Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Proverbs 10:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 10, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 10, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 10:12 – Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs,

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Carrying around hatred will just make you hate more, and add to issues. The next time someone close to you does something to angry you. Starts focusing on the love you have for that person, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. After a while, you should start forgetting about the sin that was done, and on the love you have for that person.

Are you a peacemaker? God loves peacemakers. Good men love peacemakers. Do you do all you can to end fights, overlook offences, forgive sinners, reunite enemies, and live peaceably with all men? God blesses peacemakers, and it is a large part of godly wisdom.

Where there is fighting, there is hatred. Conflict cannot exist without hatred. Unless love wins, the strife will get worse. Love does not fight – it covers offences and sins. It seeks peace and pursues it. It cannot tolerate strife; it tries to end fights as soon as possible.

Strife, a word not used as much today, means antagonism, enmity, discord, contention, or dispute. It is fighting and conflict. While it is godly to contend for truth against sin and error, here is personal strife caused by the hatred of those who do not practice love.

Where there is envy, strife, enmity, conflict, or tension, all you need do is look a little deeper to find one or both parties guilty of hatred. Fighting and antagonism do not and cannot exist where each person is practicing Christian charity, or the love of the Bible.

But there are wicked persons, with hearts full of malice and hatred, which all men have by nature (Tit 3:3), who delight in stirring up contentions and quarrels by talebearing, whispering, evil surmising, and cursing. These profane persons have no conscience or compassion, like Ham and Shimei, and they will receive a similar fate from the holy and just God and from noble men (Gen 9:20-27; II Sam 16:5-14; I Kgs 2:8-9; Is 29:20-21).

Charity forgives sins and forgets sins, just as God forgives and forgets them. Love hides and conceals sins under the same forgiving cover that Jesus Christ provides every saint. This is covering sin, and it is a rule of life for saints of the most High (Pr 17:9; Jas 5:20; I Pet 4:8). But hatred, growing from anger and pride, loves to dig up evil, spread evil reports, and create strife and trouble (Pr 15:18; 16:27-28; 26:21; 28:25; 29:22; Jas 4:1).

Can you cover sins like Joseph, whose brothers could not believe his forgiveness, even after many gifts, favors, and passage of time (Gen 45:1-15; 50:15-21)? He put the best perspective on their horrible crime and wept over all of them. How did the Lord reward this one son of Jacob? He gave him a double blessing of two tribes in Israel (Josh 14:4)!

Here is a golden opportunity for child training by good parents. Children must be trained and corrected strictly in this matter of hatred and love, strife and peace, covering sins or exposing them. The natural antagonism and competitiveness of children creates a perfect setting for teaching godly traits of love, graciousness, forgiveness, and peacemaking.

Love has many facets (I Cor 13:4-7), but this proverb emphasizes one of them – covering sins. Love overlooks offences against it; hatred gets offended, holds bitterness, or plots revenge. Love forgets and hides the sins of the repentant; hatred remembers them or spreads them to others. Love hears rumors, or even factual news of others’ sins, but never repeats them; hatred craves private information and spreads it to any listeners.

Can you cover all sins, as the Preacher taught here? Peter once sought a limit of seven offences for covering sins, but the Lord Jesus pressed him to seventy times seven (Matt 18:21-22)! How can you fight others over a few pence, when Almighty God has forgiven you ten thousand talents (Mat 18:23-35)! These things should never occur among those who are Christians, and the sure judgment of the wicked servant is just and appropriate.

Covering sins is not compromise. It is not withholding Scriptural judgment, whether in the family, church, business, or nation. The rightful authority should speedily execute judgment, where God has ordained it. But covering sins should occur when the offences are against you, where there is repentance, or you are not in direct authority.

Hatred of sin is holy and good (Pr 6:16-19; Ps 45:7). But hatred of others, shown by anger at personal offences, ignoring repentance, whispering about sins, and talebearing is murder in God’s judgment (Matt 5:21-26). It proves a person to be without eternal life and living for the devil with a spirit from hell (John 8:44; James 3:14-16; I John 3:15).

What if a person says, “Oh, how I love Jesus,” but they stir up trouble, do not forgive personal offences, ignore repentance by sinners, and reveal sins to others? They are lying hypocrites, for the Bible says they are murdering descendants of Cain (I John 3:10-15).

Look at the character of Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. He had no respect for the self-loving “righteous,” for He knew the blackness of their hearts (Mark 2:15-17). Choose today to forgive and cover sins in love, so that you might easily and honestly pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us” (Matt 6:12).

