Archive for the ‘Spiritual Training’ Category


Under Gods Command
Proverbs 18.24 – A man of many companions may come to ruin, but here is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Loneliness is everywhere-many people feel cut off and alienated from others. Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation. We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care and offer help when it is needed-in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances. Instead of wishing you could find a true friend, seek to become one. There are people who need your friendship. Ask God to reveal them to you, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend.


Under Gods Command

John 1:30 -This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

Although John the Baptist was a well-know preacher who attracted large crowds, he was content for Jesus to take the higher place. This is true humility, the basis for greatness in preaching teaching, or any other work we do for Christ. When you are content to do what God wants you to do and let Jesus Christ be honored for it, God will do great things through you.


Under Gods Command
Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Our attitudes color our whole personality. We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward each situation. The secret to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life. This was Paul’s secret as he faced imprisonment, and it can be ours as we face the struggles of daily living. Look at your attitudes and then examine what you allow to enter your mind and what you choose to dwell on. You may need to make some changes.


Under Gods Command

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Every morning and evening a lamb was sacrificed in the temple for the sins of the people. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah, God’s servant, would be led to the slaughter like a lamb. To pay the penalty for sin, a life had to be given-and God chose to provide the sacrifice himself. The sins of the world were removed when Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice. This is the way our sins are forgiven. The sin of the world means everyone’s sin, the sin of each individual. Jesus paid the price of your sin by his death. You can receive forgiveness by confessing your sin to him and asking for his forgiveness.


Under Gods Command
 Proverbs 14:06 – The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

We all know mockers, people who scoff at every word of instruction or advice. They never find wisdom because they don’t seek it seriously. Wisdom comes easily to those who pay attention to experienced people and to God. If the wisdom you need does not come easily to you, perhaps your attitude is the barrier.


Under Gods Command

John 1:27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

John the Baptist said he was not even worthy to be Christ’s slave, to perform the humble task of unfastening his shoes. But according to Luke 7:28, Jesus said that John was the greatest of all prophets. If such a great person felt inadequate even to be Christ’s slave. How much more should we lay aside our pride to serve Christ! When we truly understand who Christ is, our pride and self-importance melt away.


Under Gods Command

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Law and grace are both aspects of God’s nature that he uses in dealing with us. Moses emphasized God’s law and justice, while Jesus Christ came to highlight God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness. Moses could only be the giver of the law, while Christ came to fulfill the law. The nature and will of God were revealed in the law; now the nature and will of God are revealed in Jesus Christ. Rather than coming through cold stone tablets, God’s revelation now comes through a person’s life. As we get to know Christ better, our understanding of God will increase.


Under Gods Command
Proverbs 13:03 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

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


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 12:21 No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

This is a general, but not universal, truth. Although harm does happen to the righteous, they are able to see opportunities in their problems and move ahead. The wicked, without God’s wisdom are ill-equipped to handle their problems.


Under Gods Command

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

“The Word became flesh” means becoming human. By doing do, Christ became
(1) the perfect teacher-In Jesus’ life we see how God thinks and therefore how we should think. (2) the perfect example-as a model of what we are to become, he shows us how to live and give us the power to live that way.  (3) the perfect sacrifice-Jesus came as a sacrifice for all sins, and his death satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of sin.

The One and Only, who came from the Father” means Jesus is God’s only and unique Son. The emphasis is on unique. Jesus is one of a kind and enjoys a relationship with God unlike all believers who are called “children” and said to be “born of God.”

When Christ was born, God became a man. He was not part man and part God; he was completely human and completely divine. Before Christ came, people could know God partially. After Christ came, people could know God fully because he became visible and tangible in Christ. Christ is the perfect expression of God in human form. The two most common errors people make about Jesus are to minimize his humanity or to minimize his divinity. Jesus is both God and man.