Archive for the ‘trust in the Lord with all your heart’ Category

Proverbs 17:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: September 17, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 17, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 17:03 -The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD test the heart. 

It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver.  Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified.   Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out any thing that gets in the way of complete trust in him.  Peter says, “These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” So when tough times come your way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

Silver and gold are discovered and made better by fire. Heat burns away impurities and base metals to leave pure silver or gold, fit for a jeweler (Pr 25:4). Only the LORD can prove and purify your heart in such a way, by the fiery furnace of afflictions and trials.

Men prove, assay, or refine the precious metals silver and gold. But they cannot prove, assay, or refine the heart of man. They use a fining pot for proving silver, and they use a furnace for refining gold, but the heart of man is neither accessible nor improvable.

Your heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. No man can truly know the impurities in his own heart (Jer 17:9-10). So the LORD tries the hearts to reveal what is there, and He rewards accordingly (I Kgs 8:39). No man can escape the all-seeing eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Heb 4:12-14; Rev 1:14; 2:18; 19:12).

The Bible speaks often of God refining His saints (Job 23:10; Is 1:25). Jesus came as a Refiner; His fire burned up His enemies and purified new priests for offering acceptable sacrifices (Mal 3:1-5). The fiery trials He sends may make your heart heavy, but they make your faith stronger (I Pet 1:6-7). He brings His people through the fire to perfect them (Zech 13:9). And from them He chooses His jewels (Mal 3:16-18).

The LORD can quickly find what is in your heart. He knows your worst fears, your strongest temptations, your secret fantasies, your weakest moments, your trigger points, and the sins that easily beset you. He can prove, assay, or refine you easily. Tremble before Him! Worship Him! Humble yourself before He humbles you!

He uses the furnace of affliction to try your faith by adversity (Is 48:10). He uses the furnace of infirmity to build your reliance on His grace (II Cor 12:9-10). And He uses the furnace of temptation to measure your obedience (Gen 22:1-2; Heb 11:17-19).

Do you know what God did to the great king Hezekiah? He left him – one of the most frightening things God can do to a man. God left Hezekiah to expose what was in his heart (II Chr 32:31). What was discovered by this refining method? Hezekiah was foolishly proud due to God’s merciful extension of his life by fifteen years (II Chr 32:25).

God turned David over to Satan, and he numbered Israel, costing 70,000 lives but bringing great glory to God and deep humility to David (II Sam 24:1; I Chron 21:1). Jesus did the same thing to Peter, and he learned a great lesson by it (Luke 21:31-34; John 21:15-17). Temptations are painful, but they are good for God’s glory and your profit, if you respond to them the right way.

How can gold be found without fire? How can it be purified without heat? Only by the Lord’s fiery furnace can you be purged of secret sins, fear of man, attraction to the world, pride, trust in others, love of others, self-righteousness, and other dross. Only by the furnace is your faith, love, and hope purified. The process is painful; the results are glorious. Dear reader, submit your heart to His fire (Ps 139:23-24).

With wisdom, you should rejoice in fiery trials, knowing they are perfecting you (Jas 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5). You will recognize their great profit; you will not consider them strange, you will even pray for God to examine and prove you (Ps 26:2; 119:67,71,75; I Pet 4:12). You will follow the prescribed methods to purify your own heart (Jas 4:8-10; II Cor 7:1).

The LORD is the most skilled of refiners; He will not lose one ounce, one dram, or one grain of His gold in the furnace. Trust Him, afflicted believer. His trials will end in mercy (Ps 66:8-17; Job 5:11); His chastening is in tender affection (Heb 12:10-11; Rev 3:19).

 

 

 

 

Proverbs 16:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: September 16, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 16, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 16:2 –All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. 

All a man’s ways seem innocent to him.  People can rationalize anything if they have no standards for judging right and wrong.  We can always prove that we are right. Before putting any plan into action, ask yourself these three questions: (1) Is this plan in harmony with God’s truth? (2) Will it work under real-life conditions? (3) Is my attitude pleasing to God?