The lesson here is the basis for true peace – love. Where there is strife, contention, and tension, there is hatred behind the false handshakes and lying words of murderers. It is your wisdom to live this lesson yourself, avoid wicked persons that hate, and train such evil out of your children. Be the greatest peacemaker in the world by practicing the wisdom of this proverb. May the Lord Jesus grant you the grace and wisdom for the task.

The lesson here is also the great gulf between the wise and foolish, between the righteous and wicked, between the sons of God and the sons of Belial. When Jesus met repentant sinners, He freely forgave them; when self-righteous Pharisees observe sinners, they despise them and hate God’s free and full forgiveness of them (Luke 7:36-50; 15:25-32).

Love is the greatest evidence of eternal life. Do you live peaceably with all men, especially other Christians (Rom 12:18; Gal 6:10)? If you believe God loves you, prove it by loving others; if you claim to love God, prove it also by loving others. Since God is love, those that are truly Gods will love others (Jn 13:34-35; I Jn 3:10-24; 4:7-21; 5:1-2).

Spiritual Training 10 April 2013

Posted: April 10, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 09:11-14 Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad – in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls-she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “ I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Was it right for God to choose Jacob, the younger to be over Esau? In Malachi 1:2,3. The statement “Jacob I love, but Esau I hated” refers to the nations of Israel and Edom rather then to the individual brothers. God chose Jacob to continue the family line of the faithful because he knew his heart was for God. But he did not exclude Esau from knowing and loving him.

Lets Bring it Home: Keep in mind the kind of God we worship: he is sovereign; he is not arbitrary; in all things he works for our good; he is trustworthy; he will save all who believe in him. When we understand these qualities of God, we know that his choices are good even if we don’t understand all the reasons.

 

Spiritual Training 09 April 2013

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 09:06-11 It is not though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated. “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad – in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

The Jews were proud of the fact that their lineage came from Isaac, whose mother was Sarah (Abraham’s legitimate wife) rather than Ishmael, whose mother was Hagar (Sarah’s maid servant). Paul asserts that no one can claim to be chosen by God because of his or her heritage or good deeds. God freely chooses to save whomever he wills. The doctrine of election teaches that it is God’s sovereign choice to save us by his goodness and mercy, and not by our own merit.

Lets Bring it Home: How many people think that God has saved them by their own merit, or by their good deeds? How many times do we hear people say he is a good guy, or I don’t cheat on my wife, I don’t curse or drink, don’t use drugs, and I visit the poor and the sick. You can do all these things, but if you don’t confess that Jesus is Lord, you still have a one-way ticket to hell. Not by deeds!

Proverbs 09:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 03, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 9:3 She has sent our maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.

The world’s best woman wants you! She has a house with seven pillars (Pr 9:1). She has prepared a feast (Pr 9:2); she wants to have an intimate meal with you (Pr 9:5). Solomon personified wisdom as a desirable woman, Lady Wisdom. Will you accept her invitation?

Wisdom is available for any man or woman who wants it. It is not far away; it is not difficult to obtain. It is not hard to find; it is not just for the intelligent or educated. There are no age or sex limitations. The only prerequisite is simplicity, or ignorance (Pr 9:4)!

If you are perplexed with any aspect of life, Wisdom is calling you. The blessed LORD God offers wisdom and understanding to men. All they must do is act on the invitation to humble themselves before Him and diligently apply the instruction He freely offers them.

Wisdom is found in creation (Ps 19:1-6), for God revealed His eternal power and Godhead by created things you see. It is also found in parents, teachers, counselors, and pastors (Pr 5:13; 24:6; Mal 2:7; Eph 6:4). But it is mostly found in the Bible (Ps 19:7-11).

The psalmist declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Ps 119:130). Scripture can make a minister perfect (II Tim 3:16-17). You should give attention to it, as the only light in this dark world (Is 8:20; II Pet 1:19).

God gave you a manual of wisdom in the Bible! He also promised His Spirit of wisdom to those who ask, and He will give both liberally (Luke 11:13; Eph 1:17; Col 1:9; Jas 1:5). With an offer like Solomon’s dream, do you pray for wisdom and understanding?

Her maidens want your attention. She cries out to you. You cannot please God without her. You need her to be successful or happy. You cannot face God after death without her. If you neglect or reject her call, she will punish your folly (Pr 1:20-32; 8:32-36).

Test your heart about Lady Wisdom right now. Do you appreciate your parents reproving you? Friends correcting you? A pastor warning you? Do you crave the assemblies of the saints, where the Word of God is boldly preached? Even when the sermon is long?

