Prov.8:1-5 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
Prov.8:12-17 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
1 Kings 3:5-15 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
You can see from these verses that wisdom is a good thing to seek. There is a lot of wisdom in God's Word! God will reveal His wisdom to us! I have read the bible quite a few times and the Lord is faithful if you seek Him, He will be found!
Lord, there is no denying we are simple and most often foolish in regards to listening to the wisdom contained in Your Word! We should have judgement but You are steadfast in love and full of great mercy! I stand in awe at the forgiveness You show! But, there will come a time when mercy is over and those who deny You as Lord will be forever lost! Help us Lord, show Your mighty power to the world! Humble the heart of man so that he will fall before You and give You praise. Amen
Monday, September 5, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Value of Wisdom
Prov.1:23-33 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words know to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster."Prov.2:6-15 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. Lord, I pray that we know the value of Your wisdom. We are foolish and try to deny that all knowledge comes from You and You alone. Help us keep Your Word close to our hearts for guidance so that we may have peace in our souls. Amen
Friday, September 2, 2011
Do We Really Understand?
This is a true story about a young girl who was attending a small group at church. She was having a conversation with her teacher and she said she wanted to be baptised. The teacher was so happy! Before the teacher could ask the young girl about her decision, the young girls' friend blurted out "well, are you saved"? Oh, for us to be so bold in the name of the Lord!! The friend did not wait for the perfect time she just spoke, in love, to the young girl. Friends, how often are we waiting for the right time while we gamble with another persons' eternity?
Lord, help us to be bold, for eternity is coming all too soon for us all. Speak through us when we are too shy. You have all the power, we are Your servants, give us the words to speak. Amen
The gospel in a nutshell, Christ came to save sinners. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. We are dead in sin and forever seperated from a holy God. Christ came to bring salvation to all who will humbly bow and ask for His mercy. You can't earn it through baptism, works, tithing, living a near perfect life or anything else man thinks he can do. Man had a debt he could not pay! It was paid by the blood of Christ.
Romans 9:14-16 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Hebrews 10:7-14 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Lord, help us to be bold, for eternity is coming all too soon for us all. Speak through us when we are too shy. You have all the power, we are Your servants, give us the words to speak. Amen
The gospel in a nutshell, Christ came to save sinners. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. We are dead in sin and forever seperated from a holy God. Christ came to bring salvation to all who will humbly bow and ask for His mercy. You can't earn it through baptism, works, tithing, living a near perfect life or anything else man thinks he can do. Man had a debt he could not pay! It was paid by the blood of Christ.
Romans 9:14-16 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Hebrews 10:7-14 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Planning Ahead
We all plan ahead to some extent, but should we?
Ps.146:4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Seems as if God's Word is giving us caution about the way we plan!!
James 4:13-17 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Prov.27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
Clarke's commentary on the bible states:
"Death is certain to all men, as the fruit of sin, by the appointment of God; and there is a certain time fixed for it, which cannot be exceeded; but of that day and hour no man knows; and therefore cannot boast of a moment of future time, or of a tomorrow, nor of what he shall enjoy on the morrow (w); for, what he has today he cannot be certain he shall have the next; he cannot assure himself of health and honour, of pleasures, riches, and friends; he may have health today, and sickness tomorrow; be in honour today, and in disgrace on the morrow: he may bid his soul eat, drink, and be merry, seeing he has much goods laid up for many years, and vainly say, tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, when this night his soul may be required of him."
There is one thing that is certain, eternity will be spent somewhere. Christ followers have been preaching the gospel a long time and people have been ignoring it and embracing it just as long.
Father, we know time is getting short. We ask for Your saving power to be sent out over the whole Earth. How people can see Your power displayed and not be afraid of Your judgement is a hard thing for me to understand. Your Word says: Ps.147:11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love Amen
Ps.146:4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Seems as if God's Word is giving us caution about the way we plan!!
