Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
We must WATCH daily at the gates of INSTRUCTION.
We must WAIT at the posts of INSTRUCTION'S doors.
When we find INSTRUCTION we find life, and favor of the LORD.
When we sin against INSTRUCTION we wrong ourselves.
If we hate INSTRUCTION we love death.
It is WISE to hear instruction.
It is WISE not to refuse instruction.
It is WISE to watch and wait for instruction.
WISDOM tells us through instruction we find life and favor of the LORD.
WISDOM tells us that if we sin against instruction we are wronging ourselves.
WISDOM says all that hate instruction - love death.
We are to-
Watch daily at the gates of WISDOM.
Wait at the posts of WISDOM'S doors.
Find WISDOM- finding life, and favor of the LORD.
We are told-
He that sins against WISDOM wrongs himself.
All that hate WISDOM love death.
Definition of Wisdom-- the right use or exercise of knowledge. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
Definition of Instruction-- a. Imparted knowledge. b. An imparted or acquired item of knowledge; a lesson.
If we do not want knowledge we want death.
It's true.
The Lord is forever teaching us through His word, through life around us, through the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was going about His 3 year ministry He spent the majority of that time imparting knowledge. He even told us that after He was gone He would send another to continue to teach us.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Teach you all things.
What happens when we stop hearing instruction? We stop allowing ourselves to be taught. It is only through INSTRUCTION that we learn. Whether that instruction comes from another person, a book, a video, a movie, whatever the source of instruction- we are being given knowledge - we are being taught. When we STOP wanting to be taught we are choosing to refuse instruction, and if we refuse instruction we wrong ourselves, we are choosing death eternal over life eternal.
DAILY we must learn.
DAILY we must wait and watch for wisdom, for the instruction, for the teaching the LORD will give to us. Throughout life we learn and it's a shame that through a lot of formalized education the children are taught NOT to enjoy learning, to NOT want to be instructed. The Devil has insinuated himself well into the world and when he destroys the desire for instruction, for learning, for obtaining knowledge- he destroys a source of life because when we hate wisdom- when we hate knowledge - we love death. Without the knowledge, the wisdom, the instruction in the Salvation of our Savior we cannot be saved. Having destroyed the love of learning, the Devil destroys knowledge of salvation.
In all we do, we must never cease to learn, never cease to love and desire instruction, never stop desiring wisdom as God would have us possess. As we go about our lives even those who teach must constantly learn, never believing their knowledge is complete. In all we do we are to point to salvation. If we are called to any one profession in life- our love of Jesus and the salvation He offers must be paramount. By the grace of God we will be able to do as He bids us do, and may we never take glory to ourselves, never presuming to know it all. What we learn we are to share, knowing that it's not in our power to give people a love of instruction, that love they must obtain on their own- by God's merciful grace. As Jesus made His teachings available to all that would and will listen, we who want to reveal that amazing love of God's Son must make the knowledge available. Jesus never forced understanding on someone, never. His condemnation fell upon the wicked, the unrepentant as only HE has the discernment to know. Jesus lamented over the hard hearted refusing unbelievers-
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
By the grace of our Savior may we forever seek knowledge of Him, loving the wisdom He longs to give to us, hearing instruction- refusing it not.
Amen
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Hear Instruction
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
All glory to God.
All through my recent respiratory infection (of which I'm still recovering from - praise God) I lamented the fact I couldn't do this study. I barely feel up to it now, my arms are weak and shaking, my neck hurts and I just want to go back into bed and lie down. Truth be told this won't be a long study for those reasons. I know I'm healing, praise God, but it's gonna take a little more time until I'm back to *normal*.
These are the verses that have been being impressed upon me during my illness.
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
If we hate instruction- we love death.
We can't refuse instruction and expect life.
Until the day we die, or until our Lord and Savior returns for us, we must HEAR instruction. We must be willing to be instructed constantly, learning without ceasing. And in learning we must apply the truths we learn.
Instruction isn't always easy- some instruction we receive we want to refute, we want to ignore, we don't like it because it's contrary to our flesh nature which desires predominance.
