Archive for the ‘Proverbs’ Category

Proverbs 12:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: November 12, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 12, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray

All men are not equal, not even close. A righteous man is superior to his wicked neighbor in character, conduct, situation, and expectation. But this superiority does his neighbor and other wicked men no good, for they are seduced by the world to continue in their wickedness. They cannot and will not choose the more excellent way of righteousness.

Saul and David, the first two kings of Israel, illustrate this proverb perfectly. Solomon would have known the comparison very well from childhood, so the Holy Spirit reduced the royal history preceding him to this pithy and precious statement of wisdom.

David was a righteous man after God’s own heart (I Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). He conducted himself so perfectly his name was much revered in Israel (I Sam 18:30). Every king had to be compared to him (I Kgs 15:1-5), and even the Lord Jesus is known as David and the Son of David (Jer 30:9; Matt 22:42). The sweet psalmist of Israel was more excellent than his neighbor. He was a noble man, as all still admit to this day.

Saul was his neighbor. Saul was a profane man. He would not wait for Samuel, but offered a sacrifice himself (I Sam 13:10-14). He tried to kill his own son for eating a little honey, but the people stopped him (I Sam 14:43-45). In the matter of the Amalekites, God compared his rebellion and stubbornness to witchcraft and idolatry (I Sam 15:22-23). Rather than waiting on the Lord, he consulted the witch of Endor (I Sam 28:1-7).

God compared these two men. Samuel said, “The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou” (I Sam 15:28). Samuel also said, “And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David” (I Sam 28:17). Understand the proverb. Be attentive to comparisons God makes.

Saul knew the superior excellency of David. He heard him play the harp skillfully; he watched him kill Goliath; he heard his modest response; he watched his son Jonathan prefer David; he saw the people accept David; and he knew that God was with David. He said to David, “Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil” (I Sam 24:17). Saul also said to David, “Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail” (I Sam 26:25).

But this knowledge about David’s superiority did Saul no good, for the envy of his wicked heart found greater comfort and satisfaction in the way of the wicked. He was seduced away from David’s righteousness to his own folly. Rather than begging God for forgiveness and befriending David, he sought repeatedly to kill him in jealous rages. He degenerated in wickedness until he was lying on the ground before the witch of Endor. Two days later his head was cut off and his body nailed to the wall of a Philistine village.

“The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.” Righteousness is the goal. You need to live like the sons of God (Matt 5:43-48; Eph 5:8; I Thess 5:5-11; I Pet 2:9-11). If the world hates you, rejoice and be very glad, for they hated the Saviour and all His disciples, though this wicked world was not worthy of even their presence (Heb 11:38).

“But the way of the wicked seduceth them.” Worldly men may heap up riches and live extravagantly; they may give themselves over greedily to all sort of carnal pleasures; they may live ever so fine with the groupies of this world singing their praise; but they are rushing through the wide gate and down the broad way to destruction both now and later.

The righteous and the wicked have equality in their nature from Adam, but they are totally different by other measures. The character of the righteous is more excellent, for they have the Spirit of God within them, conforming them to the image of Jesus Christ and bearing much virtuous fruit against which there is no law (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 2:10; 4:24; II Pet 1:3). They love, forgive, serve, and die like no others of the human race.

The conduct of the righteous is more excellent, for they have intimate knowledge of coming judgment and Christ’s infinite love to motivate them (II Cor 5:9-15). They have the glorious example of the Lord Jesus Christ to follow (I Pet 2:18-25). And they have the perfect rules of heaven’s wisdom in the Scriptures that the world despises (Is 8:20).

The situation of the righteous is more excellent, for he is a child of God, a king and priest with full privileges at the throne of God, the temple of the Holy Ghost, with God’s ears open to His prayers, a sympathetic mediator at God’s right hand, perfectly righteous by justification in Christ, a friend of God, and with heaven’s angels for his personal servants.

The expectation of the righteous is more excellent, for they shall be admitted to heaven’s glory with great joy, while Jesus Christ shall repudiate the wicked and cast them into the lake of fire. Which neighbor is more excellent, Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, or the rich man in hell? Which inheritance is more excellent, heaven’s mansions or hell’s fires?

Wicked men cannot see the superiority of the righteous, for they are seduced by sin and Satan to follow the world to hell. Balaam prophesied of Israel’s excellence, but his love of money seduced him (Num 23:10; II Pet 2:15). Herod gladly heard John the Baptist, but his wicked wife seduced him to behead John (Mark 6:17-29). Stephen’s face glowed like an angel; the Jews could not resist his wisdom; he preached a great sermon; but the rabid Jews were provoked by their hatred of Jesus Christ to stone him (Acts 6:8 – 7:60).

