Archive for the ‘Prudence’ Category
Abominations, Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Laziness, Learning, Life, Loans, Longevity, Mercy, Money, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Poverty, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Seven Deadly Sins, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Abominations, Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Exhortation, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Repentance, Seven Deadly Sins, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on May 16, 2019 at 8:45 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
The Naughty List
As we take a look at the ‘thing the LORD hates’ let us take another moment to review once again what it means to be a naughty person according to the biblical standard, since I have little doubt that to do things that God hates puts you on the naughty list.
“haughty person” in the Hebrew language =
1100. בְּלִיַּעַל belı̂ya˓al, bel-e-yah’-al; from 1097 and 3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extens. destruction, wickedness (often in connection with 376, 802, 1121, etc.):— Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked.
1097. בְּלִי belı̂y, bel-ee’; from 1086; prop. failure, i.e. nothing or destruction; usually (with prep.) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc.:— corruption, ig[norantly], for lack of, where no … is, so that no, none, not, un[awares], without.
Please note from the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary what or who “Belial” actually is. “1 — a biblical name of the devil or one of the fiends” – a naughty person is, that is right, one of the devil’s friends. How horrid to be called one of Satan’s friends.
Now if we do these things that God hates, then we are aligning ourselves with Satan, we have become Satan’s friend instead of God’s friend. Therefore, we need to reflect upon whether or not these things are a regular part of our life. No doubt we have all sinned and been guilty of one or more of these “abominations”, but do we partake in them with regularity? Are we being Satan’s friend?
1. A proud look – Pride the hallmark of Satan and his friends. They think that somehow, they are superior as a person than most everyone else on the planet. It is okay to feel good about who God made you to be, it is not okay to feel good about who YOU believe YOU made yourself to be. Humility recognizes God, pride recognizes self-reliance.
2. a lying tongue – Lying made the list twice, God must really hate lying. I would imagine so since Satan is the father of lies according to God and God’s Word. What can we say here…a liar lies, about themselves, about others, and usually for the most ridiculous reasons.
3. hands that shed innocent blood – To take the life of an innocent person is truly a despicable thing in the eyes of God and mankind.
4. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations – This is the person who schemes to con people, to cheat people, to hurt, rob, steal, and generally do ungodly things.
5. feet that be swift in running to mischief – The general trouble maker. The person who is a regular irritate to people, who does things that cause strife, who seems to always be looking for some type of wrongdoing to get into or trouble to cause.
6. A false witness that speaketh lies – Here we have the liar whose focus is on telling lies or distorting the truth about other people. It is not enough for this liar to lie about himself or herself, about his or her actions, this liar also must lie about other people’s actions, usually to other people, the person, or even themselves, as those who lie regularly are often very self-deceived individuals.
7. he that soweth discord among brethren. – This person brings strife and upset among Christians. This person seeks not the improvement or growth of the Body of Christ, this person seeks to destroy the Body of Christ through infighting. They gossip about this person in the church to that person in the church, they talk to congregation member about the leadership instead of talking to the leadership directly. They just breed cacophony.
If you spend regular time in the company of Satan partaking in one or more of these seven things that God hates I urge you to repent, ask God’s forgiveness, and stop participating in this type of behavior. God can forgive anything if you are willing to ask Him and give that thing up, but how can God forgive what you refuse to let go of, what you want to keep in your life.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the small “follow” button at the bottom right-hand corner of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Laziness, Learning, Life, Loans, Longevity, Mercy, Money, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Poverty, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Evil, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Truth, Uncategorized, Wickedness, Wisdom on May 9, 2019 at 9:00 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Results of Wickedness
Who is this naughty and wicked person? We shall discover whom by way of an examination of the meaning of the words found in verse twelve.
“haughty person” in the Hebrew language =
1100. בְּלִיַּעַל belı̂ya˓al, bel-e-yah’-al; from 1097 and 3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extens. destruction, wickedness (often in connection with 376, 802, 1121, etc.):— Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked.
1097. בְּלִי belı̂y, bel-ee’; from 1086; prop. failure, i.e. nothing or destruction; usually (with prep.) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc.:— corruption, ig[norantly], for lack of, where no … is, so that no, none, not, un[awares], without.
Please note from the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary what or who “Belial” actually is. “1 — a biblical name of the devil or one of the fiends” – a naughty person is, that right, one of the devil’s friends. How horrid to called one of Satan’s friends.
“wicked” in the Hebrew language =
205. אָוֶֶן ˒âven, aw-ven’; from an unused root perh. mean. prop. to pant (hence, to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; spec. an idol:— affliction, evil, false, idol, iniquity, mischief, mourners (-ing), naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain ,vanity, wicked (-ness). comp. 369.
“froward” in the Hebrew language =
6143. עִקְּשׁוּת ˓iqqeshûwth, ik-kesh-ooth’; from 6141; perversity:— × froward.
6141. עִקֵּשׁ ˓iqqêsh, ik-kashe’; from 6140; distorted; hence, false:— crooked, froward, perverse.
Now a look at verse thirteen.
A naughty and wicked man is deceitful, “winketh with his eyes” honesty is the exception not the rule. This type of man tells you who he is by where he goes and how he spends his time, “speaketh with his feet” little of which is godly. He shows what he believes about God and people by what he does, “teacheth with his fingers” his actions are his character.
