Archive for the ‘Proverbs’ Category

Proverbs 15:06 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 15, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 15, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 15:6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Shelter and sustenance with love and peace is better than increasing income with pain and trouble. A righteous man enjoys a happy and quiet life with his necessities supplied, but a wicked man has pain and trouble even while increasing financially. The proverb compares the consequences of righteous living to those of a wicked lifestyle.

Many of Solomon’s proverbs have two clauses that make a comparison or contrast, and the right meaning and lessons are found by carefully comparing those clauses. In this proverb you should see: a house compared to revenues, the righteous compared to the wicked, and much treasure compared to trouble. Righteous living makes the difference.

Solomon, king and philosopher (Pr 1:1-6; Ec 1:1-3,12-14), taught that intangibles such as love, peace, and righteousness are superior to tangibles like income, assets, luxurious dining, etc. He often stated the superiority clearly so that you would not miss it (Pr 15:16-17; 16:8; 17:1; 21:19; 28:6; Ec 2:26; 4:6; 7:1). These priorities for living are priceless.

Here he taught the same lesson obscurely – more like a true proverb, or dark saying of the wise (Pr 1:6). The lesson is simple. A righteous man may lack the revenue of the wicked, but he lives in his house with much treasure that the wicked man cannot even imagine – a clear conscience, God’s presence, love, peace, quiet, a coming eternal inheritance, etc.

Wicked men may prosper now, but they will spend an eternity in hell (Ps 17:14-15; 73:18-20; Matt 16:26). While righteous men may not have an impressive balance sheet or the adoration of the world now, God blesses them with favor and advantages far greater, both in this life and the next (Pr 3:31-33; 10:22; 13:25; 23:17-18; Mark 10:28-31).

Wicked men, regardless of their riches, often have strife and trouble in their lives that make their life on earth a hell as well. Covetousness and greed will not let them rest. Fear of loss by many means keeps them nervous and troubled. The brevity of life reminds them that they will leave all they have to some fool behind them who will waste it.

What is the lesson? Righteous living is far better than sinful living, regardless of income. Is there another lesson? Godliness with contentment is great gain (Pr 30:8-9; I Tim 6:6-10). Is there another? A mystery and hidden wisdom of the gospel is that the righteous truly own everything already (Rom 8:17; I Cor 3:21-23; II Cor 6:10). What is the reward for righteous living? Intangible blessings from God, others, and your own heart now, and tangible blessings in heaven in the future (Pr 14:14; Rom 8:18-23; II Cor 4:17-18)!

Proverbs 14:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 14, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 14, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him

It is easy to know if you love God or not. A fool says, “You can’t judge me, because you don’t know my heart.” But Solomon says you can know his heart easily. You simply judge him by his actions. Good men show they love God; bad men show they hate Him.

O hypocrite! You have been found out. Your talk is cheap. Your Sunday religion is vain. Your baptism is empty. Your friendship is false. Your words lie. Your actions tell the truth. Your lack of godly living and your wicked choices prove that you truly hate God.

You will soon be exposed before the whole church (Pr 26:26; Ps 144:7-8). You are afraid to say you hate God, but your actions say you despise Him. Your pious words or regular attendance mean nothing, for a man that truly fears God will obey Him in all parts of life.

The man who walks uprightly – does that which is right all the time – fears the Lord. The man perverse in his ways – who regularly disobeys – despises the Lord. This rule is simple; it is accurate; and hypocrites claiming to fear God do not deceive wise men at all.

A common proverb says, “Actions speak louder than words.” Solomon agreed. He said even children are known by their doings, whether they are pure and right (Pr 20:11). Do not believe what you hear, if a person’s actions contradict (Pr 14:15; 26:6-7,24-25).

Good trees bear good fruit; evil trees bear evil fruit. And so it is with man. Unless his heart is good, his actions will be evil. The mouth speaks and the feet walk according to what is in the heart. Evil men cannot bring forth good actions (Matt 12:33-35). No matter how hard a hypocrite tries, wise men see the inconsistent life betraying his words.

Hypocrites do not want to be discovered or judged, for their whole life is a lie. They pretend they fear the Lord in order to get some thing. They defend their inconsistent lives by denying that anyone knows their hearts. But sincere hearts are known by consistent righteousness, and evil hearts are known by sins. The rule is simple to identify character.

Why do men pretend to fear God? Think closely, dear reader. They need something in the church, so they act religious to get it. They need friends, and Christians are friendly. They need a job, and their boss is a Christian. They need a spouse, and the best women are Christians. They want financial help, and Christians are generous. They fear their spouse leaving, so they obligate her as a Christian. They will pretend to keep their family happy.

