Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Proverbs 09:14 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 9, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 09, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 9:14 She sits a the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city

The danger is great. The temptation is powerful. The threat is everywhere. Though Lady Wisdom had offered fabulous blessings and security to men (Pr 9:1-12), a deceitful and seductive woman allures and invites men to their destruction (Pr 9:13-18).

Who is this other woman? Who is this competitor to Lady Wisdom? She is Lady Folly, Solomon’s personification of sin and worldly pleasure, who is represented by a foolish and whorish woman inviting men to commit adultery with her.

Proverbs 8 personified wisdom. Solomon introduced Lady Wisdom (Pr 8:1-9), listed her benefits (Pr 8:10-21), showed God possessing her before creation (Pr 8:22-31), and concluded with another appeal (Pr 8:32-36). In Proverbs 9, he compared Lady Wisdom’s offers of blessings to Lady Folly’s enticements to destruction. Compare especially the two invitations (Pr 9:4,16), the two meals (Pr 9:5,17), and the two results (Pr 9:11,18).

Personification is a figure of speech in which an abstract concept is represented by a person. The features of the concept to be learned are found in the actions or traits of the representation. For example, Lady Liberty, the statue welcoming immigrants to America, has seven spikes in her crown for the seven seas or continents of earth, holds aloft a torch to guide the way to freedom, holds at her side a tablet representing just laws, is clothed in a toga for the Roman republic, and stands on the broken chains of slavery.

The personification of folly – sin and worldly pleasures that destroy men – is represented by a foolish and loud woman, who leaves her husband and home to seduce strangers for adulterous liaisons (Pr 9:13-18). This attractive and tempting creature without morals or knowledge is a fatal snare for men. Seeking to seduce men as intensely as Wisdom tried to save them, the powerful language calls on men to embrace Wisdom and reject Folly!

What is the character of this woman? “She sitteth at the door of her house.” She is lazy, opposite Lady Wisdom’s diligence (Pr 9:1-3). She despises staying home for her husband and family, because she is discontent with marriage (Pr 7:11-12; I Tim 5:11-15; Titus 2:3-5). She is idle like the women of Sodom, whom God burned alive (Ezek 16:49-50). She has no conscience, for she calls strangers even from her husband’s house (Pr 30:20).

She sitteth “on a seat in the high places of the city.” She leaves her place at home to sit boldly in the city’s nobler places (Pr 7:11-12). She has no purpose there but to seek men. Good men avoided her house, and are going right on their way, but she finds them where they least expect her (Pr 9:15). Rather than use the city slums like a cheap prostitute, she enhances her appeal and finds nobler victims in the places of commerce and government.

How does this traitorous adulteress represent folly? Sin and worldly pleasure offer an escape from duty and labor. This wicked woman clamors for your attention, so she can distract you from your duties and destroy your character, reputation, and productivity. She lies about the pleasures of folly and sin by making them appear very enjoyable while hiding the horrible results and consequences for those that join her in worldly living.

Sinful living is avoided by faithfulness to one’s calling and rejecting any situations that create opportunities for the flesh (Rom 13:13). If David had been fighting with his men, he would not have even seen Bathsheba (II Sam 11:1). Sin and worldly pleasure will be encountered everywhere in this sinful world, so the whole armor of God must be worn every day, and the heart kept with all diligence, in order to stand (Pr 4:23; Eph 6:10-18).

False religion, best seen in the Great Whore of Rome and her Protestant daughters (Rev 17:1-6), rejects the business of holiness and truth, but sits at her doors to call men into her bed for spiritual adultery (Jas 4:4; Rev 2:20-23). She takes her seat in the religious community, though her doctrines and goals are from hell (II Thess 2:9-12; I Tim 4:1-3). There the innocent are snared by her beautiful appearance and warm embrace, not seeing that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell (Pr 9:18; 21:16).

Jesus Christ, the King of glory and the holy Groom of His church, calls to all His people in Rome and her daughters, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev 18:4). The Lord is jealous, and rightfully so! He hates spiritual adultery. Come out today, reader, lest there be no tomorrow! Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding (Pr 9:6).