“Forwardness” as found in verse fourteen, is defined in the Hebrew language as:
“8419. תַּהְפֻּכָה tahpûkâh, tah-poo-kaw’; from 2015; a perversity or fraud:— (very) froward (-ness, thing), perverse thing.” One cannot expect this type of person to be honest about who they are or what they do. Perversity when found in the Bible often does not mean perversity as we might think of it today, it means to twist and distort the truth, to be ungodly in many ways.
According to verse fourteen these types of people love to irritate, to try and get a rise out of people, to as the verse states continually cause irritation and strife to a greater or lesser degree. They are always up to something, some mischief.
However, look closely at what verse fifteen has to say about what happens to this type of person. “Calamity” is at their door quickly and often. A calamity that brings them to a “broken” state, a state that is without “remedy” or relief.
The Hebrew definition of the word “calamity” is as follows:
343. אֵיד ˒êyd, ade; from the same as 181 (in the sense of bending down); oppression; by impl. misfortune, ruin:— calamity, destruction.
The Hebrew definition of the word “remedy” is as follows:
4832. מַרְפֵּא marpê˒, mar-pay’; from 7495; prop. curative, i.e. lit. (concr.) a medicine, or (abstr.) a cure; fig. (concr.) deliverance, or (abstr.) placidity:— ([in-]) cure (-able), healing (-lth), remedy, sound, wholesome, yielding.
Note: Placidity means to be ‘serenely free of disturbance or interruption’.
What a cautionary truth! Does one want to end up “incurable” and without the ability to be made “wholesome and sound?” Better to be a godly person who practices the use of godly wisdom, prudence and discretion, then a person whose end is brokenness.
Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the small “follow” button at the bottom right-hand corner of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Laziness, Learning, Life, Loans, Longevity, Mercy, Money, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Poverty, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anxiety, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Godly Counsel, Laziness, Poverty, Proverbs, Prudence, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on May 2, 2019 at 9:00 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Lazy, Poor, or Both
These verses must be dealt with and written about with delicacy. Poverty is not an indication of a person’s laziness, but laziness will certainly lead to poverty. Please note there is a big difference between the two, between the two statements.
Notice that the ant in these verses is self-motivated, “which having no guide, overseer, no ruler” (v.7). The ant does not require an outside motivation for doing its necessary labor. The ant knows what is required to meet its needs, work, and it does the needed work.
Notice that excessive sleep is the hallmark of laziness (v.9). A person who likes to sleep a great deal when examined closely is typically also a lazy person who does only what they must do. They are always tired, and no amount of sleep can satisfy the hunger of their laziness.
The end result of laziness according to verse eleven is ‘poverty, travelleth, and want.’ Moving often, wondering around without purpose, with want as their constant companion or as verse eleven puts it, as their “armed man,” meaning in the Hebrew their” shield,” the thing that goes before them.
This” want” that the lazy suffer from is inclusive of, “deficiency; hence, impoverishment: — lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want” according to the Hebrew as the language defines that word “want” in verse eleven.
We all have times when we want and need a bit more relaxation and/or sleep than normal, but nothing good comes of lazy behavior, and it is just that behavior, and as so I have good news for you – it can be changed, you do not have to remain lazy.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Loans, Longevity, Mercy, Money, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Confusion, Decision Making, Discretion, Godly Counsel, Loans, Money, Proverbs, Prudence, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on April 25, 2019 at 9:00 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
To Loan or Not to Loan
You are a Christian, you have a Christian friend, you love your Christian friend, your Christian friend needs money – what to do.
Some people would argue we are to help those in need, therefore, of course you give your friend the money. Other people would say loaning money to a friend is sure trouble. What does godly wisdom say?
Verse one and two tell us that if we become “surety” for a friend we will find ourselves “snared” in a situation we should not be in. Most of you know what it means to be snared, we become entangled in a negative way.
What does it mean to be “surety” for a friend? In the Hebrew language “surety” means the following.
“surety” =
6148. עָרַב ˓ârab, aw-rab’; a prim. root; to braid, i.e. intermix; tech. to traffic (as if by barter); also to give or be security (as a kind of exchange):— engage, (inter-) meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be (-come, put in) surety, undertake.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that “surety” means the following.
“surety” =
guarantee b : a basis of confidence or security
3 : one who has become legally liable for the debt, default, or failure in duty of another
The New Living Translation of the Bible puts verse one this way, “My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—" – so this about money; giving money or being security for money a friend borrows.
When we become the financial security of a friend by loaning them money, we put ourselves in a position within their life that God never intended for us to have. We also find that more times than not, if you loan a person money once, they will come back for more, and if we loan them money twice, they will come back often. We are not meant to be the financial security for our friends.
When we co-sign a loan for a friend, we put our own financial health at risk. If we have a family, we put our entire family’s financial health at risk. We put our credit at risk.
The loaning of money or securing a loan for a friend is not an act of godly wisdom. Nor is it godly wisdom for us to ask a friend to do such for us. We are to humbly and with loving kindness explain to our friend why we cannot become involved in their financial situation (v.3).
Money is on the top of the list of things that will come between two friends. Money has such power over people that when we mix money and friendship the results can be anger, hurt, ugly words, and one less friendship, not to mention the potential loss of money. Therefore, I know you love your friend, but I urge you to think carefully and consider God’s wisdom on the matter before loaning money to a friend.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Adultery, Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Divorce, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Revival, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on April 18, 2019 at 12:05 pm
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. 22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
God Sees
God sees it all my friends. God understandings it all. God cares about it all. There is nothing about us, in our lives, or that touches our lives that God does not know about in advanced and has thoroughly considered. The path of our life has been thoroughly dredged by God. V.21
This in no way means that God has fated our entire life or that all that happens to us is our destiny or even God’s Will, for neither possibility is supported by the whole of Scripture. There are things that are our destiny, fated by God to happen in our life, then there are things that happen that God had no part of or who does not even want to have take place.