The way of the righteous and the way of the wicked are totally incompatible with each other. The righteous hate the wicked, and the wicked hate the righteous (Pr 29:27). It has always been that way, and it will always be this way. Righteous men seek out other good men to love (Ps 16:3; 119:63; Tit 1:8), and they do all they can to avoid the wicked (Ps 101:1-8; II Thess 3:1-2). The wicked are happy in their large crowd rushing down the slippery slope into hell, and the righteous rejoice with a few believers seeking holiness.

Christian reader, what can you learn? What the world thinks of the righteous is irrelevant! The world may offer temporary pleasure, but it is only seduction to destruction. Wise men reject this world and all its pleasures, philosophies, parties, and privileges. And your life should be more excellent to raise questions from other righteous souls (I Pet 3:15). Grasp these four applications. Choose to grow in favor with God and good men, by rejecting the ways of this wicked world (Luke 2:52; James 4:4; I John 2:15-17). God forbid that any reader of this proverb should be seduced by the insanity of this world.

The blessed Lord Christ was more excellent than all men, yet this world despised and hated Him. They lied about Him, falsely accused Him, exchanged a murderer for Him, mocked Him, tortured Him, and nailed Him naked on a cruel cross in public. The Jews’ love of hypocrisy and ceremonial religion seduced them to get rid of the most excellent neighbor the earth has ever seen! They would do it again today, if they had the chance. And they will do the same to His followers, who are also more excellent than they.

 

Proverbs 04:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: November 4, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 04, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 

Wise men do not let life happen to them. They act with careful thought and sober reflection. They plan and manage their lives. They choose wise goals and the means to achieve them, and they compare their progress to them. Other than rare acts of God they cannot avoid, they control and direct their circumstances to serve them, not vice versa.

Rather than bouncing from one goal or direction to another, prudent men fix their lives in one steady course. They discipline all aspects of their lives toward their chosen goals. They carefully consider every part of life. They question, evaluate, and muse upon each choice they make to keep their overall objective before them and steady progress to it.

Reader, where are you going? Ponder the path of your feet. Is getting older all you are doing? Is life happening to you, rather than you directing it? Your daily and weekly routines should have a solid purpose and noble objective. Or are you on a treadmill – in a rut – not making any progress? Step back. Ponder the path of your feet. Examine yourself (II Cor 13:5). Consider your ways (Hag 1:5). Commune with your own heart (Ps 4:4).

What does it mean to ponder? It means to weigh a matter mentally, to consider it carefully, to think about it, to muse over it, and to meditate upon it. Most are too busy with too much noise and activity to stop and think soberly about their lives. Instead of musing, they seek amusements – activities designed to stop all thinking. Instead of self- and life-examination, they chase more entertainment. Instead of thinking, they drown out internal conversation with television, movies, music, drinking, or drugs. What folly!

Instead of quiet time to reflect on their lives, they have radios in their cars, televisions in their homes, and cell phones in their pockets. “God is not in all his thoughts” (Ps 10:4). They do not know where they are going, why they are going in a certain direction, or the consequences of it. They are victims of circumstances rather than managers of them. They are foolish and will be punished as surely as gravity causes things to fall downward.

But wisdom cries, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah” (Ps 4:4). “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search” (Ps 77:6). “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab 2:20). These are the activities of wise and holy men.

It is the fool who lives without thinking, walks without meditating, and chooses his path without pondering. Christians are called to walk circumspectly – examining their path from all angles! Only by this discipline can they understand and apply God’s will to their lives (Eph 5:15-17). It is your duty to make straight paths for your feet (Heb 12:13).

Another error keeps men from pondering their lives – most of their pondering is about others! It is the wicked, self-righteous hypocrite that ponders the lives of others instead of his own. He comforts himself in his sins by trying to identify as many as possible in others (Luke 18:9-14). Jesus condemned worrying about the mote in another person’s eye while you have barn beams in your own. This activity is the opposite of self-examination, and it proves a person to be the opposite of the righteous and wise – it proves him a fool.

