Tag: truth

A Life of A Great Marriage

A great marriage is God’s design for His children if it is His will for them to be married. He came that we might have an abundant life and part of that abundant life is an abundant marriage if marriage is a part of that life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

It is the devil who comes only to steal, kill and destroy and he will do that not only in your life but in your marriage if you let him. The Bible says to resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4:6-8 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The first step to having a great marriage is to realize and acknowledge that you can not do it on your own. We all need God’s grace and the way to get God’s grace and help is to humble yourself before the Lord. He gives grace to the humble. He opposes the proud. Pride says that “I can do it on my own and I can do it my way.” When you humble yourself before the Lord then you are resisting the devil who whispers in your ear that “you have got this and don’t need the Lord”. Cleanse your hands means that you need to take it out of your hands and put it in the hands of the Lord by giving it to Him. Purify your hearts means that you can not be double minded, but single minded by being fully surrendered to the Lord. A double minded person is one who can not decide how to do something. Should they do it “this way or that way”. A pure heart says that you want only to do it God’s way. When we are fully surrendered to the Lord and put our marriage or future marriage in God’s hands then He will show us His ways and give us His grace. God’s ways are God’s wisdom and He will give to all who ask Him if they are not double minded.

James 1:5-8 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

So, the beginning of a great marriage is to ask God for wisdom. Don’t lean on your own understanding but trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Faith is trusting in the Lord and asking Him for wisdom is an expression of that faith. He wants to help you and direct you. His ways are perfect and He is good.

Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

If you will build your marriage on God’s wisdom then it will be firmly established and will be able to endure the storms of life. The days will be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Your marriage and home will be a refuge to you and all who enter.

Proverbs 24:3,4 By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

 

 

 

A Life with Forgiveness and Freedom

It is easy to misunderstand what is in God’s Word until one comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal relationship. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the truth. He is the source of all truth. There is no truth apart from Him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

There is peace in knowing and understanding the truth. The truths in the Bible are like diamonds with many facets. The more we know then the more we understand and the more we understand then the more we are set free.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

To know the truth of what God says then we must first become a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is one who believes in Jesus Christ and holds to His teaching. When we hold to His teaching then we seek to do what He says. Obedience to His teaching comes first and then understanding and knowledge. Many people want to understand first and then obey but the knowledge of truth comes after we hold to His teaching and do it. When we know the truth then the truth sets us free. When a person becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ then they receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and the Holy Spirit leads a disciple of Jesus into the truth. The Holy Spirit sheds light on God’s Word and gives understanding.

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. John 15:26

A disciple of Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit when he becomes a child of God. He is born again through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes and lives within him. He becomes spiritually alive and this is when he becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. A true disciple will want to live according to God’s Word. He will want to be faithful to do His commandments. He will begin to understand the truths in God’s Word through learning and keeping His commandments. He will see that God’s commandments are not burdensome, but when obeyed, they bring freedom and joy. He will want to love God.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. I John 5:3

Apart from God we can not understand the way to true freedom. It is God’s Word through our conscience that keeps us. When we choose to live the way we want to and not according to God’s Word then it is called sin and lawlessness.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. I John 3:4

The world feels that they are free from God’s Laws. However, when they break free from God’s Word then they are in what is called “free fall”. It is a state of feeling free because they have not experienced the consequences of when they “hit bottom” which will come either sooner or later. Either way, it will come and it will be painful. Lawlessness is sin and sin brings death.

For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23a

The death for the one who chooses not to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is an eternal death, which is an eternal separation from God. It is being in a state of torment for eternity.

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10

For the Christian who sins, this person will experience death to his soul and his fellowship with God will be broken.

you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? Romans 6:16b

When the Christian sins, the death that he experiences in his soul is the regret and shame that he feels. He has grieved the Spirit of God within him. However, he can repent, that is, turn away from his sin, and confess his sin to the Lord. He can then experience God’s forgiveness once again and come back into fellowship with the Lord.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I john 1:9

When an unsaved person, that is, one who has not yet given his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ to be His disciple, sins then he too can experience God’s forgiveness and cleansing from his sin if he will come to Jesus Christ also. If he repents, that is, turns from his sin and confesses his need for a Lord and Savior then he will be forgiven, saved and set free from his sin.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

For Jesus Christ came for this purpose to set all men free from death and He came to give all men life. He came that He might bring us to God.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; I Peter 3:18

This gift of life is for all. However, only those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will experience this great gift of God’s love and forgiveness and become His child and His disciple.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12

Have you experienced the love of God in your life? Have you known the cleansing of your heart and conscience? Have you experienced the forgiveness of all of your sins? The Bible says that “today” is the day of salvation. Come to Jesus Christ. There is no one who has sinned too much and there is no one whom the Lord does not love and want as His child. Come to Jesus Christ. He loved you so much that He died for you.