Do you read these proverbs carefully, seeking to extract every morsel of wisdom you can, since they are God’s inspired wisdom from the pen of King Solomon? You do not have to look far to see the maidens Lady Wisdom sent to invite you. What will you do right now?

Jesus Christ is Wisdom personified (I Cor 1:30; Col 2:3). God’s wisdom is seen clearly in the life of Jesus Christ. His apostles, eyewitnesses of His resurrection, preached His gospel throughout the world. Have you believed and obeyed that message of wisdom?

Spiritual Training 01April 2013

Posted: April 1, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 09:10-14 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad-in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls-she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What than shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses.

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

The Jews were proud of the fact that their linage came from Isaac, whose mother was Sarah (Abraham’s legitimate wife), rather than Ishmael, whose mother was Hagar (Sarah’s maidservant). Paul asserts that no one can claim to be chosen by God because of his or her heritage or good deeds. God freely chooses to save whomever he wills. The doctrine of election teaches that it is God’s sovereign choice to save us by his goodness and mercy, and not by our own merit.

Was it right for God to choose Jacob, the younger, to be over Esau? In Malachi 1:2,3, the statement “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” refers to the nations of Israel and Edom rather than to the individual brothers. God chose Jacob to continue the family line of the faithful because he knew his heart was for God. But he did not exclude Esau from knowing and loving him. Keep in mind the kind of God we worship: he is sovereign; he is not arbitrary; in all things he works for our good; he is trustworthy; he will save all who believe in him.

Lets Bring it Home: When we understand these qualities of God, we know that his choices are good even if we don’t understand all his reasons.

Proverbs 1:30 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 1, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 01, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 1:30 since they would not accept my advice and rejected my rebuke,

God and Wisdom will desert you! When you need them most, and you call for their help, they will not answer or be found. Why? Because you rejected their counsel and reproof.

Lady Wisdom, representing God and the wisdom He offers in scripture, is a wonderful and gracious woman offering knowledge and understanding to any that will come to her. Solomon’s personification of wisdom this way is attractive and inviting (Pr 8:1-5; 9:1-5).

But God and Wisdom are not to be trifled with! If you reject her, you violate your own soul, and you must love death (Pr 8:36). This is the most serious matter of your life, and you should pay careful and close attention to this proverb and its warning (Pr 1:24-32).

If you reject wisdom, you will suffer painfully for it. The true God is not far away (Jer 23:23-24; Acts 17:27). He offers wisdom to any man (Pr 1:20-23). But the fools here would have none of wisdom’s counsel – they had no time or interest. These scorners despised wisdom’s reproof – they resented correction. They must love death (Pr 8:36)!

In this proverb, Lady Wisdom explained why she turned some over to fear and would not hear their cries for help (Pr 1:24-31). They had rejected her kind offers to be wise, so she punished them by forsaking them in time of trouble. This is most fair, and rather than irritating or discouraging you, it should motivate you. Let others reject her, but not you!

What is wisdom? It is the power of right judgment – the ability to perceive correctly, see hidden errors or lies, prioritize competing factors, say the right thing, or do the right thing. It is closely related to discretion, knowledge, prudence, and understanding. With wisdom, men can avoid pain and trouble in their lives and find peace and prosperity instead. Without wisdom, men will fall victim to their own ignorance and stubbornness.

How does Lady Wisdom counsel or reprove? Creation proves a Creator God with eternal power (Ps 19:1-6; Rom 1:18-21). She also gives parents, husbands, employers, civil rulers, and preachers, like Solomon here, to teach small or large amounts of wisdom (Pr 1:1-6; Eccl 12:8-10). But her greatest presentation of wisdom is in the Bible – the inspired book of wisdom from God (Deut 4:6; Ps 1:1-3; 19:7-11; II Tim 3:16-17).

How can you reject or despise Lady Wisdom’s counsel or reproof? You can live your life ignoring your obvious Creator (Ps 10:4; 14:1; 36:1-2). Evolutionists will be destroyed for their absurd and profane efforts to get rid of a Creator God. You can also reject your parents’ instruction, which destroys your guaranteed success (Eph 6:1-3). Any parent has infinite more knowledge than any young child. God ordained parents for this reason.

How can you reject or despise Lady Wisdom’s counsel or reproof? You can neglect, mock, or disobey the Bible. The pages of Scripture contain the most wonderful history, poetry, laws, and revelation of things unknown to natural man. They are packed full of wisdom from heaven. When was the last time you read it? Meditated on a reading? Memorized some verses? Heard it preached plainly and authoritatively? Be warned!