What should you ponder? Are you walking with God and growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are you bearing much spiritual fruit? Are you forgiving, loving, and serving all others to keep the second commandment? Is your marriage what it should be? Do you have activities in your life that create temptation and lead to sin? Are you single minded for the kingdom of God? Do you live with eternity in view? If you were to die today, would Jesus Christ find you in the way of righteousness?

Is your life leading toward the holy objective of pleasing Jesus Christ? Does your path on Sundays include a faithful church where all doctrine and practice matches the Scriptures? Are your priorities consistent with those Solomon lists in this book? Do you read, meditate, pray, and sing in private on a regular basis? Ponder the path of your feet.

Father, have you pondered the path your wife and children are taking? It is your duty before God to lead, guide, and correct them into the right way of the fear of the Lord (Ps 34:11). The true measure of your duty and love is to prepare and perfect them to meet the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you helping them keep their feet in the pathway of righteousness?

What keeps you from pondering the path of your feet? Whatever it is, it is not worth the danger of wandering out of the way of understanding and ending up in the congregation of the dead (Pr 21:16). “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Pr 14:12; 16:25). And reader, if you do not ponder your ways, the LORD is pondering them, especially your sexual ways (Pr 5:21). Do not neglect or forget this sacred duty to ponder your feet!

God Jehovah of the Bible calls you like He did Abraham. “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Gen 17:1). Will you answer the call?

If you answer this call, the LORD will send you visible and invisible teachers. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Is 30:21). Do you obey your teachers?

The psalmist said, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies” (Ps 119:59). Reader, will you join the psalmist in this frequent duty of pondering your life? “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD” (Lam 3:40). Make it a part of your daily exercise in prayer (Ps 139:23-24).

Your flesh, the world, and Satan will daily lay snares in the way. You will face many even today. They will try to tempt and trap you in your thoughts, in your speech, in your relationships, in your job, and everywhere else. It is your duty to consider your ways carefully and avoid those snares. It is your duty to turn away, quickly, from every tempting and threatening situation (Pr 4:14-15; Rom 13:14; II Tim 2:22).

After pondering the path of your feet, it is your duty to fix and secure all your ways in the fear of the Lord. How do you identify the fear of the Lord for your life? By the Holy Scriptures! They are the lamp for your feet and the light for your path (Ps 119:105). The sure rock of Christ’s sayings must be the foundation of your house (Matt 7:24-27; II Pet 1:19-21). Establish – fix and settle permanently – all your ways in the Lord. And the grace of God is able to bless you toward this glorious life (I Pet 5:10; I Thess 3:12-13).

True disciples, the true children of God, continue in the word of Christ (John 8:31). They are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, but rather continue in the faith grounded and settled (Col 1:23). And it is by this confident and established perseverance in the truth that you show you are the true brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 3:6,14).

Proverbs 9:4 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 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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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:4”Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment.

Simple men have two options. They can accept Lady Wisdom’s sincere invitation for wisdom and a blessed life, or they can fall for a whore’s lying seduction for death and hell. With a very powerful comparison, King Solomon set out the choice of life and death for his children, nation, and you. Listen carefully! Every man shall bear his own burden!

Consider carefully to see the precious comparison. Two women are after your soul. Both are beautiful. The beauty of one is timeless; that of the other very short. One speaks the truth; the other lies from beginning to end. Both are pleasant, but the pleasure of one is for a very short season, and the pleasure of the other is for eternity. Two women call you.

“Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding,” one says to you, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding” (Pr 9:4-6). This is the beautiful and noble Lady Wisdom, who has been described and speaking since Proverbs 8:1.

“Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding,” another woman says to you, “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant” (Pr 9:16-17). This is the lustful and fatally dangerous whore, Lady Folly, who is described and speaking in Proverbs 9:13-18. Do not let this wicked woman seduce you.

This foolish woman, this strange woman, this whore, is also beautiful, and she also calls you. She wants simple men and those that lack understanding to destroy them, for they know “not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell” (Pr 9:18). A wise man is too difficult for her to seduce, for he knows her wiles cover bitter pain.

At her table you are looking at the rapidly decaying features of a malicious liar, who is planning to take advantage of your simplicity for her own gain. Her flattering words are the anesthesia for your soul; her kisses are the kiss of death. Hell is where you are headed in this world and in the world to come if you stay with her one more minute. Run away!

Lady Wisdom is much more beautiful and has prepared a beautiful house, fully furnished, for your perpetual prosperity and comfort (Pr 9:1-5). Her guests are luxuriously entertained and provided for to the eternal benefit of their souls. See the comments on Pr 9:1 and Pr 9:2. Your simplicity does not offend her; she wants to help you gain wisdom!