Do you know yourself? How can you? Your own heart lies to you worse and more than anyone else! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). David said, “Who can understand his [own] errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps 19:12). No man truly knows himself! You do not know yourself!

Of course you think you are clean and right in all your ways. Your self-righteous heart justifies everything you think, say, and do. Your lying heart leads you to all sorts of folly and sin, and you hardly even know it (Pr 16:25; 30:12). But the LORD weighs your secret ambitions and motives, just as He weighed Belshazzar. And He will find you wanting. Then He will purify you in the fiery furnace of affliction.

Though you cannot know the deceitfulness of your heart, the LORD does. The blessed God says to man, “Who can know it?” Then He answers, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer 17:10). All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom you have to do, including the thoughts and intents of your heart (Heb 4:12-13).

You are being weighed now. The scales of holy justice are tipping. Examine yourself. Why are you reading this commentary? How are you reading it? Have you already decided it has nothing for you? Do you think you know your spirit? Is this warning for other sinners, those far worse than you? Do you resent this spiritual warning? Are you thankful to God you are not as wicked as other men? Are you too busy for this spiritual stuff? Are you irritated there is not something new and exciting to tickle your ears?

You foolish person. You deceive yourself. Confess your depravity. Repent of your arrogant self-righteousness. True humility is to fall naked and helpless before the holy God of heaven and confess sincerely, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). So important is this proverb, Solomon gave it to you twice (Pr 21:2).

It is easy to slide through spiritual instruction – to speed read or listen lazily to satisfy a deceitful conscience. It is easy to apply warnings to others – to identify motes at great distances, while missing your own beam. It is easy to despise others – to thank God you are not as disgusting as they are, while your spirit is weighed in heaven as worst of all!

There is nothing worse than self-righteousness. Consider it well. What is it? Thinking you are righteous and justifying yourself against conscience, correction, and conversion. Such a person has no clue they are full of sin, for they have allowed lofty thoughts of themselves to totally distort their judgment. They only use the mirror of God’s word for others, for they do not even see a need for examining their own faces (Jas 1:21-25).

How will you reason with such a person? You cannot point out their sin, for they cannot see it. Their arrogant self-confidence rejects your reasons (Pr 26:12,16; Gal 6:3). And these scorners will hate you for the effort (Pr 9:7-8). They crucified the Lord of glory for exposing their false and hypocritical religion. Every man is a Pharisee in his own spirit.

What is self-righteousness? It is confidence you are good, competent, intelligent, and capable. It is difficulty in saying you are wrong, foolish, stupid, proud, or rebellious. It enjoys finding or discussing the faults of others. It presumes to accuse others, when having its own set of sins. It always has opinions about others’ conduct without Scripture.

It is the defensiveness to resist and balk at correction. It is the presumption of making judgments and opinions against authority. It is the ease with which you can apply a sermon to most anyone else. It is the thought during a sermon that you do not really need change in that area. It is the response that you are comfortable with things as they are.

It is the lack of thankfulness for correction. It may cry defensively when reproved or warned about sin. It responds, “I am just a failure,” when criticized. It is the excuse, “I am not that bad – you just misunderstand me.” It remembers the sins of others when it is being corrected. It may scornfully mention the sins of the person correcting it.

What can you do? Humble yourself and admit you are at least as wicked in all your ways as the worst sinner you know (I Tim 1:15). Confess your self-righteousness as a putrid stench in the nostrils of a holy God (Luke 18:9-14). Admit your righteousnesses are as clean as used menstrual rags (Is 64:6). Beg the LORD to search and reveal your wicked thoughts to you (Job 34:32; Ps 26:2; 139:23-24). Ask for a clean heart (Ps 51:10).

Prove your clean spirit by letting God’s word correct and teach you (Is 66:2). Receive correction without rebelling (Ps 73:21-22). The blessed God never despises a broken and contrite heart (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Is 57:15). If you go down in humble contrition, He will lift you up (Jas 4:10; I Pet 5:6). Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3).