Have you ever heard it said, ‘People get caught in their own trap.’? Well, verse twenty-two is where that comes from.
Most of the problems caused in our life derive from our own wrongdoing or from the wrongdoing of someone very close to us (v.22). Think over the last six major problems you had in your life? What actually caused the problems? Was the damage done due to your own sin or the way someone close to you had sinned? And what about when sin begets sin…someone does to you, you do to them, it spreads to yet another person who is affected, so on and so forth. Our sins are like a giant mushroom gas that spreads out far and wide and poisons all of those people close to us if we are not careful.
That sin can come in all types of forms. In verse twenty-two the word used for “iniquities” in the Hebrew is inclusive of the following: “perversity, in example moral evil:— fault, iniquity, mischief, punishment (of iniquity), sin.” There are many people who do not see their “faults” as sin, it is to them just their faults. However, ask those affected by their “faults” and you might find them well able to describe the person’s sin. You show me hurt between two people, and I will show you sin somewhere in the mix. v.22
Giving oneself to sin is extremely dangerous because ultimately it leads to us being bound by our own sin, which is what it means to be “holden with the cords of his sin.” v.22 Our sin begins to take control of us instead of us controlling sin. Anyone caught in a sin they are struggling to stop will attest to that truth.
Have you ever known a person who was just silly far too often? Now reflect on that person’s life and character. I can almost assure you in nearly each case that person was a person of little or no true substance in life. They lacked anything that truly mattered to them or for which they had deep passion. Part of the definition for the word “folly” found in verse twenty-three means “silliness” – silliness and folly are companions. v.23
Because people refuse to be mindful of God’s godly wisdom they will die in their folly and sin. Folly leads to going astray and going astray leads to death. Going “astray in the Hebrew language means “to stray, usually figuratively to mistake, especially morally to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, figuratively be enraptured:— cause to go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, let or make to wander.” v.23
That path of life that I wrote of a few paragraphs back, the path that God’s dredges before us, the path to our “true life” is not a path that is meant to be filled with sorrow caused by sin and folly, your own or the sin and folly of those closes to you, it is the path of godly wisdom instead that He desires for each of us. This is why He has placed His instructions in His Word, not to restrict us but instead to protect our life from harm. Instructions such as love each other, husbands and wives be kind to one another esteeming the other greater, do not lie, do not steal, do not misuse your body, do no get drunk, do not commit adultery, rejoice with our brethren when they rejoice, help carry their sorrows when they hurt, husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church, wives respect your husbands, etc. all meant to protect us.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
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Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Adultery, Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Confusion, Decision Making, Discretion, Divorce, Godly Counsel, Marriage, Proverbs, Prudence, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on April 5, 2019 at 11:57 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. 16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. 17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. 18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. 20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Infidelity – A Love Killer
Infidelity of any kind, in any form, is the worst thing you can possibly do to a marriage. It is the betrayal of the love you share with your spouse. Infidelity tears at the covenant between a man and woman, a husband and wife.
Hence the reason God makes it plain to find our pleasures in all forms in our spouse. When we find our pleasure in the company of a member of the opposite sex, who is not our spouse, we are being unfaithful to our marriage covenant, whether that pleasure be sexual, spiritual, emotional, mental, intellectual, etc.
We are designed for deep intimacy with one person of the opposite sex, our spouse. It is in them we are to find our satisfaction on any level relationally with the opposite sex. “Fountains” in the Hebrew language means, “figuratively a source of satisfaction.”
A man is meant to continue with the wife to whom he marries in his youth (v.18), divorce is not God’s design though He does make provisions for allowing it to happen. Adultery does such severe damage to the marriage covenant that it is one of only two reasons God allows divorce. (One may divorce in the case of adultery, Matthew 5:27-32, or in the case of an unbelieving spouse who desires to divorce a Believer, 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. – However, as a Believer we are not enter into a relationship with an unbeliever in the first place, 2 Corinthians 6:11-18.)
Not only is a man to remain with the wife of his youth, she is the only woman he is to receive any sexual excitement or satisfaction from all the days of his life (v.19). Yes men, books, movies, computer images, thoughts of another woman, are sin, your thoughts are only to be for your wife. You are to keep your desires focused, and for that matter alive, for your wife. v.19 Note here that God addresses the man with the responsibility for keeping his interest in his wife alive.
Verse twenty asked the question, ‘Why would you want anyone else but your wife?’ That is a question for the ages. How many men thought they wanted something else other than the wife of their youth only to find once they had the woman they so thought they desired, and the bloom was off of the rose, they were longing to have the wife of their youth back, the woman who had loved them so, yet, in many cases it was too late or in the cases where they were able to have the wife of their youth back they had damaged the once precious love that woman had for them.
Adultery kills love, think twice before partaking in it on any level!
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Also, please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Adultery, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Confusion, Decision Making, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Marriage, Proverbs, Prudence, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on March 28, 2019 at 9:00 am
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).
