Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Proverbs 15:10 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 15, 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 15:10 – Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die. 

We know that when we leave the path of righteousness, the Lords discipline is waiting for us, and will bring us back if we heed his correction.  Those who continue down the wrong path, who just can’t stand to be corrected, will suffer many troubles as which some of those can lead to death.  So if you have a problem taking correction from someone, start praying to God to change your heart.

Spiritual Training 15 June 2012

Posted: June 15, 2012 in 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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Under Gods Command
Gideon
Judges 6:23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid.  You are not going to die.”

 Judges 25-30 That same night the LORD said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old.  Tear down your father’s altar to Ball and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.  Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height.  Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him.  But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.  In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” The men of the town demanded of Joash, “ Bring out your son.  He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” 

 After god called Gideon to be Israel’s deliverer, he immediately asked him to tear down the altar of the pagan god, Baal-an act that would test Gideon’s faith and commitment.  Canaanite religion was very political, so an attack on god was often seen as an attack on the local government supporting that god.  If caught, Gideon would face serious social problems and probable physical attack.

Gideon took a real risk by following God’s higher law, which specifically forbids idol worship (Exodus 20:1-5). After learning what Gideon has done, the townspeople wanted to kill him.  Many of those people were fellow Israelites.  This shows how immoral God’s people had become.  God said in Deuteronomy 13:6-11 that idolaters must be stone to death, but these Israelites wanted to stone Gideon for tearing down an idol and worshiping God!

Lets bring it home: When you begin to accomplish something for God, the very people who should support you may criticize you. 


Proverbs 14:29 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 14, 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 14:29 -A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly. 

A quick temper can be like a fire out of control.  It can burn us and everyone else in its path.  Anger divides people. It pushes us into hasty decisions that only cause bitterness and guilt.  Yet anger, in itself, is not wrong.  Anger can be a legitimate reaction to injustice and sin. When you feel yourself getting angry, look for the cause.  Are you reacting to an evil situation that you are going to set right?  Or are you responding selfishly to a personal insult?  Pray that God will help you control your quick temper, channeling your feelings into effective action and conquering selfish anger through humility and repentance.

Spiritual Training 14 June 2012

Posted: June 14, 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 6:14-16 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand.  Am I not sending you?”  “But Lord, “Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” 

“I will be with you,” God told Gideon, and God promised to give him the strength he needed to overcome the opposition.  In spite of this clear promise for strength, Gideon made excuses.  Seeing only his limitations and weaknesses, he failed to see how God could work through him.

Lets bring it home: Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways, Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses.  But reminding God of our limitations only implies that he does not know all about us or that he has made a mistake in evaluation our character.  Don’t spend time making excuses.  Instead spend it doing what God wants. 

Spiritual Training 13 June 2012

Posted: June 13, 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 6:11-13 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezirte, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.  When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” But sir, “Gideon replied, “If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?  Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?  But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” 

Gideon questioned God about the problems he and his nation faced and about God’s apparent lack of help.  What he didn’t acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God.  How easy it is to overlook personal accountability and blame our problems on God and others.  Unfortunately this does not solve our problems.  It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding.

Lets bring it home: When problems come, the first place to look is within. Our immediate response should be confession to God of sins that may have created our problems.

Proverbs 13:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 13, 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 13:03 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. 

You have not mastered self-control if you do not control what you say.  Words can cut and destroy.  James recognized this truth when he stated, “The tongue is a small part of the body but makes great boast”. If you want to be self-controlled, begin with your tongue.  Stop and think before you react or speak.  If you can control this small but powerful member, you can control the rest of your body. 

Proverbs 12:16 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 12, 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 12:16 A fool show his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.  

When someone annoys or insults you, it is natural to retaliate.  But this solves nothing and only encourages trouble.  Instead, answer slowly and quietly.  Your positive response will achieve positive results.  Remember Proverbs 15:01: A gentle answer turns away wrath.

Spiritual Training 12 June 2012

Posted: June 12, 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 6:06-10 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.  When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian, he sent them a prophet who said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:  I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors.  I drove them from before you and gave you their land.  I said to you, I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.  But you have not listened to me.  

Again the Israelites hit rock bottom before turning back to God.  How much suffering they could have avoided if they had trusted him! Turning to God shouldn’t be a last resort; we should look to him for help each day.  This isn’t to say life will always be easy.  There will be struggles; but God will give us the strength to live through them.

Lets Bring it Home:  Don’t wait until you’re at the end of your rope.  Call on God first in every situation.

Proverbs 11:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 11, 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 11:03 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. 

 There is a safe way to live – do right! And there is a dangerous way to live – do what feels good and sounds good! By committing to do only what is right at all times, you will have a certain guide for every situation. But living your life by your own feelings and choices will often lead you to great perplexity, and it will certainly destroy you.

What is integrity? It is the glorious character trait of always doing what is right, regardless of difficulties or consequences. It is the upright who have integrity. What is perverseness? It is turning away from what is right to act contrary to law or nature. It is transgressors, or sinners, who are perverse, for they choose to reject moral restrictions.

The upright always do what is right – they have integrity. Their confusion in life is minimal, for they have chosen to follow what is right in every choice and dilemma. They have a constant guide. Transgressors do whatever they want – they are perverse. They have no standards or parameters for their actions, and their perversity will destroy them.

What is right? Whatever the Bible says is right! Anything to the contrary is perverse and wrong! The Bible should be exalted on every subject, and all other opinions should be hated. Such a rule defines Bible Christianity. It doesn’t matter what a pope thinks, what is socially acceptable, what is traditional, or what will win you a promotion.

Is sex up to you? No! God invented the pleasure, and He has ruled concerning it. Joseph was a man of integrity, and he never had a doubt about what to do with the seductive advances of Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39:1-12). But Samson was perverse in his obsession with Philistine whores, and it cost him his eyes, his freedom, and his life.

The blessed Lord Jesus Christ always did those things that pleased His Father. He had perfect integrity and prudence in obeying the word of God and living a perfect life. For those who believe on Him, He is the Source and Means of everlasting righteousness.

Proverbs 10:09 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 11, 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 10:09 – The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. 

A consistent course of righteousness will keep a man confident, and he will not stumble in life. But rejecting instruction and wisdom, and choosing his own way, will lead a man to trouble and pain; and this perverse rebellion will be revealed to others.

A sincere and faithful man, who walks righteously before God and men, will be secure in his conscience, in the blessings of God, and in safety from trouble  He is single minded with no fear of detection, for he has never practiced deceit or hypocrisy. He neither fears devils or wicked men, for Jesus Christ is his helper and heaven his home. He will not fear the future, for his heart and steps are fixed in God’s word. He knows that God is with him, regardless of what men may think. He knows that difficulties for other men will not defeat or destroy him. He is confident and safe.

But the man who chooses sin and perverts the way of righteousness will fall at once, and all men will know his secret perversity. To disobey is truly to be perverse, for it is corruption of, and rebellion against, God’s wisdom. Perversity is God’s word for disobedience, and we should respect the seriousness of it.

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