Spiritual Training 09 January 2014

Posted: January 9, 2014 in 2 Timothy, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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2nd Timothy 2:16-20 – Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.  Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.  They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 

 19: Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

False teachers still spout lies.  Some distort the truth some dilute it, and some simply delete it by saying that God’s truth no longer applies.  But no matter how many people follow the liars, the solid foundation of God’s truth never changes, is never shaken, and will never fade.  When we follow God’s truth we will live God’s way.

20: In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Here Paul urged Timothy to be the kind of person Christ could use for his noblest purposes.

 

Lets Bring it Home: Don’t settle for less than God’s highest and best.  Allow him to use you as an instrument of his will.  You do this by staying close to him and keeping yourself pure so that sin and its consequences do not get in the way of what God could do in your life.  While God can redeem any situation, how much better it is to stay close to Christ and ready to be used by him at a moment’s notice.

Proverbs 08:18 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 08, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 8:18 – With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 

Wisdom is the surest way to wealth and reputation for nations and persons. Folly, the opposite of wisdom, generally leads to poverty and shame, as many proverbs and human experience prove. Hear Lady Wisdom promote the value of wisdom by its great benefits.

But there is much more, for spiritual wisdom that pleases God also leads to eternal riches in glory with the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and the acceptance and honor of God as His dear children and the brethren of Jesus Christ. There are no greater benefits!

At first pass, this proverb seems simple. But its difficulty is in dividing the blessings rightly (II Tim 2:15). Are the riches natural or spiritual? To avoid doctrinal shame, we must divide it with great care and true submission to the Holy Spirit and scripture.

Consider the context from three vantage points. First, the whole book of Proverbs is primarily spiritual wisdom for natural life here. This is apparent throughout. Second, the eighth chapter is a personification of wisdom and its benefits (Pr 8:1-9,32-34). Third, the surrounding context is wisdom’s blessings on nations and governments (Pr 8:10-21).

The preceding verse encourages you to seek wisdom early – in life, in each day, in each situation – and you will be blessed. The following verse indicates that the riches under consideration are of greater value than financial riches. Wisdom will bring success in this life and the world to come, for it is the true fear of God (Pr 8:12-14; Eccl 12:13-14).

Wisdom does bring natural success to the nations and men seeking her. The success she brings is of an enduring sort based on righteousness. When Israel was wise, they were rich, very rich (Deut 28:1-14; I Kgs 10:27). When Israel sinned foolishly, they were reduced to poverty, great poverty (Deut 28:15-68; I Kgs 11:9-13). And this is one of the basic lessons of this book of wisdom (Pr 10:4,22; 11:24; 12:24; 19:15; 20:13; 21:17).

Adam Smith only saw surface aspects of success in “The Wealth of Nations” in 1776. For God had declared 3000 years earlier, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Ps 33:12). And He also wrote, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Ps 9:17). Wise political theory would include thorough understanding of the God of nations!

America was great, and still has greatness, for one simple reason – God’s blessing. A large part of America, now a small minority, feared Him and sought Bible wisdom. “Witty inventions” (Pr 8:12), “strength” (Pr 8:14), “justice” (Pr 8:15), “judges” (Pr 8:16), “judgment” (Pr 8:20), “substance” (Pr 8:21), and “treasures” (Pr 8:21) are all blessings of wisdom on the US. This proverb adds riches, honour, durable riches, and righteousness!

Wicked men may get rich, as Nebuchadnezzar, Croesus, Xerxes, or Alexander the Great, but their riches were not durable or righteous. Those riches were God’s judgment – the prosperity of fools (Pr 1:32; Ps 17:14). Wise men are sometimes made poor, like Job and Jesus, for God providentially does other things in their lives (Job 1:1-12; Phil 2:5-8). Therefore, riches are not an absolute proof of wisdom, nor does wisdom always lead to riches. But the general rule is true – wisdom brings wealth and honor.