She has prepared a feast for you, if you will simply take her gracious invitation. She offers you life, and that an abundant life, if you will let her feed you the feast of knowledge and understanding. At this table the simple can become wise and successful. The only thing necessary for admittance is your simplicity. If you lack wisdom and want to gain it, she will be your most willing host. Do not reject her offer. Accept it at once!

These are not merely two literal women here, but a personification of the choices every man or woman must make in life. Will you seek and learn heavenly wisdom to avoid the foolishness of this world that will painfully destroy you? Or will you weakly let a whorish world take you down the seductive path to dysfunctional living, death, and hell?

Simple men can learn wisdom and understanding with Lady Wisdom, who wants to serve and help men needing knowledge. They can become wise by filling their lives with God’s precious Word, sound Bible preaching, godly music, and the Lord’s people. To learn from Lady Wisdom, they must shun this world’s ideas, music, entertainment, and friends.

But simple men can also be destroyed by the strange woman, who will take advantage of their ignorance for her selfish ends. The simple are too ignorant to know her friendship is the way to death and hell. But the attentive reader is now informed and should ponder what house he has entered. Do not be deceived, her pleasure is only for a moment.

All men by nature are simple and lacking understanding. All men face this choice. Will you be wise or foolish? Will you remain faithful to your wife or choose another? Will you seek to correct your foolishness or allow it to take you down to hell? Do you desire wisdom and prudence, or folly and pleasure, to be your companions through life?

Christian reader, to which woman do you turn for religion? Do you seek a simple church of Jesus Christ where a banquet of grace, truth, and fellowship is spread for sinners? Or do you fall for the seductive advances of the harlot church with her gaudy appeal, false doctrine, worldly popularity, and entertaining fables? Remember, her pleasure lasts only a short season, and then comes the death and hell she hides behind her sensual pretenses.

Look instead for that chaste virgin of a pure church meeting in apostolic simplicity and preaching the hard, unvarnished truth of God’s inspired and preserved words. If you are not being convicted on a regular basis and growing in wisdom and understanding, it is likely that you have missed the apostolic church and are in a carnal and compromising church of these perilous times. Let every reader take heed. Life or death is the result.

Proverbs 7:01 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 07, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands and you will live.

Sons often neglect their father’s instructions and warnings. If they forget them, they will not be ready, when temptation is in their eyes, ears, heart, and loins. And the temptation here is dangerous and powerful – a beautiful and skilled adulteress (Pr 7:5-27). The same lesson applies to young women, when they are infatuated with a handsome man. Solomon begins and ends his warning with appeals to remember his advice (Pr 7:1-4,24).

Solomon knew the folly and vanity of youth (Pr 22:15; Eccl 11:10). He knew the great vulnerability that young men and women have to sexual lusts and temptations (Ps 25:7; Eccl 12:5; Ezek 23:3,8,19,21; II Tim 2:22). Their freedom, folly, naiveté, sexual desire, and youthful bodies create a dangerous combination. He also knew the haughty spirit in most of their hearts. Therefore, he repeatedly begged his children to listen and remember his instruction (Pr 1:8; 2:1-5; 3:1-4; 4:1-5,13; 5:1-2,7; 6:20-21; 7:1-4,24; 8:32-33).

The dangers of not remembering are great. How will a young man resist, when his eyes are full of her beauty, his ears full of her flattery, his heart full of her offered love and submission, and his loins full of desire (Pr 5:3; 6:24-25; 7:13-21)? How will a young woman resist, when her eyes are full of his manliness, her ears full of his flattery, her heart full of his attention and affection, and her body craves his embrace (Gen 34:1-3)?

The consequences of not remembering are great. Solomon warned his children very carefully about the bitter pain that would wrack their consciences and bodies after sinning sexually (Pr 5:7-14). They would lose their reputations, years of their lives, and their labor and money. They would grieve about their hypocrisy, but it would be too late. They would remember the many warnings they had been given, but it would also be too late.

Why is it hard for youth to remember instruction? They have undisciplined and wanderings minds; they easily forget what was said in their rush to explore new things; they get enraptured in the vanity of youthful activities and lusts; they think their teachers are too conservative and missing the great pleasures of life; they fall into temptation naively and unawares without recollection of warnings. Youth is folly and vanity!

