Posts Tagged ‘christianity’

Owning Your Choice

Posted: August 19, 2020 in Choices, deceitfully, disobedience, enticement, Grace, Healing, Repentance, restoration, Uncategorized
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OWNING YOUR CHOICES

Rob Henry Notes on the Sermon Sunday.  My notes do not do this message any justice.  This is just a slice of the message that was dropped Sunday.  Scroll across to about 31 to get right to the Sermon. 

Worship Life Center Church

4930 E main Street Suite 10,11,12

Mesa, AZ 85205 

Pastor Stan

We do not mind owning things, but there are very few people that own their choices.

The CHOICE is yours.  Life is full of CHOICES, and sometimes we don’t make all the right CHOICES.  Sometimes we must own the CHOICES we make to invoke God into our situation.

Flip Wilson use to say the devil made me do it.  When really, he needed to OWN HIS CHOICE.    When we make a bad CHOICES, we are going to have to OWN THAT CHOICE.

The power of CHOICE is a gift from God.  We take it for granted and use and abuse that gift.  The gift that God has afforded us is Christ, Salvation and then there is CHOICE.  So, it is going to be up to you how you use it.

In a world like ours we must CHOOSE right over wrong.  In a world like ours where once they were calling things wrong, are now being called right.  Things that was once Un-Godly are now accepted.

We have a CHOICE of believing or not that there is a God.

So often we chose something outside of Christ and expect the reward that resides inside of Christ.  So, CHOICEdetermines your position in life.

CHOICE is what dictate what you can and can not do.  Our life is CHOICE driven.  He gives us the right to CHOOSEhim or not.  The most important thing to God is that you CHOOSE Him.  Pastor Stan said that if you sit in the barbershop long enough, you will eventually get a haircut.  So if you sit in Christ by way of CHOICE long enough, you don’t even have to know all about it, all you have to do is sit in it.  God said “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away and all things have become new.”  Pastor Stan is talking about a lifestyle change, not just a verbal confession.  It is you believing by faith in your CHOOSING to CHOOSE God.  He said salvation is not just a say, it is a do.  You got to walk saved, talk saved, and act saved.  That others may see Jesus in you, and all that He is doing.  You must OWN YOUR CHOICE.  If you own it, then God has a legal right to help you find your way.  Its only if you chose Him to help you.

This is what I love about Pastor Stan, He will always come back with Scripture to back up what he is preaching.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil unto you to serve God, choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  If you do not CHOOSE God, weather you know it or not, you are serving the enemy.  So, the devil does not care about you calling him a liar because you are serving him.

Next Pastor Stan speaks about giving the devil credit when he does not deserve any.  Pastor Stan said we have a tendency to say “The devil is coming after my finances” when everyone at Macys knows you.  So, the devil did not do it, we make conscious decisions to spend our bill or rent money. We do not want to OWN OUR CHOICES.  When we own it, we can get God to help us.  We will say the devil is coming after my health, but we will not eat nothing healthy.  We say the devil is coming against my marriage, when we are spending more time with our single girl friends at the club.  We got to OWN OUR CHOICES.

Pastor Stan said, that when we are influence by the devil in every kind of evil way, by the authority given to us in heaven, we can CHOOSE not to.

Pastor Stan testified that it was not until he OWNED his CHOICE back in the day when he got the help he needed.  It was not until he took total responsibility for his action when he received his help.  Pastor Stan said he ask God why you did not help me when I was crying out.  He said he heard a small voice say, YOU DID NOT CHOOSE FOR ME TO HELP.  God gave us the right to CHOOSE,, and he will not violate it.  So, you hold your issue until you CHOOSEHim.  We have a free will and a legal right to CHOOSE what we want.  The enemy will try to coach you in making a bad decision.

James 1:12-15 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not deceived, my beloved brethren.     

  He is driven away by His own CHOICE; you are going to have to own it.  But Bless is the man who chooses right.  We are driven away by our own nature.  We are going to have to choose our spirit over our flesh.  You got be mindful over people who CHOOSES  for you.  Because its still your CHOICE to allow them to choose.

Genesis 3:6 When the women saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make  one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.   

1 Timothy 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.   

The Bible says that Adam was with Eve.  Adam made a CHOICE.  There was nothing the enemy could say to make Adam sin.  He made a CHOICE.  It doesn’t matter how good it looks, If you are not CHOOSING God, you are CHOOSING the enemy.

Genesis 3:7-12 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they know that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. 8 They heard the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”  12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”

 

  1. Whenever you make a bad decision, you are going to have to own it, and if you don’t own it, the first thing you are going to do is try to cover up what God designed to be good by CHOICE, and you cover it up and make it bad.
  1. When you do not OWN YOUR CHOICE, the CHOICE that you made, you separate yourself from God.

