while sheltering human murderers?

How truthful is America, requiring evolution in its public schools to the exclusion of creation or intelligent design? Allowing the media to spin every event to promote secular humanism or social Darwinism? Calling two men or two women in bed a marriage?

What is America’s future? God will throw her down to hell (Ps 9:15-20), and He will laugh derisively while He does it (Ps 2:1-12). She has only made it to 2013 in her present sorry condition for the sake of the praying righteous in her (Gen 18:23-33; Jer 29:4-7).

Reader, do you practice mercy and truth for the preservation of your life, family, business, and church? Every husband (I Pet 3:7), father (Eph 6:4), employer (Eph 6:9), and pastor (I Tim 5:21) had better practice both, for they preserve and uphold all rulers.

The truth is all men deserve an eternal hell for their sins, but God’s true justice punished Jesus Christ in place of His elect, so He might have mercy upon them, while righteously being both just and justifier (Rom 3:26)! What a glorious combination of mercy and truth are found in Jesus Christ – they are met and kissed together in Him (Ps 85:10; 89:14)!

Spiritual Training 20 August 2014

Posted: August 20, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command
Warning from Israel’s History
1 Corinthians 10:1-10

1-5: For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wildernesses.

The cloud and the sea mentioned here refer to Israel’s escape from slavery in Egypt when God led them by a cloud and brought them safely through the Red Sea (Exodus 14). The spiritual food and drink are the miraculous provisions God gave as they traveled through the desert (Exodus 15; 16).10:2 “Baptized into Moses” means that just as we are united in Christ by baptism, so the Israelites were united under Moses’ leadership in the events of the exodus.10:7–10

6-10: Now these things occurred as examples’ to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

The incident referred to in 10:7 took place when the Israelites made a golden calf and worshiped it in the desert (Exodus 32). The incident in 10:8 is recorded in Numbers 25:1–9 when the Israelites worshiped Baal of Peor and engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite women. The reference in 10:9 is to the Israelites’ complaint about their food (Numbers 21:5, 6). They put the Lord to the test by seeing how far they could go. In 10:10, Paul refers to when the people complained against Moses and Aaron, and the plague that resulted (Numbers 14:2, 36; 16:41–50). The destroying angel is referred to in Exodus 12:23. 10:10 Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to complain. We start to complain when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them—setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land—because they were so wrapped up in what God wasn’t doing for them. They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind (Numbers 11:5).

Lets Bring it Home: Before we judge the Israelites too harshly, it’s helpful to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? Don’t allow your unfulfilled desires to cause you to forget God’s gifts of life, family, friends, food, health, and work.

Spiritual Training 14 August 2014

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, After you get saved., Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, clean break, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Fear of rejection, Fellowship, fools, laziness, Personal Growth, Sex
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1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

 Whatever happened to self-discipline? Many books and speakers guide wandering souls to self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and self-awareness. Not many tackle self-discipline. Self-discipline requires an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses, with emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside you screams yes. For example, when you have self-discipline, you can

(1) say no to friends or situations that will lead you away from Christ

(2) say no to casual sex, saving intimacy for marriage, and

(3) say no to laziness in favor of “can do” and “will do.”

 Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling natural appetites toward God’s purposes.

Lets Bring it Home: Where are your weak points? Pray with a friend for God’s help to redirect weakness into strength.

Proverbs 14:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Inspiration, laziness, Money, Money Issue, Motivated, Proverbs 14
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Proverbs 14:15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his ways.

Skepticism is a virtue. Caution is a sign of nobility. Demanding proof is wisdom. Only the foolish and stupid believe all they hear or read. A wise and successful man will examine things carefully, before he makes his decision. He understands the risks and rewards before he chooses a course of action. He does nothing by chance or mere hope.

The proverb is for safety and success. It is one of the best. Memorize it. It will save you often (Pr 22:3). You live in bad times. Men trust sound bites instead of sound reasoning. The information explosion bombards you with new data every day. Telemarketers, mail order catalogs, advertisements, infomercials, pop-up ads, and the Internet throw opinions, suggestions, and products at you. God inspired Solomon to save you by this pithy saying.