Consider Joseph in Egypt. He worked for Potiphar in his late teens and twenties, the years of a man’s most powerful sexual drive (Gen 37:2; 41:46). He was far from home; no one knew him; Egypt’s morality was low; and a beautiful woman begged him to sleep with her (Gen 39:7-12). He did not have a Bible, and there were none for sale at the local pyramid! How did he resist this woman in these circumstances? How did he give such a sober answer to her? He remembered the instructions of his father from his youth. Glory!

But consider Samson with Philistine women. Though he had good parents, who had been given careful instructions about his life, he chose early on to reject their advice about women (Judges 13:1-25; 14:1-3). By forgetting the warnings of his parents, Samson was in no condition to resist the lying words, hired body, and short-term pleasure of Delilah; and he was utterly ruined (Judges 16:1-21). If only he had remembered his parents’ advice and married a beautiful woman of Israel and had children with her (Pr 5:15-23).

Solomon had been taught well by both of his parents – David and Bathsheba (Pr 4:1-4; I Chron 28:9). And he had witnessed the horrible evils of sexual sins in his own father and family (II Sam 11:1-27; 12:1-25; 13:1-39). But he forgot his father’s instruction and ruined his life with 1000 ungodly women (I Kgs 11:1-8; Neh 13:23-27). If even this wise man could forget the instruction he had been given, the danger is much greater for you.

How well do you hear and remember what you are taught by your parents and pastors? Jesus Christ taught that careful hearing is very important, for He knew the three enemies of retention and application (Luke 8:11-18). Do you crave hearing and learning to grow in knowledge (I Pet 2:1-3; II Pet 3:18)? Do you review what you are taught and practice applying it (Heb 5:12-14)? Can you teach others, or do you still need to be taught?

Proverbs 06:29 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 6, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 06, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 6:29 So he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Adultery is a heinous sin. It brings terrible consequences. You can no more escape its results than a man can hold fire or walk on coals and not be burned (Pr 6:27-28). Do not try to whitewash it. You think you can justify it? You think you can explain it? You think it is not that bad? How can something so mutually pleasant be wrong? Keep reading!

Because adultery is a great threat to a man’s success in life, King Solomon warned his son often against it (Pr 2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27-28; Eccl 7:23-29). The consequences of adultery include ruined reputation (Pr 5:9; 6:33), poverty (Pr 5:10), horrible guilt (Pr 5:11-14), illegitimate children (Pr 5:16-18), sexual bondage (Pr 5:22; 22:14), and an angry and jealous husband (Pr 6:34-35).

Should you use popular euphemisms like “an affair,” “casual sex,” or “partying”? No! It is adultery – a heinous sin and a capital crime (Job 31:9-11; Lev 20:10). God hates it and will judge it, no matter what Hollywood, the ACLU, or CNN thinks about it (Heb 13:4; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 21:8). Men may understand a thief, but not an adulterer (Pr 6:30-33).

The world defends and glamorizes adultery, making it easier to commit than ever before. Your heart is full of adultery by nature (Jer 17:9; Matt 15:17-20; Rom 7:8; Eph 4:17-19; I John 2:16), making you vulnerable to sexual temptations. The initial motions of it are very pleasant to your flesh. And the devil would love to entice you into this destructive sin (I Pet 5:8-9). How will you resist this conspiracy and barrage of temptation?

Solomon had given the cure (Pr 6:20-25). Young men must obey parents (Pr 6:20-23; 7:1-5). They must avoid any loose woman, especially her flattery (Pr 6:24; 5:3). They must not think about her beauty or see her wanton glances (Pr 6:25; Is 3:16). Parents must keep their sons from worldly women, and the sons must flee (Pr 5:8; Gen 39:11-12; II Tim 2:22). The cure is to stay far away. Get away from any and every loose woman!

God required capital punishment for adultery, because it reveals a wicked heart, and it destroys marriages and families (Deut 22:22; Job 31:1,12). It violates a sacred trust. Men and women cannot easily forgive it. The Lord allowed jealous husbands to test wives (Num 5:11-31). Are you glad such tests no longer exist? Think again (Num 32:23).

Have you committed adultery? Including fantasies or wrongful divorces, all are guilty (Matt 5:27-32). What can you do? Repent, confess it to God, and reject anything in your life pertaining to it. God will forgive you (Pr 28:13; Job 33:27-28; Mark 16:9; I John 1:9). Then do everything you should be doing with your own spouse to maximize love there.

