Posts Tagged ‘christianity’

Proverbs 30:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 30, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 30:2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

These harsh and critical words are the key to wisdom. Can you humble yourself like this for God’s blessings? He knows you are foolish, so the sooner you admit it, the sooner He will bless you with wisdom. This is exactly how Solomon became wise.

When God offered young Solomon anything he wanted, he humbly said he was a child in understanding and asked for wisdom (I Kgs 3:5-9). God blessed this perfect request with very great blessings of understanding and much, much more as well (I Kgs 3:10-13).

The fastest way to wisdom is to be a fool; God resists the proud, but He will give grace to the lowly (I Cor 3:18-20; Jas 4:6,10). The fastest way to folly is to think yourself wise, for God will destroy the proud (Pr 26:12; Is 5:21; Ro 1:20-25; I Cor 1:19-21; Gal 6:3).

This proverb is the words of the prophet Agur (Pr 30:1), revealing his humble spirit and modest thoughts about teaching two students, Ithiel and Ucal. He used “surely” to strengthen his admission of his own ignorance, but what does “brutish” mean?

Brutish. Of or pertaining to the brutes, or lower animals, as opposed to man. In want of intelligence or in failure to use reason: dull, irrational, uncultured, stupid.

He opened instruction to his pupils by claiming to be more ignorant than any man, like a brute beast; and there is no false humility here, for he wrote by prophetic inspiration.

The prophet Agur and King Solomon are not alone, for the same spirit was also in Moses (Num 12:3), Elihu (Job 32:6-7), David (I Sam 18:23; Ps 131:1), Asaph (Ps 73:21-22), Jeremiah (Jer 1:6), Daniel (Dan 2:30), Amos (Amos 7:14-15), and Paul (Eph 3:8).

Do you detect a pattern? Great men of God do not claim to be wise, for their secret to success lies in their total humility before their Creator and Lord. This is God’s order for your thinking (Ro 12:16), as this brings Him the greater glory (I Cor 1:27). The great God of heaven respects the man poor in spirit and having a contrite heart (Is 57:15; 66:1-2).

Men today cannot grasp Agur’s words, and they would never say them. They are drunk on the lies of self-esteem and self-love, so they cannot and will not see themselves as they truly are. Let God by His Spirit and word humble you today and save you from such narcissistic folly and heresy. Man at his best state is altogether vanity (Ps 39:5)

Pride is a terrible crime and sin. God hates it, but He will give wisdom to the humble. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Pr 13:10). The great king Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way that God will abase the proud (Dan 4:37).

But God will bless the poor in spirit with riches of wisdom and other spiritual blessings (Matt 5:3; Luke 6:24). The man who says, “I do not know what to do,” can stand still and see God work for him (II Chr 20:12,17). Go to Him this way today and become wise! The crucial ingredient for you to become wise is to first be humble. God loves humility.

Many dream of hearing an offer like God gave Solomon, but they fail to realize that they have the offer in writing, in James 1:5, where God says to you, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (Jas 1:5). What a promise! Do you want wisdom? Ask for it! Now!

Humility about wisdom has its limits. No man knows anything as perfectly as he should (I Cor 8:2), but you should respond with confidence when answering questions or confronting enemies (Pr 22:17-21; Job 32:6-14; 33:1-3; 36:1-4; Luke 1:3; I Cor 14:20; II Tim 3:17). The truth and wisdom of inspired scripture is your confidence, not yourself.

Has there ever been a more humble or meek man than Jesus Christ? Never! Yet He had all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). He was lowly in heart, forbid promotional efforts, and never raised his voice in the street (Matt 11:29; 12:15-20). Where is He now? Exalted in glorious majesty and power at the right hand of God! Love Him and praise Him today, and follow His perfect example of humility unto honor.

Spiritual Training 30 April 2013

Posted: April 30, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 10:8-13 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming;

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trust in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved.

Have you ever been asked, “How do I become a Christian?” These verses give you the beautiful answer-salvation is as close as your own mouth and heart. People think it must be a complicated process, but it is not. If we believe in our hearts and say with our mouths that Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved.

