Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
:2"Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
:3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
:4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
:5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
:6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
:7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
:8 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb;
:9 when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band;
:10 when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors;
:11 when I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!
:31 Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?
:32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?
:33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?
We sometimes like Job when we suffer tragedy dare to aim questions at God. Chapter 38 of Job should give us lots to think about. When God started directing questions at him he must have felt really small. God didn't answer Job's questions. Instead God told him to notice the power and might with which He created the world and His control over every element of it. That alone should be reason enough to trust Him. We can trust God. He has the stars in His hands, surely He can care for us.
Ne 2:20 So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem."
To turn your failures into successes you need to do two things.
- Realize that God wants you to succeed because you're His child.
- Realize that failure is a teaching tool.
Some options work, some don't. With God on your side you'll win if you keep trying.
Acts 11:19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
:20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
:22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
:23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
:24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
:25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Barbabas was a man of compassion. Compassion is an inner feeling resulting in outward action. It should be our daily uniform of service. By God's grace, may we be known for it. True compassion is love in action.
1 Sam 2:35 Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
Being the high priest in Israel was a prestigious job, and Eli seemed suited to it. But he failed badly on the home front. His sons did not walk in the same way he did. They turned aside and were dishonest. As a result God told Eli He would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about and did nothing to stop. How would you measure up?
Mal 4:4 Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
:6 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.
Mat 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
:2 Abraham begot Isaac, Issac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
Luke 1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
We can find ourselves in circumstances of separation and danger we did not anticipate. Only from our heavenly Father can we find the perfect forgiveness, example, and inner grace we need. He knows we are all fallen children off fallen parents, and even now He offers us the help of His Spirit and the rescue of His Son. It's never too soon to turn back to God.
Jer 3:22 "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You for You are the Lord our God."
What's the root of our failures? Failure doesn't lie in the strength of the enemy or our own weakness, or God's reluctance to help us overcome. Israel was defeated by a small town after having conquered might Jericho. Their failure, like ours, was the result of unconfessed sin. Sin unacknowledged will keep you defeated, but sin confessed will bring you forgiveness and restoration that leads to victory. Anything we cling to that's contrary to God's word will cause us to fall before our enemies. Whatever God shows you, confess it immediately and by faith receive His forgiveness and cleansing. Then you'll be able to stand victorious before your enemies.
Heb 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
:12 saying, " I will declare Your name to My brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
:13 And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."
:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
:15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
:16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Is 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong. Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Sin put Jesus to the ultimate test. But His love endured it, His strength bore it, and His power overcame it. Thanks to Jesus' death and resurrection, we know beyond a doubt that sin will not and cannot win.
Jos 7:5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
Holiness is a path, not a place. When you're off the path, God's plan is simple – get back on it immediately. Like a child learning to walk, when you fall don't lie down and give up. Get back up and walk again. The moment that brings the awareness of sin should also bring the confession of sin and the assurance of forgiveness!
2 Sam 12:1 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him:"There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
:2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.
:3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him.
:4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the way-faring man who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."
:5 So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan,"As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!
:6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity."
:7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: "I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
:8 I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israeal and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!
:9 Why have you despised the commandments of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of Ammon.
:10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."
:11 Thus says the Lord:'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbors, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
:12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.
:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
:14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."
:15 Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill.
:16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
:17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
:18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!"
:19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
:20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.
:21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
:22 And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?"
:23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
Is 43:25"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
Just as David had to face the consequences of his sin so do we. But just as he did we can find our way back to a relationship with God that makes it possible for us to serve Him.
1 Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
Your marriage and other valued relationships should be like a mutual admiration society that builds each other's self-esteem and overlooks flaws that could otherwise be destruction. And there's a biblical word for this kind of commitment. It's called love.
Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
:20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As we seek to know God's will for the future, we must also act on what we already know now.
Love and obey the Lord every day, and He will unfold your future.
Mt 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, '
Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done."
Doubt is a doorway for satan to enter your life. It causes the 'fight of faith' to take flight. Doubt is one of satan's ploys. Your doubts reveal a lack of confidence in what God says. How can you stop doubting? The same way you deal with other sin. Acknowledge the problem and do something about it. It's believing that when you surrender a thing to Him, He takes it and deals with it. Don't fret, wrestle or reason with your doubts. Instead, repeat your Spiritual declaration of faith, disregard your feelings and trust God to do what He says.
Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh – who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands –
:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace
:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
:17 And He came and preached place to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
:18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
:21 in whom the whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
:22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
:2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Sadly, Christians often re-erect walls between one another. Rather than building walls, let's work to dismantle what separates us. Let the world see that we are indeed of the same household.
Ps 101:3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
Do you monitor what your children are watching, listening to, seeing around the home? Are you modest at all times? It may seem that you are being careful but you need to be diligent what your children see. They can't "unsee" something you think is ok now if you decide later it was wrong. Err on the side of not exposing them.
Ps 67:1 God be merciful to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
:2 that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
:3 Let the people praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
:4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. Selah
:5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
:6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.
:7 God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
God's daily blessings are proof positive that He is indeed a good God who cares for His own. But how will our world know this about God if we never praise Him for His goodness to us?
So next time God blesses you, be sure to look for ways to appropriately give Him the credit.
Jn 9:11 He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ' Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight."
Jesus told this man to go wash the clay from his eyes. What do you need to remove from your life today in order to see what God wants you to see and do what He wants you to do?
Whether it is a destructive habit, or toxic relationship, a bad attitude, you must get rid of it.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Clease your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
God will do His part, but you must do yours. God will extend grace to you, but you must act on it.
The secret of victorious Christian living is bathing your mind each day in the Scriptures. Picture yourself taking a bath in God's Word and the dirt and grime coming off you. That's what meditating on the Scriptures does for you.
Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
While receiving spiritual food from preachers and teachers is good, spiritual growth and survival also depend on knowing how to feed ourselves.
Jn 9:7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Sometimes Jesus healed by speaking to them, sometimes He laid hands on them. But this man's healing was a process. It required something of him. How far away was the pool? Doesn't matter. Being blind any journey was long. There is something important here. Even when God touches us, sometimes we have got to walk with our mess until we get to the place of healing, freedom and deliverance.
Here's another lesson. Whoever told him about Jesus, and helped him get there, had to help him to the pool. God never gives up on people and we shouldn't either. Sometimes when someone continues to struggle over and over with the same old habit, some Christians say they must not be saved. How often do you give in to resentment, pride, lust, greed, gossip, etc? The list Is endless, yet God doesn't give up on you. Sometimes we have to walk out our deliverance and healing. That's how long you need to love them, believe in them, pray for them and keep working with them. I'm glad God hasn't ever given up on me, aren't you glad He hasn't given up on you too?
Ps 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
:2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity. And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
:3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.
:4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. " And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
:6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.
:7 You are my hiding place, You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
:9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which has no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you.
:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, You righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
In hindsight, the psalmist saw the wisdom of a life that strives to honor the Lord – a life that does not need to be marked by regret.
May our choices today not result in regret, but rather be wise and God-honoring.
Jn 9:25 He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see."
The Pharisees wanted to debate with the blind man about where Jesus' power came from and who He was. He refused. Today some say the day of miracles is past. There is no "day" of miracles. There is a God of miracles. He never changes. Neither does the fact that He can work miracles. If you have a problem or addiction, believe He has the power to change that. You've tried everything else, now try God. He will not fail you. Just have faith!
Is 26:1 In that day this song will be sung in the lands of Judah: "We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.
:2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.
:3 You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
:4 Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength,
:5 for He brings down those who dwell on high, the lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust.
:6 The foot shall tread it down – the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy."
:7 The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.
:8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.
:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Verses 3-4 are an anchor for our souls through every storm of life. Whether it is an annoying inconvenience or a heartbreaking situation, He can bring us peace. Instead of dwelling on the situation or circumstance that you can't change, dwell on the One who can give you peace. When we put our problems in His hands, He puts His peace in our hearts. Put the problem in HIS hands AND LEAVE IT THERE!
Jn 9:6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
DNA is in your saliva. When Jesus spat on the clay (what man was originally made from) He was going back to the source of the problem. The man had been blind form birth. That's what He does with us also if we allow it.
Ps 139:13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
:15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
:16 Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
:17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
:18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Rev 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
God knows us from our very beginning and forever. Though we don't know how many breaths we have left, we can rest knowing He does.
Jn 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.sa
Sometimes things happen as consequences of our sin. Other times it is an opportunity for God to show His love and grace by setting us free.
Your problem may be to big for you, but it is not too big for God.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
God doesn't consult your past in order to determine your future. Before you met Jesus, you were spiritually dead.
