Posts Tagged ‘religion’

Proverbs 23:13-14 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 23, 2012 in Acceptance, Battle of the Mind, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 23, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 23:13,14 – Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death. 

The stern tone of discipline here is offset by the affection expressed in verse 15.  However, many parents are reluctant to discipline their children at all.  Some fear they will forfeit their relationship, that their children will resent them, or that they will stifle their children’s development.  But correction won’t kill children, and it may prevent them from foolish moves that will.

Spiritual Training 23 July 2012

Posted: July 23, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command 

Judges 11:1-2 Jephthah the Giledite was a mighty warrior.  His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.  Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”

Jephthah, an illegitimate son of Gilead, was chased out of the country by his half brothers.  He suffered as a result of another’s decision and not for any wrong he had done.  Yet in spite of his brother’s rejection, God used him.  If you are suffering from unfair rejection, don’t blame others and become discouraged.  Remember how God used Jephthah despite his unjust circumstances, and realize that he is able to use you even if you feel rejected by some.

Proverbs 29:09 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 20:09 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

No one is without sin.  As soon as we confess our sin and repent, sinful thoughts and actions begin to creep back into our lives.  We all need ongoing cleansing, moment by moment.  Thank God he provides forgiveness by his mercy when we ask for it.  Make confession and repentance a regular part of your talks with God.  Rely on him moment by moment for the cleansing you need.

Spiritual Training 20 July 2012

Posted: July 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Book of Judges 

Judges 10:10-16 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”  The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands?  But you have forsaken me and served other gods, did I not save you from their hands?  But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will not longer save you.  Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen.  Let them save you when you are in trouble!”  But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned.  Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD.  And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer. 

These verses show how difficult it can be to follow God over the long haul.  The Israelites always seemed to forget God when all was well.  But despite being rejected by his own people, God never failed to rescue them when they called out to him in repentance.

Lets bring it home: God never fails to rescue us either.  We act just like the Israelites when we put God outside our daily events instead of at the center of them.  Just as a loving parent feels rejected when a child rebels, so God feels great rejection when we ignore or neglect him.  We should strive to stay close to God rather then see how far we can go before judgment comes.

Proverbs 19:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 19, 2012 in Acceptance, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, better than life, Bible Study, Book of Matthew, business pratices, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 20, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise. 

Are you wiser today than last year? Than ten years ago? These are important questions to answer. How wise will you be later in life? A godly person will greatly desire to grow in wisdom. And the way to increase wisdom is easy – you need to hear the counsel of wise people and accept their teaching. You need to appreciate and apply instruction from others.

Today is your opportunity to change your latter end. Will you be an older wise man or women, sought by family and others for wise advice? Or will you be an old fool, more a burden than a blessing? What you do today determines what you are tomorrow! You are not too young, and you are not too old. Consider your latter end, and receive instruction today!

Spiritual Training 19 July 2012

Posted: July 19, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jephithah

Judges 10:6-9 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD.  They served the Baal and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines.  And because the Israelites forsook the LORD and on longer served him, he became angry with them.  He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shatter and crushed them.  For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.  The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was in great distress.  Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.” 

Once again the Israelites suffered for many years before they gave up their sinful ways and called out to God for help.  Notice that when the Israelites were at the end of their rope they did not look to their pagan gods for help, but to the only One was really able to help.

Lets bring it home: In your last resort? So much unnecessary suffering takes place because we don’t call on God until we’ve used up all other resources.  Rather than waiting until the situation becomes desperate, turn to God first.  He has the necessary resources to meet every kind of problem.

Spiritual Training 18 July 2012

Posted: July 18, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Tola and Puah

Judges 10:1-5 After the time of Abimelech and man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel.  He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.  He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died and was buried in Shamir. 
     He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years.  He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys.  They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havoth Jair.  When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon. 

In five verses we read about two men who judged Israel for a total of 45 years, yet all we know about them besides the length of their rules is that one had 30 sons who rode around on 30 donkeys.

Lets Bring it Home: What are we doing for God that is worth nothing?  When your life is over, will people remember more than just what was in your bank account or the number of years you lived.

Proverbs 18:24 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 18, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Friends and Acquaintances

Proverbs 18.24 – A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Loneliness is everywhere-many people feel cut off and alienated from others.  Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation.  We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care and offer help when it is needed-in good times and bad.  It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances.  Instead of wishing you could find a true friend, seek to become one.  There are people who need your friendship.  Ask God to reveal them to you, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend.

 

Proverbs 17:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 17:03 -The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD test the heart. 

It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver.  Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified.   Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out any thing that gets in the way of complete trust in him.  Peter says, “These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” So when tough times come your way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

Spiritual Training 17 July 2012

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Abimelech

People who desire power always outnumber those who are able to use power wisely once they have it.  Perhaps this is because power has a way of taking over controlling the person using it.  This is especially true in cases of inherited but unmerited power.  Abimelech’s life shows us what happens when hunger for power corrupts judgment.

Abimelech’s position in Gideon’s family as the son of a concubine must have created great tension between him and Gideon’s many other sons.  One against 70: such odds can either crush a person or make him ruthless; it is obvious which direction Abimelech chose.  Gideon’s position as warrior and judge had placed Abimelech in an environment of power Gideon’s death provided an opportunity for this son to seize power.  Once the process began, the disastrous results were inevitable.  A person’s thirst for power is not satisfied when he gets power-it only becomes more intense.  Abimelech’s life was consumed by the thirst.   Eventually, he could not tolerate any threat to his power.

But this time, ownership had change: Abimelech no longer had power-power had him.  One lesson we can learn form his life is that our goals control our actions.  The amount of control is related to the importance of the goal.  Abimelech’s most important goal was to have power.  His lust for power led him to wipe out not only his brothers, but also whole cities that refused to submit to him.  Nothing but death could stop his bloodthirsty drive to conquer.  How ironic that he was fatally injured by a woman with a farm implement! The contrast between Abimelech and the great people of the Bible is great.  He wanted to control the nation; they were willing to be controlled by God.

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