The fear of the Lord is not a single profession of an emotional event. “Going forward” at a revival is not scriptural or Christian, so it has no meaning at all. “Making a decision” is not walking uprightly; it is just vain thinking. “Getting saved” shows great ignorance about salvation, for there are at least five phases of it. “Being baptized” or “joining the church” are only single, small steps. They alone do not prove the fear of the Lord at all.

The fear of the Lord is a lifestyle of obeying God, keeping His commandments, and hating sin (Eccl 12:13; Pr 8:13; 16:6). The early churches walked in the fear of the Lord, for they gave up their lives to follow Jesus Christ, even at great personal cost (Acts 9:31). Let Solomon’s father David tell you how he walked uprightly in his house (Psalm 101).

Walking is not a step: it is many steps. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). If you do not continue, you do not fear the Lord. You are to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long (Pr 23:17). Others can judge your heart.

Few say they hate God. How horrible! But a lazy spiritual life with sin says louder than words that you despise Him (Mal 1:6-14). If you are not sold out for Him, He despises you and your life (Rev 3:14-19). Loving Christ means keeping His commandments (John 14:21-24). Knowing God truly is only by keeping His commandments (I John 2:3-5).

Eli despised God by loving his sons too much (I Sam 2:29-30). He was perverse in his ways by not killing them. David despised God by taking Bathsheba (II Sam 12:9-10). He was perverse in his ways by taking another woman. These great men violated the rule.

O hypocrite, consider your ways. You have been found out! And if your evil heart is known by men, how much more does God know your hypocrisy and wicked heart, before whom all things are naked and opened (Heb 4:12-14)? Repent of your hypocrisy quickly.

O beloved saint, keep your heart with all diligence (Pr 4:23). Pray for God to examine it thoroughly (Ps 139:23-24; 26:1-2). Confess every variance from His holy standard in Scripture. Remember that your heart is only as good and pure as your actions.

What of Jesus Christ’s heart? It was full of the fear of the Lord, and God honored His heart by hearing His prayer (Heb 5:7-9). His perfect life proved a perfect heart! Amen.

Proverbs 07:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 7, 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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Proverbs 7:02 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Good fathers warn their sons about women. Solomon warned his son here (Pr 7:6-27), and he asked his son to remember his advice and value it highly. Whorish women have harmed more young men than maybe any other single factor (Pr 7:26; 23:27-28; Ge 3:12; Ec 7:26). They must be warned against often, and the warnings must be appreciated.

This proverb does not stress obeying fatherly instruction, but rather not forgetting or neglecting the advice. The imperative verb “keep” is understood here as paying attention or regard to commands. This is known by the preceding context (Pr 7:1), the following context (Pr 7:3), and the elliptical explanation of “as the apple of thine eye” (Pr 7:2).

When the ellipsis is supplied, the proverb reads, “Keep my commandments, and live; and keep my law as the apple of thine eye.” The great temptation facing most young men is to discount their father’s advice about women due to the folly bound in their hearts and the lust raging in their eyes and loins (Pr 22:15; Psalm 25:7; II Tim 2:22; I John 2:16).

The idiom “apple of the eye” means something that is cherished with the greatest regard. It originally referred to the pupil of the eye, which was supposed to have been a globular solid body, much like an apple. As precious as this part of the eye is to seeing, and as all objects are beheld through this aperture, the expression means something very precious.

Good fathers warn their sons often about whorish women. Solomon stressed their danger in the book of Proverbs (Pr 2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27-28; 30:20; 31:3). Was it because of his father’s failure (II Sam 11:1-27)? Or his own failure (I Kgs 11:1-8)? Or was it because of Judah (Gen 38:12-26)? Or Samson (Judges 16:4-21)?

By nature, a son does not value his father’s warnings. He deceives himself to believe that his father is out of touch with the world, that his father overstates the danger, that his father wants to deprive him of pleasure, that his father never met a desirable woman, that his father did not have sexual lusts, or that he can escape the consequences his father describes. All these are damnable lies from a foolish youthful heart and the father of lies.

Sons must trust fathers and esteem their advice and warnings. Every father was once a young man with the same desires and temptations. But a father has survived youth and reflected much on what is best for his son. He has long-term success in mind, not short-term pleasures that will ruin his life. Fathers love their sons more than any woman will ever love them, even a virtuous wife. Young man, keep your father’s commandments!