We must not refuse to be instructed by God on how we are to live our lives.
By His grace may we constantly be instructed, willing to receive the instruction, willing to embrace it.
In His love.
Amen.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
All glory to God.
All through my recent respiratory infection (of which I'm still recovering from - praise God) I lamented the fact I couldn't do this study. I barely feel up to it now, my arms are weak and shaking, my neck hurts and I just want to go back into bed and lie down. Truth be told this won't be a long study for those reasons. I know I'm healing, praise God, but it's gonna take a little more time until I'm back to *normal*.
These are the verses that have been being impressed upon me during my illness.
Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
If we hate instruction- we love death.
We can't refuse instruction and expect life.
Until the day we die, or until our Lord and Savior returns for us, we must HEAR instruction. We must be willing to be instructed constantly, learning without ceasing. And in learning we must apply the truths we learn.
Instruction isn't always easy- some instruction we receive we want to refute, we want to ignore, we don't like it because it's contrary to our flesh nature which desires predominance.
We must not refuse to be instructed by God on how we are to live our lives.
By His grace may we constantly be instructed, willing to receive the instruction, willing to embrace it.
In His love.
Amen.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Proverbs 8:34-36
Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
God willing I'll be more recovered from this flu to actually study better.
By His grace and mercy.
In His love!
.
Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
God willing I'll be more recovered from this flu to actually study better.
By His grace and mercy.
In His love!
.
Friday, February 4, 2011
They profess they know God, but...
Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
They profess they KNOW God- but in works they deny Him.
Just this past week the President of the United States addressed a prayer breakfast- at this prayer breakfast he gave a speech and oh, how he professed to know God. Now I cannot judge this man's eternal life, I can judge no man's eternal life, but I can judge right from wrong, I can judge actions of people and His actions- his works- deny God. This man advocates abortion staunchly. There is NOTHING godly about murdering the unborn, nothing godly about promoting death of the innocent, the helpless. Talking a 'good game' does so very little in the grand scheme of things. There are MANY people we come to find out- TALK about knowing God- but their works end up revealing the truth, they really deny God. When actions deny God all the talk in the world means little.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men
Draw near with their mouth and their lips honor God, but they've removed their heart far from Him. Does God want lip service? No. God wants heart service.
Eze 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
They hear, but will not do. Their mouths show MUCH love, but their hearts go after covetousness. Oh how our mouths can profess to love God, but is our heart professing that same love of God? Or do our hearts profess SELF - LOVE above all? What does your heart profess?!
Rom 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
Rom 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
Rom 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Teaching others- do you not teach yourself?
Preaching do not steal- do you steal?
Saying not to commit adultery- do you commit adultery?
Abhorring idols- do you worship them?
Boasting of the law even while you break it- DISHONORING GOD!
Our tongues are wicked members- so very wicked.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
The tongue professes God; that evil, wicked, poisonous little member boasts, it defiles, it speaks wonderful soothing words all the while the heart is pure evil. By the words spoken there isn't a clue as to the wickedness inside. Not many boast of their evil ways- many go to great lengths to hide their evil. The deception people practice is unbelievable. We live in a world with many great boasters, with many loud people professing their knowledge of God, with a multitude of silver-tongued people speaking of God and yet inside they are heartless, inside they are hollow, inside they are pure lovers of self without any love of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
May God help us not to deceive ourselves!
May our profession of the knowledge of God be filled with the works of God in us.
By Your grace my Savior, by Your grace.
Amen.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
They profess they KNOW God- but in works they deny Him.
Just this past week the President of the United States addressed a prayer breakfast- at this prayer breakfast he gave a speech and oh, how he professed to know God. Now I cannot judge this man's eternal life, I can judge no man's eternal life, but I can judge right from wrong, I can judge actions of people and His actions- his works- deny God. This man advocates abortion staunchly. There is NOTHING godly about murdering the unborn, nothing godly about promoting death of the innocent, the helpless. Talking a 'good game' does so very little in the grand scheme of things. There are MANY people we come to find out- TALK about knowing God- but their works end up revealing the truth, they really deny God. When actions deny God all the talk in the world means little.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men
Draw near with their mouth and their lips honor God, but they've removed their heart far from Him. Does God want lip service? No. God wants heart service.