1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. 6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. 7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: 9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: 10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; 11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; 13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! 14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Adultery in the Flesh and in the Spirit
The Law of Double Reference is when a portion of Scripture can be applied in more than one way, applied literally (in the physical) or figuratively (spiritually), and could apply to more than one person or group(s) of people at various times. A principle consisting of one of the afore mentioned variables or any combination thereof. The Law of Double Reference can be applied to Proverbs chapter five as the principles found therein can be applied to spiritual adultery, lack of the use of godly wisdom, and literal marital adultery.
In verses one through fourteen we can see the damaging affects and effects of adultery in a person’s life, the type of adultery found when one refuses to use godly wisdom as God instructs and instead decides ot use their own wisdom or worse yet worldly wisdom, which is represented by the ‘strange woman’s drops of honeycomb’ in verse three. The use of worldly wisdom in place of godly wisdom is a form of spiritual adultery against God our Creator, Christ our Savior.
Let us examine the fall-out we can expect when we fail to apply godly wisdom to our life, instead using worldly wisdom.
v.4 – The use of worldly wisdom is sure to result in bitterness and pain. The world’s ways of dealing with the events of life keep you bound to those events, they shape who you are, whereas godly wisdom applied when the issues of life arise will free you from the inner turmoil and the events of life just become things that have happened to you not things that have defined who you are.
v.5 Wordily wisdom will lead you to misery in life and in some cases death. Worldly wisdom pulls you down further and further, whereas godly wisdom pulls you up and out of your circumstances as an overcomer.
v.6 Applying worldly wisdom will mess up the course of your life, as only God knows His Plans and Purposes for you, therefore, only godly wisdom can help you walk in His Will, Plan, and Purpose for your life.
v.9 Your honor in life will be robbed from you if you choose the path of worldly wisdom. You will be treated with, or even set yourself up for, utter disrespect at times by people.
v.10 When you use worldly wisdom you find that other people will end up with your money and what you have worked for will end up in the hands of other people instead of your own.
v.11 The use of worldly wisdom can actually result in the loss of your health. You may find yourself simply wasting away with disease.
Abandoning godly wisdom and/or substituting worldly wisdom in its place is a choice you will come to regret, as verses twelve through fourteen point out. Verse seven and eight warns us to stay away from worldly wisdom. Perhaps we should listen.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on March 21, 2019 at 9:00 am
Having wrapped up the series, “Why My Church is NOT Growing” last week we will now be returning to our in-depth verse by verse exploration of the Book of Proverbs . I would like to begin by reposting the last entry because I feel the content is a fruitful for anyone who truly desires to follow Christ in godly wisdom.
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Focus On Wisdom’s Path (The God Path)
If you do not look at where you are going you will surely lose your way. We must continually look at and keep our focus on what God wants our life to be, looking straight toward what we want to be, solely focused on our priorities in life – provided those priorities come from an honorable godly focus. There are so many things in life that wish to drag us away from being someone we can feel good about or proud of in a godly way, so many temptation and personal desires that conflict with God’s Plan and Purpose for our life and our personal long-term life goals. V.25
We all too often allow our eyes to stray from what is important or worst toward things they should not pursue. This is why the wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, shared the wisdom God had provided him and has counseled us to keep our eyes “straight before thee” where they should be focused on what is good, decent, honorable, and pleasing to God. V.25
We have to actually think about our actions in life, not just flow through life acting on any desire and whim, if we are to be a person of substance, a person of honor, a person of discipline, a godly person, if we want to be a wise person. We have to ask ourselves before we act, ‘What affect will this action I am about to take have on my life, on the life of those I love or on the life of those around me? Can I tell God that in taking this action I honored the life He gave me?’ It is with the answer to those questions that we should determine what course of action to take or not take. V.26
In the Hebrew language the word “established” in verse twenty-six has the meaning of ‘standing erect in faithfulness.’ Only through making quality decisions consistently can we establish and enjoy a life of wisdom – a life filled with peace, joy, contentment, and happiness. V.26
We must make a decision to live our life based on wise quality decisions, the practice will not just fall on us. If we want to do something, we must make the decisions necessary to discipline ourselves to accomplish the task. If we wish to be healthy, we must make the choices that benefit our health. If we desire to have quality relationships, we must make choices that promote mutual love, mutual respect, mutual dignity, mutual satisfaction, and mutual honor in our relationships. If we want to maintain a job, a relationship, a marriage, or an activity, we must conduct ourselves with faithfulness to what is required to keep and maintain any or all of those aspects of life. V.27
Faithfulness is something even Christians have begun to disregard in our society. If we want to maintain a job, we must be faithful to show up, show up on time, and do what we are assigned to do. If we wish to maintain a relationship or marriage, we must be faithful to devote our time and energies to that relationship or marriage, investing our heart, our time, our life, establishing and maintaining trust, taking care not to betray the relationship in words or deeds. If we wish to partake in an activity then we must be faithful to show up and do said activity, so the other people involved can know they can depend upon us to be there and be a part of the activity. In order to be faithful, we must remain focused on what is important and keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and spirit way from what is not. V.27, 28
We have to actually do something to keep ourselves from evil, as verse twenty-eight warns us to do. We know that in the Bible “evil” is considered anything that God does not want us to do. With that established why does God instruct us to “remove thy foot from evil” – is there the presumption we are sinning? Yes, a life not ordered in godly wisdom is a life filled with sin. V.28
We are instructed to ‘remove ourselves from sin’ and that often requires not giving into our own desires because the heart is deceitful above all things.