Spiritual Training 06 October 2014

Posted: October 6, 2014 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

2 Corinthians 12:09-10 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for  Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, For when I am weak, than I am strong. 

0Although God did not remove Paul’s physical affliction, he promised to demonstrate his power in Paul.  The fact that God’s peer is displayed in weak people should give us courage.  Though we reorganize our limitations, We will not congratulate ourselves and rest at that.  Instead, we will turn to God to seek pathways for effectiveness.

When we are strong in abilities or resources, we are tempted to do God’s work on our own, and that can lead to pride.  When we are weak, allowing God to fill us with his power, then we are stronger than we could ever be on our own.  God does not intend for us to seek to be weak, passive, or ineffective-life provides enough hindrances and setbacks without us creating them.

Lets Bring it Home: We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than simply on our own energy, effort, or  talent.  Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character, it also deepens our worship, because in admitting our weakness, we affirm Gods’s strength. those obstacles come, we must depend on God.  Only his power will make us effective for hims and will help us do work that has lasting value.

Proverbs 02:10 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 3, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 02, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

 Proverbs 2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul

If you desire success and safety in life, then here are the conditions for them. If you choose to love the wisdom of God, and if you choose to appreciate knowledge as a precious gift, then certain and substantial blessings will surely follow. But if you are not willing to meet these conditions, your life will be a dysfunctional and painful experience.

What are the certain and substantial blessings that follow wisdom and knowledge? They are discretion and understanding (Pr 2:11). They are deliverance from the lifestyle and punishment of wicked men (Pr 2:12-15,20-22). They are deliverance from the seduction and painful results of whorish women (Pr 2:16-22). These are great blessings indeed.

What is wisdom? The power of right judgment – ability to perceive and grasp a situation to know what should be done to please God and men. Wisdom begins with the fear of God – the submissive reverence that seeks to please Him in all things (Pr 9:10). The details of wisdom are God’s commandments found in the Bible (Ps 19:7-9; Eccl 12:13).

How does it enter into your heart? You choose to love it! You choose to make it a priority for your life by pursuing it sacrificially (Pr 18:1-2; Matt 6:21). Job valued God’s words more important than his necessary food (Job 23:12). David counted wisdom more precious than much fine gold and more delightful than honey (Ps 19:10). David chose to set his heart on wisdom (Ps 119:97,103,111,162). Have you? You should (Col 3:16).

What is knowledge? It is the worldview detailed in the Bible – the separation of fact from fiction, truth from lies, to know reality and righteousness. Knowledge also begins with the fear of God (Pr 1:7), for the existence of God is the first fact and the first cause of all things (Gen 1:1; Rom 11:33-36). Men who reject the existence of God are unreasonable: they are profane and vain babblers, even if called scientists (II Thess 3:2; I Tim 6:20-21).

How is knowledge pleasant to your soul? You choose to admire it as a precious and valuable thing. You cry to God for it (Pr 2:3; Ps 119:66); you crave instruction for it (Pr 12:1; 19:27; 21:11); and you use it with holy confidence (Pr 22:17-21; Job 36:1-4). When you choose to delight in knowledge, you will certainly be rewarded (Pr 24:13-14).

The greatest wisdom and knowledge in the universe are the mysteries revealed in the gospel (I Cor 2:6-16; I Tim 3:16). In it are fabulous secrets unknown to natural men, but clearly revealed to sincere believers (Matt 13:35; Rom 16:25-27). Has this precious wisdom entered your heart? Is this special knowledge pleasant to your soul? It will bring understanding and assurance of eternal life to those who appreciate it and embrace it.

Proverbs 01:23 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 1, 2014 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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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

Today can be a turning point in your life. Lady Wisdom calls you to receive her free blessing of instruction. Honor, riches, peace, and life can be yours, if you will accept her reproving invitation and enjoy the feast she has prepared for those that want to be wise.

If you have turned toward wisdom, there is higher ground to which she calls you. You do not have all the wisdom you need. You are not yet perfect. A wise man will hear and increase learning, and he will attain unto wise counsels (Pr 1:5). Press forward for more!

Lady Wisdom cries for fools to end their foolish and destructive ways of living (Pr 1:20-22). How much more pain and trouble must you have, before you will appreciate her offer? If you slight her invitation, she will cause your worst nightmares to come to pass (Pr 29:1). She will bring distress and anguish upon you. Instead of helping in your time of need, she will laugh at you (Pr 1:24-32). Consider it soberly, for this is the certain truth.

