Archive for the ‘Encourgement’ Category

Proverbs 15:06 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 15, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 15, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags:
0

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 15:6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Shelter and sustenance with love and peace is better than increasing income with pain and trouble. A righteous man enjoys a happy and quiet life with his necessities supplied, but a wicked man has pain and trouble even while increasing financially. The proverb compares the consequences of righteous living to those of a wicked lifestyle.

Many of Solomon’s proverbs have two clauses that make a comparison or contrast, and the right meaning and lessons are found by carefully comparing those clauses. In this proverb you should see: a house compared to revenues, the righteous compared to the wicked, and much treasure compared to trouble. Righteous living makes the difference.

Solomon, king and philosopher (Pr 1:1-6; Ec 1:1-3,12-14), taught that intangibles such as love, peace, and righteousness are superior to tangibles like income, assets, luxurious dining, etc. He often stated the superiority clearly so that you would not miss it (Pr 15:16-17; 16:8; 17:1; 21:19; 28:6; Ec 2:26; 4:6; 7:1). These priorities for living are priceless.

Here he taught the same lesson obscurely – more like a true proverb, or dark saying of the wise (Pr 1:6). The lesson is simple. A righteous man may lack the revenue of the wicked, but he lives in his house with much treasure that the wicked man cannot even imagine – a clear conscience, God’s presence, love, peace, quiet, a coming eternal inheritance, etc.

Wicked men may prosper now, but they will spend an eternity in hell (Ps 17:14-15; 73:18-20; Matt 16:26). While righteous men may not have an impressive balance sheet or the adoration of the world now, God blesses them with favor and advantages far greater, both in this life and the next (Pr 3:31-33; 10:22; 13:25; 23:17-18; Mark 10:28-31).

Wicked men, regardless of their riches, often have strife and trouble in their lives that make their life on earth a hell as well. Covetousness and greed will not let them rest. Fear of loss by many means keeps them nervous and troubled. The brevity of life reminds them that they will leave all they have to some fool behind them who will waste it.

What is the lesson? Righteous living is far better than sinful living, regardless of income. Is there another lesson? Godliness with contentment is great gain (Pr 30:8-9; I Tim 6:6-10). Is there another? A mystery and hidden wisdom of the gospel is that the righteous truly own everything already (Rom 8:17; I Cor 3:21-23; II Cor 6:10). What is the reward for righteous living? Intangible blessings from God, others, and your own heart now, and tangible blessings in heaven in the future (Pr 14:14; Rom 8:18-23; II Cor 4:17-18)!

Spiritual Training 15 May 2014

Posted: May 15, 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
Tags: , ,
0

Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:06 I planted the seed, Apllos watered it, but God made it grow.

Paul planted the seed of the gospel message in people’s hearts. He was a missionary pioneer; he brought the message of salvation. Apollos’s role was to water to help the believers grow stronger in the faith. Paul founded the church in Corinth, and Apollos built on that foundation. Tragically, the believers in Corinth had split into factions, pledging loyalty to different teachers. After the preachers’ work is completed, God keeps on making Christians grow.

Lets Bring it Home: Our leaders should certainly be respected but we should never place them on pedestals that create barriers between people or set them up as substitute for Christ.

Proverbs 14:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 14, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 14, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: ,
0

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him

It is easy to know if you love God or not. A fool says, “You can’t judge me, because you don’t know my heart.” But Solomon says you can know his heart easily. You simply judge him by his actions. Good men show they love God; bad men show they hate Him.

O hypocrite! You have been found out. Your talk is cheap. Your Sunday religion is vain. Your baptism is empty. Your friendship is false. Your words lie. Your actions tell the truth. Your lack of godly living and your wicked choices prove that you truly hate God.

You will soon be exposed before the whole church (Pr 26:26; Ps 144:7-8). You are afraid to say you hate God, but your actions say you despise Him. Your pious words or regular attendance mean nothing, for a man that truly fears God will obey Him in all parts of life.

The man who walks uprightly – does that which is right all the time – fears the Lord. The man perverse in his ways – who regularly disobeys – despises the Lord. This rule is simple; it is accurate; and hypocrites claiming to fear God do not deceive wise men at all.