This general rule for nations and men is the primary thrust of the book, the chapter, and this proverb. Yet, spiritual riches of a durable nature extend beyond this life. They are superior to wealth, and they ought to be sought diligently (Matt 6:19-21,33; 13:44-46). True wisdom leads God’s children to a wonderful life now and eternal life to come (Ps 73:23-24; Mark 10:29-31). Whether rich or poor financially, glory shall soon be revealed of such splendor that nothing here can be compared to it (Rom 8:18; II Cor 4:17-18).

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.  

Spiritual Training 08 January 2014

Posted: January 8, 2014 in 2 Timothy, 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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2nd Timothy 2:16-18 – Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.  Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.  They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.    

Hymenaeus was also mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20.  Paul had handed Hymenaeus over to Satan because his false teaching concerning the resurrection was destroying some people’s faith.

The false teachers were denying the resurrection of the body.  They believed that when a person became a Christian, he or she was spiritually reborn, and that was the only resurrection there would ever be.  To them, resurrection was symbolic and spiritual, not physical.  Paul clearly taught, however, that believers will be resurrected after they die, and that their bodies as well as their souls will live eternally with Christ (1Corinthians 15:35, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).

Lets Bring it Home: We should not try to shape the doctrines of Scripture to match our opinions.  If we do, we are putting ourselves above God.  Instead, our beliefs should be consistent with God’s Word.

 

 

Proverbs 16:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 16, 2013 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 16:3 –Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. 

There are different ways to fail to commit whatever we do to the LORD.

  • Some people commit their work only superficially.  They say the project is being done for the LORD, but in reality they are doing it for themselves.
  • Others give God temporary control of their interest, only to take control back the moment things stop going the way they expect.
  •  Still others commit a task fully to the LORD, but put forth no effort themselves, and then they wonder why they do not succeed.

We must maintain a delicate balance: trusting God as if everything depended on him, while working as if everything depended on us.  Think of a specific effort in which you are involved right now.  Have you committed it to the LORD?

Spiritual Training 16 December 2013

Posted: December 16, 2013 in 2 Timothy, 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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2nd Timothy 2:14-16 Keep reminding them of these things.  Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 

Paul urged Timothy to remind the believers not to argue over unimportant details (“quarreling about words”) because such arguments are confusing, useless, and even harmful.  False teachers loved to cause strife and divisions by their meaningless quibbling over unimportant details (Remember 1 Timothy 6:3-5).  Because God will examine what kind of workers we have been for him, we should build our lives on his Word and build his Word into our lives-it alone tells us how to live for him and serve him.

Believers who ignore the Bible will certainly be ashamed at the judgment.  Consistent and diligent study of God’s Word is vital; otherwise we will be lulled into neglecting God and our true purpose for living.

Lets Bring it Home: In important areas of Christian teaching, we must carefully work through our disagreements.  But when we bicker long hours over words theories that are not central to the Christian faith and life, we only provoke anger and hurt feelings.  Even if  “godless chatter” reaches a resolution, it gains little ground for the kingdom. Learning and discussing are not bad unless they keep believers constantly focusing on false doctrine or unhelpful insignificances.  Don’t let anything keep you from your work for and service to God. To handle the word of truth correctly, we must study what the Word of God says so we can understand what it means.

Spiritual Training 13 December 2013

Posted: December 13, 2013 in 2 Timothy, 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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2nd Timothy 2:11-13 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; (12) If we endure, we will also reign with him.  If we disown him, he will also disown us; (13) if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

This is probably an early Christian hymn.  God is faithful to his children.  Although we many suffer great hardships here, God promises that someday we will live eternally with him.  What will this involve? It means believers will live in Christ’s kingdom.  This truth comforted Paul as he went through suffering and death.

Lets Bring it Home: Are you facing hardships? Don’t turn away from God-he promises you a wonderful future with him.  Jesus is faithful, He will stay by our side even when we have endured so much that we seem to have no faith left.  We may be faithless at times, but Jesus is faithful to his promise to be with us “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  Refusing Christ’s help will break our communication with God, but he will never turn his back on us even thought we may turn our backs on him.

