Posts Tagged ‘human-rights’

Spiritual Training 08 February 2013

Posted: February 8, 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 7:9-11 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, sizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

Where there is no law, there is no sin, because people cannot know that their actions are sinful unless a law forbids actions. God’s law makes people realize that they are sinners doomed to die; yet it offers no help. Sin is real, and it is dangerous. Imagine a sunny day at the beach. You plunge into the surf, and then you notice a sign on the pier. “No swimming. Sharks in water.” Your day is ruined. Is it the sign’s fault? Are you angry with the people who put it? The law is like the sign. It is essential, and we are grateful for it-but it doesn’t get rid of the sharks.

Lets Bring it Home: How many of us are swimming with the sharks due to not knowing Gods word which is a sign to stay away from sin? Yes, even Christians are swimming with the sharks, due to not reading the sign. It is very important that we spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Training 07 February 2013

Posted: February 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

Romans 7:1-6 Do you not know, brothers-for I am speaking to men who know the law- that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man, while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might be long to another, or him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released ferom the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Paul uses marriage to illustrate our relationship to the law. When a spouse dies, the law of marriage no longer applies. Because we have died with Christ, the law can no longer condemn us. We rose again when Christ was resurrected and, as new people, we “belong” to Christ. His Spirit enables us to produce good fruit for God. We now serve not by obeying a set of rules, but out of renewed hearts and minds that overflow with love for God.

When a person dies to the old life and belongs to Christ, a new life begins. An unbeliever’s mind-set is centered on this or her own personal gratification. Those who don’t follow Christ have only their own self-determination as their source of power, By contrast, God is at the center of a Christian’s life. Go supplies the power for the Christian’s daily living. Believers find that their whole way of looking at that world changes when they come to Christ.

Some people try to earn their way to God by keeping a set of rules (obeying the Ten Commandments, attending church faithfully, or doing good deeds), but all they earn for their efforts is frustration and discouragement. However, because of Christ’s sacrifice, the way to God is already open, and we can become his children simply by putting our faith in him.

Keeping the rules, laws, and customs of Christianity doesn’t save us. Even if we could keep our actions pure, we would still be doomed because our hearts and minds are perverse and rebellious. Like Paul, we can find no relief in the synagogue or church until we look to Jesus Christ himself for our salvation – which he gives us freely. When we do come to Jesus, we are flooded with relief and gratitude. Will we keep the rules any better? Most likely but we will be motivated by love and gratitude, not by the desire to get God’s approval. We will not be merely submitting to an external code, but willingly and lovingly seeking to God’s will.

Lets Bring it Home: Are we trying to reach God by keeping rules or looking the part, going to Church, Bible Study and Sunday school, or are we trying to become more and more like Jesus as we live with him day by day. Don’t keep the rules because it’s the American Way, go to Church to gain that personal relationship Jesus and hear and put into action when He has to say.

Proverbs 5:3-11 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: February 5, 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 5:3-11 The lips of a seductive woman are oh so sweet, her soft words are oh so smooth. But it won’t be long before she’ gravel in your mouth, a pain in your gut, a wound in your heart. She’s dancing down the primrose path to Death; she’s headed straight for Hell and taking you with her, She hasn’t a clue about Real Life, about who she is or where she’s going. So, my friend, listen closely; don’t treat my words casually, Keep your distance from such a woman; absolutely stay out of her neighborhood. You don’t want to squander your wonderful life, to waste your precious life among the hardhearted, why should you allow strangers to take advantage of you? Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you? You don’t want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones, Saying, “Oh, why didn’t I do what they told me?

Whores are expensive! At best, they want you and your money; at worst, they want your money without you. Even when they do not take your assets or income directly, they are expensive to entertain and support. If you needed another reason to avoid them, here it is.

King Solomon in this proverb gave his son another reason to stay away from the strange woman (Pr 5:3), which is any woman he had not married – whether prostitute, whore, or adulteress. It costs a lot to buy their favors or keep them happy; his assets and income would go to those outside his family, even though they do not provide any lasting benefit.