A common proverb says, “Actions speak louder than words.” Solomon agreed. He said even children are known by their doings, whether they are pure and right (Pr 20:11). Do not believe what you hear, if a person’s actions contradict (Pr 14:15; 26:6-7,24-25).

Good trees bear good fruit; evil trees bear evil fruit. And so it is with man. Unless his heart is good, his actions will be evil. The mouth speaks and the feet walk according to what is in the heart. Evil men cannot bring forth good actions (Matt 12:33-35). No matter how hard a hypocrite tries, wise men see the inconsistent life betraying his words.

Hypocrites do not want to be discovered or judged, for their whole life is a lie. They pretend they fear the Lord in order to get some thing. They defend their inconsistent lives by denying that anyone knows their hearts. But sincere hearts are known by consistent righteousness, and evil hearts are known by sins. The rule is simple to identify character.

Why do men pretend to fear God? Think closely, dear reader. They need something in the church, so they act religious to get it. They need friends, and Christians are friendly. They need a job, and their boss is a Christian. They need a spouse, and the best women are Christians. They want financial help, and Christians are generous. They fear their spouse leaving, so they obligate her as a Christian. They will pretend to keep their family happy.

The fear of the Lord is not a single profession of an emotional event. “Going forward” at a revival is not scriptural or Christian, so it has no meaning at all. “Making a decision” is not walking uprightly; it is just vain thinking. “Getting saved” shows great ignorance about salvation, for there are at least five phases of it. “Being baptized” or “joining the church” are only single, small steps. They alone do not prove the fear of the Lord at all.

The fear of the Lord is a lifestyle of obeying God, keeping His commandments, and hating sin (Eccl 12:13; Pr 8:13; 16:6). The early churches walked in the fear of the Lord, for they gave up their lives to follow Jesus Christ, even at great personal cost (Acts 9:31). Let Solomon’s father David tell you how he walked uprightly in his house (Psalm 101).

Walking is not a step: it is many steps. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). If you do not continue, you do not fear the Lord. You are to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long (Pr 23:17). Others can judge your heart.

Few say they hate God. How horrible! But a lazy spiritual life with sin says louder than words that you despise Him (Mal 1:6-14). If you are not sold out for Him, He despises you and your life (Rev 3:14-19). Loving Christ means keeping His commandments (John 14:21-24). Knowing God truly is only by keeping His commandments (I John 2:3-5).

Eli despised God by loving his sons too much (I Sam 2:29-30). He was perverse in his ways by not killing them. David despised God by taking Bathsheba (II Sam 12:9-10). He was perverse in his ways by taking another woman. These great men violated the rule.

O hypocrite, consider your ways. You have been found out! And if your evil heart is known by men, how much more does God know your hypocrisy and wicked heart, before whom all things are naked and opened (Heb 4:12-14)? Repent of your hypocrisy quickly.

O beloved saint, keep your heart with all diligence (Pr 4:23). Pray for God to examine it thoroughly (Ps 139:23-24; 26:1-2). Confess every variance from His holy standard in Scripture. Remember that your heart is only as good and pure as your actions.

What of Jesus Christ’s heart? It was full of the fear of the Lord, and God honored His heart by hearing His prayer (Heb 5:7-9). His perfect life proved a perfect heart! Amen.

Spiritual Training 14 May 2014

Posted: May 14, 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
Tags: , , ,
0

Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:01-03: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?

Paul called the Corinthians infants in the Christian life because they were not yet spiritually healthy and mature. The proof was that they quarreled like children, allowing divisions to distract them. Immature Christians are “worldly,” controlled by their own desires; mature believers are in tune with God’s desires.

Lets Bring it Home: How much influence do your desires have on your life? Your goal should be to let God’s desires be yours. Being controlled by your own desires will stunt your growth.

 

Proverbs 08:19 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 08, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags:
0

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 8:19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

Is anything better than money? After all, money can solve many issues (Eccl 7:12; 10:19). They say you cannot buy love, but love is fickle and often disappointing. Is anything better than money? Yes! Wisdom’s effects on a life are better than fine gold or choice silver. No amount of money can buy wisdom (Job 28:15-19). It is a gift from God to those who ask and seek for it. Do you put forth the effort to obtain this precious asset?

