Devotions - Prayer
…So that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6
Christian, why would you play with sin?
- Has it not cost you enough already?
- Burnt child, will you play with the fire? What! When you have already been between the jaws of the lion, will you step a second time into his den?
- Have you not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all your veins once, and will you play at the cobra’s den and put your hand in the dragon’s lair a second time?
- Did sin ever yield you real pleasure? Did you find solid satisfaction in it?
- If so, go back to your old drudgery, and wear the chain again, if it delights you. But inasmuch as sin never gave you what it promised to bestow but deluded you with lies, do not be snared by the old fowler: Be free, and let the memory of your enslavement prevent you from entering the net again!
It is contrary to the designs of eternal love, which are all focused on your purity and holiness; therefore do not run counter to the purposes of your Lord. 1 Thess. 4:4-5
Another thought should restrain you from sin. Christians can never sin cheaply; they pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind, obscures fellowship with Jesus, hinders prayer, brings darkness over the soul; therefore do not be the serf and slave of sin.
There is still a higher argument: Each time you serve sin you are “crucifying once again the Son of God . . . and holding him up to contempt.”(hebrews 6:6)
Can you bear that thought? If you have fallen into any special sin during this day, it may be that your Master has sent this admonition this day to bring you back before you have wandered very far.
Turn to Jesus afresh. He has not forgotten His love for you; His grace is still the same. With weeping and repentance, come to His footstool, and you shall be reunited in His love; you will be set upon a rock again, and your goings shall be established. Because Jesus Loves You-He made You to bring Him Glory and in return we will have PEACE! Amen
Read 1 Thess. 5:16-19 and see God’s will for you!
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I wonder what those ten men, those ten grown sons of Jacob, talked about during that journey from Canaan to Egypt. I have an idea that it might have been the same things we would have talked about had we been in their sandals. I also believe these men were beginning to be broken. Perhaps they spoke of how much they missed their brother, Joseph. With Benjamin now among them, maybe they felt this was a good time to express their sorrow over their past actions and, together, sincerely request God’s power and protection.
I so want to believe that God was starting to melt their hearts before Him! In fact, that’s the beauty of this story as it progresses. We’re led to wonder what exactly they were thinking.
We so desperately want to cut to the chase to see the happy ending, but we must wait. Because there’s always something to learn along the way.
When we’re on our journey from Canaan to Egypt:
- We tend to be negative rather than positive.
- We tend to view life horizontally rather than vertically. We tend to be resistant rather than open to that which is new and unexpected.
- We need some course-correction techniques to break those habits!
Three techniques that will help:
- Recognize and admit your negative mentality. So much of the cure is in the confession. Immediate correction begins with honest admission.
- Force a vertical focus until it begins to flow freely. I have never seen a habit just lie down, surrender, and die; we have to make a conscious effort if we hope to break longstanding habits. If you are negative today, chances are very good that when you wake up tomorrow morning you’re still going to be negative. Force a vertical focus. Look to Jesus!
- Stay open to a new idea for at least five minutes. Don’t try it for an entire day; you might panic. Just take on your day five minutes at a time. When something new, something unexpected, confronts you, don’t respond with an immediate “Nope! Never!” Wait five minutes. Hold off. Tolerate the possibility for five minutes. You will be surprised at the benefit of remaining open. Every sin starts with a lie.
I’ve not seen a habit just lie down and die. It takes conscious effort to break it. But we do fight From Victory, not For Victory. (1JN 4:4) Jesus had Victory over all at the Cross for you and I. We must Choose Him as our Lord and Savior! Amen
We must not only be “hearers” of God’s Word, but “doers” also.
When God brings someone to mind, be sure to follow through with whatever He tells you to do for that person.
“Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead…”James 2:17
Believer, Become What You Are
Romans 12:1–2, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Believer, you died and the new you is alive, and you are God’s. *The whole of our Christian life is learning to become — by God’s Spirit — what we already are in Christ.
*These verses show us how this newness in us comes to life in our everyday choices.
We need to be honest with each other in sharing our shortcomings as well as our victories.
*When we are real and transparent with others, we give them the freedom to “remove their masks” in our presence.
“It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 16:19
The key to success or failure lies in doing things at the word of Jesus.
Peter said, “at thy word I will let down the net.” God’s words always get results.
Luke 5:5, “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
Serve the Lord with gladness!
As Jesus leads and guides you today, ask Him to show you someone who needs an extra special blessing that you can fulfill.