Here is the wisdom of God! To combat the powerful lusts in a young man and warn him thoroughly of the folly of fornication and adultery, you need to say more than, “Flee fornication,” (I Cor 6:18) and, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14). There are many other threats and warnings you can give to help him defeat this powerful lust.

You would hope and wish a young man could be kept sexually pure simply by knowing God has forbidden such sins, like Joseph was with Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39:9). But that is neither realistic nor wise. Many young men are not even born again to have a heart that fears God, and those that are may not be at Joseph’s level of spiritual maturity and zeal.

Most of Proverbs shows the natural consequences of sins. While some of God’s laws are stated and applied, much of the book is observations of pain and suffering caused by sin. Wise parents will take note. They can do a much more thorough job of training their children, if they follow Solomon’s lead and explain all the painful consequences of sin.

Fornication and adultery have painful consequences, no matter what the world may say positively about casual sex. Solomon knew about the costs: he had witnessed them in his father’s life after adultery with Bathsheba. He warned often against this destroyer of young men (2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:23-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27-28; Eccl 7:26-29).

Whores are expensive! If a young man foolishly visits a prostitute, the price is very high for mere seconds of pleasure. She gives no discount for guilt, a grieved conscience, or an STD! His hard earned money is split between a woman who does not care about him and her pimp, who is the lowest scum of the race. Wake up, young man! Marry a godly woman and make love freely every night with your best friend and perpetual companion.

Whores are expensive! If a young man foolishly takes an adulteress, he must give gifts, since she expects liaisons that flatter her, or he must outdo her husband. Caught in the deceitful trap of imagined and feigned love, the young fool will do all he can to pamper this wicked and unfaithful wife, forgetting that she is taking his living with no commitment, while staying married to another man! Wake up, young man! Marry a godly woman and make love freely every night with your best friend and perpetual companion.

Whores are expensive! Other young men choose the party scene of clubs and bars, where they must maintain a successful image or lose popularity and draw. Expensive cars, clothes, accessories, housing, entertainment, and lifestyle – all for merely an appearance of prosperity and power to seduce women with a soul no deeper than a dollar bill – will eventually put a man in the poor house. Wake up, young man! Marry a godly woman and make love freely every night with your best friend and perpetual companion.

Think, young man! What if your wife, friend, and lover worked with you to build a family estate of children and property, instead of taking your assets and income for the estates of others? What a difference! Solomon wrote you about it in the context (Pr 5:15-19). Think how much faster you would get ahead, how much farther you would get ahead, and how much more secure you would have. Wake up, young man! Marry a godly woman and make love freely every night with your best friend and perpetual companion.

Whores are expensive! Even pornography can rob a man, for whores and publishers, whether in magazines or the Internet, want a return for their destructive wickedness. Many visual and mental adulterers have squandered money and time, let alone peace and happiness, by funneling money to whores at a distance and/or losing their professional zeal and productivity by the distraction of the addicting and consuming iniquity.

Build your own estate, young man, rather than another’s. Love the wife you have, and be satisfied with her breasts and ravished by her love (Pr 5:19). Do not even think about dipping into a sexual cistern or well that does not belong to you (Pr 5:16). Have children, legitimate children, and a lot of them, and rejoice with your wife, as your family tree becomes a happy and powerful influence in the earth (Pr 5:17-18; Ps 127:3-5; 128:1-6).

For the man who has already fallen like a fool to a Delilah, save your life, and revive your soul, by running far from her and repenting like David did (II Sam 11:13; Ps 51:1-19; 32:5). There is mercy with the Lord of heaven, even for men foolish and wicked enough to chase whores of any variety. Repent! God is faithful and just to forgive those who truly repent, no matter the greatness of the crime (Pr 28:13; I Jn 1:9; Job 33:27-28).

Let every reader consider the application of this proverb to spiritual adultery. Any man or woman commits spiritual adultery when they befriend false religion or the world. Your affection, attention, time, energy, emotion, and/or money are then given to another god or entity that is an enemy of the true God of heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible is full of warnings about God’s great jealousy and His severe judgment of those who take what belongs to Him and give it to others (Jas 4:4; Ezek 16:1-59; II Cor 11:1-4; etc.).