Jeremiah 17:9–10 (KJ-AV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
In the Hebrew language the word “remove” used in verse twenty-eight, when we are instructed to ‘remove our foot from evil or sin,’ means “to turn off (literally or figuratively)” from partaking in sin. We are to “decline, depart, eschew (which means avoid)” anything that God would find displeasing for us. We are to “go aside” to avoid temptation, and “grievously lay away or leave undone” things that displease God. Note that in the definition it is made clear that to “lay aside or leave undone” things that we want to do will be “grievous” for us, yet, it is what God requires. We are to “put away or put down” what is displeasing to God and “ remove” those things from our life. God wants us according to the definition to “ revolt against, to be sour to, to withdraw from and to be without” all that we know not to be godly wisdom or His Will for our life. V.27 – Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Acceptance, Apathy, Authority, Church Growth, Faith, Indifference, Prayer, Prophecy, Purity, Reformation, Renewal, Repentance, Revelation, Revival, Rhema Word, Spiritual Abuse
In Abuse, Authority, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Church Growth, Decision Making, Godly Counsel, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Revival, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on February 13, 2019 at 4:37 pm
At the beginning of 2019 we took on a different approach to finishing both our series on Church Growth, or lack thereof, and the Study of the Book of Proverbs. Instead of alternating weekly between two subjects, as we have in the past, we will proceed this year by carrying one subject to completion and then next to completion. Please be assured we will finish each subject, Church Growth and Proverbs. We will begin by finishing the series, “Why My Church is NOT Growing” with the focus for the next several weeks placed upon the issue of how “authority” affects church growth.
Why My Church is NOT Growing – Part 18 – Can authority be trusted?
An honest appraisal and answer to the question of whether authority can be trusted or not is simply, not always. Authority is not always godly in nature and therefore, not always worthy of our trust. This is where our need for discernment comes into play.
God has granted His people the ability to discern the spiritual nature of those we are dealing with on a daily basis. That said we must always keep in mind that our ability to discern properly would depend upon our spiritual condition at any given moment. Let us presume that a person’s spiritual condition is godly, and they are submitted to the authority of God. In those conditions, one must use their discernment to determine whether a person in a position of authority is using that authority to point people to a greater understanding of Christ and to godliness or if they are using their authority for personal gain and worldly ambition.
2 Corinthians 10:8 King James (AV)
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
1 Peter 5:2–3 (NKJV)
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
We find within the DNA of godly leadership a desire to build up, not destroy. A desire to teach truths not simply command conformity. There should be a desire within these leaders to care for those in their charge, not a sense of mere obligation to do so. If money is the motivator for a leader with authority, then they shall surely be affected by their greed to the point of being untrustworthy.
You can like a pastor without ignoring his obvious character flaws and emulating them, which only leads to your own personal struggles with self. You can love a husband without submitting to his ungodly leadership, which will only lead to the deterioration of your own life and character. You can respect a politician’s views and public service without covering your eyes to his or her compromise, which can place you in a position of supporting governmental changes that are ungodly through your support of the person. In all things, examine these people for godly character and character you deem worthy of emulating.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Acceptance, Apathy, Authority, Church Growth, Faith, Indifference, Prayer, Prophecy, Purity, Reformation, Renewal, Repentance, Revelation, Revival, Rhema Word, Spiritual Abuse
In Abuse, Advice, Authority, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Church Growth, End Times, Exhortation, False Doctrine, Godliness, Persecution, Prudence, Religious Freedom, Remnant, Renewal, Repentance, Spiritual Remnant, Truth, Wisdom on January 16, 2019 at 12:07 pm
As we take on a new year, 2019, we will take a different approach to finishing both our series on Church Growth, or lack thereof, and the Study of the Book of Proverbs. Instead of alternating weekly between two subjects, as we have in the past, we will proceed this year by carrying one subject to completion and then next to completion. Please be assured we will finish each subject, Church Growth and Proverbs. We will begin by finishing the series, “Why My Church is NOT Growing” with the focus for the next several weeks placed upon the issue of how “authority” affects church growth.
Why My Church is NOT Growing – Part 15 – “Authority” What is in a word?
Authority according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is as follow:
authority
Function:
noun
1 a (1) : a citation (as from a book or file) used in defense or support (2) : the source from which the citation is drawn b (1) : a conclusive statement or set of statements (as an official decision of a court) (2) : a decision taken as a precedent (3) : TESTIMONY c : an individual cited or appealed to as an expert
2 a : power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior b : freedom granted by one in authority : RIGHT
3 a : persons in command; specifically : GOVERNMENT b : a governmental agency or corporation to administer a revenue-producing public enterprise <the transit authority>
synonyms see INFLUENCE, POWER
Concerning the definition identified by the number 1, for the Christian Community, this relates to the Written Word of God, which is the Holy Bible. The Written Word of God is the final authority in all things. We do not, regardless of who might instruct us; government, Pastor, husband, wife, parent, boss, etc., sin against God’s Written Word. Anyone who is asking us to violate God’s Word is in sin himself or herself and we are not to follow them into sin. We follow God’s Word first, then man second. We also follow God’s Word when our own desires and wants contradict His Word. This is what it means for God’s Word to be the final authority in our lives. We are to subject all of our decisions to what God’s Word says on the matter.
In reference to the definition labeled number 2, we must subject ourselves to God so that any authority we have, in any type of relationship, is properly administered to others. If we hold a position of authority where we are able to teach or through other means influence the thoughts and mindset of another human being, then we owe it to God, them, and ourselves to daily self-evaluate and make sure we are submitted to the greatest Authority, God, our Creator. Without our daily submission to the Almighty, our authority is worthless.
