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Acquiring and Applying Common Sense
Proverbs 3:21 “My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, keep sound wisdom and discretion;”
The Book of Proverbs will over and over appeal to the reader to acquire wisdom so that wisdom might be applied. The appeal in verse 21 is to not let it out of your sight. Deuteronomy 11 teaches us to have the Word of God in our hearts and in plain view for our eyes to see. Deut. 11:18 says, “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”While Proverbs is also big on appealing to acquire it also stresses applying the wisdom that has been acquired. In verse 21 the word “keep,” or observe, has the idea of obeying! Wisdom agrees with James that we must be doers, not just hears of the Word. In other words, having a Bible verse hanging on the wall or sitting in a picture frame is not enough.
What is to be applied? Sound wisdom and discretion.
Sound wisdom brings clear thinking to your life as wisdom allows one to see life from God’s perspective.
Discretion is compared to having common sense and we need some common sense!! Discretion is the ability to choose what is correct. It has the idea of tasting as a great chef would taste the food in order to know what needs to be added to make it taste great. With life being full of decisions and decisions determining destinations it is crucial to have WISDOM as it shows you the right way. Discernment then keeps one on the right road as there will be options!!
Are you acquiring wisdom and putting it in your heart and before your sight?
Are you applying wisdom? Are you a discerning person?How has wisdom helped you lately?
Continue Strong applying sound wisdom and discretion,
And remember to DATE the Word -
Having Dual Citizenships
Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
As Christians, we have dual citizenship. We are citizens of an earthly nation AND based on our verse we are citizens of heaven. This idea of dual citizenship was familiar to the Philippians as they had dual citizenship on earth. While they were citizens of the region of Macedonian and the city of Philippi, they were also considered Roman citizens. The city of Philippi was a Roman colony in which many retired soldiers received land, and they received Roman citizenship because to their support of Octavian (later Caesar Augustus, Luke 2:1) and Mark Antony as they battled against Brutus and Cassius after the death of Julius Caesar. Though Philippi was miles away from the city of Rome, the citizens of Philippi conducted themselves as good Roman citizens. Even miles away they enjoyed all the privileges and rights as if they were living in the center of Rome.Today, we as believers enjoy a multitude of heavenly spiritual blessings. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
As believers we are called to be good earthly citizens and seek to bring God’s blessings to our nation based on our heavenly blessings.
As believers we take on a role of being an ambassador of heaven to this world. The message of salvation and reconciliation, the gospel, is a message we are to bring to each and every person everywhere!
It is worth noting that while we live and work and worship here on earth we are WAITING – waiting eagerly for our Savior – our Lord – our King to return and every now and then we say, “EVEN SO LORD JESUS COME.”
Our heavenly citizenship should cause us to be great earthly citizens. How are your fellow citizens of earth impacted by your heavenly citizenship?Continue Strong as good citizens of two worlds,
And remember to DATE the Word -
Repentance Is So Refreshing
Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”
The Apostle Peter has gone to preaching again. He already preached on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2; now, in Acts 3, he goes to it again. After healing a lame man people came rushing toward the disciples in amazement. Peter seized the opportunity to point out that the healing happened because of Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:16) Peter’s sermon will point out to those listening that they were the reason Jesus Christ was killed, and it is time to repent regarding their belief about Jesus and their behavior toward Jesus. In doing so they would be CONVERTED, and their sin would be blotted out. He then continues with even more benefits of repenting as he tells them that times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord.Talk about a benefits package. Change your mind about who Jesus is and Jesus converts your heart, forgives your sins, blots them out, and then one experiences the “refreshing” that comes from enjoying being face to face with God. Being face-to-face with God is the idea of the “presence of the Lord.”
What is it like for you to spend time with Jesus? I hear from some that it is such an ordeal. They see spending time with Jesus as something mandatory. They have taken a legalistic approach to having a quiet time. They approach the Lord with lots of fear. I would tell this person there needs to be a “want to” instead of a “have to” mentality.
Being saved brings about a new relationship with God where He is our Heavenly Father and as a father, He enjoys fellowship with His children. Being with Him should bring about feelings of joy, peace, and love. Being with Him and knowing His deep and abiding love for you should refresh your soul.
Friends, enjoy the benefits of salvation that you get to experience a face to face relationship with God.
Every day with Jesus is….. How do you finish the statement? I would hope you could say, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”
Continue Strong enjoying the presence of the Lord,
And remember to DATE the Word -
Elementor #28840
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
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The Nots Of My Life
Daniel 3:18 “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Of the Bible’s most familiar stories, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego ranks as one of the most told. They were contemporaries of Daniel, and their story of conviction and courage is found in the book of Daniel, chapter 3. Most likely you know their story of how they defied King Nebuchadnezzar’s order for everyone to bow down and worship the image of gold. Daniel 3:4 says, “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 “that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;” While there was no real benefit to worshipping the golden image there were severe consequences if one did not bow down when the music played and worship the idol. Daniel 3:6 says, “And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”These guys in Babylonian are not playing around. They took canceling a person to another level. Instead of firing the non-conformist from say their job they were going to throw them in a fire.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE ASK, EVEN COMMANDED, TO COMPROMISE YOUR FAITH?