 

Proverbs 31:1-3 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 31, 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 31:1-3 The sayings of King Lemuel-an oracle his mother taught him “O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.

The queen mother appealed to her son King Lemuel as only a mother can do and warned him against the greatest threat to his life and reign – women. Kings, due to their power and riches, were great objects of seduction by whorish women. Kings, by their power and riches, lived luxuriously, which promoted lascivious living and the lusts of their eyes and flesh. This great mother despised whores and warned her son against them.
Kings ruled nations, raised armies, and conquered empires. Kings are the greatest rulers in history. They made weighty decisions that affected the lives of those in and out of their kingdoms. They had absolute authority of life and death over every citizen. To influence a king was to influence nations and the lives of millions. For a king to become infatuated with a woman was to give his strength, duty, and honor to the base lusts of his loins!
How many kings have been destroyed by evil women affecting their decisions? Or would it be easier to ask how many kings have not been so affected! The threat was real; the historical record bleak; and the consequences terrible. Kings, and all men in authority, must be stricter and stronger in resisting women than other men. Power is an aphrodisiac and an opportunity for the flesh. On these two counts men in leadership roles must be vigilant. They must deny the flesh to keep themselves, their offices, and their charges.
King Lemuel’s mother knew good women, for she wrote the loftiest description of the most perfect woman ever imagined (31:10-31) She wanted her son the king to have one woman – a virtuous, God-fearing woman – to be his wife. She did not desire a harem for him. She did not allow thoughts of mistresses. She despised concubines and courtesans. She knew his success depended on one great woman as his wife. Consider it well, men!
Samson was judge of Israel, but the conniving whore Delilah brought him down to terrible destruction. David had a harem of wives; but taking the wife of one of his best friends brought him sore trouble, nearly destroyed his kingdom, and cost him dearly for the rest of his life. His son Solomon followed David’s horrible example against his own wisdom and is left in ignominy and shame in the Bible (1 Kgs 11:1-11; Numb 13:26).
What are the lessons? Great mothers warn their sons plainly about the danger of whorish women. Great men, especially in positions of authority or leadership, must take extra precautions to be vigilant against this dangerous threat. And if women can destroy gifted rulers, common men should be even more careful. Great women will realize their sexual power and restrain it diligently for righteous purposes only with their husbands.
There is only one King never moved by evil. David wrote of his distant Son, “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain” (II Sam 23:3-4). Jesus Christ is that perfect king. Tempted in all points like other men, He never sinned (Heb 4:15).

Proverbs 24:33-34 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 24, 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 24:33-34 (33) A little sleep, a little slumber, and little folding of the hands to rest (34) and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. 

Laziness has a certain result. You cannot avoid it. Just as traveling surely gets you to your destination and an armed man can defeat an unarmed one, poverty will take you down. It is a lie to think that not doing what you should today will not have painful consequences.

You cannot stop poverty, if you do not work hard. It is coming for sure. It is not a matter of if it will come, but rather when it will come. You are going down – this is the judgment of economics and perfect punishment from heaven. Because God knew you might doubt or resent this certain fact, He inspired Solomon to write it twice (Pr 6:11).

Solomon knew a man’s work character can be known by the condition of his business (Pr 24:30-34). If not in tip-top shape, he knew the man slept too much. Since you do not have fields or vineyards, measure your income. A quick rule of thumb says an American should make $1.5k – $2k per year of age, reflecting how others value your efforts.

Real Christians work hard (Rom 12:11; I Cor 15:10). Diligence helps men get ahead (Pr 22:29; Eccl 9:10), and it identifies virtuous women (Pr 31:10-31). Only such hardworking men and women deserve the honor and riches that come from diligence (Pr 10:4; 12:24).

The opposite trait of laziness marks men and women that should be thrown out of the churches of Christ after they are deprived of food (II Thess 3:6-15). If you think this is too harsh a judgment, you do not know the Bible or proper incentive (Pr 20:4; 16:26).