Adam said that I heard your voice, but I did not see you.  Jesus was coming to set him free if he would have own it.  Adam blamed God and the Woman.

We got to OWN THE CHOICES we made.  If we do not own it, you got to hold it.  If you made a bad CHOICE, own it so you can invoke the power of God.

 

 

Treading Water

Posted: January 13, 2019 in Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, Bible, Book of Matthew, Personal Growth, Uncategorized
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2019, Time to Stop Treading and Flapping in the water waves of difficult circumstances.
I know we all know the story of Jesus walking on the water and telling Peter to come out the boat and join him, but let’s look at it again.
Matthew 14:22-33 22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Peter ask Jesus to tell him to come to him as he wants all of us to come to Him. Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, but when he took his eyes off of Him and focused on the waves around him, he started to sink. As soon as he started to sink, he cried out, Lord save me, and Jesus Hand was right there. Now remember, when Jesus pulled him out of the water, He said “You of little faith”. Now remember, what I said in a Facebook post. If Jesus told Peter he had little faith, but with that little faith allowed him to walk on water, why are some of us still treading and flapping in the water?

I had to tread water for a certain period of time when I took the Swim Test in the Army. Some of you can relate. I was sweating in the pool, and when I got tired, I sank to get some rest and came back up and start treading and flapping in the water again. How long have some of us been flapping and treading water with the waves of difficult circumstances around us without looking to Jesus for help. Take the little faith, big faith or whatever level of faith you have and keep that focus on the Power of Jesus rather than on our own inadequacies. Stop using that flimsy excuse, “I need to have more faith”. Sometimes I hear Christians tell other, that you need more faith.

As soon as the storms of life take our focus on the Lord, cry out to Him like Peter. JESUS SAVE ME! And his hand will be right there for you. The only thing we need to do is take his hand. Do we doubt, yes, does our faith falter, yes and your lying if you say it don’t.

Lets Bring Home: Although we start out with good intentions, sometimes our faith falters. This doesn’t necessarily mean we have failed. When Peter’s faith faltered, he reached out to Christ, the only one who could help. He was afraid, but he still looked to Christ. When you are apprehensive about the troubles around you and doubt Christ’s presence or ability to help, remember that he is always with you and is the only one who can really help, so take the hand of God like Peter did and don’t try to work it out on your own. STOP TREADING AND FLAPPING IN THE WATER AND TAKE THE HAND OF GOD WHO IS THERE TO SAVE YOU.

Spiritual Training 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Posted: January 7, 2017 in 1 Sameul, Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

(Hannah’s Prayer)

1 Samuel 2:1-10

1 Then Hannah prayed and said;

My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high.

My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. 

2 There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God

3 Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a GOD who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.

4 The bows of the warriors are broken, but hose who stumbled are armed with strength.  5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more.  She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. 7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.  8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.  

For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’S, upon them he has set the world. 

9 He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.

It is not by strength that one prevails; 10 those who oppose the LORD will be shattered.  He will thunder against them form heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.

He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.

 Hannah praised God for his answer to her prayer for a son. The theme of her poetic prayer is her confidence in God’s sovereignty and her thankfulness for everything he had done. Mary, the mother of Jesus, modeled her own praise song, called the Magnificat, after Hannah’s prayer (Luke 1:46-55). Like Hannah and Mary, we should be confident of God’s ultimate control over the events in our lives, and we should be thankful for the ways God has blessed us. By praising God for all good gifts, we acknowledge his ultimate control over all the affairs of life.

Hannah praised God for being a Rock—firm, strong, and unchanging. In our fast-paced world, friends come and go, and circumstances change. It’s difficult to find a solid foundation that will not change. Those who devote their lives to achievements, causes, or possessions have as their security that which is finite and changeable. The possessions that we work so hard to obtain will all pass away. But God is always present. Hope in him. He will never fail.

No doubt as Hannah said these words, she was thinking of Peninnah’s arrogance and chiding. Hannah did not have to get even with Peninnah. She knew that God is all-knowing, and that he will judge all sin and pride. Hannah wisely left judgment up to God. Resist the temptation to take justice into your own hands. God will weigh your deeds as well as the deeds of those who have wronged you.

Lets Bring it Home: Because we live in a world where evil abounds and where war and terrorism always threaten, we may forget that God is in control. Hannah saw God as (1) solid as a rock (2:2), (2) the one who knows what we do (2:3), (3) sovereign over all the affairs of people (2:4-8), and (4) the supreme Judge who administers perfect justice (2:10). Remembering God’s sovereign control helps us put both world and personal events in perspective.