You must not defer or minimize self-examination. It is the holy exercise of spiritual men, who rightly understand the deceitful wickedness of their own hearts (I Cor 11:28; II Cor 13:5). Every secret thing will soon be exposed before the holy tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts from double-minded hypocrisy through critical and sober repentance (Jas 4:8-10). The Lord will lift you up!

Wise men will recognize that the evil within is more deceitful and dangerous to pleasing God than the evil without. While hatred of this world is a good and godly attitude toward the dangerous temptations there, it is the deceitful lusts in your own heart that are your greatest enemy. Constant vigilance with sincere humility before God will save your spirit. Keep your heart with all diligence to reject any lofty thoughts of self that arise (Pr 4:23).

Spiritual Training 16 September 2013

Posted: September 16, 2013 in 1 Timothy, 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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1 Timothy 2: 11-15 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission’s I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man she must be quiets For Adam was formed first, then Eve.t And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

To understand these verses, we must understand the situation in which Paul and Timothy worked. In first-century Jewish culture, women were not allowed to study. When Paul said that women should learn in quietness and full submission, he was offering them an amazing new opportunity to learn God’s Word. That they were to listen and learn quietly and submissively referred to an attitude of quietness and composure (not total silence). In addition, Paul himself acknowledges that women publicly prayed and prophesied (1 Corinthians 11:5). Apparently, however, the women in the Ephesian church were abusing their newly acquired Christian freedom. Because these women were new converts, they did not yet have the necessary experience, knowledge, or Christian maturity to teach those who already had extensive scriptural education.
2:12 Some interpret this passage to mean that women should never teach in the assembled church; however, commentators point out that Paul did not forbid women from ever teaching. Paul’s commended coworker, Priscilla, taught Apollos, the great preacher (Acts 18:24–26). Paul frequently mentioned other women who held positions of responsibility in the church. Phoebe worked in the church (Romans 16:1). Mary, Tryphena, and Tryphosa were the Lord’s workers (Romans 16:6, 12), as were Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2). Paul was very likely prohibiting the Ephesian women, not all women, from teaching
2:13, 14 In previous letters Paul had discussed male/female roles in marriage (Ephesians 5:21–33; Colossians 3:18, 19). Here he talks about male/female roles within the church. Some scholars see these verses about Adam and Eve as an illustration of what was happening in the Ephesian church. Just as Eve had been deceived in the Garden of Eden, so the women in the church were being deceived by false teachers. And just as Adam was the first human created by God, so the men in the church in Ephesus should be the first to speak and teach, because they had more training. This view, then, stresses that Paul’s teaching here is not universal, but applies to churches with similar problems. Other scholars, however, contend that the roles Paul points out are God’s design for his created order—God established these roles to maintain harmony in both the family and the church.
2:14 Paul is not excusing Adam for his part in the fall (Genesis 3:6, 7, 17-19). On the contrary, in his letter to the Romans Paul places the primary blame for humanity’s sinful nature on Adam (Romans 5:12–21).
2:15 There are several ways to understand the phrase, being “saved through childbearing”: (1) Man sinned, so men were condemned to painful labor. Woman sinned, so women were condemned to pain in childbearing. Both men and women, however, can be saved through trusting Christ and obeying him. (2) Women who fulfill their God-given roles are demonstrating true commitment and obedience to Christ. One of the most important roles for a wife and mother is to care for her family. (3) The childbearing mentioned here refers to the birth of Jesus Christ. Women (and men) are saved spiritually because of the most important birth, that of Christ himself. (4) From the lessons learned through the trials of childbearing, women can develop qualities that teach them about love, trust, submission, and service.

Spiritual Training 09 September 2013

Posted: September 9, 2013 in 1 Timothy, 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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1 Timothy 2:9-10 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or god or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 

It is not unscriptural for a woman to want to be attractive.  Today, however, to what degree should women take this advice about fixing their hair or wearing gold, pearls, or expensive clothes?  Paul was not prohibiting these things; he was simply saying that women should not be drawing attention to themselves through these things.  Modesty and decency are the key words.  All women would do well to remember that beauty begins on the inside.  A gentle, modest, loving character gives a light to the face that cannot be duplicated by even the best cosmetics.  A carefully groomed and well-decorated exterior is artificial and cold unless inner beauty is present.