In God’s plan for men, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer (Matt 25:29). Socialist minds in an effeminate generation resent it, but it is due to the effort put forth by the two categories. God rewards the diligent and punishes the slothful. This makes perfectly good sense to a righteous mind, and you should bless the God of heaven and love His Bible.

Of course, if you sleep in one morning, you cannot see it having any real consequences, but such a choice makes it much easier to sleep in the next day! If you take a day off work because you do not feel very good (unless ill with a doctor’s note), you are likely lazy. Everyone has aches and pains, and many have more than you, yet they work!

You should observe that those who are the busiest get the most done and volunteer for more. It is quite amazing! Those who have nothing to do actually do nothing and seldom volunteer. They want those who work all the time not only to feed them but to also do the other projects that come up. The diligent do more, and the slothful do less. Amazing!

How much do you believe God’s word? Here is wisdom. Some parents and governments intend to overthrow this proverb’s rule by supporting lazy children or citizens. It may be called an allowance, welfare, disability, unemployment, or other names. The intent is the same – God and Solomon in the Bible are too hard, so let us tax workers to feed sleepers.

God’s word is true. Poverty will come for leeches that take handouts without desperate needs. Poverty will also come for nations that legislate such handouts, as America and Europe in 2013. The rule is certain: it will take down sluggards and their governments, unless hard work is encouraged by rewarding the diligent and starving the lazy.

The lesson of the proverb is the certainty of poverty for those who do not work hard. It is God’s law. Solomon saw it and warned about it several times (Pr 6:6-11; 19:15; 20:13; 24:30-34). Do not deceive yourself by thinking you can get away with taking it easy and working less than others. Repent. Get up. Start working hard right now on a needed thing.

There is another form of poverty far worse than financial – spiritual poverty. It also is the certain result of laziness. You cannot avoid it. Those who skip church services or other duties because they are tired are pitiful church members. Their value and productivity in the kingdom of heaven amount to very little, when it could amount to much.

But another certainty awaits the faithful, who year in and year out seek first the kingdom of God and work diligently to serve Him and others any way they can – they get richer with improving spiritual discernment and greater strength for victorious living (Luke 8:18; 16:10-12; 19:11-27; II Tim 4:7-8). They bear fruit into old age (Ps 92:12-14).

Proverbs 07:27 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 7, 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 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

 What is casual sex? It is the way to hell! It will take you down to death! There is nothing casual about dying early and going to hell! Someone is lying to you about a fatal danger.

Why do they call it casual sex? Because they do it like hyenas without the love, morality, and commitment of marriage. Inferior to prostitution, it even lacks money compensation!

Why do they call it playing, partying, or having an affair? They feel euphemisms make their sins more acceptable. They hate real words with defined meanings like adultery, fornication, sodomy, or whoremonger, Bible words found in laws of civilized nations.

How casual are death and hell? They are man’s worst nightmares! Reader, the whole world is lying to you about the consequences of sex outside of marriage. Hate their lies! Hate their lifestyles! Hate their movies and music! God and Solomon have warned you.

The feminine pronoun “her” is the strange woman, the adulteress and whore of the parable here (Pr 7:6-23). After introducing the subject of sexual sins to his son (Pr 7:1-5), Solomon described at length a young man seduced into adultery by a cunning woman. He then concluded by begging his children to consider the terrible danger (Pr 7:24-27).

He warned his children that whorish women have wounded many men and destroyed many strong men (Pr 7:26). Think Samson and his horrible end. Think David and the painful consequences for adultery with Bathsheba. Think Solomon! Only the strongest men, like Joseph, can resist the powerful seduction of the adulteress (Pr 23:27-28).

What is the cure? Do not think about her (Pr 7:25)! Do not go near her (Pr 7:25)! Sexual sins begin with the eyes (Pr 6:25; Matt 5:28), form a plan in the mind (Job 31:1; II Sam 13:1-2), and then pursue the action (Pr 5:8; 7:8). All sin works this way (Jas 1:13-16). The adulteress cannot entice or hurt you, if you never think about her or get near her.

