Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Spiritual Training 27 March 2012

Posted: March 26, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Challenges Peter

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first time Jesus said, “Do you truly love (Greek agape; volitional, self-sacrificial love) me more than these?” The second time, Jesus focused on Peter alone and still used the word translated into Greek, agape. The third time, Jesus used the word translated into Greek, phileo (signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked, in effect, “Are you even my friend?” Each time Peter responded with the word translated into Greek as phileo. Jesus doesn’t settle for quick superficial answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you truly love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend?”

John 21:15-17 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” “Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

Proverbs 26:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 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 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Talking about every little irritation or piece of gossip only keeps the fires of anger going. Refusing to discuss them cuts the fuel line and makes the fires die out. Does someone continually irritate you? Decide not to complain about the person and see if your irritation dies from lack of fuel.

Proverbs 23:19-21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 23, 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 23:19-21 Listen, my son and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Over drinking or over eating will make you poor. Young men are especially vulnerable to these temptations, as most any American college fraternity will prove. Solomon, the wise Preacher and father, warned his son against these two evils and their destructive effects on a man’s career and finances. America, the land of plenty and then some, is a prime breeding ground for both of these corrupting excesses. Let every young man beware!

Consider the context. The inspired father asked his son to hear, be wise, and choose what is right (23:19). He warned him against drunkards and gluttonous eaters (23:20). He also exhorted his son to honor both parents (23:22), put a priority on wisdom (23:23), and to consider the great joy a wise life could give his parents (23:24-25). So great is the danger of these foolish, youthful lusts, he forbid even associating with such sinners (23:20).
Young men think drunkenness is cool – because they are childish, foolish, and ignorant (22:15). They actually boast about getting sick and puking on themselves! They revel in how long their hangovers last! But the great God considers it sinful and stupid. Drinking until you are drunk is a sin against heaven (I Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:18), and it is stupid for the painful consequences such drinking brings (23:29-35; 31:4-5).

Spiritual Training 23 March 2012

Posted: March 23, 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 (Doubting and Believing)
Jesus Appears to His Disciples including Thomas

Jesus wasn’t hard on Thomas for his doubts. Despite his skepticism, Thomas was still loyal to the believers and to Jesus himself. Some people need to doubt before they believe. If doubt leads to questions, questions lead to answers, and the answers are accepted, then doubt has done good work. It is when doubt becomes stubbornness and stubbornness becomes a prideful lifestyle and doubt harms faith. When you doubt don’t stop there. Let your doubt deepen your faith as you continue to search for the answer.

John 20:24-29 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nails marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Have you ever wished you could actually see Jesus, touch him, and hear his words? Are there times you want to sit down with him and get his advice? Thomas wanted Jesus physical presence. But God’s plan is wiser. He has not limited himself to one physical body; he wants to be present with you at all times. Even now he is with you in the form of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to him, and you can find his words to you in the pages of the Bible. He can be as real to you as he was to Thomas.

Spiritual Training 22 March 2012

Posted: March 22, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-23 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were over joyed when they saw the Lord. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus was giving the disciples their Spirit-powered and Spirit-guided mission-to preach the Good News about Jesus so people’s sins might be forgiven. The disciples did not have the power to forgive sins (only God can forgive sins), but Jesus gave them the privilege of telling new believers that their sins have been forgiven because they have accepted Jesus message. All believers have this same privilege. We can announce the forgiveness of sin with certainty when we ourselves find repentance and faith.

Proverbs 22:10 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 22, 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 22:10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.

This Proverbs speaks for itself. Another word for mocker is ridiculer. I know when certain people don’t show up for work or miss meeting or gatherings, it changes the entire temperature or atmosphere. It just takes one person to stir up strife. I think we all can relate to this, Just make sure that person is not you.

Proverbs 21:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 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 21:20 – In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

This proverb is about saving for the future. Easy credit has many people living on the edge of bankruptcy. The desire to keep up and to accumulate more pushes them to spend every penny they earn, and they stretch their credit to the limit. But anyone who spends all he has is spending more than he can afford. A wise person puts money aside for when he or she may have less. God approves of foresight and restraint. God’s people need to examine their lifestyles to see whether their spending is God-pleasing or merely self-pleasing.