Lets Bring it Home:  The general rule for both women and men emphasizes that both behavior and dress must express submission to and respect for Jesus Christ.  For women, when a guy looks at you and the first place he looks at is the body, and not your face? Maybe you need to take a look at the way you are dress.

Proverbs 09:05 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: September 9, 2013 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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 Proverbs 9:5 Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 

The world’s most desirable woman invites you to dinner. Lady Wisdom offers a feast in her house for your pleasure and prosperity. She wants your fellowship and friendship. Choose your companion for life – Lady Wisdom (Pr 9:5) or Folly herself (Pr 9:13-18).

Wisdom is easy. Consider the invitation again. God and Solomon offer wisdom this openly to any simpletons who want to be wise. Only pride and stubbornness hinder you. Will you accept the generous offer, or will you rebel and hold to your own foolish ways?

Solomon’s personification of wisdom continues (Pr 8:1 – 9:12). Here he contrasted the invitation of Lady Wisdom (Pr 9:1-6) to that of Folly, a whorish woman (Pr 9:13-18). Both have a house (Pr 9:1,14); both call loudly to men (Pr 9:3,14); both use the same invitation (Pr 9:4,16). While Lady Wisdom offers life, Folly brings death (Pr 9:6,11,18)!

Look at the fare offered at each house. Lady Wisdom has killed her beasts for wonderful steaks, mingled her precious vintages of wine, and gloriously furnished her table (Pr 9:2). She has baked wonderful bread, which she offers with her wine. Her feast is substantial, pleasant, and a combination of the best components for fine dining. Will you accept?

Folly offers prison fare – bread and water (Pr 9:17). Why even consider such a horrible offer? Because she is a whore and suggests that water drunk illegally is sweet and bread eaten in a secret rendezvous is pleasant. Though her meal has no substance, she seduces many men by the superficial and short-term appeal of sinful eating. Will you accept?

Both women call each man throughout his life. Reader, the competition for your soul is intense. The consequences are severe. What will you do? Are you settled to reject every overture by a strange woman, no matter how enticing the temptation? Have you committed your life to Lady Wisdom? Have you asked her to help you despise Folly?

Many Christians miss good eating. Many reject wine, which cheers the heart of God and man (Deut 14:26; Judges 9:13; Ps 104:14-15). A salad of grass with grape juice to drink is hardly a meal! Let Lady Wisdom guide your diet. Both Melchizedek and Jesus chose fellowship with bread and wine (Gen 14:18; Luke 7:33-34). Grab hot French or Italian bread from the oven with a glass of good wine, and enjoy your filet mignon (Pr 9:2)!

If you want a substantial meal that enhances health and is a wonderful dining experience, there is only one choice – Lady Wisdom. Her meal is filling, nutritious, and most pleasant. How do you accept her invitation and eat at her table? Humble yourself before God and His word and choose wisdom as your way of life (Pr 1:7; 9:10; Ps 19:7; 119:98-100). “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding” (Pr 9:6).

Marriage to a virtuous woman who fears God is as good as it gets on this earth, even for a king (Pr 18:22; 19:14; 31:1-31; Eccl 9:9). Choose to love and delight in her body and lovemaking, while despising, rejecting, and avoiding any other woman for emotional or physical pleasure (Pr 5:19; 6:25). Choose to have a large and happy family legitimately, which is a unique and wonderful blessing of marriage (Pr 5:15-18; Ps 127:3-5; 128:1-6).

Stay as far from Folly as possible, lest her enticing and lying invitation deceives you to consider the prison fare, death, and hell she is hiding behind her skirts and in her warm embrace. She can approach you anywhere, calling out to the lusts of your flesh and eyes. You may see or hear her on television, at school, in a magazine, at work, through a song, in a chat room, at church, on vacation at the beach, or shopping at the mall. Run away!