The simple are gullible. They are not bright. They do not have conviction or ability to question and criticize new information. If it sounds good, and something they want to be true, they believe it. If others are enthusiastic about it, they get excited. If it is in print, they believe it true. If a perceived authority says it, they trust it completely, even without evidence. If strangers say it worked for them, that is good enough evidence to buy it.

The prudent are wise. They have discretion. They are not gullible. They are skeptical of anything sounding too good, too easy, too neat. Too good to be true is their motto. They are not impressed by things in print, words by authority, or testimonials from strangers. They want evidence, and it must be valid. If the simple are excited, they conclude it must be wrong. The majority opinion, in this ignorant and perverse society, scares them away.

Learn to reject anything without proof, and learn the rudiments of evaluating proof. A testimonial is not proof of anything; a drawing of the evolution of the horse is fantasy. The public education system neglects logic and rhetoric: they want you gullible to trust their authorities, which are educators, the media, and entertainers. None of whom, in this Bible-rejecting day, have a clue about truth and error. See the comments on Pr 13:16.

Men are vulnerable to fraud in different areas. The old crave a cure for aging and disease, so they buy magazines filled with health speculations, fraudulent advertising, and testimonials of miracles. Young men want to look like Hercules, so they ingest gargantuan amounts of the latest weight-gain powder from the same store that granny visited! Of course, in twenty years they will try a new powder to take that weight off!

Some men fall for financial fraud, because they want to make millions, easily! Others obsess about conspiracies and avoid the electronic cashier at the grocery store, for fear of receiving the mark of the beast! Safety freaks stop flying, because their flight, out of 100,000 each day, might have a passenger with a shoe bomb! And doting mothers play subliminal ocean sounds to their sleeping children to help them learn to swim!

Many hold evolution to be science, though it violates key parts of the scientific method. Many buy lottery tickets thinking they have a chance because they saw a winner on television. Many worship Joel Osteen for his constant repetition they all can be grinning millionaires like him. Many cremate dead relatives because the funeral home said it is better than burial. Many are vegetarians because an emaciated guru said it leads to god.

How could the Tulip mania of Holland occur in 1637? Or the dot.com bubble of 1997-2000? How did America turn its opinion of sodomy upside down in one generation? Why blame banks for the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-2009, when they loaned the money? How could anyone buy a ticket for the Heaven Is for Real movie? How can network marketing still exist when 98% lose money buying overpriced stuff for the 2%?

Many Christians practice infant baptism, though not even hinted at in the Bible. Charismatics in many places claim to be apostles, though Paul was the last one. Seventh-Day Adventists’ claim to fame is their false prophecy of the Lord’s coming in 1844, yet they have millions of followers still. Catholics at Mass eat a wafer they claim is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ without any Bible or scientific evidence at all.

Parent, teach your children to be skeptics. It can be enjoyable. Show them the false advertisement you get about the free family cruise to Tahiti. Show them the fine print requiring you to get to Mexico City for departure and the contract to rent expensive condos on four continents over the next four years. Teach them to look for the fine print, and teach them to look around in a full circle, which is circumspection (Eph 5:15).

Teach your children one of life’s greatest lessons – there is no free lunch. Teach them another – no stranger loves them. The salesman and infomercial have one goal, to take their money from their pockets for themselves. Teach them the Bible is the only book to believe absolutely. Teach them that God is the only Being they can totally trust. Remind them that only God and the godly are truly looking out for them and their future success.

Watch the Evening News together, and point out the blather of the anchor, no matter who it is. Watch a Benny Hinn crusade. Tell them he has never healed anyone and screens every sick person several times before they ever reach the platform. Read The Emperor’s New Clothes to them, and explain how often they will need to say, “But the emperor doesn’t have any clothes on!” in this twisted world of peer-pressured perversity.

You live in the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1). Information is the rage. Schools and degrees, books and other media, multiply ridiculously. Men are gorged on information, but there is no truth! Paul warned, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim 3:7). And it will not get better, for he said, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II Tim 3:13).

Husband, protect your wife. Satan stole Eve’s mind in about ten seconds in Eden, and Paul warned religious creeps would seek to capture silly – weak and vulnerable – women (II Tim 3:6). Protect your weaker vessel (I Cor 14:34-35; I Pet 3:7). What is the cure? Confidence and knowledge in the Bible and a pastor that will preach mainly to you and provide encouragement and doctrine to lead your family (Ps 119:128; II Tim 3:14 – 4:4)!