Eze 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
They hear, but will not do. Their mouths show MUCH love, but their hearts go after covetousness. Oh how our mouths can profess to love God, but is our heart professing that same love of God? Or do our hearts profess SELF - LOVE above all? What does your heart profess?!
Rom 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
Rom 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
Rom 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Teaching others- do you not teach yourself?
Preaching do not steal- do you steal?
Saying not to commit adultery- do you commit adultery?
Abhorring idols- do you worship them?
Boasting of the law even while you break it- DISHONORING GOD!
Our tongues are wicked members- so very wicked.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
The tongue professes God; that evil, wicked, poisonous little member boasts, it defiles, it speaks wonderful soothing words all the while the heart is pure evil. By the words spoken there isn't a clue as to the wickedness inside. Not many boast of their evil ways- many go to great lengths to hide their evil. The deception people practice is unbelievable. We live in a world with many great boasters, with many loud people professing their knowledge of God, with a multitude of silver-tongued people speaking of God and yet inside they are heartless, inside they are hollow, inside they are pure lovers of self without any love of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
May God help us not to deceive ourselves!
May our profession of the knowledge of God be filled with the works of God in us.
By Your grace my Savior, by Your grace.
Amen.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Sound Doctrine
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Holding fast of the faithful word.
The faithful word is the word spoken to us by God.
The faithful word is every word that came from Jesus.
Sound doctrine is the doctrines of our God, our Savior.
Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine-
The doctrine of Jesus (Matthew 5:3-7:27) People were astonished at the doctrine of Jesus. People were being TAUGHT by Jesus. The disciples were being taught by Jesus- the message they would carry with them always. Do we study it enough? Do we study the doctrine of our Savior enough? Do we know the doctrine of our Savior so that we can exhort and convince the gainsayers- those that would contradict the word of God, those that would deny the word of God?
The message of salvation is paramount in all the teachings of our Savior- yet our Lord had so much more to say and at the end of His long discourse He said this…
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
If we hear and do we will be wise.
If we hear and do not do we will be foolish.
People complain all the time that they don't know how God would have them live and yet we are given this counsel from the Lord Himself. The sound doctrine of Jesus is the sound doctrine we are to have. It's not OUR word, it is not OUR doctrines that can do anything at all- it is the doctrine of our Lord and Savior.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The apostle' doctrine was the doctrine Jesus gave to them.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
How true is this. People don't want to endure sound doctrine- people want to go after their own lusts.
Sound doctrine.
Jesus alone gives us sound doctrine. We don't have apostles today going about preaching the Lord's sound doctrine. We do have the words of our Savior that we can study for ourselves. The apostles wrote down the words they were given. The sound doctrine of Christ was written for our learning. We can't expect to understand or to accept sound doctrine if we don't learn it. Not just read, but learn it. Not just those that HEAR but those that HEAR AND DO the words of Christ will be wise.
We need to study the sound doctrines and make them a part of our lives.
We need Christ in our lives, we need to live as Christ would have us live in Him.
There is no guess work involved here- there is TRUTH.
People don't want to endure TRUTH, it doesn't satisfy their own desires.
We can follow all the unsound doctrine we like and it will allow us to satisfy our lusts, but following the sound doctrine of our Savior will war against our natural desires. One will give us life eternal the other death eternal-- we choose.
May God help us to follow only SOUND doctrine, Christ's doctrine, by His grace.
Holding fast of the faithful word.
The faithful word is the word spoken to us by God.
The faithful word is every word that came from Jesus.
Sound doctrine is the doctrines of our God, our Savior.
Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine-
The doctrine of Jesus (Matthew 5:3-7:27) People were astonished at the doctrine of Jesus. People were being TAUGHT by Jesus. The disciples were being taught by Jesus- the message they would carry with them always. Do we study it enough? Do we study the doctrine of our Savior enough? Do we know the doctrine of our Savior so that we can exhort and convince the gainsayers- those that would contradict the word of God, those that would deny the word of God?