James 4:13-17 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Prov.27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
Clarke's commentary on the bible states:
"Death is certain to all men, as the fruit of sin, by the appointment of God; and there is a certain time fixed for it, which cannot be exceeded; but of that day and hour no man knows; and therefore cannot boast of a moment of future time, or of a tomorrow, nor of what he shall enjoy on the morrow (w); for, what he has today he cannot be certain he shall have the next; he cannot assure himself of health and honour, of pleasures, riches, and friends; he may have health today, and sickness tomorrow; be in honour today, and in disgrace on the morrow: he may bid his soul eat, drink, and be merry, seeing he has much goods laid up for many years, and vainly say, tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, when this night his soul may be required of him."
There is one thing that is certain, eternity will be spent somewhere. Christ followers have been preaching the gospel a long time and people have been ignoring it and embracing it just as long.
Father, we know time is getting short. We ask for Your saving power to be sent out over the whole Earth. How people can see Your power displayed and not be afraid of Your judgement is a hard thing for me to understand. Your Word says: Ps.147:11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love Amen
September Bible Reading
Date Old Testament New Testament
September 1 Psalms 148, 149, 150 1 Corinthians 11:16-34
September 2 Proverbs 1, 2 1 Corinthians 12
September 3 Proverbs 3, 4 1 Corinthians 13
September 4 Proverbs 5, 6 1 Corinthians 14:1-20
September 5 Proverbs 7, 8 1 Corinthians 14:21-40
September 6 Proverbs 9, 10 1 Corinthians 15:1-32
September 7 Proverbs 11, 12 1 Corinthians 15:33-58
September 8 Proverbs 13, 14 1 Corinthians 16
September 9 Proverbs 15, 16 2 Corinthians 1
September 10 Proverbs 17, 18 2 Corinthians 2
September 11 Proverbs 19, 20 2 Corinthians 3
September 12 Proverbs 21, 22 2 Corinthians 4
September 13 Proverbs 23, 24 2 Corinthians 5
September 14 Proverbs 25, 26, 27 2 Corinthians 6
September 15 Proverbs 28, 29 2 Corinthians 7
September 16 Proverbs 30, 31 2 Corinthians 8
September 17 Ecclesiastes 1, 2, 3 2 Corinthians 9
September 18 Ecclesiastes 4, 5, 6 2 Corinthians 10
September 19 Ecclesiastes 7, 8, 9 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
September 20 Ecclesiastes10, 11, 12 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
September 21 Song of Solomon 1, 2, 3 2 Corinthians 12
September 22 Song of Solomon 4, 5 2 Corinthians 13
September 23 Song of Solomon 6, 7, 8 Galatians 1
September 24 Isaiah 1, 2, 3 Galatians 2
September 25 Isaiah 4, 5, 6 Galatians 3
September 26 Isaiah 7, 8, 9 Galatians 4
September 27 Isaiah 10, 11, 12 Galatians 5
September 28 Isaiah 13, 14, 15 Galatians 6
September 29 Isaiah 16, 17, 18 Ephesians 1
September 30 Isaiah 19, 20, 21 Ephesians 2
September 1 Psalms 148, 149, 150 1 Corinthians 11:16-34
September 2 Proverbs 1, 2 1 Corinthians 12
September 3 Proverbs 3, 4 1 Corinthians 13
September 4 Proverbs 5, 6 1 Corinthians 14:1-20
September 5 Proverbs 7, 8 1 Corinthians 14:21-40
September 6 Proverbs 9, 10 1 Corinthians 15:1-32
September 7 Proverbs 11, 12 1 Corinthians 15:33-58
September 8 Proverbs 13, 14 1 Corinthians 16
September 9 Proverbs 15, 16 2 Corinthians 1
September 10 Proverbs 17, 18 2 Corinthians 2
September 11 Proverbs 19, 20 2 Corinthians 3
September 12 Proverbs 21, 22 2 Corinthians 4
September 13 Proverbs 23, 24 2 Corinthians 5
September 14 Proverbs 25, 26, 27 2 Corinthians 6
September 15 Proverbs 28, 29 2 Corinthians 7
September 16 Proverbs 30, 31 2 Corinthians 8
September 17 Ecclesiastes 1, 2, 3 2 Corinthians 9
September 18 Ecclesiastes 4, 5, 6 2 Corinthians 10
September 19 Ecclesiastes 7, 8, 9 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
September 20 Ecclesiastes10, 11, 12 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
September 21 Song of Solomon 1, 2, 3 2 Corinthians 12
September 22 Song of Solomon 4, 5 2 Corinthians 13
September 23 Song of Solomon 6, 7, 8 Galatians 1
September 24 Isaiah 1, 2, 3 Galatians 2
September 25 Isaiah 4, 5, 6 Galatians 3
September 26 Isaiah 7, 8, 9 Galatians 4
September 27 Isaiah 10, 11, 12 Galatians 5
September 28 Isaiah 13, 14, 15 Galatians 6
September 29 Isaiah 16, 17, 18 Ephesians 1
September 30 Isaiah 19, 20, 21 Ephesians 2
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Awaken Our Soul To Your Salvation
Christ and Christ alone brings salvation! Going to church does not bring salvation! You must believe in Christ through faith for salvation. One mediator! One ransom paid by His blood! One debt, we owed, paid by Christ, for us to be reconciled to a holy God!