Young men must resist the attraction and temptation of a whorish woman by having their minds firmly established in their fathers’ commandments long before they encounter this dangerous creature. Once they are even slightly captivated by the appearance, flattery, or offers of a seductress, it becomes almost impossible to recall any fatherly warnings.

But what will a young man do, whose father does not teach or warn him about such a woman? He will be helpless before the drawing power of her body and wiles. Such fathers are accomplices in the destruction of their sons. Though he may have advised and warned about many dangers, he neglected the most harmful. Fathers, save your sons!

Reader! God your Father has given His commandments and law to you. Do you keep them as the apple of your eye? Do you read them daily? Do you meditate upon them? Do you tremble before their warnings and rejoice at their instruction? Or do you deceive yourself that you can forget or neglect them and survive? Do not be like a foolish son.

Spiritual Training 07 May 2014

Posted: May 7, 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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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 02:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Everyone wants to be wise. Yet Paul taught the Corinthians that true wisdom or discernment requires the believer to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Because Satan’s greatest impact on us occurs when he deceives us, we need the Holy Spirit’s help. Spiritual discernment enables us to draw conclusions based on God’s perspective, make wise decisions in difficult circumstances, recognize the activities of God’s Spirit, distinguish the correct and incorrect use of Scripture, and identify and expose false teachers.

Lets Bring it Home: Ask God to give you his discernment as you serve him. Let that discernment guide you in your daily walk.

Proverbs 06:1-5 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 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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Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, If you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

 These verses are not a plea against generosity, but against overextending one’s financial resources and acting in irresponsible ways that could lead to poverty. It is important to maintain a balance between generosity and good stewardship. God wants us to help our friends and the needy, but he does not promise to cover the costs of every unwise commitment we make. We should also act responsibly so that our families do not suffer.

Proverbs 09:10 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 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 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 

Bottom line up front (BLUF) Wisdom begins with knowing God. He gives insight into living because he created life. To know God is not just to know the facts about him, but stand in awe of him and have a relationship with him. Do you really want to be wise? Get to know God better and better.

Fools say, “There is no God” (Ps 14:1; 53:1). They are hopelessly insane as they face life and its perplexities before meeting the Judge of the universe for their eternal sentencing. Belief in the existence of God and reverently desiring to please Him is the absolute prerequisite and foundation for wisdom. Knowing there is a holy God with eternal power and Godhead is the greatest necessity for true understanding. Choose them both today!

All men reason from chosen assumptions. Consider it well. Wise men reason from faith that Jehovah exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). Since Scripture is easily proven to be a divine revelation of truth and wisdom, they include this necessary source document for knowledge and understanding. Within the Scriptures are perfect answers for every dilemma, question, or problem (II Tim 3:16-17). Wise men, beginning with the fear of the LORD, approach life soberly and successfully.

The fool reasons from his own existence and the thoughts of his biased and depraved imagination. His opinions are peer-approved between human sentiment and self-justification. He has no absolutes or limits to restrain his hallucinations. His own heart is his god, and he worships his own feelings. He may call it science – evolution and psychology are examples – but it is only vain babbling to rid the universe of a sovereign God and the moral restraints He has imposed on His creatures (I Tim 6:20). He will read anything but the Bible, adoring profane German philosophers over inspired prophets.

Which of these two classes of men is reasonable? To enter life as a helpless, nursing, messing infant and think that your thoughts twenty years later are noble, sound, and wise is the epitome of insanity. To admit the universe has an infinitely wise Creator, Who has the right and wisdom to direct man’s life is the only sensible view. Scripture plainly declares that men without faith are unreasonable (Ps 14:1; 53:1; II Thess 3:2). Amen!

God has revealed Himself to men, but they have rejected Him, so He has justly given them over to reprobate minds, which pervert everything from the identity of God to the sexual use of the body (Rom 1:18-32). They are profanely perverse, but they have no wisdom or understanding to even recognize their depravity. They have a lie in their right hand, but they cannot deliver themselves (Is 44:20). They cannot even begin to be wise.