Coming to Jesus Christ is acknowledging your need for Him and surrendering your heart and life to Jesus Christ. Believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you, was buried and rose again. He lives today. Receiving Him as your Lord and Savior. If you have never prayed and asked Jesus Christ to come into your life then you can today. Pray to Him. Prayer is expressing your heart to the Lord. Tell Him that you are coming to Him and you want Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior. He is faithful and if you genuinely mean what you pray then He will answer you.

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. I John 5:11-15

Jesus Christ is the way to true freedom and forgiveness. He is the only way. There are no other religions who can offer this great gift and He is the only Savior. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. He is alive today.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.

A Life Knowing and Respecting God

The Bible says that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. If we want to understand anything then we must know the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives understanding. If we want to be happy then we must read the directions of the One who created everything. Just as anything, if we don’t read the directions then we will generally make a mess of whatever it is we are trying to do or fix.

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10b

Another word for directions is instructions. The Lord gives instruction in what He has created.

The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33

The fear of the Lord means that we respect Him and listen to Him. Humility is recognizing that we do not know everything and we need to know the instructions that the Lord gives us. It is acknowledging that the Lord knows more than we do about everything and therefore we need His help in everything. When we read His Word with humility then we learn to fear Him because we realize that He knows far more than we do.

Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You. Psalm 119:38

We can not even fear and respect God on our own. It is not in us but if we humbly come to Him and spend time in His Word then He will put within us a healthy fear and respect for Him. A healthy fear of God allows us to see His great love for us. It removes all unhealthy fear. Unhealthy fear involves punishment and the Lord does not punish His children. Jesus Christ took the punishment on the cross for all of mankind. Those who receive what He has done for all of us escape the punishment of God and they come into a love relationship with God.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. I John 4:18

When we come into a love relationship with God then we become His child. When we become His child then we begin the most amazing journey of living in His love.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. I John 3:1-3

When we become His child then we enter into a love story that never ends and is a journey for much joy and peace. We become His masterpiece of Him transforming us into His likeness. He is good and He is love and that is His design for us. He takes our defeats and He gives us His victory. He takes our failures and gives us success. He begins a good work in us and does not ever give up on us.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

The Lord begins making us into the person that we long to be. He does not change our personality and the uniqueness of who He made us to be but He sets us free from the very things that destroy who He designed us to be and the person we want to be.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death. Proverbs 14:27

The death that we experience when we fall into a snare is the defeat, the regrets, the guilt and the destruction we experience when we don’t follow His instructions. This is an eternal death for the one who has not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and it is a temporary, but none the less, real death to the soul for the Christian. It is not His will that any should experience death or for any to perish.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. II Peter 3:9

Repentance is acknowledging that we do not know what we need and that He does know and has all knowledge. Repentance is turning to God for help and turning from the other “things” that we looked to to help us.

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19

When we look to the Lord and fear Him by coming to Him and acknowledging that we need Him then He will meet us and He will set us free and give us life.

You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Isaiah 64:5b

Jesus Christ came to give life and not only that, but He wants to give us an abundant life. It is the devil who robs us of life. Jesus Christ defeated the devil on the cross and offers life to any who will come to Him.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Are you weary of your defeats in life? Are you tired of the guilt? Do you have broken relationships? Do you have regrets? Do you feel as though you are just seeking to survive and do the “best you can” but it is never good enough? Are you tired of doing life on your own? Then come to Him. Jesus Christ love you and He offers you a life of peace, joy and love. He came to give you life.

 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

A Life Knowing and Respecting God

The Bible says that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. If we want to understand anything then we must know the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives understanding. If we want to be happy then we must read the directions of the One who created everything. Just as anything, if we don’t read the directions then we will generally make a mess of whatever it is we are trying to do or fix.

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10b

Another word for directions is instructions. The Lord gives instruction in what He has created.

The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33

The fear of the Lord means that we respect Him and listen to Him. Humility is recognizing that we do not know everything and we need to know the instructions that the Lord gives us. It is acknowledging that the Lord knows more than we do about everything and therefore we need His help in everything. When we read His Word with humility then we learn to fear Him because we realize that He knows far more than we do.

Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You. Psalm 119:38

We can not even fear and respect God on our own. It is not in us but if we humbly come to Him and spend time in His Word then He will put within us a healthy fear and respect for Him. A healthy fear of God allows us to see His great love for us. It removes all unhealthy fear. Unhealthy fear involves punishment and the Lord does not punish His children. Jesus Christ took the punishment on the cross for all of mankind. Those who receive what He has done for all of us escape the punishment of God and they come into a love relationship with God.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. I John 4:18

When we come into a love relationship with God then we become His child. When we become His child then we begin the most amazing journey of living in His love.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. I John 3:1-3

When we become His child then we enter into a love story that never ends and is a journey for much joy and peace. We become His masterpiece of Him transforming us into His likeness. He is good and He is love and that is His design for us. He takes our defeats and He gives us His victory. He takes our failures and gives us success. He begins a good work in us and does not ever give up on us.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

The Lord begins making us into the person that we long to be. He does not change our personality and the uniqueness of who He made us to be but He sets us free from the very things that destroy who He designed us to be and the person we want to be.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death. Proverbs 14:27

The death that we experience when we fall into a snare is the defeat, the regrets, the guilt and the destruction we experience when we don’t follow His instructions. This is an eternal death for the one who has not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and it is a temporary, but none the less, real death to the soul for the Christian. It is not His will that any should experience death or for any to perish.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. II Peter 3:9

Repentance is acknowledging that we do not know what we need and that He does know and has all knowledge. Repentance is turning to God for help and turning from the other “things” that we looked to to help us.

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19

When we look to the Lord and fear Him by coming to Him and acknowledging that we need Him then He will meet us and He will set us free and give us life.

You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Isaiah 64:5b

Jesus Christ came to give life and not only that, but He wants to give us an abundant life. It is the devil who robs us of life. Jesus Christ defeated the devil on the cross and offers life to any who will come to Him.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Are you weary of your defeats in life? Are you tired of the guilt? Do you have broken relationships? Do you have regrets? Do you feel as though you are just seeking to survive and do the “best you can” but it is never good enough? Are you tired of doing life on your own? Then come to Him. Jesus Christ love you and He offers you a life of peace, joy and love. He came to give you life.

 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

A Life that Knows the Truth of God

Jesus Christ said that He is the truth. There is no truth apart from God. Truth never changes and is the only constant that we can build our lives on and put our hope in. God’s Word will never fail you nor can you change it. There are many theories and speculations in the world but they are constantly changing and are the result of man’s reasonings which will fail.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

God’s Word is truth and when we live by it then it will set us apart from the rest of the world and will define our lives.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

God and His Word are equal.

Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

You can not truly worship the Lord apart from His truth for those who worship in spirit and truth are the ones whom the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

John 4:23,24 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

If you want to be His disciple then you must know His truth which is found in His word.

John 8:31,32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

When you know God’s truth then the truth will make you free. Many people are free on the outside but not free on the inside. They have allowed some sin to have dominion over them and to control them. You can not set yourself free from sin but God can and He wants to through His truth. Are you struggling within with some particular sin that you know the Lord is not pleased with and if others knew then you would feel ashamed? Come to the Lord and He will set you free and you will be free indeed. He knows our weaknesses and we all have them so come to Him. He loves you and will not disgrace you but He is full of grace and truth and will show you His tender love. He does not condemn you.

Psalm 119:132,133 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
After Your manner with those who love Your name.
Establish my footsteps in Your word,
And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

 

A Life of Kindness and Truth

There are amazing promises to the person who will fill their lives with kindness and truth. You will find favor with God and man.

Proverbs 3:3,4 Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.

The person whom the Lord uses will characterize these traits for they are what defined our Lord Jesus Christ. He was full of kindness and He was full of truth. One of the aspects of grace is kindness. An expression of grace is showing favor towards someone expressed in kindness. Jesus was full of grace and truth and it was expressed in kindness and truth.

Proverbs 14:22 Will they not go astray who devise evil?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.

Goodness and doing good is what God has called us to do and it consist of doing kindness and truth. When you seek to do good to others then kindness and truth will come to you. The Lord is good and He is kindness and truth. He wants us to do good and to be kindness and truth to others. What you do to others will be done to you.

Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

The paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth and when you learn to keep His commandments then you will walk in His paths.

