Archive for the ‘Under Gods Command’ Category

Spiritual Training 26 July 2013

Posted: July 26, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 14:14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

At the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), the Jewish church in Jerusalem asked the Gentile church in Antioch not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Paul was at the Jerusalem council, and he accepted this request not because he felt that eating such meat was wrong in itself, but because this practice would deeply offend many Jewish believers. Paul did not think the issue was worth dividing the church over; his desire was to promote unity. So he concludes, “if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.” Paul’s practice was to honor, as far as possible, the convictions of others.

Lets Bring it home: Believers are called to accept one another without judging our varied opinions. However, when the situation has to be faced, how should we deal with those who disagree with us? Paul’s response is that all believers should act in love so as to maintain peace in the Church.

Proverbs 26:07 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 26, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 26, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 26:7 – Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

A cripple trying to walk, run, or dance is a horrible sight! His legs do not function as a coordinated pair. Being not equal in length, strength, or coordination, his movements are absurd, contradictory, ridiculous, and unprofitable. The lame should not try to dance!

In the same way, a fool using parables or proverbs to teach wisdom is absurd, contradictory, ridiculous, and unprofitable. King Solomon by this proverb teaches another indictment of fools (Pr 26:1-12). Fools should not try to be teachers.

Parables and proverbs are the dark sayings of the wise (Pr 1:5-6; Ps 78:2). They are the carefully designed means of teaching wisdom in few words, with striking force. Taken from every day life, they have a figurative meaning requiring skill and understanding to interpret and explain. Formed with interesting similes and metaphors for appeal and challenge, they are too much for a fool, who is a man without understanding or wisdom.

Fools should be taught; they should not teach. Fools should listen; they should not talk. Therefore, they should not have the honor of a public forum for their babblings (Pr 26:1,8). And they should be ignored or shut up by wise rebukes (Pr 26:4-5). This is God’s rule for dealing with fools, and you should consistently obey it (II Tim 2:16,23; Tit 3:9).

Their lack of common sense and/or spiritual understanding denies them any right to take the deep things of God’s word into their mouths. Their sinful living habits and profane treatment of religious matters preclude them from touching His holy things. They would do much better and be perceived more kindly, if they kept their mouths shut (Pr 17:28)!

But it is impossible for fools to shut up and listen and learn – they must be babbling in their ignorance – for that is one of the chief marks of a fool (Pr 15:2; Eccl 5:3; 10:3,12-14). Identifying fools is easy: all you have to do is listen for the one talking the most. So fools in both the pulpit and pew vainly take up the Word of God and try to teach wisdom.

A fool thinks the sound and sense of words are equal – they need no interpretation – so the cripple stumbles into confusion and heresy. Sound bites are good enough for a fool. Why worry about context or the spiritual intent of words, he argues: the Bible means what it says, and says what it means. He does not know or understand the minister’s work of reading distinctly and giving the sense of a reading (Neh 8:8; Eccl 8:1; II Pet 1:20).

A fool thinks reading and study are the same – he assumes thinking and studying are the same – so the cripple falls without due preparation. Anyone should be able to give their opinion, he argues: we are all God’s children and have the Spirit to expound and teach the truth. He has neither the God-given aptitude for the work, nor invests the sweat to save him from doctrinal shame (Pr 15:28; I Tim 3:2; 4:13-15; II Tim 2:15; Tit 1:9).

A fool opens his mouth wide and belches about doctrine and principle – but his life never matches the Scriptures he uses – so the cripple stumbles and falls into the gutter of hypocrisy. He fools some by his loud profession of faith and wisdom, but the Lord Jesus Christ will expose his nakedness in the Day of Judgment (Matt 7:21-23). He fails one of the chief duties of a teacher – to be an example of the truth (I Tim 4:12,16; Tit 2:7).

Is this proverb literally true? Until you have heard a spiritualizing fool with the Song of Solomon or the parable of the Good Samaritan, you cannot appreciate just how ridiculous a dancing cripple can be! Until you hear a fund-raising fool abuse and twist the words of Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” you cannot fully grasp the danger and folly of a cripple on a balance beam! This proverb is indeed literally true.