The average man works forty hours a week, but with travel time to and from his job and required breaks, he can easily hit fifty hours or more. If he is ambitious or paid overtime, he may push the total to sixty, eighty, or even more hours. But what does this effort and zeal gain him? Any bed still brings sleep. Most any food still brings pleasure and health. What will he take with him when he dies? Has his extreme labor been greatly in vain?

Men research for hours to find a better job, a new business plan, or investments yielding greater returns. They go to school for many years to qualify for lucrative professions. They apply themselves day and night to enhance their careers or build their businesses. But in the end, they have no wisdom, and they die like a dog. They leave behind lonely wives and dysfunctional children. They fret while alive, and they die frustrated.

Wisdom is the power of right judgment. It knows what is good in every situation. It understands life and knows God’s will. It sees the lies and errors of men. It knows what is acceptable for any decision. It discerns the snares of false thinking and traps of deceivers. It glories in the truth about God, the universe, the purpose of man, and the right response to any predicament. It knows the way to success and favor with God and men.

But how many men seek wisdom as much as they seek money or wealth? Very few! The devil, the world, and their vain hearts have sold them a lie! They run furiously and painfully on the treadmill of life to achieve what the world calls success – only to be thrown off into hell at the end. This is ridiculous vanity and insanity! Life is short; use your few days to seek wisdom. A modest investment every day can save your life.

This proverb is simple – wisdom’s results in a life are more valuable than wealth. Solomon, who had both, knew. He said wisdom was more valuable (Pr 3:14-15; 8:10-11; 16:16; Job 28:15-19; Eccl 7:12; Ps 119:14,72,127). What will you do today to obtain it? Wisdom can save you from life’s troubles and lead you to true prosperity and peace. It is a matter of priority, so you must get rid of foolish time wasters and search for wisdom.

Wisdom is fearing God and keeping His commandments (Pr 1:7; 8:13; Eccl 12:13-14). His fear is found by humbling yourself, confessing your sins, and seeking His face. His commandments are in His scriptures, the Bible. What will you do today to seek the fear of God and learn the Bible? Will you give wisdom 1% of your day, or about 15 minutes?

Jesus described the kingdom of God as a very rare pearl that totally obsessed a merchant man, who sold all that he had to buy that one pearl (Matt 13:45-46). How important is Jesus Christ and His kingdom to you? What are you willing to give up for it? Solomon wrote elsewhere, “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Pr 23:23). Very few give up anything, so they live without wisdom, suffer the world’s pain, and never enjoy the true riches.

Where will you be Sunday? Dancing with a praise band and laughing at jokes from a pretend-preacher, or learning wisdom by hard preaching of sound doctrine (II Tim 4:1-4)? If you attend a Bible-preaching church, do you prepare and pray before you attend, and do you participate passionately with focus. Seek wisdom like other men do riches.

Spiritual Training 08 May 2014

Posted: May 8, 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
0

Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 02:14-15 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment

Non-Christians cannot understand God, and they cannot grasp the concept that God’s Spirit lives in believers. Don’t expect most people to approve of or understand your decision to follow Christ. It all seems so silly to them. Just as a tone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects God cannot understand God’s beautiful message. With the lines of communication broken, he or she won’t be able to hear what God is saying to him or her.

We must not remain silent, however, using others’ difficulty in understanding as an excuse. We are still one of God’s communication channels. We must be alert to opportunities. Another person’s question may be evidence that God’s Spirit is drawing him or her to the point of decision.

Lets Bring it Home: How would you respond today if someone asked you about your faith?

Proverbs 07:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 7, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 07, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 7:02 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Good fathers warn their sons about women. Solomon warned his son here (Pr 7:6-27), and he asked his son to remember his advice and value it highly. Whorish women have harmed more young men than maybe any other single factor (Pr 7:26; 23:27-28; Ge 3:12; Ec 7:26). They must be warned against often, and the warnings must be appreciated.