Psalm 40:11,12 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

If you are seeking Him and seeking to obey Him and to do what is right then even when you feel as though you have failed and your sins have overtaken you so that you can not even see then His lovingkindness and His truth will still and continually preserve you. His lovingkindness and truth are in Christ Jesus and Jesus will never leave you or forsake you.

Psalm 61:2-4 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
Let me dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

Even when your heart is faint and you can not see through the darkness then call to Him. He will lead you to the rock that is higher than you. Jesus Christ is that Rock and He will be a refuge for you and a tower of strength against the enemy. You will dwell in His presence forever.

Hebrews 13:5b for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

 

 

 

 

 

A Life of Grace and Truth

Jesus Christ was full of grace and truth. Faith is coming to Jesus and it is God’s grace that allows us to come to Him. Salvation is the gift we receive by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

It is Jesus that saves us through His Word and sets us free from our sin. His Words are truth. The gospel (the good news) that Jesus brought to us is the power of God for salvation. Jesus Christ and His Word and truth are equal. The truth became flesh and dwelt among us.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus Christ is God and when He dwelt among men they saw His glory which is who the Father is and that is, Jesus was full of grace and truth. Grace is the opposite of shame. When someone is disgraced then they are shamed. Sin brings shame and disgrace. Jesus came to take away our sin and shame and to give us grace.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.

When we do what is right it will be expressed in grace and truth. When Joseph thought Mary, his betrothed, had been unfaithful to him then he, being a righteous man did not want to shame or disgrace her but sought to do what is right and loving by sending her away secretly.

Matthew 1:19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Jesus took the attention off of the woman caught in adultery. She was being disgraced and He, being righteous, stooped even lower than those around and wrote on the ground so that the eyes of her accusers would be taken off of her and on to Him. He took away her disgrace by standing in the gap between the accusers and her.

John 8:3-11 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.

Jesus does this for each one of us. We have all sinned and are worthy of much disgrace but Jesus stood in the gap between us and the devil, who is our accuser. He stooped down to earth and made us great by taking our sin and punishment. He took our condemnation and has stood in the gap and faced our accuser for us so that we might be free from condemnation.

Romans 8:1-3 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

Just as Jesus stood up and asked the woman where her accusers were, for they were gone, so Jesus says the same to all of us, “I do not condemn you, either. Go, from now on sin no more.

John 8:10,11 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

Are you struggling with something that you know that you should stop? Is the devil secretly accusing you? Satan is a bully and a bully always goes after one who is weak at the moment. Satan won’t go after Jesus because he has already lost to the Lord Jesus Christ but he tries to get to Jesus through us.

I Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The Bible says to resist the devil and he will flee from you. Resist him through God’s Word and the name of Jesus Christ and he will flee.

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Get in God’s Word and keep resisting the devil until you see the victory. Keep firm in your faith in the Lord. After you have struggled and suffered for a little while then Jesus Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

I Peter 5:9-10 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

 

 

 

 

A Life that Receives Wisdom

We all need wisdom if we want to do life, work, relationships and whatever else right. If we want less sorrow and more happiness and fulfillment in our life then we need wisdom. However, where do we receive wisdom, in other words, what is the source of wisdom?

Proverbs 2:6,7a For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

The Lord is the Giver of wisdom. Not only does He give wisdom but He gives knowledge and understanding. He is the source of all that is good and upright. He stores us sound wisdom for the upright and delights in giving to those who seek Him then secrets of life which is His wisdom.

Psalm 25:12-14 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.

Just as there are secrets in all of life and how to do life, so the Lord has made it that the person who fears Him will receive His instructions and will know His secrets. His soul will abide in prosperity and his children will have a refuge and see the promises of God. One of the greatest gifts that you can give to your children is for them to see the reality of God on a daily basis and to see the fulfillment of His promises. He not only has promises for all eternity but He has promises for daily life.

Job 12:16a With Him are strength and sound wisdom,

The Lord gives wisdom but He entrusts it to those who fear Him. Wisdom is so powerful that it would be destructive to the one who does not fear God.

Job 28:28 And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

Are you frustrated in life or in relationships? Often we desire something and are frustrated because we are not getting what we desire. If you do not fear God then that desire could become a snare or bondage for you. It is the fear of the Lord that keeps things clean and pure. When we fear Him then He purifies our hearts and fulfills our desires in a good way so that the desires do not destroy or control us. The Lord is good and He only gives to His children what is good. Sometimes we do not know what is good for us and for this reason it is crucial that we trust Him to give us what He knows is good. You will look back on life when you are older and you will be thankful for not receiving certain desires.