Spiritual Training 21 March 2012

Posted: March 20, 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
Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-22 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were over joyed when they saw the Lord. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

This may have been a special filling of the Holy Spirit for the disciples, a foretaste of what all believers would experience from the time of Pentecost and forever after. To do God’s work, we need the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. We must avoid trying to do his work in our own strength.

There is life in the breath of God. Man was created but did not come alive until God breathed into him the breath of life. God’s first breath made man different from all other forms of creation. Now, through the breath of Jesus, God imparted eternal, spiritual life. With this inbreathing came the power to do God’s will on earth.

Proverbs 20:22 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 20, 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

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Is revenge sweet? Your spirit and the world say that it is. But the Lord God of heaven declares it is sin. Who will you believe? Solomon warned his son against this sin (24:28-29). He told him not to even think or speak about repaying evil to anyone. Rather than take things into your own hands regarding your enemies, let the LORD take care of them.
When someone hurts you, the natural response is anger and thoughts of self-defense and revenge. You react immediately, instinctively, and violently. It is due to your depraved heart inherited from Adam. Paul described his own natural instincts this way: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3).

Mankind loves to fight and war. Rather than overlook offences, you want to repay! Rather than forgive wrongs, you can hold a grudge forever! Paul described your warlike character very graphically, “The poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known” (Rom 3:14-17).

Revenge comes from pride: a humble man does not worry about repaying evil. Revenge is blinding: it can easily lead to horrible crimes, including murder. Solomon’s proverbs are about wisdom, and the blinding rage of revenge perverts your ability to perceive, understand, and judge correctly. It destroys wisdom. And it leads to sinful actions.
The situations at stake are personal offences against you. Offences against God are to be dealt with as the Bible directs: rebellious children are to be punished; sinning church members are to be excluded; violent citizens are to be executed by the king; etc. Personal offences are to be overlooked, and personal enemies are to be loved (Matt 5:38-48). This is the law of Jesus Christ, and it is the highest form of charity and wisdom in the world.

Rather than returning evil for evil, a noble and wise man will return good for evil, thus avoiding the blinding danger of grudges and revenge, calming his enemies with kindness and patience, and glorifying God in a difficult matter (25:21-22) Lev 19:18, Rom 12:17-21. Here is wisdom! Learn it today!

You should not even think about revenge, not even in your heart, not even when evil befalls your enemies from other sources! God and Solomon condemned any joy when your enemy falls (24:17-18). Sinful thoughts against another are murder (Matt 5:21-22)!

Who are your enemies today? Are there any that you resent? Are you harboring a grudge or thoughts of revenge against any? Maybe your spouse? Maybe a colleague or boss at work? Maybe a neighbor? Maybe a church member? Confess your sin to God, and look for opportunities to befriend them! Treat them as you want them to treat you, not as they have treated you. This is true wisdom! This is true Christianity!

The best revenge is to leave enemies to God. He is most fair, His judgments most awful. Vengeance is His: He will repay. David left Saul to the Lord, though he could have killed him. What was the result? Saul fearfully consulted a witch, killed himself, was hung up for display by Philistines, was cremated, had his bones buried under a tree, and his family was cut off from the throne!

His sister and Korah wickedly confronted Moses. Rather than punishing these arrogant and profane rebels himself, he left the matter to the LORD. Miriam was sharply rebuked by the Lord, became white with leprosy, and was quarantined outside the camp (Num 12:1-15). What of Korah? He was swallowed alive by the earth (Num 16:1-40)!
Only the Lord can create and sustain a loving and peaceful spirit in a man, so that anger and revenge are only fleeting thoughts of folly. Faith in God is the cure, for He will always take care of His own. Believe it! If you are guilty of vengeful thoughts, confess your wickedness to God, cast yourself upon his mercy begging for strength, pray for your enemies, and seek opportunities to do good to them. This is wisdom and the will of God!

Spiritual Training 20 March 2012

Posted: March 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-21 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were over joyed when they saw the Lord. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Jesus again identified himself with his Father. He told the disciples by whose authority he did his work. Then he passed the job to his disciples of spreading the gospel of salvation around the world. Whatever God has asked you to do, remember:

(1) Your authority comes from God, and
(2) Jesus has demonstrated by words and actions how to accomplish the job he has given you.

As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends his followers….and you.

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