Spiritual Training 1Samuel 1:12-17

Posted: November 17, 2015 in 1 Sameul, Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

(Samuel’s birth and childhood)

1 Samuel 1:12 -17As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
     15“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
     17Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

Eli was a Priest, and miss judged this woman at first. But instead of just walking away with that believe of her being drunk with wine, he spoke to her and told her to put away your wine. Then he found out he miss judge her, and listened to her story.

Lets Bring Home: How many times do we miss judge a situation, and walk away with the thought of what we think we saw? When at times if we speak to him or her, we also can find the truth in someone’s situation, and give him or her a word of encouragement that just might change his or her life. How many people have we walked by or came to us and we did not have time which later ended up in a bad situation or Suicide?

Spiritual Training 1 Samuel 1 10-11

Posted: November 17, 2015 in 1 Sameul, Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

(Samuel’s birth and childhood)

1 Samuel 1:10-11 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Al mighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 

Be careful what you promise in prayer because God may take you up on it. Hannah so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to Hannah’s credit, she did her part, even though it was painful (1:27-28).     Although we are not in a position to negotiate with God, he may still choose to answer a prayer that has an attached promise.

Lets Bring it Home: When you pray, ask yourself, “Will I follow through on any promises I make to God if he grants my request?” It is dishonest and dangerous to ignore a promise, especially to God. God keeps his promises, and he expects you to keep yours.

Spiritual Training 15 May 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: May 15, 2015 in clean break, Daily Motivation, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

The Day of Atonement

(The Day of Atonement was the greatest day of the year for Israel. The Hebrew word for atone means “to cover.” Old Testament sacrifices could not actually remove sins, only cover them. On this day, the people confessed their sins as a nation, and the high priest went into the Most Holy Place to make atonement for them. Sacrifices were made and blood was shed so that the people’s sins could be “covered” until Christ’s sacrifice on the cross would give people the opportunity to have their sin removed forever.

Aaron had to spend hours preparing himself to meet God. But we can approach God anytime (Hebrews 4:16). What a privilege! We are offered easier access to God than the high priests of Old Testament times! Still, we must never forget that God is holy nor let this privilege cause us to approach God carelessly.)

Lets Bring it Home: The way to God has been opened to us by Christ. But easy access to God does not eliminate our need to prepare our hearts as we draw near in prayer. 

16:1-34 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the LORD. 2The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.

    3“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bath himself with water before he puts them on. 

5From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

    6“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. 7Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat 9Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

    11“Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 

12He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain.

(A censer was a dish or shallow bowl that hung by a chain or was carried with tongs. Inside the censer were placed incense (a combination of sweet-smelling resins and spices) and burning coals from the altar. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place carrying a smoking censer. The smoke shielded him from the ark of the covenant and the presence of God—otherwise he would die. Incense may also have had a very practical purpose. The sweet smell drew the people’s attention to the morning and evening sacrifices and helped cover the sometimes foul smell of the sacrifices.) 

13He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die. 14He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.

    15“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkl it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

    18“Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.

    20“When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

    23“Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. 24He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. 25He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

    26“The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 27The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. 28The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 

(This event with the two goats occurred on the Day of Atonement. The two goats represented the two ways God was dealing with the Israelites’ sin: (1) He was forgiving their sin through the first goat, which was sacrificed, and (2) he was removing their guilt through the second goat, the scapegoat, which was sent into the wilderness. The same ritual had to be repeated every year. Jesus Christ’s death replaced this system once and for all.)

Lets Bring it Home: We can have our sins forgiven and guilt removed by placing our trust in Christ (Hebrews 10:1-18). 

 29“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-borne or a foreigner residing among you— 30because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. 31It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.

    34“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a yearn for all the sins of the Israelites.”     And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Spiritual Training 27 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 27, 2015 in Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)
Leviticus 6:12-13

12The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it.
13The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. 
While the previous offerings and sacrifices were ones that the people did, the section from 6:8–7:38 deals with general and continual priestly duties. The burnt offering was presented in the morning and evening for the whole nation (see Exodus 29:38-43). The holy fire on the altar had to keep burning because God had started it. This represented God’s continual presence in the sacrificial system. It showed the people that only by God’s gracious favor could their sacrifices be acceptable.

Lets Bring it Home: God’s fire is present in each believer’s life today. He lights the fire when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he tends it so that we will grow in grace as we walk with him. When we are aware that God lives in us, we have confidence to come to him for forgiveness and restoration. We can carry out our work with strength and enthusiasm.

