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

Spiritual Training 30 May 2012

Posted: May 30, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Deborah and Barak

Judges 4:6-8 She (Deborah) sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you; Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.” Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

Judges 4:9-10 “Very well,” Deborah said, “I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh, Where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

How did Deborah command such respect? She was responsible for leading the people into battle, but more than that, she influenced them to live for God after the battle was over. Her personality drew people together and commanded the respect of even Barak, a military general. She was also a prophetess, whose main role was to encourage the people to obey God. Those who lead must not forget about the spiritual condition of those being led.

Lets bring it home: A true leader is concerned for persons, not just success.

Proverbs 29:01 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 29, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 29:1 – A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes, will suddenly be destroyed-with remedy.

Warnings rarely come with countdowns. We can’t tell when we’ve had our last chance to change. When we, like the person in this proverb, refuse to consider valid criticism, we leave  our selves open to sudden disaster. The moment we realize that a change is necessary is the best moment to take action. What significant adjustments have been on hold in your life for too long?

Spiritual Training 29 May 2012

Posted: May 29, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Deborah and Barak

Judges 4:6-8 She (Deborah) sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you; Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.” Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

Was Barak cowardly or just in need of support? We don’t know Barak’s character, but we see the character of a great leader in Deborah, who took charge as God directed. Deborah told Barak that God would be with him in battle, but that was not enough for Barak. He wanted Deborah to go with him. Barak’s request shows that at heart he trusted human strength more than God’s promise. A person of real faith steps out at God’s command, even if he or she must do so alone.

Proverbs 24:17-18 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 24, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 24:17-18 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

David, Solomon’s father, refused to gloat over the death of his lifelong enemy Saul. On the other hand, the nation of Edom rejoiced over Israel’s defeat and was punished by God for their attitude. To gloat over other’s misfortune is to make yourself the avenger and to put yourself in the place of God, who alone is the real judge of all the earth.

Spiritual Training 24 May 2012

Posted: May 24, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Disobedience and defeat

Judges 4:4 Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at the time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.

The Bible records several women who held national leadership positions, and Deborah was an exceptional woman. Obviously she was the best person for the job, and God chose her to lead Israel.

Lets bring it home: God can choose anyone to lead his people, young or old, man or woman. Don’t let your prejudices get in the way of those God may have chosen to lead you.

Proverbs 23:19-21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 23, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 23:19-21 Listen, my son and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

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

Consider the context. The inspired father asked his son to hear, be wise, and choose what is right (23:19). He warned him against drunkards and gluttonous eaters (23:20). He also exhorted his son to honor both parents (23:22), put a priority on wisdom (23:23), and to consider the great joy a wise life could give his parents (23:24-25). So great is the danger of these foolish, youthful lusts, he forbad even associating with such sinners (23:20).

Young men think drunkenness is cool – because they are childish, foolish, and ignorant (22:15). They actually boast about getting sick and puking on themselves! They revel in how long their hangovers last! But the great God considers it sinful and stupid. Drinking until you are drunk is a sin against heaven (1 Cor 6:9-11); (Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:18), and it is stupid for the painful consequences such drinking brings (23:29-35; 31:4-5).

Spiritual Training 23 May 2012

Posted: May 23, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Disobedience and defeat

Judges 4:3 Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.

After 20 years of unbearable circumstances, the Israelites finally cried to the LORD for help. But God should be the first place we turn when we are facing struggles or dilemmas. The Israelite’s chose to go their own way and got into a mess.

Lets bring it home: We often do the same. Trying to control our own lives without God’s help leads to struggle and confusion. By contrast, when we stay in daily contact with the LORD, we are less likely to create painful circumstances for ourselves. This is a lesson the Israelites never fully learned. When struggles come our way, God wants us to come to him first, seeking his strength and guidance.

Proverbs 22:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 22, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 22:12 – The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

“Knowledge” refers to those who have knowledge, those who live right and speak the truth. It takes discipline, determination, and hard work to live God’s way, but God protects and rewards those who make the commitment to follow him.

Spiritual Training 22 May 2012

Posted: May 22, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Disobedience and defeat

Judges 4:1-3 After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the LORD. So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin, a King of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.

Israel sinned “in the eyes of the LORD. “Our sins harm both others, and ourselves but all sin is ultimately against God because it disregards his commands and his authority over us. When confessing his sin David prayed, “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). Recognizing the seriousness of sin is the first step toward removing it from our lives.

This is the only time during the period of the judges when the Israelites enemies came from within their land. The Israelites had failed to drive out all the Canaanites. These Canaanites had regrouped and were attempting to restore their lost power. If the Israelites had obeyed God in the first place and had driven the Canaanites from the land, this incident would not have happened.

Chariots were the tanks of the ancient world. Made of iron or wood, they were pulled by one or two horses and were the most feared and powerful weapons of the day. Some chariots even had razor-sharp knives extending from the wheels designed to mutilate helpless foot soldiers. The Canaanite army had 900 iron chariots. Israel was not powerful enough to defeat such an invincible army. Therefore, Jabin and Sisera had no trouble oppressing the people-until a faithful woman named Deborah called upon God.

Proverbs 23:17-18 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 21, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 23:17-18- Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

How easy it is to envy those who get ahead unhampered by Christian responsibility or God’s laws. For a time they do seem to get ahead without paying any attention to what God wants. But to those who follow him, God promises a hope and a wonderful future even if we don’t achieve it in this life.

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