Psalm 19:9a The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

Once you have surrendered your life and your desire to the Lord and are seeking to fear Him, then ask Him for wisdom. He promises to give it to you generously.

James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

It is wisdom to seek God and it is foolishness to seek any thing else above God. He is wisdom, life, love and everything else that we long for and He alone is able to give us all that we need. In Him are peace, joy and love. If you will seek Him then He will lead you into the way of wisdom and understanding. You will want to do good and you will be free of the snares of death. He gives grace and wisdom so that we might do His will and live according to His ways. When you know Him then you will know wisdom and you will have understanding. For it is the Lord who gives wisdom and understanding. The outcome will be that you will live securely and will not fear.

Proverbs 1:33 But he who listens to me shall live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

 

 

 

A Life Knowing the Beginning of Wisdom

If you want to know wisdom and receive wisdom then you must start at the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge. If we don’t have wisdom then we will be frustrated, hurt, disappointed and weary. If we continue on a path of a lack of wisdom in a certain area then we will eventually become discouraged and want to give up. It will not seem worth it. What seemed like a “gift” will have become a burden. Life is sweet with wisdom and the gifts that God has given to us are sweet if done God’s way. If you have not experienced the “sweetness” of relationships, marriage, children or whatever good thing you long for then ask yourself if you started at the beginning of wisdom in these particular areas.

Proverbs 9:10,11 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.

When your life is sweet then your days are full and your life is long and satisfying. This is God’s design for us. He never designed us for great sorrow but we bring it on ourselves when we choose to do life without the Giver of life.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.

If you want to live life to the fullest then you must have wisdom but before you can have wisdom you must fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. When you fear the Lord then your life will overflow. You will avoid the snares of death. Death is not only physical but there is death to the soul which is the guilt, defeat, frustration and emptiness which results when we go our own way. There can also be death to relationships and marriages. If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the fountain of life then what does it mean to fear the Lord?

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverted mouth, I hate.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance. Evil means the opposite of God’s ways. Our hearts are bent on evil and the end of evil is grief. Pride is believing that we can do it on our own and we do not need God. Arrogance is the pride of knowledge and thinking that we “know”, therefore we do not need wisdom. The evil way is “having it our own way” and this permeates everything we do and begins in early childhood. We have to learn God’s ways and they do not come naturally. The one who fears God will also hate the “perverted” mouth. Any form of cursing or taking God’s name is vain is a form of the perverted mouth. Do you allow yourself to speak what is profane or to listen to or read any perversions of the mouth? Since it is not within us to “fear God”, then how do we learn to fear God?

Psalm 119:38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
As that which produces reverence for You.

God’s Word is what will produce in you a fear of God. If you want to live life to the fullest then you must have wisdom. To receive wisdom then you must have the fear of the Lord. If you want to learn to fear the Lord then you must go to God’s Word and have it be established in your life. Once God’s Word is established in your life then His Word will produce in your heart a heart that fears God.

Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

The fear of the Lord will prolong your life.

Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge.

In the fear of the Lord you will have strong confidence.

Psalm 19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

When you fear the Lord then you will sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Proverbs 22:4 The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.

Humility is the opposite of pride and it is acknowledging that you need the Lord. Fearing God is acting on that humility and seeking Him with all of your heart. The reward of these two things are riches, honor and life.

Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

Greatest of all, when you fear the Lord then His eye will be on you. When you learn to fear Him then you will realize that you need not ever fear anything else. This is what it means to live a life of “no fear”.

 

 

 

 

 

A Life that Blesses and Is Blessed

A blessed life and a life that is cursed are opposites. Blessings are everything that is good and curses are everything that is bad. The Lord wants to bless us and warns against living a life that is cursed.

Psalm 109:17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.

You can either be a blessing or a cursing. Along with cursing comes bitterness. You can not have both sweet water and bitter come out of you, as God’s vessel, you are a fountain that will either bless or curse others.

James 3:8-11 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening bothfresh and bitter water?

What is your tongue like? Do you ever use curse words? Do you seek to bless others? Your tongue is what expresses what is in your heart.

Luke 6:44,45 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

What is the fruit of your lips? Do you bless the Lord and man? The only way you can be a blessing to God and man is to fill your heart with what is good for then your will speak from that which fills your heart.

Hebrews 13:15,16 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love to speak will eat its fruit. Your words will either give blessing and life or they will bring cursing and death.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.