Here is valuable wisdom. In life, there is truth and error. A wise man will prove all things, reject the error, and tightly hold the truth. Paul taught this rule when he wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess 5:21). The Bereans were noble for searching the Scriptures to prove even Paul (Acts 17:11). They were not simple. They did not believe impulsively; they proved him out. Believe not every spirit (I John 4:1-6)!

God is absolute truth, and His word is absolute truth (Deut 32:4; John 17:17). Satan is a liar and the father of lies; he has no truth in him (John 8:44). And all men follow one or the other. There is no neutral ground (Gal 1:8-9; Eph 2:1-3; I Tim 6:3-5). By your first birth, you love lies (John 8:45). But as the children of God, you can follow the truth, if you will prove it and pursue it (Jn 8:47; I Cor 2:15; Jude 1:3). Let God be true (Rom 3:4)!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). You can trust Him completely, for your future today and for eternity. 

Spiritual Training 30 July 2014

Posted: July 30, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Motivated, Personal Growth, Special gifts, Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Under Gods Command, Your calling, your gift
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1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

 Preaching the gospel was Paul’s gift and calling, and he said he couldn’t stop preaching even if he wanted to. Paul was driven by the desire to do what God wanted, using his gifts for God’s glory.

Lets Bring it Home: What special gifts has God given you? Are you motivated, life Paul, to honor God with your gifts?

Proverbs 30:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 30, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 30, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverb 30:21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up

The goal of wisdom is to please God and men (Pr 3:3-4; Luke 2:52), so Agur listed four kinds of people that are irritating and annoying. If you are wise, you will never be one, and you will reject those who are. Here are four kinds of people that disrupt the world, and you must learn to avoid being like them, being around them, or approving of them.

This chapter of Proverbs contains lists of things to teach wisdom (Pr 30:11-31). The wise prophet Agur used this method to teach inspired wisdom to Ithiel and Ucal (Pr 30:1-6). In this particular list, four kinds of people disquiet the earth – disturb the peace and pleasure of life. The earth cannot bear them; they are irritating and frustrating to most men.

Most men love a quiet life – one of peace, pleasure, and security. But that goal is ruined, if one of these four is near. You will be angered by their disrespectful and intolerable conduct. Relaxation and rest will be impossible, for they are bent on making life miserable for others, even though they never grasp how much they are despised.

The first is a “servant when he reigneth (ruled).” God made masters and servants, leaders and followers. When this divine order is altered, and a person God created to serve is put in authority, the power corrupts their weak character and makes them unbearable. Solomon despised this perversion of roles (Pr 19:10; Eccl 10:5-7). It is found today in labor unions, employee committees, some deacon boards, political polls, and spoiled children.

The second is a “fool when he is filled with meat.” Prosperity and pleasure are a curse to the fool, for they flatter his depraved soul and cause him to boast and offend. The best thing for a fool is a beating and starvation (Pr 20:4; 26:3). The worst thing you can give a fool is honor and kindness (Pr 19:10; 26:1,8). Such fools are found today in rebellious youth with pampered lives, athletes with excessive salaries, and actors with contracts.

The third is an “odious woman when she is married.” Here is a common curse to mankind – an irritating, overbearing, and obnoxious wife. Many men have had their lives ruined by these deplorable creatures. Solomon warned about her many times (Pr 11:22; 12:4; 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15-16). She will hide her ugly soul and character while dating in order to entrap a foolish man, but after marriage he will discover marital hell. It is wise and important for young men to let married men interview their dates.

The fourth is a “handmaid that is heir to her mistress.” A female servant could become heir of her mistress by legitimate service, earning the approval of her mistress, or by marrying her master (Gen 16:1-4). Either the prospect or the possession of the mistress’s position had a subverting effect. Though of low origin and character, the servant would swell in pride and haughtiness. If promotion comes, men must remember their humble beginnings and reject arrogance. Today you see excessive divorce settlements, haughty politicians from slums, critical employees with stock option plans, and estate battles.

These four kinds of people ruin a peaceful and pleasant life. You must examine yourself to see if you are like any one of them, and repent before God and men if you are. Do you seek or have a position above your God-given abilities? Does your foolishness come out when prospered or in pleasure? Are you an overbearing woman? How many good men and women love your company? And are you from humble origins? Then stay humble!