There is a war for your soul (I Pet 2:11). Folly, your choice by nature, wants to destroy you – a woman lying about bread and water, which is the most adultery and fornication can offer. Death and hell are the actual results! Wisdom, which God offers by His word, will prosper your life. Nothing can be compared to it (Pr 8:11). She is like a queen offering perpetual peace and pleasure in her house (Pr 9:1-6). Accept her offer today!

Proverbs 30:04 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 30, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 30, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 30:4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth?  What is his name, and the name of his son?  Tell me if you know know!

Who can find wisdom? No man can! No man will! God must reveal wisdom to any man. Paul said, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (I Cor 2:11).

Rationalization or the scientific method is worthless for wisdom or truth. True knowledge and understanding are only by inspired revelation. Man knows nothing of importance without God revealing it to him. Do not trust men. Put all your trust in the LORD. Go to Him and His word for the hidden wisdom and mysteries of the universe (I Cor 2:6-10).

Proverbs 30 is an appendix to Solomon’s proverbs. Agur, a wise man, taught Ithiel and Ucal (Pr 30:1). His lessons are inspired wisdom, for they are called “the prophecy” (Pr 30:1; 31:1). He introduced his lessons by first confessing his great natural ignorance (Pr 30:2-3), then by proving man’s inability to find out God and wisdom (Pr 30:4), and finally by defining the absolute necessity and sufficiency of Scripture (Pr 30:5-6).

The seven rhetorical questions in this proverb prove no man can find out God or wisdom by human effort. The answer to each question is an obvious negative. No man has gone to heaven, or come back, or conquered the elements to learn the ways and wisdom of God. Agur forced Ithiel and Ucal to admit by force of reason there was no man. They could not name any man who had done such a thing, and they could not name his son.

Agur proceeded to teach that every inspired word of God is pure and necessary (Pr 30:5). Not a single word was to be deleted or degraded. Putting trust in God and His words was the surest defense against dangers in this world or the next. Furthermore, man’s words were not to be added, for this would corrupt God’s words, and He would be angry (Pr 30:6). If you do not have confidence in a word-perfect Bible, you are truly blind and lost.

The seven rhetorical questions are a device teaching man’s inability to discover the real truth and wisdom of the universe. Since knowledge and understanding are with God, what man has ascended up into heaven to learn them, or returned back to earth to teach them? No man! Having confessed his own ignorance (Pr 30:2-3), he used these questions to condemn all men as ignorant (Pr 30:4). Wisdom is beyond the reach of mortal men.

Consider three very similar questions. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom 11:33-36).

The seven questions are not simply answered with “God.” The first two questions are in the perfect tense, which precludes them from being a prophecy of Christ. Neither can they refer to God, for He fills heaven and earth (Jer 23:24). He had neither ascended nor descended, for He is altogether present in both places simultaneously. And what would His ascent or descent have to do with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom? Nothing!

The first two questions are also connected by the coordinating conjunction “or,” which positively indicates a hypothetical alternative. Did God ascend? Or did He descend? Applying the questions to God creates confusion. The questioning is rather rhetorical about man. No man had gone to heaven to get wisdom, nor had any man come from heaven with it. Agur taught Ithiel and Ucal man’s great dependence on God for wisdom.

He proceeded further to humiliate man in the face of God’s glorious creation. Who, like God, has the wisdom and power to control and harness the wind in his fists? No man! God proved Job’s inferior wisdom and power by a consideration of the wind (Job 37:14-27). And David and Jeremiah used the same impossibility (Ps 135:5-7; Jer 10:13; 51:16).

Who, like God, has the wisdom and power to gather large amounts of water in the clouds? No man! God proved Job’s inferior wisdom and power by a consideration of the water in clouds (Job 36:24-33; 37:11-24; 38:33-37). And David and Jeremiah used the same impossibility to leave man short of wisdom (Ps 135:5-7; 147:7-8; Jer 10:13; 51:16).