Lets Bring it home: Are the Churches making this a difficult process by having people think they have to come up front in order to be saved? Are we making in difficult by telling people that you have to ask forgiveness for your sins? I don’t see anywhere that you have to come up front in the Church to be saved. I don’t see anywhere that you have to say with your mouth that you have to ask God to forgive you for your sins in order to be saved. Are we the ones who are making it complicated?

Spiritual Training 24 April 2013

Posted: April 24, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 10:01 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

What will happen to the Jewish people who believe in God, but not in Christ? Since they believe in the same God, won’t they be saved? If that were true, Paul would not have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to teach them about Christ. Because Jesus is the most complete revelation of God, we cannot fully know God apart from Christ; and because God appointed Jesus to bring God and man together, we cannot come to God by another path.

Lets Bring it home: The Jews, like everyone else, can find salvation only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Like Paul, we should wish that all Jews might be saved. We should pray for them and lovingly share the Good News with them.

Spiritual Training 16 April 2013

Posted: April 16, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 09:31-33 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursed it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.” As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Sometimes we are like these people, trying to get right with God by keeping his laws. We may think that attending church, doing church work, giving offerings, and being nice will be enough. After all, we’ve played by the rules, haven’t we? But Paul’s words sting-this approach never succeeds. Paul explains that God’s plan is not for those who try to earn his favor by being good; it is for those who realize that they can never be good enough and so must depend on Christ.

Lets Bring it home: Only putting our faith in what Jesus Christ has done can save us. If we do that, we will never be “put to shame” or be disappointed.

Spiritual Training 11 April 2013

Posted: April 11, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 09:15-16 For he says to Moses, “ I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

The fallacy of gaining salvation by human effort remains as strong as ever-people still think good intentions are the key to unlock the door to eternal life. By the time they get to try the lock, they will find that their key does not fit. Others imagine that their efforts are building an invisible ladder to heaven made up of service, family, position, reputation, good work, and desire, although none of these rungs will support a feather. People are so busy trying to reach God that they completely miss the truth that God has already reached down to them. We cannot earn God’s mercy-if we could, it would not be mercy.

Lets Bring it Home: Are we as Christians living a lie? Are some Churches trying to reach God by the things mention above? When it is all said and done, the physical Church can’t save you, no matter how hard you work there or the things you do for the Church. You can be at Church all week and think your doing the right thing, but your family is being neglected due to you being there. What is more important? You can bless God my spending time with the family and the ones you love. Salivation is up to you my brother and sisters. If God has already reached down, back up and find his hand and grab on to it and learn to have a relationship with God’s son Jesus. By Faith!

Proverbs 10:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 10, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 10:12 – Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs,

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Carrying around hatred will just make you hate more, and add to issues. The next time someone close to you does something to angry you. Starts focusing on the love you have for that person, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. After a while, you should start forgetting about the sin that was done, and on the love you have for that person.

Are you a peacemaker? God loves peacemakers. Good men love peacemakers. Do you do all you can to end fights, overlook offences, forgive sinners, reunite enemies, and live peaceably with all men? God blesses peacemakers, and it is a large part of godly wisdom.

Where there is fighting, there is hatred. Conflict cannot exist without hatred. Unless love wins, the strife will get worse. Love does not fight – it covers offences and sins. It seeks peace and pursues it. It cannot tolerate strife; it tries to end fights as soon as possible.

Strife, a word not used as much today, means antagonism, enmity, discord, contention, or dispute. It is fighting and conflict. While it is godly to contend for truth against sin and error, here is personal strife caused by the hatred of those who do not practice love.

Where there is envy, strife, enmity, conflict, or tension, all you need do is look a little deeper to find one or both parties guilty of hatred. Fighting and antagonism do not and cannot exist where each person is practicing Christian charity, or the love of the Bible.

But there are wicked persons, with hearts full of malice and hatred, which all men have by nature (Tit 3:3), who delight in stirring up contentions and quarrels by talebearing, whispering, evil surmising, and cursing. These profane persons have no conscience or compassion, like Ham and Shimei, and they will receive a similar fate from the holy and just God and from noble men (Gen 9:20-27; II Sam 16:5-14; I Kgs 2:8-9; Is 29:20-21).