Reader, what lessons can you learn here? Be swift to hear and slow to speak (Jas 1:19). Do not be eager to be a teacher, for they shall receive the greater condemnation (Jas 3:1). Silence is golden, especially if God or men have not called you to be a teacher (Heb 5:4). Make sure your life teaches louder than your words (Matt 23:14-15). Be thankful for God-called teachers and submit to them, for this is God’s means for your learning.

The Lord Jesus was no cripple. His legs were equal and very strong. He was perfectly fit as the greatest teacher of wisdom in the history of the world. His prudent use and interpretation of parables and proverbs was exceptional. He was greater than Solomon. His skill and power in teaching caused men to tremble in amazement and avoid questions (Matt 7:28-29; 22:46; Luke 4:22; John 7:46). Give Him the glory due unto His name.

Proverbs 25:08 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:8 What you have seen with your eyes do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

Slow down! Haste makes waste! And haste can put you to shame! If you are in a conflict, do not react hastily. Do not rush to action. Calm down; sit down; slow down. Consider every angle carefully, or you will miss the obvious and be put to shame by your enemy.

Conflict and strife are parts of life in a sinful world. They evoke strong passions, which cause men to rush to action. People in a fight want to rectify a situation immediately, but such haste in a conflict easily leave men exposed to the wiser reaction of an opponent. The human heart and its demand for haste must be ruled and stopped (Pr 16:32).

A passionate response is usually a poor response. It is better to let passions cool before planning any action. The mind is usually not fully engaged, when the heart is pounding and the emotions are raging. Cool off first, before you do anything or even plan anything. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (Jas 1:19-20).

A multitude of counselors makes for safety in war (Pr 20:18; 24:6). What blessed wisdom! And they cannot be any counselors; they must be wise, experienced, and sober. They should be uninvolved third parties, who can think objectively and wisely. They should have experience in battle, and they do not need to be close friends. Friendship blinds eyes and stops ears, so seek counselors who will not be inflamed with you.

Unless you are very careful, small conflicts will escalate quickly into much larger wars (Pr 17:14). Responding foolishly without due deliberation is the mark of a fool, and such a reaction usually deserves punishment (Pr 18:6). Forcing wrath will bring forth more strife, just as surely as the churning of milk brings forth butter (Pr 30:33). Slow down!

Kings go to battle slowly. Jesus said, “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:31-32).

If you have ever slept on a conflict, with a mind toward fearing God and loving wisdom, you woke in the morning with a very different perspective than what you went to bed with. This is wisdom. By allowing some time to pass, your passions cooled, your mind had time to clear foolish emotions, and the Holy Spirit could direct you. Amen.

Spiritual Training 25 July 2013

Posted: July 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command, Zechariah
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Zechariah 11:17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”

Israel would not only reject the true shepherd; it would accept instead a worthless shepherd. This shepherd would serve his own concerns rather than the concerns of his flock and would destroy rather than defend them. Condemnation is his rightful fate because he trusted his arm (military might) and his eye (intellect). God would destroy both areas.

Lets Bring it home: It is a great tragedy for God’s people when their leaders fail to care for them adequately. God holds leaders particularly accountable for the condition of his people. The New Testament tells church leaders, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, . . . because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). If God puts you in a position of leadership, remember that it is also a place of great responsibly.

Spiritual Training: 10 June 2013

Posted: June 10, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Esau and Jacob, Genesis, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Esau and Jacob
Spiritual Training 10 June 2013
(Genesis 25:21-34 21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. )
A birthright was a special honor given to the firstborn son. It included a double portion of the family inheritance along with the honor of one day becoming the family’s leader. The oldest son could sell his birthright or give it away if he chose, but in so doing, he would both material goods and his leadership position. By trading his birthright, Esau showed complete disregard for the spiritual blessing that would have come his way if he had kept it. In effect, Esau “despised” his birthright (25:34).
Esau traded the lasting benefits of his birthright for the immediate pleasure of food. He acted on impulse, satisfying his immediate desires without pausing to consider the long-range consequences of what he was about to do. We can fall into the same trap. When we see something we want our first impulse is to get it. At first we feel intensely satisfied and sometimes even powerful because we have obtained what we set out to get. But immediate pleasure often loses sight of the future. We can avoid making Esau’s mistake by comparing the short-term satisfaction with its long-range consequences before we act.
Esau exaggerated his hunger. “I am about to die,” he said. This thought made his choice much easier because it he was starving, what good was an inheritance anyway? The pressure of the moment distorted his perspective and made his decision seem urgent. We often experience similar pressures. For example, when we feel sexual pressure, a marriage vow may seem unimportant. We might feel such great pressure in one area that nothing else seems to matter and we lose our perspective. Getting through that short, pressure –filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming a temptation.