“And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant.”Matthew 23:12
God hears our cries, and He answers our prayers so that He will receive all the glory as we grow together in His Word and journey toward living “so that” lives.
Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing the cry of my heart. Thank You for answering that cry because You are faithful to Your Word. Help me hear and obey so that You will receive all glory and honor and praise as I reach out to others in need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read MoreI have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. – John 10:16
Hearing and responding to Jesus’ voice is the key to having a two-way relationship with God.
It is the difference between having religion and a relationship.
*Can you recognize God’s voice in your life?
*Are you listening to the Shepherd’s voice?
*Do you respond when He calls?
**Ask Jesus to help you increase your ability to hear. Give more time to spending quiet moments in His presence reading His word to hear His voice. He wants to be your Good Shepherd.
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not (Mal 3:18).
When Moses led the people out of Egypt he had several crisis moments during those forty years.
His greatest crisis was when he came back from the mountain and discovered the people had made a golden calf. It was after this he came to a profound conclusion.
“Then Moses said to him, ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.’ What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex 33:15,16).
The difference between a Christian and a non-believer should be that the Christian brings the presence of God with him to work.
However, this is not always the case. A Christian can shut out the presence of God by his behavior.
*Like the Israelites who experienced great miracles in their lives but began to worship idols, we can move away from God.
Sin separates us from God.
His presence moves away from us. Moses realized, he too had to have the presence of God with him to lead such a people.
The prophet Malachi was saying a day is coming when you’ll be able to recognize a clear difference between the righteous and the unrighteous
*Ask God to fill you with His overflowing presence in all you do today.
Imagine our “feet” as representative of our “souls”. When we make wrong emotional choices, it’s like stepping into a mud puddle.
*We don’t need a full bath (to get saved again) in order to become clean, but we do need to wash our feet (recognize and repent of wrong choices.
“Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet…'”John 13:10
Thank You Jesus that You are the Way the Truth and the Life and nobody comes to the Father except through You. Help us to become more and more like You Jesus. And to do this help us to come to KNOW You more and more each day. Help us to see and create the time needed to get to KNOW You more. Amen
The “new willpower” we receive when we’re born again is the key to our Christian walk. We can now choose to either live God’s Life…or our own.
“So choose life in order that you may live…by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20
“He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do.” Hebrews 3:2 (MSG)
The author of the book of Hebrews wrote.
These believers were in danger of losing their focus on Christ as their deliverer. People had begun putting their trust in prophets, angels, and even Moses. So in Hebrews 3, the people are reminded that Jesus is the only one worthy of trust and is where our faith should be centered.
The writer of Hebrews wanted Christians to stop putting themselves, other people, or material items, at the center of their attention, and instead draw their gaze back to Jesus.
Just like the people of that time, we can quickly get distracted, become busy, and inadvertently make our obligations and celebrations the focus of our attention.
We gradually become self-centered instead of Jesus-centered.
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’“ (Mark:9:23-24).
*Unbelief in Jesus (NOT believing in Jesus) is a turning away from Jesus in order to seek satisfaction in other things.
And BELIEF in Jesus is coming to Jesus for the satisfaction of our needs and our longings.
It’s one thing to believe in Jesus. It’s another to make Him the center of our lives.
When we make that important choice and remember to focus on Him and be thankful in all things, our hearts and lives stay in balance.
This Thanksgiving (and every day), let’s praise God and commit to making Him our focal point—“our centerpiece”.
When we choose to make Jesus the emphasis of our holidays and our lives, we are blessed with the most beautiful centerpiece of all.
See Colossians 2:2-3 and 1 Thess. 5:16-19 in your Holidays.
Lord, I never intended to put You on a shelf and allow life’s distractions to alter my attention on You. Give me the spiritual desire to stay intently focused on You during this holiday and into the new year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read MoreIn everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
One of the things that made people such dynamic Christians is the fact that they chose to see life from God’s perspective.
In the worst of situations, they find new insights to praise and thank God.
The Bible tells us that we are to give thanks in everything, the good things AND the bad things. In Psalm 50:23, God says, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.”
In the hard times, thanksgiving is difficult. It is definitely a sacrifice to thank God in our troubles, but it is so very necessary.
Thanksgiving honors God, and when you and I honor God, He honors us (1 Samuel 2:30).
How is your thanksgiving factor? Are you facing tough times? Have you been griping and complaining about the things in your life that are hard, lonely and frustrating? Jesus is there:
- He knows about it,
- He is over it, and
- He cares for you.
Without question, Jesus has a purpose in every trial and tribulation.