The final definition number 3, puts or pits God’s agenda either in line with or against the agenda of societal government and/or institutionalized religion’s governing bodies. This situation is a bit trickier to deal with. God calls for us to obey the laws and ordinances of man and our Christian spiritual leaders expect when to do so would require us to disobey Him. One might think, ‘Would we really ever have to disobey God in order to obey government or a church leader?’ Yes, I believe that at times we might be forced to make that choice and answer the question of whom we will obey, for ourselves as individuals. The apostles made ever attempt to obey the laws of their land but when they were told to stop preaching the gospel by the authorities in their land, they declined to do so because they knew their greater obligation was to Christ. Our greater obligation will always be to Christ and what Christ wants us to do. We live in a time and in a country that is rapidly changing, and those changes are becoming more and more ungodly. As our society changes, we may find ourselves in the very real position of having to decide to obey God and possibly go to jail or having to obey man and suppress truth.
Acts 5:26–32 (NKJV)
26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
This is a wonderful example of how we should respond to and interact with governing authorities.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Grace, Lifestyle, New Year’s Resolutions, New Years, Resolutions, Righteous Living, Righteousness
In Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Exhortation, Grace, Peace, Prudence, Renewal, Revival, Righteousness, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized on December 29, 2018 at 8:00 am
Before you take action to make all those resolutions about what you are going to do or not do, who you are going to be or not be, take a moment and reflect on God’s method of change.
Read the thoughts of a young woman desiring honest change in her life, and my response to her.
Quote = “When I pray and read the Word and worship as I have been recently, i am experiencing more of a closeness and a love… like i am coming back to my first love. I do not think I am explaining it well but I want to live a righteous life and spend time with my Father becuase I love Him and want to, not because there is this list of "do’s and don’ts" to follow.” = End Quote.
You need not worry sister…you are not going to live a “righteous life” without it being a manifestation of God’s grace in your life. Any desire you have for God is a manifestation of God’s grace in your life.
Some thoughts…
A ship is not going to move along steady by being propped from the outside. In order for a ship to be balanced, it must have ballast within the ship in order for the ship to move along steadily. The same is true for us as God’s children. Nothing on the outside of us is ever going to make our lives steady and balanced. It is only through and by the grace of God that our lives ever become consistent, steady, and balance. All three of which God wants for us and all three of which He is more than willing to shed out His grace in service to perform.
Therefore, God’s grace becomes our ballast. Ballast being:
bal·last
1. stabilizing heavy weights: heavy material carried in the hold of a ship, especially one that has no cargo, in the keel of a sailing boat, or in the gondola of a balloon, to give the craft increased stability
2. something that gives bulk or stability: anything that serves no particular purpose except to give bulk or weight to something or that provides additional stability
3. foundation material: stones or gravel when used as a foundation for a road or railroad track
4. industry gravel used in making concrete: gravel used in making concrete and in earthworks
5. electrical engineering circuit limiting current flow: a circuit that limits the current flow in a fluorescent lamp
Encarta ® World English Dictionary
A play on the definitions and a connection to God’s grace.
1 – God is the weight that holds us steady when life blows and blows; only He and His grace provide us stability.
2 – Grace is simply there to bring stability to our souls, our spirits, and our lives.
3 – Grace is the foundation of our relationship with our Savior Jesus.
4 – The endless grace of God turns our liquid hearts and jelly backbones into faith stronger than concrete.
5 – God’s grace is always poured out in just the right dose at just the right time so that we might not become overwhelmed spiritually.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Confusion, control, Decision Making, Peace, Prudence, Renewal, Suffering, Truth, Wisdom. Advice
In Advice, Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Confusion, Decision Making, Godly Counsel, Peace, Prudence, Renewal, Suffering, Truth, Wisdom on December 11, 2018 at 1:34 pm
For the next few weeks we will forgo our regular blog studies of Proverbs and Church Growth to pursue postings that center around Christmas and New Year’s. These entries will appear on Saturdays instead of earlier in the week as is the norm.
There will be one except this week with the posting today, which is a special posting of a poem I believe you will find inspiring and enlightening. This entry is being dedicated to a special friend who at this time in life could really benefit from the wisdom found within this poem – you know who you are.
“If” By Rudyard Kipling
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Source: A Choice of Kipling’s Verse (1943)
Rudyard Kipling 1865–1936
More about the poem "If" and Rudyard Kipling.
Were you to write the biography of Rudyard Kipling as a graph, the first thing that would strike you would be the steep vertical zigzags. The chart would have to start on a high point: his birth in India to a loving set of parents. His childhood would continue for a short period along an upward slope in the wonderland where he was born, and then plunge dramatically at the age of six when he was sent to England for his education. His first five years in England were scarred by the terrible abuse that he endured there from his foster mother. His only break during that period was the holiday month of December, when he would head to London to stay with his mother’s family. After that period he was transferred to a school in Devon where he shone, becoming the editor of the school paper and embarking on his path as a writer, becoming a major success. He was struck by misfortune once more when the bank where he kept his savings collapsed leaving him penniless. He moved to America and continued writing, publishing The Jungle Books together with much else. He again hit a low when he became embroiled in a fight with his brother-in-law which landed both in court and in local papers, forcing his move back to England. On a trip to America in 1899 his daughter Josephine died of pneumonia at the age of seven, leaving him heartbroken. The wheel continued to turn however, and in 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his outstanding work. An avowed proponent of British involvement in World War One, he encouraged his son John to enlist. When he failed the physical, Kipling used his connections to get him in, only to watch him die in the battle for Loos leaving him awash in guilt.