Spiritual Training 17 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 16, 2015 in deceitfully, Guilt, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 6:1-7 (The Guilt Offering)

1-7 The LORD said to Moses: 2“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving a neighbor about something entrusted to them or left in their care or about something stolen, or if they cheat their neighbor, 3or if they find lost property and lie about it, or if they swear falsely about any such sin that people may commit— 4when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, 5or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering. 6And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, their guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. 7In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the LORD, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”

Here we discover that stealing involves more than just taking from someone. Finding something and not returning it or failing to return something borrowed are other forms of stealing. These are sins against God and not just your neighbor, a stranger, or a large business. 

Lets Bring it Home: If you have gotten something deceitfully, then confess your sin to God, apologize to the owner, and return the stolen items—with interest.

Spiritual Training April 14 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 14, 2015 in Battle Focus, Bible Study, leviticus, swear, testify, unclean
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 5 (The Sin Offering)

1-6:     1“ ‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.   

  2“ ‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realize their guilt; 3or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean)f even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt;

4or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.

Have you ever sworn to do or not do something and then realized how foolish your promise was? God’s people are called to keep their word, even if they make promises that are tough to keep. Jesus was warning against swearing (in the sense of making vows or oaths) when he said, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

Lets Bring it Home: Our word should be enough. If we feel we have to strengthen it with an oath, something is wrong with our sincerity. The only promises we ought not to keep are promises that lead to sin. A wise and self-controlled person avoids making rash promises. 

5:When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and 6as a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin. 

The entire system of sacrifices could not help a sinner unless he brought his offering with an attitude of repentance and a willingness to confess sin. Today, because of Christ’s death on the cross, we do not have to sacrifice animals. But it is still vital to confess sin, because genuine confession shows realization of sin, awareness of God’s holiness, humility before God, and willingness to turn from this sin (Psalm 51:16-17).

Lets Bring it Home: Even Jesus’ death will be of little value to us if we do not repent and follow him. It is like a vaccine for a dangerous disease—it won’t help unless it enters the bloodstream. 

In this way the priest will make atonement for the man’s sin, and he will be forgiven. (This statement is mentioned 5 times in Chapter 5 after each Offering).

Proverbs 07:14 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 7, 2015 in Bible, committing adultery, prosatute, Proverbs 07, whores
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Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

Whores can be religious. They can even be found at church. Here Solomon described a strange woman – a whore, prostitute, or adulteress. She seduced her young victim by telling him of her religious activities: she was a good woman with high standards, including religious attendance; and she had the best of her sacrifices to share with him.

Peace offerings were split between worshipper and priest. Since the sacrificed item was perfect, the food resulting from it was of the highest quality (Pr 17:1; Lev 3:6; 22:21). It could have been equivalent to USDA Prime+. The part remaining with the worshipper was often shared with friends or used for feasts (Lev 7:15-16; 19:5-6; Deut 12:6-7).

Peace offerings were voluntary offerings to give thanks or pay vows (Lev 19:5). Even a whore can have a form of religion, which serves her selfish goals. It may sooth remains of her vexed conscience; it may disguise her immoral life with a show of religion; and it may assist her seduction of a virtuous young man (Pr 6:26). Or it may serve all three!

The strange woman in Solomon’s extended parable was no common street slut. She was a fine woman with financial means, of noble reputation, and good taste. She offered to share a joyful religious celebration with the young man. The Preacher did his best to warn his son that a whore may change conduct to seduce careful young men (Pr 5:6; Ec 7:26).

Here is a powerful seductress – an elegant and fine woman with character and spirituality to enhance her invitation to adultery. Men may fear prostitutes for their cold hearts, obvious financial motive, likelihood of disease, lack of cleanliness, frequent use, legal risk, and impersonal performance. The Preacher knew how to get to the heart of a matter.

What a fine invitation! She had no ulterior financial motive, for she provided the fare. She was a sensitive and sincere woman well received in the better circles of her city. She had much fine food, and her only ambition appeared a need for company. “Come,” she said, “I need you to complete this wonderful day and enjoy life’s fine things with me.”

Young man! Wake up! Open your eyes! Behind her invitation is a snare to take you down to death and hell (Pr 7:27). Once in the hold of her lascivious arms and under the spell of her flattering lips, you are lost without hope of recovery (Pr 5:22; 22:14; 23:27). Stay away! There are some temptations you can fight, but this temptation you must flee!

A form of religion to cover intentional sin compounds the crime (Pr 21:27). Rome offers many flattering pretensions of religion, but she is the great whore and mother of harlots and abominations of the earth (Rev 17:1-6), which has used vows of celibacy and poverty, both of which are contrary to the Bible, to defraud and destroy many. Beware!

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