Who, like God, has the wisdom and power to establish all the ends of earth, to lay the foundation and build upon it? No man! God proved Job’s inferior wisdom and power by these very considerations (Job 38:4-7). And Solomon reasoned about wisdom’s great value through God’s use of it to create the world and settle the mountains (Pr 8:25-26).

Is there any such man? No, not one! Agur pressed further. If there is such a man, what is his son’s name? If a man had ascended to heaven and found wisdom, then surely it would be with his son. They had to answer in the negative. There is neither man nor son that knows or understands these things. They are too high and wonderful for man (Ps 131:1).

The seven questions are not simply answered with “God.” The middle three questions are true of God, but that is not his argument. You can see above that the first two questions create a hypothetical alternative. The last two questions create an unanswerable dilemma. What is learned by supplying “God” and “Jesus”? Nothing! Agur taught there is no man or son that has the wisdom of the blessed God, Who created all things by understanding.

Man has no knowledge or wisdom of his own, and he cannot find out God’s knowledge or wisdom by himself (Is 8:20). Agur knew it to be true of himself and all men, so he convinced his students by these rhetorical questions. Wisdom is a matter of revelation: God must give it by inspiration (Deut 29:29). And Agur will conclude his introduction by identifying that perfect wisdom in the inspired words of God’s scriptures (Pr 30:5-6)!

The wisdom of God is too high for man to reach (Job 11:5-12). Though he might look and search in many places, he will not find it by any natural means (Job 28:12-28). The wisdom of God is revealed supernaturally through inspiration, and then men have no need for trips to heaven or across the sea for it (Deut 30:11-14; Rom 10:6-8). No wonder David considered God’s word so very delightful and precious to him (Ps 19:7-11).

Those who see an allusion to eternal generation here have found only an illusion. Their desperate efforts to support Origen’s hallucination are again found wanting. God did not yet have a son, for the Word had not yet been made flesh (Luke 1:35; Jn 1:14). David and Isaiah knew God’s Son was future (Ps 89:19-37; Is 7:14; 9:6). As in the personification of wisdom (Pr 8:22-31), many seek mystical allusions where there are none.

The rhetorical questions are nonsensical, if they are merely answered with “God.” God and His name of Jehovah were well known by all three men (Pr 30:5,9). Agur did not teach Ithiel and Ucal that God had created the wind, clouds, and earth. They already knew that. He taught them that no man had wisdom close to that of the Creator God. It is our privilege and duty to see a dark saying here (Pr 1:6), not childish questioning.

Since only God has the infinite wisdom implied by our proverb, prudent men will value and treasure every word of His inspired Scriptures (Pr 30:5-6; Matt 4:4). Since every word is pure, you cannot take any away (Pr 30:5). And you are told not to add your words (Pr 30:6). Do not take away from them nor add to them (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Rev 22:18-19). Hold fast to a Bible that is word-perfect and keep every precept in it (Ps 119:128).

No mere man can ascend up to heaven, nor descend from it, to obtain wisdom. But Jesus descended and then ascended to sit at God’s right hand (John 3:13; Eph 4:9). He made all things by His power; by Him all things consist; and He upholds all things by the word of His power (John 1:3; Col 1:17; Heb 1:3). In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and He has been made wisdom for each of the elect (Col 2:3; I Cor 1:30-31).

Spiritual Training 30 August 2013

Posted: August 30, 2013 in 1 Timothy, 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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1 Timothy 2:8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.  

Besides displeasing God, anger and strife make prayer difficult.  That is why Jesus said that we should interrupt our prayers, if necessary, to make peace with others (Matthew 5:23,24).  God wants us to obey him immediately and thoroughly.

Lets Bring it Home:  Our goal should be to have a right relationship with God and also with others.

Proverbs 29:06 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 29, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 29, trust in the Lord with all your heart
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Proverbs 29:6 An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad. 

Some fall into this trouble and then that trouble. Others go through life happily singing! What makes the difference? The answer is worth your attention! You can have a life of pain and problems, or you can have a life filled with joy and pleasure. Which will it be?