Proverbs 13:14 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 13, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 13, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Do you resent being told what to do? When a parent, teacher, or pastor gives you a law, it is for your own good. Be thankful! Consider it a fountain of life! Their laws are to bless your life and save you from trouble. No one by nature likes to be told what to do, but a noble person recognizes that wise laws are for his good (Pr 6:23; 14:27; 15:24; Ps 141:5).

Ponce de Leon sought the fountain of youth to live longer. Laws from wise men are the fountain of life, in order to live longer and better! They will save you from the snares of death, which are traps of sinful living bringing misery and destruction. If you are wise, you will never resent the correction of a wise teacher (Pr 8:36; Acts 17:11; I Thess 5:20).

Why do parents have rules against playing in the street? Because they want their child to live and not be killed by a vehicle. Should a child resent such a rule? No! Why do good parents restrict activities with the opposite sex? Because they want their children to have loving marriages without scars of fornication. In each case, the parental law is a blessing.

If you are noble and prudent, you will appreciate laws given by those wiser than you. If you desire success in life, you will accept and obey rules given to prosper and protect you. You will grasp the importance of learning from the wisdom of others. And you will remember that the laws they impose are to bless your life and guard you from death.

Why do nations have traffic laws? Schools weapons rules? Militaries authority protocol? Factories safety rules? Airlines maintenance schedules? Drugs precise doses? Electric appliances user warnings? Because the laws and rules are given to protect people from danger and death, and they are given to provide sufficient guidance for great success.

Why do you resent rules? You think you know better? You know the teacher is not perfect? The rule restricts your freedom? The lawgiver is too pushy? You think it is just a matter of opinion? In all these cases, you are being foolish, for the law was given to help and protect you, not please or enrich the giver. Wise men love instruction and correction. Only fools and scorners resent them. Grow up today to start prospering by obeying rules!

God’s laws are perfect, better than any parent, teacher, or ruler can ever give (Ps 19:7-10; 119:96). His commandments are not grievous – not designed to cause pain or trouble (I Jn 5:3). It is foolish rebellion to think Bible rules are to hurt you. Israel with God’s laws was the envy of the world for its wisdom and success (Deut 4:1-8; 6:24-25; 10:12-13; Josh 1:6-9), and so was America when it followed God’s laws (Ps 33:12; 144:11-15).

The Bible is like a mirror that exposes blemishes that keep you from fully pleasing God and men (Jas 1:23-24). If you want to prosper in life, then you will not just hear or read God’s words, you will put them into practice, just like men and women improve their faces before going to an interview (Jas 1:21-22,25)! You can be blessed starting today by drinking from the fountain of life, the law of the wise, to depart from folly and death.

How can you learn more laws of the wise? Trust your parents, who lived your life before you. Seek a multitude of counselors for major decisions. Crave your pastor’s preaching, as he gives forth God’s laws. And read the Bible to know the rules of wisdom to bless your life and protect you from death. The word of God is a lamp and light for your life (Ps 119:105), and it is able to clean up the lives of young men for success (Ps 119:9).

Spiritual Training 12 December 2013

Posted: December 12, 2013 in 2 Timothy, 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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2nd Timothy 2:8-10  (8) Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.  This is my gospel, (9) for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.  But God’s word is not chained.  (10) Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 

False teachers were a problem in Ephesus.  At the heart of false teaching is an incorrect view of Christ.  In Timothy’s day many asserted that Christ was divine but not human-God but not man.  These days we often hear that Jesus was human but not divine-man but not God.  Either view destroys the good news that Jesus Christ has taken our sins on himself and has reconciled us to God.  In this verse, Paul firmly states that Jesus is fully man (“descended from David”) and fully God (“raised from the dead”). This is an important doctrine for all Christians.

Philippians 2:5-7 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!

The incarnation was the act of the preexistent Son of God voluntarily assuming a human body and human nature.  Without ceasing to be God, he became a human being, the man called Jesus.  He did not give up his deity to become human, but he set aside the right to his glory and power.  In submission to the Father’s will, Christ limited his power and knowledge, Jesus of Nazareth was subject to place, time and many other human limitations.  What made his humanity unique was his freedom form sin.  In his full humanity, Jesus showed us everything about God’s character that can be conveyed in human terms.

