Under Gods command

Under Gods Command Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

What kind of friend are you? There is a vast difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend. The greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyalty, being available to help in times of distress or personal struggles. Too many people are fair-weather friends. They stick around when the friendship helps them and leave when they’re not getting anything out of the relationship. Think of your friends and assess your loyalty to them. Be the kind of true friend the Bible encourages.

Under Gods Command
Proverbs 16:4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends-even the wicked for a day of disaster.

This verse doesn’t mean that God created some people to be wicked, but rather that God uses even the activities of wicked people to fulfill his good purposes. God is infinite and we are finite. No matter how great our intellects, we will never be able to understand him completely. But we can accept by faith that he is all-powerful, all loving, and perfectly good. We can believe that he is not the cause of evil (James 1:13, 17) and we can trust that there are no loose ends in his system of judgment. Evil is a temporary condition in the universe. One day God will destroy it. In the meantime, he uses even the evil intentions of people for his good purposes (See Genesis 50:20)

Under Gods Command

Joshua 6:2-5 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout, then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, everyman straight in.”

God told Joshua that Jericho was already delivered into his hands, the enemy was already defeated! What confidence Joshua must have had as he went into battle! Christians also fight against a defeated enemy. Our enemy, Satan, has been defeated by Christ (Romans 8:37-39; Hebrews 2:14, 15; 1 John 3:8) Although we still fight battles every day and sin runs rampant in the world, we have the assurance that the war has already been won., we do not have to be paralyzed by the power of a defeated enemy; we can overcome him through Christ’s power.

Under Gods Command
Proverbs 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

It is not easy for a loving parent to discipline a child, but it is necessary. The greatest responsibility that God gives parents is the nurture and guidance of their children. Lack of discipline puts parents love in question because it shows a lack of concern for the character development of their children. Disciplining children averts long-range disaster. Without correction, children grow up with no clear understanding of right and wrong and with little direction to their lives. Don’t be afraid to discipline your children. It is an act of love. Remember, however, that your efforts cannot make your children wise; they can only encourage your children to seek God’s wisdom above all else!

Under Gods Command

Joshua 5:13-15 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked him, “What message does my LORD have for his servant? “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant? The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

This was an angel of superior rank, the commander of the Lord’s army. Some say he was an appearance of God in human form. As a sign of respect, Joshua took off his sandals. Although Joshua was Israel’s leader, he was still subordinate to God, the absolute Leader. Awe and respect are the responses due to our holy God. How can we show respect for God? By our attitudes and actions. We should recognize God’s power, authority, and deep love, and our actions must model our absolute reverence for God. Respect for God is just as important today as it was in Joshua’s day. Even though removing shoes is no longer our cultural way of showing it.

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 12:13 – An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.

Sinful talk is twisting the facts to support your claims. Those who do this are likely to be trapped by their own lies. But for someone who always tells the truth, the facts-plain and unvarnished give an unshakable defense. If you find that you always have to defend yourself to others, maybe your honesty is less than it should be.

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:13-18 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Something is hypnotic and intoxicating about wickedness. One sin leads us to want more; sinful behavior seems more exciting than the Christian life. That is why many people put aside all thought of Wisdom’s spectacular banquet in order to eat the stolen food of Folly. Don’t be deceived, sin is dangerous. Before reaching for forbidden frit, take a long look at what happens to those who eat it.

Under Gods Command

Joshua 4:20-24 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, what do these stones mean? Tell them, Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what they had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the people of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.

The memorial of 12 stones was to be a constant reminder of the day the Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. Their children would see the stones, hear the story and learn about God. Do you have traditions, special dates or special places to help your children learn about God’s work in your life? Do you take time to tell them what God has done for you, forgiving and saving you, answering your prayers, supplying your needs? Retelling your story will help keep memories of God’s faithfulness alive in your family.