The world arrogantly and recklessly rejects the counsel and reproof of God’s wisdom. They presume they can get away with it. Here is what God is doing: “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver” (Ps 50:21-22).

Where do you stand? God’s counsel and reproof are in the Bible. David, one of the greatest men in history, wrote this about God’s laws: “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Ps 119:128). Is this your attitude? This is the spirit of those persons that God and wisdom will protect and prosper.

Where do you stand? On capital punishment? Same-sex marriages? Abortion? Corporal punishment of children? Reverencing husbands? Moodiness? Baptism by immersion? Honoring civil rulers, even in your heart? Serving a church? Forgiving personal enemies? Honoring parents? Backbiting others? Giving liberally? Drunkenness? Gluttony?

Where do you stand? On labor unions? Anger? Defrauding a spouse? Music? Praying for rulers? Hospitality? Submitting to an unfair boss? Believers’ baptism? Loving pleasure or loving God? Divorce? Purloining? Sound doctrine or entertainment at church? Horoscopes? Daily prayer? Holy living? Television? Friends? Fornication? Saving money? Pornography? Filled with the Spirit? Loving scripture above gold or honey?

Where do you stand? If you reject the counsel and reproof of God and Wisdom for any of the example topics just listed, then pain and trouble are coming. The short proverb before you is what most men do – they reject God’s instruction and rebel against His correction. If you do not have time or interest for the Bible, read your future in Proverbs 1:20-33.

Where do you stand on the Lord Jesus Christ? He is the Son of God sent into this world nearly 2000 years ago to establish the kingdom of God among men. The Jews rejected Him and crucified Him, so He destroyed their capital city in the most terrible judgment ever seen on this planet (Matt 24:21). He is coming soon to do worse to the whole earth. Where do you stand regarding God’s Son? Kiss Him today in faith and love (Ps 2:10-12).

Proverbs 26:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 26, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 26, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 26:26 His malice may be conceal by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Hateful people lie to cover their wickedness (Pr 26:24-26). But God promised to expose them. It is terrible there are such people, but it is worse that they get into churches.

Wicked men get into most churches. It is a terrible evil, but it happens. Though filled with arrogance, hatred, and selfishness, they creep into churches with false professions of religion. Even the world knows this fact, for many reject Christianity for its hypocrisy. But though such sinners cover their hatred by lies, their evil souls will be fully exposed.

What a great God! What a helpful proverb! God teaches you how to discern liars, and He promises to take care of them for you. Bible wisdom can help you perceive a person with hateful and wicked motives, and faith in God can comfort you that He will fully expose the lying monster. Faith and learning have their rewards. Love such truth and wisdom!

This proverb has a rare context to help its interpretation. Solomon had been describing the dangerous evil of talebearers (Pr 26:20-23). These wicked persons love to spread harmful facts, rumors, tales, and insinuations about others. They hurt others deeply, and they cause contention and strife among the members of any group. They do not know the way of peace themselves, and they also keep others from finding full peace and security.

They play the hypocrite with their mouths by claiming to be Christians, while their hearts plan games of pretence and revenge (Pr 26:24). Wise men do not believe their fair words, for they know many evil imaginations are in their hearts (Pr 26:25). Wisdom is the power of right judgment, the ability to discern and know things that deceive most other people.

What identifies these wicked imposters? They speak derogatorily about others and spread harmful facts or slanderous innuendos (Pr 26:20-25). Just listen to their speech about others, and you can discover them. They can hardly stop criticizing and sowing discord by negative information. They are backbiters, slanderers, talebearers, and whisperers.

When a person hates others, the Bible says it proves him a child of the devil (Jn 8:44; I Jn 2:9,11; 3:10,15; 4:8,20). When you detect the critical, hateful, and snide spirit of some toward others, you have likely found a child of the devil. Is this judgment too harsh? Remember Jesus and “the apostle of love” provided the cross-references! God is love, and those truly the children of God will show God is in them by their love (I Jn 4:7-16).

Though these haters lie and pretend to be loving Christians, God will expose them to save His true saints. David begged God to save his kingdom from such strange children – hypocrites that use vain speech and false handshakes to pretend love and piety (Ps 144:7-11). There are great benefits for a church to get rid of such false persons (Ps 144:12-15)!