Definition of ransomed: Obtain the release of (a prisoner) by making a payment demanded
We are the prisoners, held captive by sin and headed for hell. Christ made payment for our release! Christ has conquered sin and death! God desires for all men to be saved! Because of the hardness of their hearts, not all will be saved!
1 Tim.2:3-6 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Ps.142:7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
People do not think of sin as being in a prison but it most certainly is! You become a slave to sin and go deeper into that way of thinking and before long, you are in so deep, you think there is no way out!! But Jesus is the way out, He will change the vilest of hearts and you will never be the same!
Lord, I pray for the ones who think that they can not escape the prison they are in. If they would but call on You, in humbleness, repent and follow You. Your Word is an ever present help when we are lost and confused. Pour out Your power on the ones who want to know You. You are merciful beyond words. Amen
You can die happy in Christ when it is your time to go or you can be lost and go into eternity and be in fear of judgement and Hell.
Definition of ransomed: Obtain the release of (a prisoner) by making a payment demanded
We are the prisoners, held captive by sin and headed for hell. Christ made payment for our release! Christ has conquered sin and death! God desires for all men to be saved! Because of the hardness of their hearts, not all will be saved!
1 Tim.2:3-6 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Ps.142:7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
People do not think of sin as being in a prison but it most certainly is! You become a slave to sin and go deeper into that way of thinking and before long, you are in so deep, you think there is no way out!! But Jesus is the way out, He will change the vilest of hearts and you will never be the same!
Lord, I pray for the ones who think that they can not escape the prison they are in. If they would but call on You, in humbleness, repent and follow You. Your Word is an ever present help when we are lost and confused. Pour out Your power on the ones who want to know You. You are merciful beyond words. Amen
You can die happy in Christ when it is your time to go or you can be lost and go into eternity and be in fear of judgement and Hell.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Christ Unites the Church
We are undeserving sinners united by unfathomable mercy. Christ came to save sinners. He died. He has risen. He will come again! We have been given unmerited grace! Christ kept the law, we can not! Your works can not earn grace. You can not live a sinless life! You life is not acceptable before God. You are condemned before a holy God but Christ has come to bring salvation to the lost. Do you even know that you are lost? Do you want to be reconciled to God? Jesus can save the worst offender! Listen to Paul's account of how he received mercy!
1 Tim. 12-17 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Lord, I pray for You to open hearts. Time is getting short, we need a great revival. We need people to know that their eternity depends on Jesus. Amen
As we teach the Word, we must be careful to keep the gospel pure. The law shows our guilt. The Word shows Christ as redeemer!
1 Tim.3-11 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
1 Tim. 12-17 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Lord, I pray for You to open hearts. Time is getting short, we need a great revival. We need people to know that their eternity depends on Jesus. Amen
As we teach the Word, we must be careful to keep the gospel pure. The law shows our guilt. The Word shows Christ as redeemer!
1 Tim.3-11 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
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