Can adultery kill you? Yes! Think capital punishment (in a moral nation), her jealous spouse, your jealous spouse, sexual diseases, blinded judgment, suicide from guilt, etc.

Can adultery kill you? Yes! There are other ways to die. Think of a destroyed soul, ruined reputation, lost job, wasted money, violated marriage, offended children, illegitimate children, painful guilt, sexual bondage, hated memories, and other living deaths! Even the world knows to blame the wasted and worn-out look of sinners on their hard living!

Can adultery take you to hell? Yes! If hell is the grave, the place where the dead are buried, it can take you there, as you just read (Ps 16:10; 18:5; 55:15; 86:13; 116:3).

Can adultery take you to hell? Yes! If hell is the lake of fire, the place of eternal torment, adultery can take you there as well (I Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3-7; Rev 21:8).

If casual sex is this dangerous, why no public warning about the death and hell behind the eyes, smiles, kisses, and embrace of a seductive woman? Because the devil and the world have conspired together to lie to you, and your sin nature loves to believe their lies.

Why no warning in the news? In the schools? In the military? Because it is not popular in a sin-obsessed and sex-addicted generation, and the guiding principles that now reign are popular approval, political correctness, serving pleasure, and rejecting God and the Bible.

But why no strong warnings in the large popular churches? For the same reasons above, for these worldly churches operate by the same principles – popular approval to keep the crowd coming, political correctness, serving pleasure, and rejecting the God of the Bible.

There is a warning! You are reading it. God and Solomon warned four times in Proverbs about death and hell for casual sex (Pr 2:18-19; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18). Get away from any whorish woman, and stay away from her. And the same applies to male whoremongers.

Does casual sex have pleasure? Sin has pleasure, and the Bible admits it – short pleasure for only a season (Heb 11:24-26; Job 20:5). The pleasure of casual sex lasts seconds, minutes, or hours; but the consequences last years, the rest of your life, or all eternity. There is no comparison. Samson’s minutes with a conniving and gold digging Delilah were not worth his years blind and grinding for the Philistines before committing suicide.

The best sexual pleasure is for a Christian husband and wife following the wisdom of Proverbs and the rest of the Bible. Their God created the male and female bodies, invented sex, and wrote the manual for its ultimate pleasure. If you doubt this, read Solomon’s love song in the Bible. If you have not experienced it yourself, read it again!

Parent, do you warn your children about sexual sins as boldly and plainly as Solomon did his children? Or are you too spiritually minded, puritanical, fearful, or naïve to line up with God and His word, missing the fact that the world hits them harder than any previous generation? If you are a mother, get real like godly women (Pr 6:20-26; 31:1-3).

There is another kind of whore. False churches are called whores in the Bible, and joining their worship is spiritual adultery and fornication (Ex 34:15-16; II Cor 11:1-4; Jas 4:4; Rev 2:20-22; 17:1-6). Get away from them, and stay away, for those that join them end up in the congregation of the dead and then hellfire forever (Pr 21:16; Rev 3:1; 14:9-11).

If your church and pastor do not preach hard against sexual sins, then you need a new church or pastor (Is 58:1; Jer 23:28-29; II Tim 4:3-4; Heb 13:4). It is a sign of the perilous times of the last days that Christians live and sound like the world (II Tim 3:1-5). If your pastor does preach like he should, then encourage him and pray for him.

Proverbs 28:05 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 2, 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 28:05 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully. 

Because justice is part of God’s character, a person who follows God treats others justly.  The beginning of justice is concern for what is happening to others.  A Christian cannot be indifferent to human suffering because God isn’t.  And we certainly must not contribute to human suffering through selfish business practices or unfair government policies.  Be sure you are more concerned for justice than merely your own interests.  You can’t claim to follow God and ignore your neighbor.

Proverbs 25:28 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 25, 2012 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 25:28 – Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Even though city walls restricted the inhabitants’ movements, people were happy to have them.  Without walls, they would have been vulnerable to attack by any passing group of marauders.  Self-control limits us, to be sure, but it is necessary.  An out of control life is open to all sorts of enemy attack.  Think of self-control as a wall for defense and protection.