Jn 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Once you are born again, the past no longer has any power over you, unless you give it power.
Break the cycle!
Lk 12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
:2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
:3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the rooftops.
:4 And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
:5 But I will show you who you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!"
:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Hypocrites put on a show of righteousness while hiding sinful thoughts and actions. Christ warned His disciples and us that secret sin will someday be fully exposed.
Yeast may be a blessing in a bakery, but it can also remind us to guard our heart against sin.
Num 32:23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
2 Pet 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
Your goal must be to get a little more faith each day, to build on the previous day and to learn from its failures .
Lk 11:29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, " This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
:30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
:31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
:32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
:33 No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, thjat those who come in may see the light.
:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
:35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
:36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.
:37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with Him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
:38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
:39 Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
:40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
:41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
:42 But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.
:43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
:44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisses, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk on them are not aware of them."
:45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also."
When life is going well, we tend to ignore warnings that we need to turn around and change our sinful ways. It's important to remember that we may be wrong even though life is good.
God sends warnings to protect us not to punish us.
Jn 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 Sam 17:32 Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
:33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth."
:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock
:35 I went out after it and struck it and delivered the lamb from its mouth, and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.
:36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."
:37 Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"
When David volunteered to face the giant he had faith In God who had delivered him in the past. He didn't think he was to young for God to use. Young people, don't ever think God won't or can't use you because of your age. All He needs is a willing heart.
Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
True contentment doesn't come from getting all you want, but by discovering the blessings you have been given and learning to enjoy them. Rom 13:8 should be your goal.
Isaiah 46:1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast.
:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity.
:3 Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb;
:4 even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
:5 To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal and compare Me, that we should be alike?
:6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmit5h, and he makes it a god; they prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
:7 They bear it on the shoulder; they carry it and set it in its place, and it stands; from its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble.
:8 Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors.
:9 Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none like Me,
Judges 11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it."
If you give God your word, do you keep it?
Don't get to the end of your life only to look back and discover you forfeited things which were truly significant, to make way for things that added nothing of value.
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
:18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."
:19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.
:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
:23 By faith Moses, when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
:26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dryland, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
:31 By faith the harlot Rehab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets.
Are you looking for a second chance with God? There's a widespread idea that if you once miss "God's best" you can never again render gold-medal service to Him. But in Hebrews 11, faith's 'hall of fame', we read of several who failed yet came back strong for the Lord.
Abraham, often willful and impatient in waiting for the son God had promised, demonstrated amazing faith in offering up Isaac. Jacob, the schemer who stole his brother's birthright and blessing, became a man of faith who blessed his children and worshipped God. Moses spent 40 years in Midian before leading God's people out of Egypt.
Our previous mistakes don't necessarily exclude us from serving God. His best for us is that we turn away from our sin, learn from our failures, and begin anew to follow Christ. That's how you get a second chance.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Some people think temptation is sin. It isn't. Acting on the temptation is sin. The devil wants you to blame yourself when you are tempted. When you believe that you are condemned and discouraged. That is when you will act on the temptation. Then it becomes sin. So when you're tempted reject the devil's condemnation and reach for Christ's overcoming assistance.
Heb 12: 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
:6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives."
:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
:8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
:9 Furthermore, we have human fathers who correct us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
:10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
God is passionately interested in our positive growth as His children. At times He needs to confront us with unpleasant circumstances to get our attention and reorient our lives to more consistently produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Don't resist God's corrective hand. Respond to His reproofs with thankfulness that He loves you enough to care about what kind of a person you are becoming.
Mt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
God's word makes it clear that the Christian life, from start to finish, is warfare.
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The closer you draw to God the more your temptations will increase, The devil doesn't want you close to God.
As your faith grows God will allow more temptation cause He has built you up enough to withstand it. But He has also given you free will. So it is your choice whether you give in to it. You must deal with the temptation and wrestle your way to victory. Experiencing temptations is proof you are abiding in Christ. The devil doesn't have to tempt the unsaved. They are already his.
1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
God gives the increase. Many people sit in church week after week. Everyone there hears the same message. Some will be saved, some will recommit and others will walk away unchanged by the message that day. It is God who calls, it is God who touches the heart. If you think it is the pastor or person giving the message and not God, maybe you are worshipping that person instead of God. Something to think about isn't it? Yes God does use people to get His word across, but it is ONLY God who can change someone.