The message of salvation is paramount in all the teachings of our Savior- yet our Lord had so much more to say and at the end of His long discourse He said this…
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
If we hear and do we will be wise.
If we hear and do not do we will be foolish.
People complain all the time that they don't know how God would have them live and yet we are given this counsel from the Lord Himself. The sound doctrine of Jesus is the sound doctrine we are to have. It's not OUR word, it is not OUR doctrines that can do anything at all- it is the doctrine of our Lord and Savior.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The apostle' doctrine was the doctrine Jesus gave to them.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
How true is this. People don't want to endure sound doctrine- people want to go after their own lusts.
Sound doctrine.
Jesus alone gives us sound doctrine. We don't have apostles today going about preaching the Lord's sound doctrine. We do have the words of our Savior that we can study for ourselves. The apostles wrote down the words they were given. The sound doctrine of Christ was written for our learning. We can't expect to understand or to accept sound doctrine if we don't learn it. Not just read, but learn it. Not just those that HEAR but those that HEAR AND DO the words of Christ will be wise.
We need to study the sound doctrines and make them a part of our lives.
We need Christ in our lives, we need to live as Christ would have us live in Him.
There is no guess work involved here- there is TRUTH.
People don't want to endure TRUTH, it doesn't satisfy their own desires.
We can follow all the unsound doctrine we like and it will allow us to satisfy our lusts, but following the sound doctrine of our Savior will war against our natural desires. One will give us life eternal the other death eternal-- we choose.
May God help us to follow only SOUND doctrine, Christ's doctrine, by His grace.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
That I May ProveThem
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
The Lord wanted to PROVE the children of Israel that He'd just delivered from slavery in Egypt. Would they walk in his law or no? Would they listen to God or not? What was the test?
Manna.
The people needed food, God would provide food but there was a catch. God would place conditions on this food. The people were NOT to store the food from heaven over night, there were to be NO leftovers allowed. Not all people listened though, some did try to keep leftovers and this happened when they did…
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
The leftovers were covered in worms and stank.
Praise God it was only SOME of them and not all, because if all of them hadn't listened, well who knows what might have happened.
God would feed His people but they had to obey Him if they wanted food from Him - it was that simple. This food would not keep overnight. You were to take ONLY that which you could eat that day and no more.
But that wasn't all--
God had laws and He wanted His people to have these laws, these commandments, and God wanted to know whether or not the people were going to obey Him.
God told the people through Moses to gather TWICE as much on the sixth day.
Why?
Because God had a law, God had a commandment that was first instituted in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, a commandment the people had not been at liberty to keep as slaves. That law, that commandment was to REST on the SEVENTH DAY.
GOD who needs no rest created a REST DAY for man. God created a day for man to remember HIM- their Creator. This day was so important that God conditioned the food He would give people upon it. Is there any better reminder than to condition food- life's sustenance upon- upon this command of God's?
We eat daily. We were created to eat daily. God provided food for every single day- but not ON every single day.
On ONE special day God would double the allotment of food, why? So people would have food on a day God only wanted them to rest upon and NOT go out to gather the food.
God wanted to PROVE the people to know whether or not they would obey Him. If they would obey him in this then there was a chance they'd obey Him completely- He who only had their best interest at heart, He who loved them, created them and would redeem them.
Why do we believe that God no longer proves His people?
Why do we believe it was a one time thing?
Why do we believe that God no longer cares what we do?
Why do we believe God's laws no longer matter?
Why do we believe that God Son decided that God's law were no longer any good?
We want to believe that we can do ANYTHING, that we can live ANY way we choose, that we don't have to follow ANY laws, ANY commandments. We are in essence believing God created His holy laws for no reason, it was a meaningless act He could do away with on a whim.
Every one of His commandments is still in effect today and that's the truth.
We are still being proved.