Your success depends on ruling your spirit. Great men rule their spirits. They resist temptations to react or overreact. They restrain their emotions and manage them for good.

How safe are you from trouble? If you do not rule your spirit, you are vulnerable to say or do things that could cost you dearly. You may already be damaged by such actions.

Your spirit is your inner self, which controls your actions. When you do not rule your spirit, you are exposed and vulnerable to all sorts of folly and trouble. Like a defenseless city without walls in former times of marauding armies, so is the man who does not rule his own spirit and diligently keep it in the way of virtue, truth, and wisdom.

Your spirit includes your affections, appetites, and passions. A wise and noble man rules his spirit by his conscience and mind. He locks it down with chains of self-denial to keep ambition, anger, lust, pride, or revenge from breaking forth. He guides it by a mental commitment to hold fast honor, humility, righteousness, and virtue. He rules his thoughts, his desires, his inclinations, his resentments, and keeps them all in disciplined order.

A fool lets his spirit control his actions. He does not resist impulses from his spirit; he lets his spirit direct him; he forfeits the fight for character and godliness. He cannot do what he should; he cannot stop doing what he should not. Such men are often angry, generally foolish, often depressed, or always procrastinating, among other faults and sins. They never grow up, for they are controlled by childish passions of a depraved heart.

In Solomon’s time, a city depended on strong fortifications and gates, with great walls surrounding it, to repel incursions by ravaging bands of guerillas or foreign armies. If the bulwarks, gates, or towers were broken down and the walls taken away, a city was totally exposed to the incursions of any enemy that wished to plunder, pillage, or conquer it. If a city did not invest sufficiently in these means of protection, it could easily be captured.

A man without rule of his spirit is exposed and vulnerable like a defenseless city. His spirit is ready to sin with very little provocation, and he cannot marshal its power for any real good. He is helplessly, hopelessly, perpetually at the mercy of his enemies – foolishness, lust, and sin – which show no quarter, but regularly ravage his life. But the man who rules his spirit is greater than a man taking a city single-handedly (Pr 16:32).

Dear reader, what tempts your spirit? Are you quick to anger, a sure mark of a fool? Must you talk incessantly, another mark of a fool? Regarding money, are you an impulsive spender? Or a hoarding miser? Do you justify imprudent haste as optimism? Or do you call melancholy funks self-reflection? Which spirit do you have? Do you rule it? To the bulwarks! Raise the towers! Close the gates! Build the walls! Rule your spirit!

Do you talk too much? Or are you depressed and silent? Do you make financial choices impulsively? Do you criticize everyone? Do you jest and joke often? Does complaining come easily? Do you eat more than you should? Do you fail to read and pray daily? Do you let being discouraged destroy you? Does fear keep you from your duties?

Do you disrespect authority, especially civil rulers? Are you known for withdrawing and avoiding your family or friends? Do you forgive easily, or is it hard? Can you stop being an overbearing mother by making suggestions for everything your married child does? Do you mock rich men, because you think you know more than them (Eccl 10:20)?

Your life will be plundered and wasted, unless you take control and raise a defense. You will never amount to much. You will be a castaway, for an unruly spirit does not produce good things for God or man. You will plunge into sins of commission and omission. To the bulwarks! Raise the towers! Close the gates! Build the walls! Rule your spirit!

The greatest battle you will ever fight is the one against your own spirit. Your worst enemy is the depraved and selfish man inside you. It causes the most damage and keeps you from success in life. The most shameful loss is to live and die the victim of your own unruly spirit. And the most noble and rewarding victory is the one over your own spirit.

King Saul did not rule his jealous spirit, which even tried to kill his own son (I Sam 20:27-34). David did not bridle his lustful spirit, which boldly led him to adultery and murder (II Sam 11:1-27). And Samson, the strongest man ever, was helpless before his unruled passion for beautiful Delilah (Judges 16:4-21). Dear reader, do not let these heinous crimes make you confident in your life, for many lesser sins can also ruin a life.