(Malachi: 1:1-3 “I have loved you” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the Lord says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals).”

God’s first message through Malachi was “I have loved you.” Although this message applied specifically to Israel, it is a message of hope for all people in all times. Unfortunately, many people are cynical about God’s love, using political and economic progress as a measure of success. Because the government was corrupt and the economy poor, the Israelites assumed that God didn’t love them. They were wrong. God loves all people because he made them; however, his eternal rewards go only to those who are faithful to him.
The phrase “Esau I have hated” does not refer to Esau’s eternal destiny. It simply means that God chose Jacob, not his brother Esau, to be the one through whom the nation of Israel and the Messiah would come (see Romans 9:10-13). God allowed Esau to father a nation, but this nation, Edom, later became one of Israel’s chief enemies.

(Romans 09:10-14 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad-in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls-she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated).” 

The Jews were proud of the fact that their linage came from Isaac, whose mother was Sarah (Abraham’s legitimate wife), rather than Ishmael, whose mother was Hagar (Sarah’s maidservant). Paul asserts that no one can claim to be chosen by God because of his or her heritage or good deeds. God freely chooses to save whomever he wills. The doctrine of election teaches that it is God’s sovereign choice to save us by his goodness and mercy, and not by our own merit.

Was it right for God to choose Jacob, the younger, to be over Esau? In Malachi 1:2,3, the statement “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” refers to the nations of Israel and Edom rather than to the individual brothers. God chose Jacob to continue the family line of the faithful because he knew his heart was for God. But he did not exclude Esau from knowing and loving him. Keep in mind the kind of God we worship: he is sovereign; he is not arbitrary; in all things he works for our good; he is trustworthy; he will save all who believe in him. When we understand these qualities of God, we know that his choices are good even if we don’t understand all his reasons.

(Hebrews 13:16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. After ward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit the blessings, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears). 

Bottom line up front: Esau’s story shows us the mistakes and sins sometimes have lasting consequences. Even repentance and forgiveness do not always eliminate sins consequences.

Lets Bring it Home: How often do you make decisions based on what you want now, rather than on what you need in the long run? Evaluate the long-range effects of your decisions and actions.

Spiritual Training 05 June 2013

Posted: June 5, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 14:13 therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

Bothe strong and weak Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble. The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom and intentionally offend others’ consciences. The scrupulous but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension. Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs.

Lets Bring it home: Because we are all strong in some areas and weak in others, we need constantly to monitor the effects of our behaviors on others.

Wisdom for the Soul – Proverbs 5:17

Posted: June 5, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 05, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 5:17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.

Bastards are a big problem, especially to kings. Solomon warned his son to avoid whores, lest he pollute his family tree. A wise man delights in a legitimate family of children, but one consequence of sexual sin can be the painful difficulties of bastards or stepchildren.

Sex is mainly for pleasure, though a church in Rome says different. Sex is also to reproduce, as a husband and wife can create a family by God blessing their lovemaking. Such a marriage is called wedlock, because other spouses or children are locked out!

Solomon warned his son against sexual sins (Pr 5:1-23). Though the world calls it casual sex, God calls it fornication, adultery, and whoredom, and He will judge every violator (Heb 13:4). As part of the lesson, he exhorted his son to maximize his sexual pleasure with his wife only (Pr 5:15,19-20). He then added the precious incentive of having a legitimate family without any confusion of it by other women or children (Pr 5:16-18).

The plural pronoun “them” in the first clause, “Let them be yours alone,” are the fountains and rivers of waters of the previous verse, which are the legitimate children and descendants of a good and noble man (Pr 5:16). The children must all be legitimate by his lawful wife to maximize the pleasure, peace, reputation, and power of a great family.