An evil man chooses to transgress against a commandment of God. He wants to do things his own way. He has no real regard or respect for the word of God. He is in love with his own thoughts. He believes he can get away with his sin. He is convinced that he can find happiness by sinning. He confidently rejects wisdom to choose the path of fools.

But he is deceived! Every sin has a snare! There is an unseen trap to punish him for his rebellion against God. Though he did not see the snare when he chose to sin, the rusty claws of the trap will suddenly spring shut on his life. Then he will feel the painful results of a foolish choice (Ps 36:2; Pr 4:19; 13:15; 28:14). He despises the only way out of the trap – full repentance – which for him is like using a pocket knife to whittle off his leg!

Consider examples. A man marries a beautiful woman who does not fear God. Is there a snare? He must live with an odious woman until death! A woman defrauds her husband of daily sex. Is there a snare? She must live with a bitter husband the rest of her life! A man discreetly visits a whore. Is there a snare? He catches an STD! A lazy father neglects child training. Is there a snare? A rebellious child breaks his heart and shames the family!

Consider more examples. A man ridicules the government in his home (Ec 10:20). Is there a snare? His children show the same arrogant rebellion against him. A haughty son chooses to disregard his father’s advice. Is there a snare? He marries a whorish woman and picks a career in a dying industry. A man refuses to save because he loves spending. Is there a snare? He can never invest with his friends and is soon bankrupt. A woman complains about her life. Is there a snare? Her children run away to find joy and peace.

But the righteous man lives a holy life. He carefully lives in obedience to all God’s commandments. He trembles before the word of God. He quickly confesses any sins, and his merciful heavenly Father restores his spirit. His conscience is pure and confident. He has no fear, guilt, or shame. He sleeps well at night, and is gloriously content. His soul is full of pleasure now and with great hope for the future. He sings with great joy! He enjoys every aspect of his life, seeing things to be thankful for everywhere he looks.

Pleasure is the fruit of godliness, and godliness with contentment is great gain (I Tim 6:6). If God says it is gain, it is gain! The holy life is safe from harm, free from guilt, free from trouble. There are no snares in doing right, no vexing remorse or painful results. There is no smitten conscience or hypocritical quandary. The righteous man has a feast every day (Pr 3:17; 15:15)! And he knows even greater blessings are coming at death!

God knows you want to be happy, so He told you how in this proverb and elsewhere in the Bible (Ps 34:12-16; Ps 127:5; 128:2; 144:15; Pr 3:13,18; 14:21; 16:20; 29:18). He knows more about happiness and true contentment and fulfillment than all men living. Do you consult His owner’s manual for life – the Bible? Do you attend a church where a man He has appointed preaches the truth and wisdom from that Bible for your happiness?

Reader, do you understand? Have you seen troubled and painful lives? Have you been troubled yourself? It is your fault! You chose to break God’s wise rules, and the snare of sin caught you. There is a snare in every sin. Stop sinning, and you can recover your tranquility (Pr 11:6; 12:13). Where are you cheating God? The trap is ready to spring. Let the righteous man joyfully sing, for his life is blessed and his future will be even better!

Spiritual Training 29 August 2013

Posted: August 29, 2013 in 1 Timothy, 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

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men-the testimony given in its proper time. 

Though some people think there are many ways to God, in practice, each person must choose a single way.  We can stand on one side of a gorge and discuss the possibility of many bridges across the abyss, but if we are determined to cross, we will have to commit to one bridge.  Those who insist that there are many bridges to God usually fit one of the following categories.

  1. They have not personally committed to any “bridge.” They are surprised that their belief in multiple ways does not exempt them from having to choose one.
  2. Their belief in “many ways to God” hides their true belief that finding God doesn’t really matter at all.
  3. They are convinced that arguing for “many ways to God” will insure that they won’t be wrong.  If there is only one way, their generalized belief will presumably have included it.
  4. They have decided that believing in “many ways to God” requires less work than going to the trouble of actually considering the claims of various religious systems.