Turning requires two things – stop moving in one direction and start moving in a new direction (Rom 12:1-2; I Thess 1:9). You end foolish habits and ways; you start forward in wise and righteous ways. You reject wrong training, traditions, and thoughts; you learn and obey truth and godliness. You cut out and kill things in your life she does not approve; you add approved things to replace them. You reject sin; you choose holiness.

Change can be difficult, and it takes conviction; but the little trouble in choosing to change is nothing compared to the trouble that is coming if you do not change. If former friends ridicule your new priorities, ignore and leave them. Let nothing hinder your turn.

Personified wisdom, the lady here, promises two things – she will personally give herself to you, and she will teach you an internal knowledge of her words and ways. If you accept her sincere invitation, she will respond with full affection to save and perfect you.

Yet beyond the figure of personification, you should see the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is filled with all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3; I Cor 1:30). He will pour out His Spirit to those who turn to Him, and He will teach them true wisdom (Eph 1:17-18; 3:14-19; Col 1:9-11; I Cor 2:6-16; John 14:15-27; I John 2:20).

But most men rush madly through life in ignorance, stubbornness, and rebellion; they suffer the consequences of dysfunctional and painful lives now and eternal judgment later. Why? Because they scorned the wisdom offered at various points in their lives, and God blinded their eyes so He might destroy them (Rom 1:18-32; II Thes 2:9-12).

What is a fool? He has a better idea; he protects his sins; he will not give up his habits; he keeps foolish friends; he feeds himself the foolishness of the world; he dislikes change. The Lord of wisdom crushes fools with frustrated souls, broken hearts, failed businesses, dysfunctional families, loveless marriages, bitter spirits, and hopeless lives. Fools laugh today at wisdom’s offer; but wisdom will laugh tomorrow at the fool’s painful calamity. Ah, Lord God, thou art very great, and man is so very foolish, proud, and stubborn!

The choice and its consequences are so clear. How could any man or woman even hesitate? How is it with you, reader? Do not rush through these words without fearing your future, hearing the sincere offer, and turning your heart completely to the Lord Jesus Christ and heavenly wisdom. The reward is incredible, but so is the punishment!

This proverb addresses those who fear the Lord, spiritual men. Though the rules of wisdom could benefit all men, only the righteous can hear and heed wisdom’s call. Only those turned by the Lord can truly turn from their folly and embrace wisdom. If you can consider it, the Lord has already turned your heart (Jer 31:18; Lam 5:21). Now turn!

Pursue wisdom. Buy it, and sell it not. Pray for it. Practice it. Reject foolish friends. Hate your sinful ways. Love truth. Despise the world and its ideas. Choose righteousness. Cut off bad habits. Seek first the kingdom of God. Put your flesh to death.

Understand and appreciate conviction – it is God’s way of drawing you back to Him – and you should run with it as far and as fast as you can. If you resist His conviction long enough, He will leave you to your own thoughts and life, and you will think everything is fine, though it will be the most terrible of predicaments. Think Saul. Think Judas.

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you; it is His promise (Jas 4:8). Open the door, and the Lord Jesus will come in to fellowship with the truly repentant (Rev 3:19-20). Walking with God in heavenly wisdom and favor is a choice, and suffering the torments of a painful, God-forsaken life is the opposite choice.

Hear the prophet Isaiah warn the nation of Israel, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:  But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Is 1:18-20). Turn at God’s reproof today.

Spiritual Training 30 September 2014

Posted: September 30, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, 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

Instruction on public worship                                                                                                

1 Corinthians 11:03-16. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

     Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

     Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.

The phrase, “the head of every man is Christ,” could mean that:

(1) because Christ was present at Creation, he is the Creator of every man; and (2) Christ is every believer’s source of life in the new creation. In the phrase, “the head of the woman is man,” head is not used to indicate control or supremacy, but rather, “the source of.” Because man was created first, the woman derives her existence from man, as man does from Christ and Christ from God. Evidently Paul was correcting some excesses in worship in which the emancipated Corinthian women were engaging. The phrase, “the head of Christ is God,” does not mean that Christ was inferior to God in any way. Paul was referring to the incarnation of Christ. Through Christ’s coming to earth, believers receive forgiveness and are united with God and with one another. From this theological base, then, Paul began to address the issue of head coverings. Submission, which is a key element in the smooth functioning of any business, government, or family. God ordained submission in certain relationships to prevent chaos. It is essential to understand that submission is not surrender, withdrawal, or apathy. It does not mean inferiority, because God created all people in his image and because all have equal value. Submission is mutual commitment and cooperation.