Paul told the Corinthian church that God would send heresies into His churches to discover these lying frauds and confirm the identity of His true children (I Cor 11:19). So while heresies are a painful matter to deal with in a church, they are often used to expose the lying hypocrites that cause dissension and strife. The end result is well worth the pain.

God’s distillation process is precious. Distillation is a method used to separate a mixture into its component parts, where the desired component will be at a much higher strength than diluted in the mixture. The God of heaven is constantly at work distilling His faithful churches by removing the impure elements to refine and improve the remainder.

Absalom was Solomon’s brother and David’s son. He lied to Israel about how much he cared for them to steal the throne (II Sa 15:1-6). But God exposed his hatred and left him hanging by his hair in a tree for Joab’s darts (II Sa 18:9-15)! Judas conspired in hatred with the Jews against Jesus, and the other apostles had no idea (John 13:21-30). But God exposed his hatred and dashed his bowels over a field (Matt 27:1-10; Acts 1:18-20)!

How can you help your church? Never speak negatively about anyone, unless absolutely necessary for those in authority or for scriptural duty! If you cannot say something kind or commending, do not say anything. Make it your goal to promote the reputations of all men, even your personal enemies. This is true Christianity (Matt 5:43-48; Phil 2:1-4).

How can you help your church? If you hear someone criticizing, backbiting, gossiping, or slandering others, stop them by an angry face or warning rebuke (Pr 25:23; Ps 101:5; I Thess 5:14). God hates this sin, and so should you (Pr 6:16-19). A wife may do this even to a foolish husband, if she is discrete and respectful like Abigail (I Sam 25:3,19,36-37).

Jesus Christ is the Head of His churches, and He constantly walks among them, visible to the eye of faith (Rev 3:1). He exposed the lie of Ananias and his wife Sapphira in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 5:1-11). He cut down many selfish and profane souls in the church at Corinth (I Cor 11:30). He promised death to Jezebel and her followers in the church at Thyatira (Rev 2:20-23), and He comforted and exhorted the rest (Rev 2:24-27).

This God you can trust no matter what. Hateful liars claiming to love God and be your friends can be frightening and worrisome. But He has promised to take care of them by exposing them, and He has promised to take care of you by protecting you. He has sent His glorious Son, the King of heaven, to guard and protect you and every true church. Have you committed your life and church entirely to Him? You will never regret it.

Spiritual Training 26 March 2013

Posted: March 26, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 09:06 It is not though God’s word had failed.  For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

God’s word in the form of beautiful covenant promises came to Abraham. Covenant people, the true children of Abraham are not just his biological descendants. They are al those who trust in God and in what Jesus Christ has done for them.

Lets Bring it Home: Who do you trust in?  Who are you a true descendant of?

Proverbs 25:16 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:16 If you find honey, eat just enough-too much of it, and you will vomit.

Moderation in all things. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Extreme use of anything is abuse. God and Solomon want you to maximize the use of things in life by not overusing any of them. This is an important rule of wisdom and success for your life.

God created honey as a sweet gift for taste, and it is good for your body. Yet too much can overwhelm your senses and make you sick. When you find something pleasant, use it prudently for its intended purpose, lest it be a snare to your soul, or you end up hating it.

Every man’s honey is different. What is sweet to your taste but tempts you to overindulge in it? What is your honey? It is your duty to identify those pleasures that captivate you the most and be temperate with them (I Cor 9:25). What is your honey? Eat only a little.

Honey is good and pleasant (Pr 16:24; 24:13). Honey is not forbidden; it is God’s gift. Be thankful for it. But too much is not good (Pr 25:27). How can something so good make you vomit? By proving that excess is bad! Excess, which is too much, shows good things have limited uses. Use them until sufficient, to their intended purpose, and not beyond.

God richly gives His children all things to enjoy (I Tim 6:17), but all those things must be used in moderation (Phil 4:5). He is not watching from a distance to see how we treat His gifts, as many imagine. The Lord is at hand. He made man upright and gave him gifts, but he has sought out many inventions (Eccl 7:29). And one such invention is excess!

This generation loves excess. They are proud to be X-treme! Christians should avoid any immoderation. God’s gifts of food and drink have been abused to destroy souls. Gluttony and drunkenness overcharge men’s stomachs and hearts (Lu 21:34). Young men gorge until they vomit; drunkards do the same and sleep in it. They sin against this proverb.

The wisdom here is mainly moral and spiritual, yet it also contains nutritional advice. Honey and other simple or refined carbohydrates are a principal cause of obesity and other maladies affecting health. With prosperity supplies an endless variety and amount of sugars and carbohydrates, an excessive society can gorge to a diabetic epidemic!