Godly men, great men, understand the value of a large, happy, and prosperous family (Ps 107:41; 127:3-5; 128:1-6). They know it is one of the great blessings and goals of life. They are not like today’s perverts, who choose other men for their lovers or use women for sex with neither marriage nor children desired. A great family is a valuable motive for godly men to avoid whorish women. Wise parents will include this in their child training.

The “strangers” of the second clause are whores (Pr 23:27). Kings have had mistresses from the beginning, because of their power and wealth. King Solomon warned his son to limit sex to his wife (Pr 5:19-20). He used the euphemism “strange woman” often (Pr 2:16; 5:3,20; 6:24; 7:5; 23:27; Judges 11:1-2). She is a stranger in that she is foreign to his marriage bed; he has no right to intimacy with her, for he promised all lovemaking to his wife. Though he may know her well personally, she is outside his sexual territory.

God allowed polygamy because of the hardness of men’s hearts (Matt 19:8). Though He could easily have created many wives for Adam, He chose one wife for each man for a very good reason (Mal 2:14-15) – godly children. Polygamy corrupts families, as the Old Testament history shows, even though polygamy actually involved legitimate marriages.

Sarah encouraged her husband Abraham to take a second wife named Hagar. But as soon as Hagar conceived, even before any children were born, the envy and trouble had started (Gen 16:1-6). When each wife had birthed a son for Abraham, the rivalry came out in the open, and Abraham’s polygamous family was ripped apart permanently (Gen 21:1-11).

David’s sons fought among themselves, because David had polluted his family tree by polygamy (I Chron 3:1-9). Solomon had witnessed this deadly conflict personally, when Absalom killed Amnon for molesting his half-sister (II Sam 13:1-39). And he had experienced it himself, when Adonijah tried to steal his throne (I Kgs 1:1-53; 2:12-25).

Adultery is far worse than polygamy, for there is no commitment or marriage at all. Children conceived by adultery do not have two loving parents, for one parent is missing from the child’s home, and the stepparent may not have strong affection for the stepchild. It is such troubles of a mistress conceiving that Solomon warned his son and you against.

But how much worse are children stolen from opposite-sex intercourse to provide children for two men or two women in same-sex sham marriages? Even nature itself condemns such unions and denies them ability to reproduce (Rom 1:24-27,31; I Cor 6:9; I Tim 1:10; II Tim 3:3), yet they want the result of opposite-sex love! Solomon never saw such perversity! The proverb applies even more powerfully against such inventions, for it declares, “Let [your children] be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee” (Pr 5:17).

The living and true God, Who limited marriage and sex to one man and one woman, also condemned frivolous divorces – the kind that occur in about 50% of first marriages in America. He hates such divorces (Mal 2:16), and He declared that they are merely a legal fraud to whitewash the terrible sin of adultery (Matt 5:31-32; 19:3-9). These divorces also violate the proverb, for they break up marriages and confuse families with stepchildren.

The children of God should marry godly and virtuous spouses of the opposite sex for life and build great families with legitimate and loved children, whom they train to love godliness and hate this world’s abominations. May such children see the glory, feel the joy, and know the profit of a godly and real family. May they learn to hate fornication, adultery, sodomy, and unscriptural divorce as enemies of the family. May the fountains and rivers of such godly children increase more and more (Pr 5:15-18; Ps 144:11-15)!

The God of heaven has His family of children by glorious wedlock to the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 3:14-15; 5:25-27; Heb 2:10-13). All others outside the electing grace of God are bastards, and He denies them His love and chastening (Heb 12:5-8; Eph 1:3-6; Rom 8:28-33; 9:21-24). Jesus Christ guaranteed eternal life to every one of these children (Jn 6:38-39; 10:27-28; 17:1-4), and they shall spend eternity rejoicing in a new heaven and earth with Him and their Father (Ps 16:11; 36:8; John 14:1-3; Rom 8:17-23; Eph 2:4-7).

Spiritual Training 04 June 2013

Posted: June 4, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 14:10-12 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me, every tongue will confess to God.”

Each person is accountable to Christ, not to others. While the church must be uncompromising in its stand against activities that are expressly forbidden by Scripture (Adultery, homosexuality, murder, theft), It should not create additional rules and regulations and give them equal standing with God’s law. Many times Christians base their moral judgments on opinion, personal dislikes, or cultural bias rather than on the Word of God. When they do this, they show that their own faith is weak-they do not think that God is powerful enough to guide his children.