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Could it be possible that God offers us salvation through Christ daily- the Bread of Life- and He does so to prove us? On the Sabbath Day we have that which we have gathered double on the preparation day. EVERY DAY the food is available the distinction being made that on one of those days the BREAD from HEAVEN will already have been gathered for that day, the time spent gathering the food would now be spent solely upon God. As we go from day to day studying and praying, seeking to know more of our Savior and to live for Him as He would have us live- on that seventh day we are to set aside ALL the ordinary distractions that we can so we can devote that day to a deeper study, a deeper prayer.
We are proved by God whether we will walk in His law or not.
By the grace of God we will, because it is only by the grace of God that we can.
God hasn't changed.
God's desire for a people that love Him as He loves them remains the same.
By His grace.
Amen.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
The Lord wanted to PROVE the children of Israel that He'd just delivered from slavery in Egypt. Would they walk in his law or no? Would they listen to God or not? What was the test?
Manna.
The people needed food, God would provide food but there was a catch. God would place conditions on this food. The people were NOT to store the food from heaven over night, there were to be NO leftovers allowed. Not all people listened though, some did try to keep leftovers and this happened when they did…
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
The leftovers were covered in worms and stank.
Praise God it was only SOME of them and not all, because if all of them hadn't listened, well who knows what might have happened.
God would feed His people but they had to obey Him if they wanted food from Him - it was that simple. This food would not keep overnight. You were to take ONLY that which you could eat that day and no more.
But that wasn't all--
God had laws and He wanted His people to have these laws, these commandments, and God wanted to know whether or not the people were going to obey Him.
God told the people through Moses to gather TWICE as much on the sixth day.
Why?
Because God had a law, God had a commandment that was first instituted in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, a commandment the people had not been at liberty to keep as slaves. That law, that commandment was to REST on the SEVENTH DAY.
GOD who needs no rest created a REST DAY for man. God created a day for man to remember HIM- their Creator. This day was so important that God conditioned the food He would give people upon it. Is there any better reminder than to condition food- life's sustenance upon- upon this command of God's?
We eat daily. We were created to eat daily. God provided food for every single day- but not ON every single day.
On ONE special day God would double the allotment of food, why? So people would have food on a day God only wanted them to rest upon and NOT go out to gather the food.
God wanted to PROVE the people to know whether or not they would obey Him. If they would obey him in this then there was a chance they'd obey Him completely- He who only had their best interest at heart, He who loved them, created them and would redeem them.
Why do we believe that God no longer proves His people?
Why do we believe it was a one time thing?
Why do we believe that God no longer cares what we do?
Why do we believe God's laws no longer matter?
Why do we believe that God Son decided that God's law were no longer any good?
We want to believe that we can do ANYTHING, that we can live ANY way we choose, that we don't have to follow ANY laws, ANY commandments. We are in essence believing God created His holy laws for no reason, it was a meaningless act He could do away with on a whim.
Every one of His commandments is still in effect today and that's the truth.
We are still being proved.
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Could it be possible that God offers us salvation through Christ daily- the Bread of Life- and He does so to prove us? On the Sabbath Day we have that which we have gathered double on the preparation day. EVERY DAY the food is available the distinction being made that on one of those days the BREAD from HEAVEN will already have been gathered for that day, the time spent gathering the food would now be spent solely upon God. As we go from day to day studying and praying, seeking to know more of our Savior and to live for Him as He would have us live- on that seventh day we are to set aside ALL the ordinary distractions that we can so we can devote that day to a deeper study, a deeper prayer.
We are proved by God whether we will walk in His law or not.
By the grace of God we will, because it is only by the grace of God that we can.
God hasn't changed.
God's desire for a people that love Him as He loves them remains the same.
By His grace.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Christ's Goodness
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
When we communicate our faith it's not always effective is it? We hope for it to be effective in bringing knowledge of the Lord's love, His message of salvation to others, but we can't always know that it is.
Here Paul is exhorting believers- fellow soldiers in Christ- telling them that he hopes the sharing of their faith is effective BY acknowledging all that is good in them through Christ Jesus. Our 'goodness' is not OUR goodness, but Christ's. Any good that comes from us comes from Christ.