Identify your spirit weaknesses – every man has them. What sins tempt you most? What causes you to fall quickest into folly? Confess your faults to the Lord. Confess to your family or friends. Ask them to tell you when they see a breach in a wall. Take charge of your spirit, and crush whatever folly it seeks, and do whatever wisdom it avoids. Now!

At the first sign of a bulwark or tower crumbling, pray for the mighty strength of your Prince Jesus. Do not trust your own strength; you need His. You cannot relax, for it will take control unless you rule it. By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ you can rule it. Why wait one minute longer? Go to Him now! Raise the walls of a well-ruled and holy city!

Teach your children self-discipline, called temperance in the Bible. This will do them more good before God and men than academic training. This will make them as great as a man singlehandedly taking a city (Pr 16:32). You can start when they are very young by slowly denying them small things they want. The present world sees no need for it, since they believe in instant gratification with food, purchases, sex, speech, anger, sleep, etc.

Jesus Christ ruled His spirit and submitted to God’s will, in spite of being very amazed and intimidated by His coming crucifixion (Mark 14:33). Though tempted by the devil at various times, He never considered the devil’s suggestions (Matt 4:1-11). But not only that, He will provide grace and strength for those who ask (II Cor 12:9-10; Phil 4:13).

Spiritual Training 25 December 2012

Posted: December 25, 2012 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Isaiah, Personal Growth, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

Lets Bring it Home: Merry Christmas

 

Proverbs 24:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 24, 2012 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 24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

 You think outside the box? Make sure it is not the box of the government God picked for you! God chose your government and each person in its offices. He will change it when it pleases Him, but you do not have the ability, duty, or right to even consider it (Dan 2:21).

 The most valuable proverbs for you are the ones you compromise or violate. It is human nature to love the proverbs that condemn others, especially your competitors or enemies. But real wisdom, had only by a few rare men, loves the proverbs that hit nerves and point up a problem with you. Are you humble enough and wise enough to fully trust God here?

God commands you to honor and obey civil rulers. This includes presidents, governors, mayors, sheriffs, clerks, and all public offices. God ordained these offices and chose the persons in them, so He connects your reverence of them with your reverence of Him! Here is basic wisdom for the glory of God and the peace of nations.

He further commands you to avoid those with revolutionary rhetoric, ideas, or plans. They are guilty of sedition and treason against men and rebellion against God, and they deserve damnation (Rom 13:1-2). As you do not want a spouse, children, or employees fomenting rebellion against you, it is your duty to set the same standard for civil rulers.

If you want a peaceful, prosperous, God-blessed life, submit to this proverb and its strict wisdom. God hates free thinkers and talkers, and those who read them or listen to them. He says, “Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities” (II Pet 2:10). You have opened God’s word for wisdom. Here it is. Take it, and prosper!

Are there times when we should not submit to the government?  We should never allow government to force us to disobey God.  Jesus and his apostles never disobeyed the government for personal reason; when they disobeyed, it was in order to follow their higher loyalty to God.  Their disobedience was not cheap: they were threatened, beaten, thrown into jail, tortured, or executed for their convictions.  Like them, if we are compelled to disobey, we must be ready to accept the consequences.

Willingly or unwittingly, people in authority are God’s servants.  They are allowed their positions in order to do good.  When authorities are unjust, however, upright people are afraid.  When authorities are just, people who are doing right have nothing to fear.  This provides our principal motivation to pray for our leaders, Praying for those in authority over us will also mean that we will watch them closely.  If we pray diligently for our leaders, we will be functioning as God’s sentinels.

You should follow the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, though being the King of kings, submitted to Caesar’s de facto government’s taxing authority over Israel and avoided all unnecessary political offence (Matt 17:24-27; 22:15-22). Later, exercising His sovereign rule of the world, He ended the nation of Israel in 70 A.D. and the Roman Empire in 476. He rules heaven and earth with a rod of iron, and no earthly ruler causes Him any grief.

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