Lets Bring it home: When we stand before God’s court of justice (“judgment seat”), we won’t be worried about what our Christian neighbor has done (see 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Wisdom for the Soul – Proverbs 4:23

Posted: June 4, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 04, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Your heart determines your life. This may be the most important proverb. The favor or grief in your life depends on ruling and training your heart. If you direct and instruct your heart with godly inputs, there is no limit to your potential success before God and men.

Every sin starts in your heart, and your character and speech reflect your heart. You can only pretend to be different than your heart for a short time, for it will quickly regain control and dictate your actions. Others know your heart by your words and choices.

Our heart, our feelings of love and desire-dictates to a great extent how we live because we always find time to do what we enjoy. Solomon tells us to guard our heart above all else, making sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections push you in the right direction. Put boundaries (Guard Rails) on your desires: don’t go after everything you see. Look straight ahead, keep your eyes fixed on your goal, and don’t get sidetracked on detours that lead to sin.

David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). What a description! This should be your life goal! But David guarded his heart by careful self-examination, confession, prayer, friends, singing, etc. (Ps 4:4; 9:1; 15:2; 17:3; 19:8,12,14; 24:4; 26:2; 27:3,8,14; 28:7; 32:11; 34;18; 37:31; 51:10,17; 57:7; 61:2; 62:8,10; 66:18; 77:6; 84:2; 86:11-12; 101:2-5; 108:1; 111:1; 112:7-8; 119:11,32,36,63,111; 139:23-24; 131:1; 141:4-5).

Your heart is your greatest asset, for it can do more for you than anything else. It is much more than the muscle beating 70 times a minute in your chest. You need to consider and prize the inner, decision-making part of you that loves certain things and chooses to do them over other things. Learn to set your affections on good things (Col 3:2; Matt 6:21).

You can keep your heart good, or you can let it become bad. You can be diligent in this project, or you can be lazy. God’s children have an old man that tempts them to evil, but their new man calls them to godliness. Your heart must decide between the two often. Every person makes a series of choices each day. What are you going to do today?

Whatever is in your heart comes out in your life. If your heart is full of good things, your life will show that goodness; if your heart is full of sinful thoughts, your life will show them. The large tests and decisions you will face many times in life are dependent on your heart, and so are the small choices that you make hundreds of times a day.

Is your heart pure? Are you working to keep it pure today? Do you know that laziness in this matter will bring severe trouble and pain to your life? You must eliminate negative inputs to your heart e.g. Hollywood entertainment, foolish or sinful friends, and worldly music. You should feed your heart with godly music, the Bible, prayer, and holy friends.

Jesus Christ condemned the Pharisees for emphasizing man’s outward appearance; He emphasized man’s heart instead. He said the following in two different places:

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Matthew 12:34-35

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Matthew 15:18-19

Sin begins in the heart. Lust for a sin attracts your heart, so you think about it. If you think about it enough, you will do it. The result of this choice is death. Protect yourself by keeping your heart diligently from sinful thoughts (James 1:13-16). God sent the Flood to drown the earth for their wicked imagination (Gen 6:5), so hate any evil fantasies.

Think about an evil heart and how it affects the various issues of life. Sexual fantasizing will lead to filthiness, fornication, adultery, or defrauding your spouse – all because you allowed sinful thoughts in your heart. The same is true of bitterness toward others, coveting things you do not have, pride, excess ambition, envy, and other sins like them.

How can you keep a pure heart? Protect it from influences toward sin (Ps 101:3; I Cor 15:33), and supply it with influences toward holiness (Ps 119:11,63; 101:6). Get away from evil things, and spend your time with good thoughts and things (Phil 4:8). This is actually quite simple, but it takes strong personal commitment and discipline to do it.

Since even thinking about foolishness is sin (Pr 24:9), and desiring another woman is adultery in your heart (Matt 5:28), you must often examine your heart with the Lord’s help (Ps 139:23-24). Hiding scripture in your heart by reading, meditation, and memorization will further protect you from sinful thoughts (Ps 119:9,11,15,105).

