Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Proverbs 27:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 29, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 27:21 – The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.     

Praise tests a person, just as high temperatures test metal.  How does praise affect you? Do you work to get it? Do you work harder after you’ve gotten it? Your attitude toward praise tells a lot about your character.  People of high integrity are not swayed by praise.  They are attuned to their inner convictions, and they do what they should whether or not they are praised for it.

Spiritual Training 27 June 2012

Posted: June 29, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Gideon

Judges 8:1-3 Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?”  And they criticized him sharply.  But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?  God gave Oereb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands.  What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided. 

 Ephraim’s leaders felt left out because Gideon had not called them to join the battle, but had left them in place to “clean up” the escaping Midianites (“the gleanings”), and so they angrily confronted him.  Gideon assured the leaders of Ephraim that their accomplishment was even greater than his own clan’s (Abiezer).  His diplomatic explanation pointed out that this rear guard had managed to capture the enemy’s generals, thus cutting off the leaders from their army.  Not every necessary job is a highly visible leadership role.  Much of the necessary labor of any effective enterprise is considered by many to be dirty work.  But such work is vital to getting and big task done.

Lets bring it home: Engineers and millionaires may design and finance an elegant building, but it is the bricklayers who get the work done.  Pride causes us to want recognition.  Are you content to be God’s bricklayer, or do you resent the work God has given you?

Proverbs 26:18-19 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 26, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 26:18-19  Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” 

Deceiving those who trust you is a horrible crime. Neighbors, employers, and others trust your integrity. You are close enough to take advantage of them, so they must trust you to not use that nearness against them. It is your duty as a Christian to live honestly with all men, but especially those nearest to you.

Jesting (Joking) is not convenient – appropriate, proper, or suitable. It causes confusion, pain, and trouble. It destroys confidence and security. This is especially true when you joke with those who trust you. Truth is a wonderful thing, and it should not be mocked. Your neighbor trusts you – be worthy of it. King Solomon had no use for profane individuals who play tricks on others for profit or pleasure and excuse their wickedness by calling it a game or a joke.

Deceiving those who trust you is a horrible crime. Neighbors, employers, and others trust your integrity. You are close enough to take advantage of them, so they must trust you to not use that nearness against them. It is your duty as a Christian to live honestly with all men, but especially those nearest to you.

Covering and excusing sin by lightly claiming it was just a joke reveals a very profane character. Such persons have no conscience; they laugh at sin; they do not comprehend the pain their deception causes others. We oppose this folly by keeping and requiring a sober and serious approach to all relationships.

Spiritual Training 26 June 2012

Posted: June 26, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Gideon defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:21 When each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 

Gideon’s warriors simply watched as the army of Midian fell into panic, confusion, and disordered retreat.  Not one man had to draw a sword to defeat the enemy.  Gideon’s small army could never have brought about such a victory in its own strength.  God wanted to demonstrate to Israel that victory depends not on strength or numbers, but on obedience and commitment to him.

Remember in Chapter 6:12 When right from the start God called Gideon a mighty warrior.  God told Gideon to go save Israel out of the Midian’s hand, and its He who is sending you.   Gideon said, how can he save Israel, his clan was the weakest in Manasseh, and he was the least of his family.  But the LORD assured him that He would be with him.  Gideon failed to see how God could work through him.  Notice how God uses the least to shame the great.

Lets bring it home: God is with us today, and we got to move and go forth as a mighty warrior for Christ.  We can’t sit back and keep questioning God, when he tells us in his word that

I will never leave you or forsake you, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me, No weapon form against you will prosper and what can man do to me.  We got to stay in his word and be obedient to his commands, not just on the outside, but the inside.   

Proverbs 25:21-22 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 25, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 25:21-22 – If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. 

 God’s form of retaliation is most effective and yet difficult to do.  Paul quotes this proverb in Romans 12:19-21. In Mathew 5:44, Jesus encourages us to pray for those who hurt us.  By returning good for evil, we are acknowledging God as the balancer of all accounts and trusting him to be the judge.

Spiritual Training 25 June 2012

Posted: June 25, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Gideon defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:09-11 During the night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.  “If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp”. So he and Purah his servant went down to the outpost of the camp. 

Facing overwhelming odds, Gideon was afraid.  God understood his fear, but he didn’t excuse Gideon from his task.  Instead he allowed Gideon to slip into the enemy camp and over-hear a conversation that would give him courage.

Lets Bring it home: Are you facing a battle with internal or external foes that have defeated you in the past or appear invincible today?  God can give you the strength you need for any situation.  And don’t be startled by the way he helps you.  Like Gideon, you must listen to God and be ready to take the first step.  Only after you begin to obey God will you find the courage to move ahead.


Proverbs 21:23 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 21, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. 

Here is truth and wisdom! If you rule your speech, you will save yourself from trouble. Your mouth and tongue are two of your greatest enemies. If you will keep them under control and only speak the right words at the right time, your life will be blessed. It is ungoverned speech that gets men into all sorts of trouble.

Spiritual Training 21 June 2012

Posted: June 21, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Gideon defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:02 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.  In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.  But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men.  Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there.  If I say, this one shall go with you, he shall go, but if I say this one shall not go with you, he shall not go.  So Gideon took the men down to the water.  There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths.  All the rest got down on their knees to drink.  The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.  Let all the other men go, each to his own place. 

Self-sufficiency is a handicap when it causes us to believe we can do what needs to be done in our own strength.  To prevent this attitude among Gideon’s soldiers, God reduced their number from 32,000 to 300.  With an army this vastly outnumbered there could be no doubt that victory was from God.  The men could not take the credit.

Lets bring it home:  Like Gideon, we must recognize the danger of fighting in our own strength.  We can be confident of victory against life’s challenges and temptations only if we put our confidence in God and not ourselves.

Proverbs 20:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 20, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command
 Proverbs 20:3 – It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. 

A person who is truly confident of his or her strength does not need to parade it.  A truly brave person does not look for chances to prove it.  A resourceful woman can find a way out of a fight.  A man of endurance will avoid retaliating.  Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife.  Men and women of character can.  What kind of person are you?

Spiritual Training 20 June 2012

Posted: June 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Gideon

Judges 6:36-39 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised – look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor.  If there is dew only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened.  Gideon rose early the next day, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew-a bowlful of water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me.  Let me make just one more request.  Allow me one more test with the fleece.   This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew” That night God did so.  Only the fleece was dry, all the ground was covered with dew. 

 Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? In either case, though his motive was right (to obey God and defeat the enemy), his method was less than ideal.  Gideon seems to have known that his requests might displease God (6:39), and yet he demanded two miracles even after witnessing the miraculous fire from the rock (6:21).  It is true that to make good decisions, we need facts. Gideon had all the facts, but still he hesitated.  He delayed obeying God because he wanted even more proof.

Demanding extra signs was an indication of unbelief.  Fear often makes us wait for more confirmation when we should be taking action.  Visible signs are unnecessary if they only confirm what we already know is true.

Lets bring it home: Today the greatest means of God’s guidance is his Word, the Bible.  Unlike Gideon, we have God’s complete, revealed Word.  If you want to have more of God’s guidance, don’t ask for sign, STUDY THE BIBLE (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

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