Start today to live a life of thanksgiving. If you will do it, your attitude will change, the people around you will be blessed, and Jesus Christ will be glorified and honored.
Thank You Jesus, Help me share this joy of thanksgiving this Holiday with all I encounter. Amen
Give THANKS ALWAYS! Ecclesiastes 7:14 “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.”
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Only God’s Love can disarm the emotional bombs of generational hatred and vengeance that keep igniting all over the world.
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” Proverbs 10:12
“That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies…” Joshua 7:12
*It matters not how strong you are.
* It matters not whether you have the greatest resources and talent.
*It matters not if you have the best plans and procedures.
*It will all fail if you have a break in your armor.
This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites’ second battle in the Promised Land.
Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor.
*We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong.
Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from Satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness(moral orderliness).
*If we break down in moral purity, satan comes in and establishes a stronghold.
*If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others.
*If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception.
****It is a vicious cycle.
Examine your armor today (Ephesians 6:10-20).
Verse 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
- Watch your thoughts; they become words.
- Watch your words; they become actions.
- Watch your actions; they become habits.
- Watch your habits; they become character.
- Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
#3 from the 8 truths to master life.
I sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to do and empower me to follow through in obedience.
Result: I am released from my need to control everything.
I am “Free.”
*The reason for this is that I now trust God, Who knows all, and He has promised those who are meek, that they will inherit the earth. Faith in God has freed one from the burden of trying to push, manipulate or force, in order to get one’s way.
Read–Jeremiah 9:23,24.
Lord help me to develop the same Character you have which is found in Matthew 5:3-12. Give me discernment this day to understand the Beatitudes a lot more this week. Amen
Read Moreby Os Hillman
“Jesus answered: Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?'” (John 14:9).
The disciples had been with Jesus for three years. They’d seen miracles – dead men came back to life, the sick were healed, and water was turned to wine. These were but a few of the hundreds of miracles they saw Jesus perform. However, even after these experiences, they lacked one important thing – intimacy with Jesus. They didn’t really know Jesus. See John 17:3
This must have been a great disappointment to Jesus. He’d invested so much into developing a close and intimate relationship with the twelve. Consider that they spent three years with their Master. They learned about Him during those years. However, they had knowledge without intimacy.
They experienced God’s power individually and He even performed miracles through their own lives. Sometimes it is easier to do the work of God without the intimacy with God.
A friend once commented about the current condition of much of the mainline churches today: “You’d think the trinity was the Father, Son and Holy Scriptures versus the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There’s never been a better description of the Church today.
But, alas, this is a challenge to my own walk with God. It is easy for me to fall into this trap of working so hard for Jesus that I forget to work with Jesus.
Jesus desires intimacy more than works. He tells us in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” Whatever works we do must be a fruit of our intimacy with Him.
Lord, help us not to just know about you. We desire to know you. Amen
The Will of God for me is: 1 Thessalonians 4: 3 God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality.
“Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you (1 Thessalonians 4:8).
*This is a command that we should abstain from fornication (any sexual relationship outside of marriage).
That could be homosexuality, an emotional affair, cheating on a spouse, sex before marriage, or any sexual act performed by or with a person to whom you are not married.
In other words, if you are not married (marriage between a man and a woman only) to that person, then you do not have any form of sexual relationship with them!
Watching or looking at pornography is included in fornication because the Bible says if you have done this in your heart (or mind) then it is just as sinful as doing it in the flesh.
Let the light of God’s truth shine in you to expose the darkest recesses of your being.
There are still things hidden that must be revealed for the purpose of setting us completely free.
Righteousness(moral orderliness) must be restored before your own light can shine unhindered by the darkness of carnal living. Set your heart on purity.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
****Set your personal boundaries.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Through the atonement of Jesus, we have been delivered from sickness, poverty and demonic control, as well as sin, in this present life. To the degree we believe that, we will begin to experience the physical benefits of our salvation in the “rough now and now,” not just in the “sweet by and by.”
Our salvation is not just “pie in the sky,” but it is victory in this present life.
John 17:3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
* The sin of fallen man is this: Man seeks the benefits of God while fleeing from God Himself. We are, by nature, fugitives.
*We need to get to –KNOW HIM.!
Lord, help me draw more of You and set some personal boundaries. Help me to keep the Eternal Perspective in my heart mind and soul to overcome these temptations of the world. Help me make the Right Choices for Your Glory and my Joy! Amen
We fight From Victory—Not For Victory. (see 1JN 4:4)
Read MoreRead the Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:8-11 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly (1 Timothy 1:8).