Paul was in chains in prison because of the gospel he preached.  The truth about Jesus is no more popular in our day than in Paul’s, but it still reaches receptive hearts.  When Paul said that Jesus was God, he angered the Jews who had condemned Jesus for blasphemy; many Jews, however, became followers of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24).  He angered the Romans who worshiped the emperor as god; but even some in Caesar’s household turned to Jesus (Philippians 4:22).  When Paul said Jesus was human, he angered the Greeks who thought divinity was soiled if it had any contact with humanity; still many Greeks accepted the faith (Acts 11:20,21).  The truth that Jesus is one person with two united natures has never been easy to understand, but that doesn’t make it untrue.

Lets Bring it Home: The truth of God’s Word is being believed by people every day and changing their lives for eternity.  Despite the opposition, continue to proclaim Christ.  Some will listen and believe.

Proverbs 12:01 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 12, 2013 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 12:01 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 

Do you love to be taught? Do you love to be corrected? Do you love to be told you are wrong? Do you appreciate those who tell you how it ought to be done? Are you thankful for reminders to change? Wise and noble men and women will strongly answer, “Yes!”

To grow in knowledge, someone must teach you. You must submit your mind and will to them. You admit their superiority in knowledge. You admit your inferiority. This requires humility, which most do not have. Only noble souls can willingly submit and be taught by another person. In order to love knowledge, you must love to be taught by others.

To grow in knowledge, you must admit ignorance or error. For either you did not know the truth about a subject, or you held a false position on that topic. You may even have taught others wrongly, and you will have to admit you taught them an error. Only noble souls can admit ignorance or error, for most men will protect their reputation at any cost.

To grow in knowledge, you must change. Progress requires change, but change is humbling and difficult. Change means letting others see you were wrong; change means altering long-established habits; change means explaining your new actions to others. Only noble souls can change, for the cost of changing is too great for most men.

If you do not like to be taught, you are like an animal. If you chafe under correction, you are like a beast. If you resent being told you are wrong, you are an irrational brute.

Brutish.  Of or pertaining to the brutes, or lower animals, as opposed to man.  Pertaining to, resembling, or characteristic of the brutes: in want of intelligence or in failure to use reason: dull, irrational, uncultured, stupid.

Thank you, Preacher Solomon, for not being politically correct. Thank you for teaching plainly that resisting instruction is foolish and brutish. Thank you for commanding men to love instruction and reproof by this proverb. Reader, do not be base like brute animals (Ps 32:9; Pr 26:3)! Rise up to thank God for sending teachers to instruct and reprove you.

Parents teach children, and only brutish children resist or resent it. Parents know far more than their children, have a long-term perspective, and care about the right things. It is a stupid child that ignores or hates instruction and reproof from his parents. His only hope for success in life is to learn humility and receiving instruction under his parent-teachers.

Masters teach servants, and only brutish servants resist or resent being told how to do a job. The master is more gifted, has much more at stake, sees the big picture, has done the job longer, and has the right to do things his way. Servants are just laborers, and they should be happy to listen, learn, and do it the master’s way, especially Christian servants.

Pastors teach church members, and only brutish church members ignore, resist, or resent it. The pastor is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, and he brings inspired wisdom and truth from Scripture. The Bereans were noble for having ready minds to receive the preaching (Acts 17:11). Paul commanded, “Despise not prophesyings” (I Thess 5:20).

Dear reader, the greatest key to progress and success, in any area of your life, is your appreciation and acceptance of instruction and reproof. Did you read it? Do you believe it? Will you show it in your life? If you do not receive teaching and change your life when you are reproved, you are like an animal in the sight of God and wise men.

Jesus Christ has much to teach you to make you perfect. And it will only happen if you are ready to receive instruction, and if you love reproof. If you are humbly eager to be taught of Him, He will send teachers to increase your knowledge, like He did the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, and Cornelius (Acts 8:26-40; 9:1-22; 10:1-6).

 

 

 

 

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