When we share our faith with others it's not about US doing good, but about Christ doing good through us. We are not faith sharers because of our own volition to be faith sharers. All glory must go to Christ who awakes in us the desire to communicate His love with others and gives us the means to do so.
Too many today are asleep to the workings of the Holy Spirit, not understanding that we are given the Holy Spirit's guidance when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit gives us all we need and it is from the Holy Spirit that we are able to communicate to others effectively.
IF we have any goodness in us, it is from our Savior. We have not manufactured the goodness, we have not created the good things in us. Of ourselves we are NOT innately good. Sure, you might know a person who is a Pagan, openly worshipping nature and not God; you might know a Moslem person who openly believes that Jesus Christ was NOT God's Son and Salvation is NOT found in Him- these people might be the friendliest, the nicest people you could ever meet and yet you know from what the Bible tells you that these people are not saved because they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior- and adamantly so. The same goes for atheist and even professed witches- of the religion Wiccan, they too might be the sweetest, kindest people you know- above many professed Christians. Where does their goodness come from? We know that even Satan can appear to people as an angel of light.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
The Bible also tells us this-- speaking of Satan--
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Satan's ministers- transformed as the minister of righteousness.
There is deception all around us even in GOOD things. Our goodness must be Christ's goodness- no goodness of our own, no goodness we falsely believe comes from within ourselves. All goodness we can communicate to others must be Christ's, we can take no glory to ourselves, to do so is to believe falsely that somehow we have the power to make ourselves good and if we have that power we have no need of Christ's power to work in us, transforming us by His grace and mercy into the beings He would have us become.
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Acknowledging every good this in us- IN CHRIST JESUS.
We don't want to boast to ourselves, to anything good we might think we have, let's give all glory and honor to our Savior that anything that is a good thing in us IS in us from our Savior, through HIS love!
All glory to God!!!
Amen.
When we communicate our faith it's not always effective is it? We hope for it to be effective in bringing knowledge of the Lord's love, His message of salvation to others, but we can't always know that it is.
Here Paul is exhorting believers- fellow soldiers in Christ- telling them that he hopes the sharing of their faith is effective BY acknowledging all that is good in them through Christ Jesus. Our 'goodness' is not OUR goodness, but Christ's. Any good that comes from us comes from Christ.
When we share our faith with others it's not about US doing good, but about Christ doing good through us. We are not faith sharers because of our own volition to be faith sharers. All glory must go to Christ who awakes in us the desire to communicate His love with others and gives us the means to do so.
Too many today are asleep to the workings of the Holy Spirit, not understanding that we are given the Holy Spirit's guidance when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit gives us all we need and it is from the Holy Spirit that we are able to communicate to others effectively.
IF we have any goodness in us, it is from our Savior. We have not manufactured the goodness, we have not created the good things in us. Of ourselves we are NOT innately good. Sure, you might know a person who is a Pagan, openly worshipping nature and not God; you might know a Moslem person who openly believes that Jesus Christ was NOT God's Son and Salvation is NOT found in Him- these people might be the friendliest, the nicest people you could ever meet and yet you know from what the Bible tells you that these people are not saved because they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior- and adamantly so. The same goes for atheist and even professed witches- of the religion Wiccan, they too might be the sweetest, kindest people you know- above many professed Christians. Where does their goodness come from? We know that even Satan can appear to people as an angel of light.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
The Bible also tells us this-- speaking of Satan--
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Satan's ministers- transformed as the minister of righteousness.
There is deception all around us even in GOOD things. Our goodness must be Christ's goodness- no goodness of our own, no goodness we falsely believe comes from within ourselves. All goodness we can communicate to others must be Christ's, we can take no glory to ourselves, to do so is to believe falsely that somehow we have the power to make ourselves good and if we have that power we have no need of Christ's power to work in us, transforming us by His grace and mercy into the beings He would have us become.
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Acknowledging every good this in us- IN CHRIST JESUS.
We don't want to boast to ourselves, to anything good we might think we have, let's give all glory and honor to our Savior that anything that is a good thing in us IS in us from our Savior, through HIS love!
All glory to God!!!
Amen.
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