Thus God calls for submission among equals. He did not make the man superior; he made a way for the man and woman to work together. Jesus Christ, although equal with God the Father, submitted to him to carry out the plan for salvation. Likewise, although equal to man under God, the wife should submit to her husband for the sake of their marriage and family. Submission between equals is submission by choice, not by force. We serve God in these relationships by willingly submitting to others in our church, to our spouses, and to our government leaders. 11:9–11 God created lines of authority in order for his created world to function smoothly. Although there must be lines of authority, even in marriage, there should not be lines of superiority. God created men and women with unique and complementary characteristics. One sex is not better than the other. We must not let the issue of authority and submission become a wedge to destroy oneness in marriage. Instead, we should use our unique gifts to strengthen our marriages and to glorify God. 11:10 “A woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels” may mean that the woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign that she is under the man’s authority. This is a fact even the angels understand as they observe Christians in worship. See the note on 11:2 for an explanation of head coverings. 11:14, 15 In talking about head coverings and length of hair, Paul is saying that believers should look and behave in ways that are honorable within their own culture. In many cultures long hair on men is considered appropriate and masculine. In Corinth, it was thought to be a sign of male prostitution in the pagan temples. And women with short hair were labeled prostitutes. Paul was saying that in the Corinthian culture, Christian women should keep their hair long. If short hair on women was a sign of prostitution, then a Christian woman with short hair would find it even more difficult to be a believable witness for Jesus Christ.

Lets Bring it Home: Paul wasn’t saying we should adopt all the practices of our culture, but that we should avoid appearances and behavior that detract from our ultimate goal of being believable witnesses for Jesus Christ while demonstrating our Christian faith.

Proverbs 26:11 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: September 26, 2014 in Acceptance, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 26, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

A disgusting trait of dogs is to eat their vomit. When their belly must reject offending matter, they return and eat it again. It is a shame we do not have the same sickening horror for sin that we do for this picture of a dog vomiting his filth and eating it.

Peter declared this to be a true proverb (II Pet 2:20-22). He used it to condemn those who forsake their conversion and return to the vomit of this world. To escape the pollutions of this world and then return to be entangled and overcome in them again puts a man in a worse condition than before conversion.

A bad heart attack will get a man’s attention. A couple days after bypass surgery, he wants the intimate details of super nutrition and the best exercise program. He makes resolutions, plans his schedule, and orders a year’s worth of pita bread and lettuce and two treadmills. But after three months of no angina, he is again a couch potato inhaling pounds of cheese nachos and candy! Did he forget the crushing pain of his heart attack? Or does he crave the poison that almost killed him? Or both?

Consider a drunkard (23:29-35). He has woe, sorrow, contentions, babbling, and wounds from his binges. He loses his job, his driving license, his wife, his children, and his reputation. He gets sick and feels as if he spent the night lying on the top of a ship’s mast! Yet he says, “When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” Fool! Dog!

What filth have we vomited up and cast away by the grace of God and the conviction of His Spirit? What folly have we rejected? We will be tempted to return to it. Which vomit tempts us? Complaining? Pornography? Ungodly music? Drunkenness? Lustful fantasies? Gluttony? Television? Bitterness? Fornication? Disobedience to parents? Marital defrauding? An unscriptural church? Lack of submission? Backbiting?

There can be no partial turning from sin. It never works! It never will work! You can still smell the vomit, and you will turn to it again. We must flee from our temptations and sins with all our might and speed! We must eliminate the sources of the temptation! We must completely satisfy your appetite with spiritual things, so we have no hunger for vomit. There are no shortcuts. If we hang around the filth, you will take it up again.

If a dog had a conscience, it would be ashamed of its vile nature. But what of human sinners! Our return to defiling sin is worse! Where is their shame? We will soon have everlasting shame and contempt, unless saved by the Lord Jesus Christ (Dan 12:2).

Only by the grace of God and the gift of repentance can a man be saved from his folly and the snare of Satan (II Tim 2:25-26). If you have the least degree of conviction about any sin at this moment, repent immediately and take drastic measures to rid your life of that folly. Flee to Jesus Christ. Perhaps the grace of God will save you today.

Let us say with the psalmist, “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly” (Ps 85:8). Let us hear the warning of our Savior, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).

 

 

 

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