Consider other pleasant gifts of God to grasp the lesson. God gave bread to make hearts strong (Ps 104:15), but overeating bread, cereal, pasta, cookies, cake, chips, crackers, pizza, and other grain products destroys the heart. God gave wine to make hearts glad (Ps 104:15), but drunkenness is a sin of excess that can cause horrible heartache (Eph 5:18).

Solomon commended eating and drinking for strength, rather than pleasure. There is pleasure in eating, but it cannot dominate. And he commended nations with policies and examples of temperance (Eccl 10:16-17). The all-you-can-eat buffets may be a nice blessing for variety, but they are a curse for the man given to appetite. You should eat to satisfy hunger and promote health. Can you believe, “Enough is as good as a feast”?

What about marriage? It is a great gift from God for companionship and love, but you should live without it consuming your life (I Cor 7:28-35; Ps 73:25-26). What about hobbies and entertainment? They can be pleasant diversions, but too much emphasis and they bring poverty and waste precious time (Pr 21:17; Eph 5:16).

What about bodily exercise? It has a little profit, but extremes will cost you your soul by leaving more important matters undone (I Tim 4:8). What about righteousness and wisdom? Can you have too much of these things? Yes, indeed, when misapplied! The Preacher warned against excesses of either, like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day (Eccl 7:16).

Consider sex. It is one of life’s sweet pleasures – tasted and enjoyed in marriage only, and then only within godly constraints. If it is emphasized out of place, its desires will consume the single person, and it will distort a marriage into selfish practices. The wonderfully pleasant expression of love can easily become a painful ritual of bitterness.

The proverb may also be applied to friends (Pr 25:17). Too much of even friends is too much! If you are obsessive in relationships, you will lose friends, because they cannot bear or keep up with your excess. The good gift of friendship pressed to excess will turn to hatred, and then you have ruined another precious blessing by your overindulgence.

Excessive indulgence in any pleasure dulls the appetite and enjoyment of that thing, so that you need greater and greater amounts to give you the original pleasure. The more fine food you eat, the less you enjoy that special dinner out. The more you travel for business, the less you enjoy the getaway with your wife. It is a simple lesson of experience that too much of anything steals much of its pleasure (Pr 27:7).

Viewing women other than your wife, which is a sin, will reduce pleasure from your wife. It will not enhance her or your appreciation of her. Once you start this sin, you will need greater stimulation to get the same pleasure you once easily had with her. Having dulled your senses and enjoyment, you must then dip deeper into the sewer of excess and drink longer to find the original sinful pleasure. Sin lies, as it takes you down to hell.

Christian reader, what is your honey? In moderation it is good, but in excess it is sinful? Is it eating, family, drinking, working, marriage, hobbies, exercise, sex, or something else? What is it? You will have the greatest temptations to be intemperate with those things that are sweet and pleasant to you. What is your honey? You must identify these weights or sins, so you can lay them aside to successfully run your race (Heb 12:1-4).

Once you identify your honey in life, how much pleasure should you seek in using it? Until you are sick? Oh no, you have gone way too far. Godly temperance and moderation avoid excess, so you must stay safely back from the sinful line. In fact, sincere persons will consider metaphorically cutting their throats, cutting off hands, or plucking out eyes in order to avoid even the temptation to excess (Pr 23:2; Matt 18:8-9).

There is honey for the Christian that has no limit, and it is free, and you may delight in its fatness (Is 55:1-5)! It is the wonderful facts of the gospel. Lady wisdom also offers bread, wine, and a furnished table (Pr 9:1-5), and there you will not be sick or disappointed by eating as much as you can. Fill yourself today with both the gospel and wisdom.

You should also seek to be filled with all the fullness of God, in which there is great blessing (Eph 3:14-19). You can also in good conscience desire the best gifts in the church and serve better than any of them (I Cor 12:31)! Choose good honey. O Lord, fill me with your Spirit, until I am filled to overflowing, and then give me a little more.

Spiritual Training 25 March 2013

Posted: March 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
God’s Sovereign Choice

Romans 9:1-4 I speak the truth in Christ-I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Hoy Spirit. I have great sorrow and unceasing aguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons: theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

The Jews viewed God’s choosing of Israel in the Old Testament as being like adoption. They were underserving and without rights as natural children. Yet God adopted them and granted them the status of his sons and daughter.

Lets Bring it Home: Have you truly been adopted by God? Have you receive his invitation of adoption to be His Sons and Daughters?

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