Spiritual Training 02 June 2011

Posted: June 2, 2011 in Bible Study, Security, Spiritual Training, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Joshua 9:19-20 – but all the leaders’ answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them .

Joshua and his advisers had made a mistake. But because they had given an oath to protect the Gibeonites, they would keep their word. The oath was not nullified by the Gibeonites trickery. God had commanded that oaths be kept and breaking an oath was serious. This encourages us not to take our promises lightly.

Proverbs 2:1-6 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 2, 2011 in Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 2:1-6 – My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and it you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Wisdom comes in two ways: It is a God-given gift and also the result of an energetic search. Wisdom’s starting point is God and his revealed Word, the source of “knowledge and understanding” In that sense wisdom is God’s gift to us. But he gives it only to those who earnestly seek it. But because God’s wisdom is hidden from the rebellious and foolish, it takes effort to find it and use it. The pathway to wisdom is strenuous. When we are on the path, we discover that true wisdom is God’s and that he will guide us and reward our sincere and persistent search.

Proverbs 1:10-19 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: June 1, 2011 in Bible Study, Spiritual Training, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command ( Warning Against Enticement)

Proverbs 1:10-19 (10): My son, if sinners entice you do not give in to them. (11): If they say, “Come along with us; lets lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; (12): Lets swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; (13): we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our hoses with plunder; (14): throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse- (15): my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; (16): for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. (17): How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! (18): These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! (19) Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Sin is enticing because it offers a quick route to property and makes us feel like one of the crowd. But when we go along with others and refuse to listen to the truth, our own appetites become our masters, and we’ll do anything to satisfy them. Sin, even when attractive, is deadly. We must learn to make choices, not on the basis of flashy appeal or short-range pleasure, but in view of the long-range effects. Sometimes this means steering clear of people who want to entice us into activities that we know are wrong. We can’t be friendly with sin and expect our lives to remain unaffected.

Spiritual Training 01 June 2011

Posted: June 1, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

Joshua 9:14-18 – The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cites: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel.

When the leaders sampled these men’s provisions they saw that the bread was dry and moldy, the wineskins were cracked, and the clothes and sandals worn out. But they did not see through the deception. After the promise had been made and the treaty ratified, the facts came out-Israel’s leaders had been deceived. God had specifically instructed Israel to make no treaties with the inhabitants of Canaan (Exodus 23:32, 34:12 Numbers 33:55 Deuteronomy 7:2, 20:17-18). As a strategist Joshua knew enough to talk to God before leading his troops into battle. But the peace treaty seemed innocent enough, so Joshua and the leaders made this decision on their own. By failing to seek God’s guidance and rushing ahead with their own plans, they had to deal with the angry people and an awkward alliance. Once again, they had forgotten to go to God; yet how often we do the same. A new situation arises, and we forget to seek God’s wisdom and guidance. When we learn the lessons of the past and apply them to today, we save ourselves a lot of trouble.

Spiritual Training 31 May 2011

Posted: May 31, 2011 in Spiritual Training, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Joshua 9:1-6 Now when the kings of the Jordan herd about these things-those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea, as far as Lebanon-they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel. However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse (trick): They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.
As the news about their victory became widespread, the Israelites experienced opposition in two forms: direct (Kings in the area began to unite against them); and indirect (the Gibeonites resorted to deception). We can expect similar opposition as we obey God’s commands. To guard against these pressures, we must rely on God and communicate daily with him. He will give us strength to endure the direct and indirect pressures and wisdom to see through deception.

Proverbs 31:4-7 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 31, 2011 in Spiritual Training, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 31:4-7 It is not for Kings, O Lemuel-not for Kings to drink win, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Drunkenness might be understandable among dying people in great pain, but it is inexcusable for national leaders. Alcohol clouds the mind and can lead to injustice and poor decisions. Leaders have better things to do than destroy themselves with alcohol.

We are told that every day in Washington there are many cocktail parties for our government officials. Republicans and Democrats both have this in common-the party membership doesn’t make any difference. It is tragic to have drinking men in high potions of government!

 

Spiritual Training 27 May 2011

Posted: May 27, 2011 in Bible Study, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Joshua 8:18-19: Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his javelin toward Ai. As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.

The Lord gave Joshua the city. Yesterday’s defeat became today’s victory. Once sin is dealt with, forgiveness and victory lie ahead. With God’s direction we need not stay discouraged or burdened with guilt. No matter how difficult a setback sin may bring, we must renew our efforts to carry out God’s will.

Proverbs 27:17 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 27, 2011 in Spiritual Training, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Mental sharpness comes from being around good people. And a meeting of minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights. This requires discussion partners who can challenge one another and stimulate thought-people who focus on the idea without involving their egos in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker. Two friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper.

Spiritual Training 26 May 2011

Posted: May 26, 2011 in Bible Study, Spiritual Training, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Joshua 8:3: So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai, He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.

The conquest of Ai was very important to the Israelites. Only 11 miles away from Jericho, Ai was a key stronghold for the Canaanites and a buffer fortress for Bethel (8:12). If the Canaanite Kings got wind of an Israelite defeat at Ai, they could unite in a coordinated attack. They did not know that God had restored his power and protection to Joshua’s troops. We must depend on God with absolute obedience to be sure of the victory he has promised.

Proverbs 26:07 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 26, 2011 in Spiritual Training, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 26:7 – Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Some people are so dulled that they won’t sense the wisdom even if they memorize these proverbs. A mindlessly quoted proverb proves as useless as a paralyzed body part. Only those who want to be wise have the receptive attitude needed to make the most of these wise words. If we want to learn from God, he will respond and pour out this heart to us.

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