His life was one replete with trials and hardships, sorrows which one could never fault anyone for crumbling beneath but which time and time again he overcame. This poem, published three years after he won the Nobel Prize, encapsulates the lessons that he learned and that he considered to be the keys to his success. Part of it is engraved on the entrance to Wimbledon to remind players of what it is that makes a man.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Confusion, Decision Making, Discretion, Evil, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on December 5, 2018 at 10:00 am
Please forgive my delay in posting, I have had an especially challenging week. Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.
This blog will alternate with each post between two subjects. One week will address why churches are not growing, and the coming move of God. The alternate week the blog will continue with the in-depth study through the Book of Proverbs.
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Focus On Wisdom’s Path (The God Path)
If you do not look at where you are going you will surely lose your way. We must continually look at and keep our focus on what God wants our life to be, looking straight toward what we want to be, solely focused on our priorities in life – provided those priorities come from an honorable godly focus. There are so many things in life that wish to drag us away from being someone we can feel good about or proud of in a godly way, so many temptation and personal desires that conflict with God’s Plan and Purpose for our life and our personal long-term life goals. V.25
We are all too often allowing our eyes to stray from what is important or worst toward things they should not pursue. This is why the wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, shared the wisdom God had provided him and has counseled us to keep our eyes “straight before thee” where they should be focused on what is good, decent, honorable, and pleasing to God. V.25
We have to actually think about our actions in life, not just flow through life acting on any desire and whim, if we are to be a person of substance, a person of honor, a person of discipline, a godly person, if we want to be a wise person. We have to ask ourselves before we act, ‘What affect will this action I am about to take have on my life, on the life of those I love or on the life of those around me? Can I tell God that in taking this action I honored the life He gave me?’ It is with the answer to those question that we should determine what course of action to take or not take. V.26
In the Hebrew language the word “established” in verse twenty-six has the meaning of ‘standing erect in faithfulness.’ Only through making quality decisions consistently can we establish and enjoy a life of wisdom – a life filled with peace, joy, contentment, and happiness. V.26
We must make a decision to live our life based on wise quality decisions, the practice will not just fall on us. If we want to do something, we must make the decisions necessary to discipline ourselves to accomplish the task. If we wish to be healthy, we must make the choices that benefit our health. If we desire to have quality relationships, we must make choices that promote mutual love, mutual respect, mutual dignity, mutual satisfaction, and mutual honor in our relationships. If we want to maintain a job, a relationship, a marriage, or an activity, we must conduct ourselves with faithfulness to what is required to keep and maintain any or all of those aspects of life. V.27
Faithfulness is something even Christians have begun to disregard in our society. If we want to maintain a job, we must be faithful to show up, show up on time, and do what we are assigned to do. If we wish to maintain a relationship or marriage, we must be faithful to devote our time and energies to that relationship or marriage, investing our heart, our time, our life, establishing and maintaining trust, taking care not to betray the relationship in words or deeds. If we wish to partake in an activity then we must be faithful to show up and do said activity, so the other people involved can know they can depend upon us to be there and be a part of the activity. In order to be faithful, we must remain focused on what is important and keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and spirit way from what is not. V.27, 28
We have to actually do something to keep ourselves from evil, as verse twenty-eight warns us to do. We know that in the Bible “evil” is considered anything that God does not want us to do. With that established why does God instruct us to “remove thy foot from evil” – is there the presumption we are sinning? Yes, a life not ordered in godly wisdom is a life filled with sin. V.28
We are instructed to ‘remove ourselves from sin’ and that often requires not giving into our own desires because the heart is deceitful above all things.
Jeremiah 17:9–10 (KJ-AV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
In the Hebrew language the word “remove” used in verse twenty-eight, when we are instructed to ‘remove our foot from evil or sin,’ means “to turn off (literally or figuratively)” from partaking in sin. We are to “decline, depart, eschew (which means avoid)” anything that God would find displeasing for us. We are to “go aside” to avoid temptation, and “grievously lay away or leave undone” things that displease God. Note that in the definition it is made clear that to “lay aside or leave undone” things that we want to do will be “grievous” for us yet, it is what God requires. We are to “put away or put down” what is displeasing to God and “ remove” those things from our life. God wants us according to the definition to “ revolt against, to be sour to, to withdraw from and to be without” all that we know not to be godly wisdom or His Will for our life. V.27 – Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Heart, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anger, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Encouragement, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Spirituality, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on November 8, 2018 at 8:00 am
This blog will alternate with each post between two subjects. One week will address why churches are not growing, and the coming move of God. The alternate week the blog will continue with the in-depth study through the Book of Proverbs.
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Guarding the Heart
‘Keeping one’s heart with all diligence’ is such a massive job and entails so much the ability to do verse twenty-three justice in one segment is simple not possible. However, I will make the primary point of the importance of guarding our heart. For an in-depth examination of verse twenty-three you might find a book I wrote about the verse enlightening. It can be purchased in either softback book or Kindle eBook form from Amazon. It is titled, “ The Heart – Why Does It Hurt So Often? – Proverbs 4:23”
Every aspect of our life is affected and effected by what is going on in our hearts. If our hearts are not healthy we are not healthy. The above book examines how we can both get, and keep, our hearts healthy. One of the first and most important things we need to know about ‘keeping our hearts with all diligence’ is that it is we who must be a watchman over our own hearts.