Jesus Christ sees your heart clearly and fully (Heb 4:12-13), so He will reward diligence if He sees a faithful heart (II Chron 16:9), and He will punish folly if He sees a heart with idols set up in it (Ezek 14:3-8). It is foolish to think He does not see every idea and thought of your heart (Jer 17:9-10; Rev 2:23). He knows you better than you know you.

As David kept his heart, you can keep and perfect your heart. Remember, he was careful and faithful to examine himself, to confess his sins, to pray, to delight in God’s words, to choose only godly friends, to give thanks and sing praises to God. These heart exercises will keep your heart noble and righteous, and keeping it like this will bring God’s favor.

Solomon taught you to work at fearing God each day. He wrote elsewhere, “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long” (Pr 23:17). The apostle Jude put it this way: “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 1:21). You can and will stop loving and fearing God, if you allow sin to harden your heart (Heb 3:12-13). Never forget this proverb, and with God’s help and strength, keep your heart diligently.

Wisdom for the Soul – Proverbs 03:30

Posted: June 3, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 03, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 3:30 Do not accuse a man for no reason-when he has done you no harm

You better have a good reason to debate, fight, or sue anyone. You may defend yourself if real harm has been done. But God condemns petty, hypocritical, or vengeful responses. There better be significant injury involved, or He will judge you for hatred (Matt 7:1-5).

How serious are the consequences of debating or fighting for no good cause? The great God of heaven hates such contrary, froward, obnoxious, and wicked men (Pr 3:31-32). He curses the families of men that will not get along with others and that like to stir up trouble (Pr 3:33). He will scorn the scorners and promote fools to shame (Pr 3:34-35).

Of course, contentious men always say they have a reason for contending with others. In their perverted sense of justice, they are right to argue, fight, or sue most anyone for damages. But God knows the hearts of all men, and He will despise their petty, personal, hypocritical, or vengeful thoughts. He will be froward to froward men (Ps 18:25-26).

Wisdom includes knowledge and ability to get along with others. Wise men are glorious, because they know they should defer anger and ignore minor offences (Pr 19:11). They know that if they are unmerciful in holding men accountable for their small offences, then God Himself will not forgive them their trespasses (Matt 6:14-15; 18:21-35).

What causes some men to be contentious? Pride! Only pride (Pr 13:10)! It is not an innate sense of justice or righteousness that causes them to criticize, debate, fight, or oppose others. It is the pride of their wicked hearts that refuses to be merciful, refuses to overlook small offences, and refuses to forgive others fully and easily. Pride is damning. You can call it principle if you want, but God and all good men know it is only pride.

How about women that nag? Same thing! Their pride finds pleasure in correcting their husbands. They love to remind him about every fault or mistake he has made. Resenting their role, they show haughtiness and selfishness by contending and brawling. No wonder Solomon repeatedly warned against such women (Pr 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15).

Peace and unity, godly goals of wise men, require overlooking minor offences or faults of others. Only when life or home is threatened is there cause for fighting. Jesus Christ taught that even anger in your heart or name-calling without a righteous cause is murder (Matt 5:21-22)! Let that charge sink in. And responding with force to minor offences is of the same character (Matt 5:38-42). Let someone slap you on a cheek. So what? If someone sues you for your coat, go ahead and give them a cloak as well. Make peace!

In earlier generations of America, children had a godly little rhyme that originated around 1862, “Stick and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” This is exactly the wisdom of this proverb. If you are in danger of having your bones broken, say by an intruder at night, you may defend your home, family and self (Ex 22:2). But being called names only gives you an opportunity to respond in kindness (Rom 12:17-21).

Solomon also taught against vengeance, “Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work” (Pr 24:19-20). The golden rule taught by Jesus Christ is treating others as you want them to treat you, not the way they may have treated you. Can you by God’s grace flush all revenge and choose to love your enemies?

A contentious spirit is from hell, but a gentle and peaceful spirit is from heaven (Jas 3:14-18). What a great difference! What a glorious opportunity for you show a difference in your character and make a difference in the world. What a precious opportunity and privilege to please God and men and to promote peace wherever you go. What will you do today? Fight over anything? Or forgive everything? Be a peacemaker. Amen.

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