Charity forgives sins and forgets sins, just as God forgives and forgets them. Love hides and conceals sins under the same forgiving cover that Jesus Christ provides every saint. This is covering sin, and it is a rule of life for saints of the most High (Pr 17:9; Jas 5:20; I Pet 4:8). But hatred, growing from anger and pride, loves to dig up evil, spread evil reports, and create strife and trouble (Pr 15:18; 16:27-28; 26:21; 28:25; 29:22; Jas 4:1).

Can you cover sins like Joseph, whose brothers could not believe his forgiveness, even after many gifts, favors, and passage of time (Gen 45:1-15; 50:15-21)? He put the best perspective on their horrible crime and wept over all of them. How did the Lord reward this one son of Jacob? He gave him a double blessing of two tribes in Israel (Josh 14:4)!

Here is a golden opportunity for child training by good parents. Children must be trained and corrected strictly in this matter of hatred and love, strife and peace, covering sins or exposing them. The natural antagonism and competitiveness of children creates a perfect setting for teaching godly traits of love, graciousness, forgiveness, and peacemaking.

Love has many facets (I Cor 13:4-7), but this proverb emphasizes one of them – covering sins. Love overlooks offences against it; hatred gets offended, holds bitterness, or plots revenge. Love forgets and hides the sins of the repentant; hatred remembers them or spreads them to others. Love hears rumors, or even factual news of others’ sins, but never repeats them; hatred craves private information and spreads it to any listeners.

Can you cover all sins, as the Preacher taught here? Peter once sought a limit of seven offences for covering sins, but the Lord Jesus pressed him to seventy times seven (Matt 18:21-22)! How can you fight others over a few pence, when Almighty God has forgiven you ten thousand talents (Mat 18:23-35)! These things should never occur among those who are Christians, and the sure judgment of the wicked servant is just and appropriate.

Covering sins is not compromise. It is not withholding Scriptural judgment, whether in the family, church, business, or nation. The rightful authority should speedily execute judgment, where God has ordained it. But covering sins should occur when the offences are against you, where there is repentance, or you are not in direct authority.

Hatred of sin is holy and good (Pr 6:16-19; Ps 45:7). But hatred of others, shown by anger at personal offences, ignoring repentance, whispering about sins, and talebearing is murder in God’s judgment (Matt 5:21-26). It proves a person to be without eternal life and living for the devil with a spirit from hell (John 8:44; James 3:14-16; I John 3:15).

What if a person says, “Oh, how I love Jesus,” but they stir up trouble, do not forgive personal offences, ignore repentance by sinners, and reveal sins to others? They are lying hypocrites, for the Bible says they are murdering descendants of Cain (I John 3:10-15).

Look at the character of Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. He had no respect for the self-loving “righteous,” for He knew the blackness of their hearts (Mark 2:15-17). Choose today to forgive and cover sins in love, so that you might easily and honestly pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us” (Matt 6:12).

The lesson here is the basis for true peace – love. Where there is strife, contention, and tension, there is hatred behind the false handshakes and lying words of murderers. It is your wisdom to live this lesson yourself, avoid wicked persons that hate, and train such evil out of your children. Be the greatest peacemaker in the world by practicing the wisdom of this proverb. May the Lord Jesus grant you the grace and wisdom for the task.

The lesson here is also the great gulf between the wise and foolish, between the righteous and wicked, between the sons of God and the sons of Belial. When Jesus met repentant sinners, He freely forgave them; when self-righteous Pharisees observe sinners, they despise them and hate God’s free and full forgiveness of them (Luke 7:36-50; 15:25-32).

Love is the greatest evidence of eternal life. Do you live peaceably with all men, especially other Christians (Rom 12:18; Gal 6:10)? If you believe God loves you, prove it by loving others; if you claim to love God, prove it also by loving others. Since God is love, those that are truly Gods will love others (Jn 13:34-35; I Jn 3:10-24; 4:7-21; 5:1-2).

Proverbs 09:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:3 She has sent our maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.

The world’s best woman wants you! She has a house with seven pillars (Pr 9:1). She has prepared a feast (Pr 9:2); she wants to have an intimate meal with you (Pr 9:5). Solomon personified wisdom as a desirable woman, Lady Wisdom. Will you accept her invitation?

Wisdom is available for any man or woman who wants it. It is not far away; it is not difficult to obtain. It is not hard to find; it is not just for the intelligent or educated. There are no age or sex limitations. The only prerequisite is simplicity, or ignorance (Pr 9:4)!