This proverb does not stress obeying fatherly instruction, but rather not forgetting or neglecting the advice. The imperative verb “keep” is understood here as paying attention or regard to commands. This is known by the preceding context (Pr 7:1), the following context (Pr 7:3), and the elliptical explanation of “as the apple of thine eye” (Pr 7:2).

When the ellipsis is supplied, the proverb reads, “Keep my commandments, and live; and keep my law as the apple of thine eye.” The great temptation facing most young men is to discount their father’s advice about women due to the folly bound in their hearts and the lust raging in their eyes and loins (Pr 22:15; Psalm 25:7; II Tim 2:22; I John 2:16).

The idiom “apple of the eye” means something that is cherished with the greatest regard. It originally referred to the pupil of the eye, which was supposed to have been a globular solid body, much like an apple. As precious as this part of the eye is to seeing, and as all objects are beheld through this aperture, the expression means something very precious.

Good fathers warn their sons often about whorish women. Solomon stressed their danger in the book of Proverbs (Pr 2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27-28; 30:20; 31:3). Was it because of his father’s failure (II Sam 11:1-27)? Or his own failure (I Kgs 11:1-8)? Or was it because of Judah (Gen 38:12-26)? Or Samson (Judges 16:4-21)?

By nature, a son does not value his father’s warnings. He deceives himself to believe that his father is out of touch with the world, that his father overstates the danger, that his father wants to deprive him of pleasure, that his father never met a desirable woman, that his father did not have sexual lusts, or that he can escape the consequences his father describes. All these are damnable lies from a foolish youthful heart and the father of lies.

Sons must trust fathers and esteem their advice and warnings. Every father was once a young man with the same desires and temptations. But a father has survived youth and reflected much on what is best for his son. He has long-term success in mind, not short-term pleasures that will ruin his life. Fathers love their sons more than any woman will ever love them, even a virtuous wife. Young man, keep your father’s commandments!

Young men must resist the attraction and temptation of a whorish woman by having their minds firmly established in their fathers’ commandments long before they encounter this dangerous creature. Once they are even slightly captivated by the appearance, flattery, or offers of a seductress, it becomes almost impossible to recall any fatherly warnings.

But what will a young man do, whose father does not teach or warn him about such a woman? He will be helpless before the drawing power of her body and wiles. Such fathers are accomplices in the destruction of their sons. Though he may have advised and warned about many dangers, he neglected the most harmful. Fathers, save your sons!

Reader! God your Father has given His commandments and law to you. Do you keep them as the apple of your eye? Do you read them daily? Do you meditate upon them? Do you tremble before their warnings and rejoice at their instruction? Or do you deceive yourself that you can forget or neglect them and survive? Do not be like a foolish son.

Spiritual Training 07 May 2014

Posted: May 7, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: , , , ,
0

Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 02:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Everyone wants to be wise. Yet Paul taught the Corinthians that true wisdom or discernment requires the believer to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Because Satan’s greatest impact on us occurs when he deceives us, we need the Holy Spirit’s help. Spiritual discernment enables us to draw conclusions based on God’s perspective, make wise decisions in difficult circumstances, recognize the activities of God’s Spirit, distinguish the correct and incorrect use of Scripture, and identify and expose false teachers.

Lets Bring it Home: Ask God to give you his discernment as you serve him. Let that discernment guide you in your daily walk.

Proverbs 06:1-5 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 6, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 06, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: , , , , ,
0

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, If you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

 These verses are not a plea against generosity, but against overextending one’s financial resources and acting in irresponsible ways that could lead to poverty. It is important to maintain a balance between generosity and good stewardship. God wants us to help our friends and the needy, but he does not promise to cover the costs of every unwise commitment we make. We should also act responsibly so that our families do not suffer.

Spiritual Training 06 May 2014

Posted: May 6, 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
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 02:09 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”

We cannot imagine all that god has in store for us, both in this life and for eternity. He will create a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1), and we will live with him forever. Until then, his Holy Spirit comforts and guides us.

Lets Bring it Home: Knowing the wonderful and eternal future that awaits us gives us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. This world is not all there is. The best is yet to come.

Older Entries
Newer Entries