Here is an excerpt from the book, “The Heart – Why Does It Hurt So Often? – Proverbs 4:23”
“Heart Watchman
“with all diligence” – What a phrase, but not one that can be separated from “for out of it – the issues” and retain its proper meaning or communicate its proper understanding.
Hebrew Definitions:
“keep”
5341. נָצַר nâtsar, naw-tsar’; a prim. root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.):— besieged, hidden thing, keep (-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve (-r), subtil, watcher (-man).
“with all diligence”
4929. מִשְׁמָר mishmâr, mish-mawr’; from 8104; a guard (the man, the post, or the prison); fig. a deposit; also (as observed) a usage (abstr.), or an example (concr.):— diligence, guard, office, prison, ward, watch.
8104. שָׁמַר shâmar, shaw-mar’; a prim. root; prop. to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; gen. to protect, attend to, etc.:— beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).
In the first half of the Hebrew definition for “with all diligence”, there is language in the definition that communicates the need for us to be much like a prison guard in how we approach the need to “keep” our hearts. Both “keep” and “with all diligence” have the concept of being a “watchman or keeping a “watch” in their definitions.
There are individual who are called to be Watchmen over the Body of Christ, also often referred to as Prophets/Prophetess, just as there were men who were called to be Watchmen over Israel, and we are called to be Watchmen over our own hearts. Therefore, we will take time to look at some Scripture about what it means to be a Watchman so we can understand the severity of the task.
Ezekiel 33:7–9 (NKJV)
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
Questions to Ask Ourselves
What does it mean to you when I state that the heart is the center of our being and the retainer of our spirit?
The Scriptures are filled with information about the heart and through this sheer volume and content of the Scriptures we can deduce that the heart is not only the center of physical life but also of spiritual life. Spiritually we are often asked to examine our hearts because the heart is the inner most being.”
– End of excerpt –
When we fail to keep watch over our hearts, when we fail to keep them with all diligence we are acting in one of the most unwise ways possible, which is why King Solomon warned his son so strongly to ‘keep or guard his heart with all diligence.’ I urge you also to, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Verse twenty-four can also be associated with keeping one’s heart healthy as well as standing alone in the principle of godly talk versus ungodly talk. What we say, what comes out of our mouths, has an effect in the spiritual realm and thus an affect upon our hearts.
From the Hebrew definition we find that we are warned in verse twenty-four against using our words in the form of “perverted, distorted, or crooked (dishonest)” talk, words that would cause other people or ourselves “to turn aside or depart” from God’s Ways, God’s Will, and God’s Wisdom.
People often talk just to talk. Don’t! Actually have something fruitful or useful to say when you speak.
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Abuse, Advice, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Blessing, Chastisement, Choices, Christian, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Correction, Crime, Curses, Death, Decision Making, Desire, Devotional, Discipline, Discretion, Encouragement, Equality, Evil, Exhortation, Fairness, Favor, Fear, Generosity, Godly Fear, Good, Grace, Growing, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Illness, Information, Insomnia, Justice, King Solomon, Learning, Life, Longevity, Mercy, Neighbors, Oppression, Parents, Peace, Protection, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteousness, Sexual Abuse, Sickness, Sin, Spirituality, Strength, Teachable, Trust, Truth, Wickedness, Wisdom
In Advice, Anxiety, Apostasy, Bible, Bible Study, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Evil, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Truth, Uncategorized, Wickedness, Wisdom on October 24, 2018 at 1:32 pm
This blog will alternate with each post between two subjects. One week will address why churches are not growing, and the coming move of God. The alternate week the blog will continue with the in-depth study through the Book of Proverbs.
The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.
Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Wicked and Evil or Wise and Shinning
Wickedness and evil behavior however severe or minor in the eyes of man is something to be avoided at all cost. God warns us to turn from evil before it consumes us or consumes parts of our life. (verse 14-15)
There are those who hunger after evil even to the point of losing sleep if they cannot find a way to partake in the evil they desire. Almost like a drug that someone is addicted to, evil calls after the wicked person. There are people who simply enjoy causing hurt for other people – hard to conceive for those who truly love God, but it is true. (verse 16-17)
You can see evil on a wicked person. There is a darkness on their countenance and vacancy to their eyes, an aura of darkness around them that cannot be described in words. Similarly, it is true of a Believer when they are actually living for God, there is a light that shines from their countenance, a light in their eyes, an aura of godly spirituality that is seen and detected by most people, sensed with mixed reactions. (verse 18)
Some people are draw to, and interested in, the light they see in this type of Believer, while other people are uncomfortable around the godly spirituality they can sense coming from the person. This tends to be true whether either type of person can detect exactly, or understand fully, what it is they sense coming from the dedicated Believer.
When you look into the Hebrew language at the meaning of the words and phrases in verse 19 it is extremely interesting and supports a principle we find in many other parts of Scripture. “As darkness” and “not at what they stumble” denotes the concept of those people who regularly do evil, sin, not understanding why “misfortune” and problems seem to continually plague them. The definitions define the person’s life as a life in continual decline, “decaying” and filled with “misfortune.” (verse 19)
The godly Believer continues to grow and shine brighter and brighter as their spiritual life with God progresses, they grow and slowly change for the better, whiles the evil person continues in a life of misfortune and trouble, they rarely change or grow as a person, have little desire to grow or change, and their life is slowly decaying away. (verse 18-19)
Which type of person will you choose to be?
Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.
Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:
This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
God's Truth in Love 