You must also identify such people around you and oppose them. Do not approve promoting employees over employers. Do not allow fools to enjoy honor or pleasure. Do everything you can to keep odious girls and women single. Protect foolish young men. And remind those from poverty that their promotion is by God’s grace (I Cor 4:7).

Proverbs 29:09 Wisdom from the Soul

Posted: July 30, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 29, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 29:09 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs and there is no peace.

Fools are hopeless! And they are a pain! No matter what methods you use, they cannot and will not learn wisdom. They are incorrigibly foolish, stubbornly conceited, and rebelliously wicked. You can try anger or humor, but nothing will change their foolish hearts. There is only one Physician for this disease, only one Counselor for these lunatics.

What is a fool? A fool denies God’s authority – in words or actions (Ps 14:1). A fool trusts his own heart and rejects instruction (Pr 28:6; 15:5). He hates wisdom and loves folly, though he will not admit it. He is not merely foolish; he has been given over to folly. He thinks, speaks, and acts contrary to wisdom and convention. He loves himself.

You will meet these cantankerous creatures. Solomon here prepared his son for these frustrating encounters. Rather than fall into despair over helping them, Solomon warned that there are no methods available to man to change these difficult persons. If the Lord does not change their hearts, they will sink into hell with them (Pr 20:12; II Tim 2:24-26).

You cannot reason with them: they are unreasonable – they have no faith (II Thess 3:2). They do not seek the living God (Heb 11:6). They are incorrigible (Pr 27:22). They may know and recite Scripture or doctrine, but it means nothing. The Lord of glory will reject many accomplished Pharisees and preachers in the Day of Judgment (Matt 7:21-23).

Intimidation and threats will not teach a fool, neither will friendship and humor. You will be frustrated! There is no rest! Fools love being fools – they love their folly – and you will not change them. The wise thing to do is get away from them, as Solomon, Jesus, and Paul said (Pr 9:6; 13:20; 14:7; 26:4-5; Matt 7:6; I Cor 15:33). Stay away from them!

What horror to give birth to a fool (Pr 17:21,25)! What horror to marry a fool (Pr 30:23; I Sam 25:25)! What horror to be born to a fool (I Sam 20:30-34)! But if the truth is told, you were born a fool! You were as corrupt as the worst fool of hell (Rom 3:9-18; Ep 2:1-3; Tit 3:3). Only the renewing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit saved you (Tit 3:5)!

What evangelistic methods can save a fool? What approach can win him from his love of sin to love Jesus Christ and righteousness instead? There are none! None at all! Abraham told the rich man that even Lazarus coming back from the dead would be a worthless evangelist (Luke 16:27-31). And a change of environment will not do a thing either (Is 26:10). There is nothing you can tell a sinner to influence him in the least (I Cor 1:18; 2:14; II Cor 4:3-4). His mind is at war against God and will not change (Rom 8:7-8).

In spite of all the soul-saving braggadocio and money-begging extortion of the modern missionary movement, neither Mother Theresa nor Billy Graham can save a single fool from his depraved heart. Fools must be born again (John 3:3), resurrected from spiritual death (John 5:24-25), and quickened into life (Eph 2:1-3) by the voice of the Son of God and power of the Holy Ghost. Salvation is of the Lord! If you love wisdom and heavenly things and are living a life dedicated to God’s glory, bless His name for saving you!

Spiritual Training 29 July 2014

Posted: July 30, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Church staff receiving pay, distractions, Encourgement, Money and the Church, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
1 Corinthians 9;13-15 Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

As part of their pay, priests in the temple would receive a portion of the offerings as their food (see Numbers 18:8-24). These verses concerning Paul’s rights and the church’s responsibility have a two –part challenge for the church today.

First, the church must support its workers in a fair and equitable way. That is the church’s responsibility. It can research pay scales, examine the standard of living in its community, and do what is right and fair,

Second, Christian workers must not let their attitude about pay and benefits hinder the gospel. It is too easy for desire for more pay to enter into a person’s mind and distract from serving, Ministers need Paul’s attitude: a willingness not to demand their rights if to do so would hinder the gospel.

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