These educated but imbecilic nuts want us to believe they can tell us about planets 5,000 light years away but could not find Osama bin Laden for ten years on this miniscule earth that is 70% water; that a buffalo rib from 1845 is a giant woodpecker’s leg from 50 trillion B.C.; that a liberal arts college education makes a person wise; that sodomy is normal; that labor unions benefit companies and country; that the Bible is an outdated collection of fables by religious nuts; that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime; that Nicole Brown Simpson got a fair trial; that apartheid is wrong but Indian reservations are right; that spanking children is abuse; that rap is music; that Picasso was an artist; that two men having intercourse is gay; that the Flood is a myth but the big bang is fact; that an 18-year-old child in the public daycare should have an equal vote with a property-owning, 60-year-old business owner; that a jury of peers provides intelligent judgment; that Muslims are peace-loving people; that Hinduism is a respectable religion; that animals have rights but husbands do not; that Freud was sane; that two lesbians are acceptable parents; that freedom of speech includes pornographic caricatures of the president; that asking political opinions of actresses is intelligent; that a national debt approaching the nation’s GNP is wise economics; that bestiality is wrong for its harm to animals; that separation of church and state forbids attorney generals from praying; that the Beatles loved peace; that Miley Cyrus is a role model for girls; that Harry Potter novels are valuable but I and II Samuel are violent; that the Bible is not an allowable source document but Darwin’s Species is; that the greatest love of all is love of self; among many other examples of ludicrous, insane thinking.

Reader, humble yourself before your Creator, now. Confess every thought as being the selfish hallucination of a depraved and rebellious sinner. Beg Him for mercy and truth. Promise to adore and obey Him forever. Read His word with total faith and submission. Cancel your newspaper subscription. Love sound Bible preaching. Prove all things by the word of God, hold fast that which is good (Ps 119:128; Acts 17:11; I Thess 5:21).

Proverbs 08:24 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 24, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 8:24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water;

Once upon a time there was no water – no oceans, seas, lakes, or pools. It was before God created the heaven and the earth (Gen 1:1-2). No man has ever seen such a universe, and the only record we have of it is the written revelation of God in the Bible. But even when there was no water, before God created the heaven and earth, wisdom already existed.

This proverb is part of Solomon’s personification of wisdom as a woman. The personal, feminine pronouns throughout the eighth chapter of Proverbs reference Lady Wisdom, as Solomon describes wisdom in lofty and beautiful terms. She offers herself to men (Pr 8:1-11), lists her rewards to men (Pr 8:12-21), describes her origin with God before any creation (Pr 8:22-31), and closes with a further appeal and invitation to men (Pr 8:32-36).

The LORD Jehovah created all water (Gen 1:1-8). The Word of God often presents Him as the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is (Ex 20:11; Ps 146:6; Jonah 1:9; Acts 4:24; 14:15; Rev 10:6; 14:7). He is the Ruler of the seas and uses them to accomplish His holy purposes (Ps 77:19; Is 43:16; Amos 5:8; 9:6; Jonah 1:4).

Do you feel pressure on your ears at the deep end of a swimming pool – 10 feet from the surface? Have you tried scuba diving and felt the pressure at 100 feet? The submarines of World War II could not survive 500 feet. Modern nuclear submarines are not made to operate below 1500 feet. Yet the Mariana Trench in the Pacific is 35,800 feet deep. A mile deeper than Mount Everest is high! The LORD is His name (Amos 5:8; 9:6).

Consider the Asian tsunami of 2004. An undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.0 in the Indian Ocean sent a sea surge 1-2 feet high racing in all directions at 600 mph. When it reached shore it slowed to about 35 mph, but it grew in height to as much as 50 feet. A wall of water! It killed as far away as Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 5000 miles from the epicenter. Over 225,000 lost their lives, and 2,000,000 were made homeless.

The seas are considered as primitive and ancient as anything on earth. Even evolutionists hallucinate about primordial slime coming together in the dark depths eons ago to make butterflies, elephants, hummingbirds, and their baboon ancestors. They are blinded fools! While the seas are old, they are only 6,000 years old based on the Bible’s chronology.

What is the lesson? Though men consider the seas to be very old, there was something earlier. Before there was water, there was wisdom. Before the dark seas existed, the creator God possessed wisdom. If wisdom – the ability of right judgment – is more ancient than the seas and fountains of the earth, you should seek it with all your might. Go to God’s word and His teachers and learn the only true wisdom to direct your life.

 

Proverbs 7:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 7, 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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Proverbs 7:26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a might throng.

What did Samson, David, and Solomon have in common? They could not resist whorish women. Are men stronger than women? Yes, ordinarily. No, when the woman is an adulteress. Here is the wise Preacher’s warning about the danger of the strange woman – a woman other than your wife, especially a woman with a whorish heart (Pr 7:1-27).