The Law is both good and useful in the Christian life.
*The Law is good and useful, but it has to be used rightly.
*The Law is good, of course, because God Himself gave it.
*The striking thing about the Law is that those Ten Commandments are the only part of the Bible God Himself physically wrote with His own hand.
*Moses did not write them.
*They were written by the hand of God on tablets of stone and delivered by angels to Moses on Mount Sinai.
In fact, God wrote the Law twice. After the first tablets were broken, Moses returned to the mountain, and God wrote the Law again.
That in itself ought to indicate that the Law is important and not to be done away with.
Furthermore, as you study those Ten Commandments, you discover that they:
* Reflect the character and holiness of God.
*They are an expression of the life of God, both in its outward behavior and its inward attitudes.
That is why the Law never will change.
*The Law represents God’s righteous demands for human behavior anywhere on earth.
*It is even written into the hearts of people who have never heard of the Ten Commandments.
That is why most human laws–laws we make for the control of our behavior in city, state, and national government–are based upon, and reflect, the Ten Commandments.
So the Law is not going to be done away with. Paul says it is holy, just, and good.
Further, the Law is useful. Even for us Christians, the Law has a place in our lives, Paul says, “if one uses it properly.” Not everything about the Law carries over into the Christian life, but there is an appropriate use of the Law in the Christian life. Our Lord Himself indicated that in the Sermon on the Mount:(Matthew 5:17-19).
Those words ought to make very clear what Paul insists on here in 1 Timothy that the Law is not eliminated.
The Law will always be there because it is holy, just, and good; it reflects the character of God.
So it does have a part in our Christian experience.
Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community
Exodus 20:1-17
Lord, thank You for Your Law, which reflects Your character. Teach me to use Your Law properly, in a way that is consistent with the gospel.
The best defense against the devil is to be so God-centered that you give no place to Satan.
Sometimes is seems people who are very sensitive to the devil’s presence usually are so at the expense of being sensitive to the Lord’s presence.
David said, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:8).
*Anytime Satan’s oppression is present, God’s presence is there too (Heb. 13:5).
It’s just a matter of where our focus is.
***Focusing on the devil is a trick of the devil. Choose to focus on God.
The serpent didn’t come to Eve in the garden threatening to bite her if she didn’t eat of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he came with deception, presenting himself as being concerned for her welfare. Satan’s greatest weapon is deceit.
We were all guilty (Rom. 3:23) and condemned to death (Rom. 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we may go free (2 Cor. 5:21). Just as Barabbas didn’t ask for this substitution, so “God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
In the same way that Jesus died unto sin once, and death no longer has dominion over Him, the person who recognizes their death with Christ unto sin, will not allow sin to rule over him anymore.
Any Christian who is struggling with sin has not recognized that they are dead unto sin.
God paid a great price for it. Jesus paid with His blood.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
**We must preach the Word, not experiences.
*Experiences are only useful to illustrate that God’s Word is true.
Thank You Lord for Your Word, which is 100% absolute truth. Help me to live out Your Truths and Promises in Your Holy Spirit Written Word in Scriptures. “FREEDOM” Amen
Read MoreMatthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Bless the Lord by blessing someone less fortunate today through Your……Time, Talent & Treasures
“And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness…and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:10-11
*God wants to do mighty things through us.
*God wants to express His love to the world through us.
*So if we are clinging to one thing that gets in the way of His accomplishing that—some willfulness, some refusal to trust Him for everything—He points it out to us.
Sometimes God wants us to add something to our lives before He brings His best.
This may involve something we have not done, so He wants us to ask, “Have I been slow to respond to something God has asked me to do?”
“You will do even greater works, once I send you My Spirit. He will empower you. Greater things are yet to come!” (see Acts 1:1-8).
Indeed, greater things came–at that time the disciples would go beyond Israel and the Middle East, into Europe and India and Africa, “preaching the good news of Christ” to the nations, all within their generation.
*The Lord has things to teach and to show us that we could not have received until now. These will be times to remember and to cherish even though they seem to be beyond our ability to fully deal with presently. It’s not our power that will bring Us through; it is Jesus’ Power!
Zechariah 4:6b “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” Says the LORD of hosts.