Lets Bring it Home:  The facts remain: We human beings are separated from God by sin and we need a Savior-a way across the abyss of sin and back to God.  Only one person in the universe is our Mediator and can stand between us and God and bring us together again-Jesus, who is both God and man.  Jesus sacrifice brought new life to all people.  Have you let him bridge the gap between you and God?

Proverbs 28:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 28, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 28, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 28:21 To show partiality is not good- yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

A virtuous man is always fair. He exercises righteous judgment and avoids corrupting justice or truth. But a foolish and wicked man will show partiality, when the compromise can benefit him. This weak character makes a man vulnerable to even small temptations.

Warnings against financial haste surround this proverb. Diligent labor works, but vain ideas of quick riches lead to poverty (Pr 28:19). A faithful man works diligently and is blessed; a greedy man cheats for riches and is judged (Pr 28:20). Greed for riches, rejecting diligent labor, leads men to evil ideas, which bring them to poverty (Pr 28:22).

The Bible warns repeatedly against respect of persons – corrupting judgment for family, friends, the rich, the poor, or those who can benefit you. True equity and righteous judgment never consider the persons involved, but look only to the facts and justice of the case. God condemns this form of hypocrisy and compromise in many places (Pr 18:5; Ex 23:2,8; Deut 1:17; 16:19; II Chr 19:7; Jas 2:1-10). See the comments on Proverbs 17:23.

Solomon declared elsewhere, “It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment” (Pr 24:23). And the LORD God declared through Moses, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Lev 19:15).

All men have special friends, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Who loved and favored John (John 13:23). Preferences do exist among men, which we can even read about in the best of men (Gen 37:3; I Sam 18:1; Phil 2:19-23). But any such affection or bias cannot ever enter into their judgment of the merits of a case. They must see truth and justice only.

A man at first might require a considerable bribe to cheat justice and compromise his ruling, for his inhibitions against corruption keep him from considering a lesser price. But once he has seared his conscience, it is much easier the next time. Soon he is reduced to violating truth for the mere proverbial piece of bread – hardly anything at all. He has set a terrible personal precedent and brought his evil heart into motion. He is likely ruined.

Reader, consider your own partiality. Do you mistrust a teacher criticizing your child due to your sentimental affection for the child? Are you more gracious and serving to successful church members than to others? Are you more merciful overlooking the faults of friends than enemies? Do you apply company policy equally to friend and foe in the workplace? Are you perfectly consistent in your treatment of each of your children?

Jesus Christ’s ministers are gravely warned against preference and partiality in the decisions and judgment of the church (I Tim 5:21). For it is a mark of the profane reprobate that admires and promotes the more advantaged in the church (Jude 1:16). Thus they must be men that are not given to filthy lucre. Let every man of God take heed!

Respect of persons cannot be mingled with the religion of Jesus Christ (Jas 2:1), for it is totally incompatible with the perfect integrity of Jesus Christ and His true saints. Even the enemies of Jesus Christ knew He was impeccably virtuous in this matter (Matt 22:16). Respect of persons is also a practical shame, for those kinds of men that are a temptation for Christians to favor are often the enemies of the gospel (Jas 2:2-10).

This proverb teaches you the great importance of justice, truth, and righteousness. A godly man will settle his heart and make up his mind that he will always say and do what is right, no matter the consequences or influences of his family, friends, or colleagues. This principle of godliness should be instilled in children very young and then enforced.

This proverb also teaches the danger of precedent, deceitfulness of sin, and damage to conscience. Once you compromise your convictions, it is easier to do so again. When you have done it several times, you will have a crowd of evil men expecting even more from you for less reward. You will be trapped by your sin and reduced to a helpless puppet.

What is the cure? Isaiah gave it: “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread” (Is 8:13). Exalt God and His love of righteousness as high as you should, and fear doing anything to ever offend Him. Do not fear them that might kill the body; have no desire for ungodly gain of any kind (Luke 12:4-5; Ex 18:21-22). Put your trust in the LORD, and you will be both safe and fed (Pr 29:25; Ps 37:3).

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