Solomon, a wise father, soberly warned his son about the temptation and danger of a loose woman (Pr 7:1-5,24-27). After describing her seduction of a foolish young man in a lengthy parable (Pr 7:6-23), he summarized the grave danger of going near such a woman two ways – her power over men is great (Pr 7:26), and the results are fatal (Pr 7:26-27).

Adam and Eve taught a sober lesson in Eden (Gen 2:18-25; 3:1-6). Though Adam was made first and Eve was his helper, he could not resist her request to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:12). Satan’s lie to Eve did not deceive Adam, but he weakly submitted to his naked wife over God and His commandment (Gen 2:16-17; I Tim 2:14). And Satan has used women to seduce men ever since, whether married or not (Job 2:9; I Kgs 11:1-11).

By wise design, God made the woman’s body, flattering speech, physical contact, and eagerness for intimacy to powerfully attract men. Used properly in marriage, it results in the great pleasures of the Song of Solomon. Used outside marriage, only a few men can resist the powerful temptation. As the proverb declares, “Many strong men have been slain by her.” The only sure way to avoid adultery is to stay far from her (Pr 7:6-8,25).

Women have altered nations by seducing their leaders. Consider Cleopatra. This conniving adulteress stole Egypt’s throne and undermined Rome’s by seducing Julius Caesar, and then she destroyed the general Mark Antony by adultery as well. These men, renowned for courage, leadership, and strength, were soft putty in her lying embraces.

But there was Joseph, who resisted the repeated advances of Potiphar’s wife, to eventually rule Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Gen 39:7-12). Though never having the strength of Samson or killing a giant like David, Joseph is a greater hero. And the Lord Jesus Christ, tempted in all points as any man, was without sin His entire life (Heb 4:15).

What will an adulteress cost? You will be wounded and slain! Delilah took Samson to an early grave of ignominy and shame. Bathsheba cost David enormously his entire life. And pagan women from other nations ruined Solomon’s life and dynasty. Adultery is not the exciting diversion the world claims; adultery is a painful hell and death (Pr 7:27).

How can men defeat the adulteress? They cannot go near her, because they do not have the strength to resist. They must avoid her altogether. She has four wiles: looks, flattery, touch, and willingness. Reject pornography, coed swimming, and immodestly clothed women. Reject flirting, phoning, chat rooms, or email liaisons. Reject dancing, embracing, or other physical contact with another woman. And never allow personal or intimate conversation or opportunity where her willingness for sin can be communicated.

Good wives grasp the power they have and use it to please their husbands and win peace in their marriages and homes (Song 8:6-7; I Cor 7:1-5). And they rejoice in the wonderful pleasure themselves (Song 1:1-2; 2:3-7; 3:4-5; 5:9-16; 8:1-4). They will use their looks, romantic words, physical caresses, and initiate lovemaking to promote romance at home to save their husbands from whorish women (Pr 5:19-20; I Cor 7:1-5; Heb 13:4).

There is another whore in the Bible. The great whore of Revelation 17, which is the false Church of Rome and the churches that came out of her. She has also cast down many wounded, and many strong men have been destroyed by her false doctrine and abominable practices. The way to safety is the same – stay far away from her, and find a true church of Jesus Christ where you can meet, worship, and serve in apostolic purity.

Spiritual Training 01 April 2014

Posted: April 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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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength

The message of Christ’s death for sins sounds foolish to those who don’t believe. Death seems to be the end of the road, the ultimate weakness. But Jesus did not stay dead. And he will save us from eternal death and give us everlasting life if we trust him as Savior and Lord. This sounds so simple that many people won’t accept it. They try other ways to obtain eternal life (being good, being wise, etc.). But all their attempts will not work.

Lets Bring it Home:The “foolish” people who simply accept Christ’s offer are actually the wisest of all, because they alone will live eternally with God.

Spiritual Training 31 March 2014

Posted: March 31, 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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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 1:20-24  Where is the wise man? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

Many Jews considered the Good News of Jesus Christ to be foolish, because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering king accompanied by signs and miracles. Jesus had not restored David’s throne as they expected. Besides, he was executed as a criminal, and how could a criminal be a savior? Greeks, too, considered the gospel foolish: they did not believe in a bodily resurrection; they did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods; and they thought no reputable person would be crucified. To them, death was defeat, not victory. The Good News of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence, and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and he offers his kingdom to those who have faith, not to those who do all kinds of good deeds to try to earn his gifts.

 

Lets Bring it Home: This looks foolish to the world, but Christ is our power, the only way we can be saved. Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anyone could.

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