May we go, empowered by Your Spirit, to make disciples of all nations. Use us to bring many to You Jesus! Thank you for Your word to keep fear and discouragement out. Thank You Jesus for the Victory Amen
*Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
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God’s Word is the only way to access what’s happening in your spirit. You can’t go by how you feel or even your experiences. Experiences can grab your attention or touch you, but only the Word of God can truly reveal what’s going on in your spirit. There is a spiritual you, and in the spirit, you are perfect.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul prayed, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are many verses that say this, but this one puts it all in one. It’s really clear that you have a spirit, soul, and body-not just a body and a soul, but three parts to you.
On the inside of every Christian, there is a completely brand-new person that most don’t have a revelation of. Even if they’ve heard of their inner man, functionally they don’t live according to it.
They live and face their problems based on their physical ability and what they feel. If you control your thinking with what is true in the spirit, it’ll control your feelings. All you’ll experience is life and peace. Romans 8:6 says,
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
God began speaking these truths to me through His Word, and I started relating to Him based on faith in what the Bible says. It has changed my life. I’m telling you, there are so many Christians looking for some type of experience or some external thing that’s going to change their lives! But it’s the Word that’s the foundation for everything.
The Word of God is what will change your life. The reason you may be living under the thumb of the devil is because you don’t know who you are or what you have.
The Bible has more than 7,000 promises from God to you—promises of success, confidence, health, prosperity, strength, wisdom and more. Why does God make these promises? Because he wants you to learn to trust Him. Find a promise in God’s Word for you this day. Amen
Read Hosea 4:6, John 1:12, Col. 1;14 , 1 John 4:4 &5;18, Ephesians 2:10, Phil 4:13 and Psalms 139
Read MoreMatthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
The principle of the Old Covenant was “do” and you shall live.
The principle of the New Covenant is “it is done,” and includes redemption, reconciliation, righteousness, and sanctification.
*The work is finished!
*We are complete in Him!
In the Old Covenant, men found themselves unable to abide in its agreement, for it was based upon a man’s performance.
The new agreement, however, is based totally upon God’s grace (is unmerited mercy (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his son to die on a cross, thus delivering eternal salvation).
Under the Old Covenant, men approached God through a priest, while under the New Covenant, we have direct access to the Father through Jesus Christ.
Under the Old Covenant, man could not be cleansed of a consciousness of sin while under the New Covenant, our sins and iniquities are remembered no more, and our guilty consciences are cleansed.
Prior to salvation we are incomplete and there is a constant striving in every person to satisfy their hunger.
Through the new birth we are complete in Christ and our hunger now should only be for more revelation of what we already have in Christ.
In the same way that Jesus had the fullness of God in Him, we also have the fullness of Christ in us.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Thank You Jesus that through our new birth we are complete and we have the Holy Spirit IN us to guide and direct us in Your ways. Amen
Read MoreThe Book of Proverbs Are For Work, Life and Living
The writers of proverbs want the readers to:
internalize God’s truth. OR: get God’s Word in your heart.
Below are thoughts on books 5, 6 & 7 of Proverbs.
Proverbs 5 – Watch Out for . . . . . . . Look forward to . . . . !
- Watch out for sex without love. Proverbs 5:1-14
- Look forward to true love in God’s ways. Proverbs 5:15-23
This is a very abbreviated statement of the Song of Solomon
Don’t wait to see what happens. Prepare for temptation by deciding NOW how you will act when you face it. (11-13)
Strategy For Effective Living
Begins with … God’s Wisdom ….. Respecting and appreciating who God is; reverence and awe toward God.
Requires … Moral Application …. Trusting in God and his Word; allowing his Word to speak to us personally; being willing to obey
Requires … Practical Application …. Acting on God’s direction daily
Results in … Effective living …. Experiencing what God does with our obedience
Proverbs 6 – Get up and get going – BUT – Watch out!
- These verses are not a plea against generosity, but against overextending one’s financial resources and acting in irresponsible ways that could lead to poverty. Need a balance between generosity and good stewardship.(1-5)
- That which God hates! Proverbs 6:16-35
Things God Hates
- Violent People……………………Proverbs 3:31-32
- Haughtiness, lying, murdering, scheming, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, stirring up discord 6:16-19
- Those who are untruthful……………………12:22
- The sacrifice of the wicked…………………15:8
- The way of the wicked………………………15:9
- Evil plans……………………………………15:26
- Those who are proud………………………..16:15
- Those who judge unjustly…………………..17:15
Proverbs 7 – The seductive nature of seduction. (Lust a warning sign of danger ahead)
- There is no new temptation! (Romans 12:2-renew the mind)
- Know: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 – 2 Timothy 2:22
God has given us His Truth to experience His Blessing in life.
“ I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.” (Colossians 2:2) AMEN
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