If you are perplexed with any aspect of life, Wisdom is calling you. The blessed LORD God offers wisdom and understanding to men. All they must do is act on the invitation to humble themselves before Him and diligently apply the instruction He freely offers them.

Wisdom is found in creation (Ps 19:1-6), for God revealed His eternal power and Godhead by created things you see. It is also found in parents, teachers, counselors, and pastors (Pr 5:13; 24:6; Mal 2:7; Eph 6:4). But it is mostly found in the Bible (Ps 19:7-11).

The psalmist declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Ps 119:130). Scripture can make a minister perfect (II Tim 3:16-17). You should give attention to it, as the only light in this dark world (Is 8:20; II Pet 1:19).

God gave you a manual of wisdom in the Bible! He also promised His Spirit of wisdom to those who ask, and He will give both liberally (Luke 11:13; Eph 1:17; Col 1:9; Jas 1:5). With an offer like Solomon’s dream, do you pray for wisdom and understanding?

Her maidens want your attention. She cries out to you. You cannot please God without her. You need her to be successful or happy. You cannot face God after death without her. If you neglect or reject her call, she will punish your folly (Pr 1:20-32; 8:32-36).

Test your heart about Lady Wisdom right now. Do you appreciate your parents reproving you? Friends correcting you? A pastor warning you? Do you crave the assemblies of the saints, where the Word of God is boldly preached? Even when the sermon is long?

Do you read these proverbs carefully, seeking to extract every morsel of wisdom you can, since they are God’s inspired wisdom from the pen of King Solomon? You do not have to look far to see the maidens Lady Wisdom sent to invite you. What will you do right now?

Jesus Christ is Wisdom personified (I Cor 1:30; Col 2:3). God’s wisdom is seen clearly in the life of Jesus Christ. His apostles, eyewitnesses of His resurrection, preached His gospel throughout the world. Have you believed and obeyed that message of wisdom?

Proverbs 21:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 21, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 21:20 – In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

This proverb is about saving for the future. Easy credit has many people living on the edge of bankruptcy. The desire to keep up and to accumulate more pushes them to spend every penny they earn, and they stretch their credit to the limit. But anyone who spends all he has is spending more than he can afford. A wise person puts money aside for when he or she may have less. God approves of foresight and restraint. God’s people need to examine their lifestyles to see whether their spending is God-pleasing or merely self-pleasing.

Spiritual Training 07 March 2013

Posted: March 7, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Future Glory

Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. With God helping you pray, you don’t need to be afraid to come before him. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you “in accordance with God’s will.” Then, when you bring your request to God, trust that he will always do what is best.

Lets Bring it Home: Don’t allow yourself not to pray because you don’t sound like someone else, or you don’t know what to say. God is telling you right here that Holy Spirit intercedes for us. So, there is no excuse not to pray more. We got to trust the Holy Spirit and Gods word. Just drop your head and go into your secret place and talk to the Lord.

Spiritual Training 06 March 2013

Posted: March 6, 2013 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Future Glory

Romans 8:22-23 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits, of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

24-25 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

It is natural for children to trust their parents, even though parents sometimes fail to keep their promises, Our heavenly Father, however, never makes promises he won’t keep. Nevertheless, his plan may take more time than we expect. What are we waiting for? New bodies, a new heaven and new earth, rest and rewards, our eternal family and home, the absence of sin and suffering, and being face to face with Jesus! Rather than acting like impatient children as we wait for God’s will to unfold, we should place our confidence in God’s goodness and wisdom.

In Romans, Paul presents the idea that salvation is past, present, and future. It is past because we were saved the moment we believed in Jesus Christ as Savior (3:21-26; 5:1-11; 6:1-11, 22,23); our new life (eternal life)) begins at that moment. And it is present because we are being saved; this is the process of sanctification. But at the same time, we have not fully received all the benefits and blessings of salvation that will be ours when Christ’s new Kingdom is completely established. That’s our future salvation.

Lets Bring it Home: While we can be confident of our salvation, we still look ahead with hope and trust toward that complete change of body and personality that lies beyond this life, when we will be like Christ (1 John 3:2).

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