Working with a group of High School seniors a few years ago we talked about Daniel and then these three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and how they ESTABLISHED what their NOTS were. Daniel, in Chapter 1, was NOT going to defile himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego told the king that they do NOT serve his gods and WOULD NOT worship the gold image which you have set up.
There is no question we should admire the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They were put into a fiery furnace to kill them, refusing to back down. We do love this story because God protected them, even walking in the fire with them. I simply want to say let us admire more their CONVICTIONS – their established convictions before ever facing their moment of decision that would define them. It was their NOTS that kept them from compromising.
Knowing that many of the seniors I was working with would soon be not just leaving our school but also their home and their home church to go to various colleges I assigned them to write down 50 things that they WOULD DO and/or NOT DO to live out their Christianity and represent Christ as they were now on their own.
What are your convictions? Whether with family or friends, at work or play, in church or with our government, what are your I WILL BE and I WILL NOT BE statements?
It has been said if you do not STAND for something you will FALL for everything.
Continue Strong with strong convictions,
And remember to DATE the Word -
Sent To Save
John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
As Jesus explains to Nicodemus that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16) He follows that up with the reason He was sent in verse 17. He was sent to save. Let that sink in. He was sent to save. We only have to look at the beginning of the verse to see how surprising, yes alarming, stunning is His purpose for one would surely believe He was sent to condemn and destroy the world. God DID NOT – read it again – God DID NOT send His Son into the World to CONDEMN the World.The bottom-line purpose for being sent was to SAVE. God loved everyone everywhere, so He GAVE His Son to SAVE everyone everywhere.
Need more Scriptural proof that was sent to save?
Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 18:11 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
Luke 9:56 “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”As we move toward Easter I remind you that Jesus faced tremendous temptations as He hung on the cross. Those walking by as well as the religious leaders called on Him to save Himself. Mark 15:30 “Save Yourself, and come down from the cross! 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.”
Luke 23:35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”
Luke 23:37 “And saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”
Luke 23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”Friends, Jesus stayed on the cross so He could save you!
The window for a person to be saved is open. If you have not been saved today is the day of salvation. If you are saved you are God’s ambassador to the world to tell others how to be saved. The people of the world need to know God sent His Son, sent and GAVE His Son so He could SAVE them.
Continue Strong sharing John 3:16-17,
And remember to DATE the Word -
God’s Greatest Message to Man
No verse in the Bible speaks more clearly to what God has done for all of mankind than John 3:16. John 3:16 is the gospel in a nutshell. As the apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians he asked that they would comprehend the love of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19) He wanted them to comprehend what was the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ. If we look closer at John 3:16 we can better comprehend just how much God does love us.
“For God so loved the world” is the width of His love. His love is for everyone everywhere. The children’s song has it right as were taught to sing Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the WORLD. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus love the little children of the WORLD.
“That He GAVE His Only Begotten Son” is the length of His love. Great love has no man than He lay down His life for another. Christ GAVE His life so we could HAVE life.
Galatians 1:3 says, “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who GAVE Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,”
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel…3 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,“That whoever believes in Him should not perish” is the depth of His love.
Romans 5:6 “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The words ungodly and sinners represent all the wickedness and unrighteousness and filthiness of mankind. No sinner has gone too far from His reach to keep them from perishing!
“But have everlasting life” is the height of His love. He takes the person deserving and destined for hell who believes in His Son and gives them a home with Him in heaven for all eternity!
John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” Have you received, believed and been born again?
Continue Strong knowing God’s loves you!
And remember to DATE The Word -
Elementor #28816
Test Heading
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
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Be Ruled By Peace
Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Facing challenges that generate fear, the apostle Paul says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” The believer is to be RULED by PEACE. While it sounds good, what does it mean and how does it happen?To answer our questions, we start by asking what is to rule. The answer is PEACE. PEACE is to RULE our hearts. This was a specialty of Christ was it not? In John 14:27 He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” You recall He calmed the boisterous sea with the word PEACE! (Mark 4:39.) There was a GREAT CALM after He spoke PEACE! BE STILL!! This type of peace is to rule our hearts. Our hearts are to be ruled by the same mindset of Christ in which He is not SHAKEN by anything. Storms did not scare Jesus!
Now we consider the word RULE. Paul chooses a word that will only be used here in the NT. Pay attention. Paul has gone into the athletic world, and he sees a judge, a UMPIRE, at the athletic event. He sees one who MAKES THE CALL. He sees one who MAKES THE FINAL CALL and whose word is FINAL!! The word RULE means TO ACT AS AN UMPIRE! (Robertson’s Word Pictures).
Thus, in the face of a challenge, a storm, or a crisis, WE MAKE THE CALL like an UMPIRE to have GOD’s PEACE control us. We make the call to TRUST GOD! And be THANKFUL! Wow. Paul tells us to not only MAKE THE CALL for GOD’S PEACE, he tells us to be THANKFUL.
Being thankful in a difficult situation is difficult. Philippians 4:6 tells us to not be ANXIOUS, rather we are to handle every worry/concern (FEAR) with PRAYER! The next two words are very challenging – “with THANKSGIVING.” Being thankful is a game changer. Rather than asking God WHY, we ask HOW. We ask God HOW He might use this challenge in our lives for His glory!
Today WE are called to be UMPIRES. We are to make a call in the face of fears that GOD’s PEACE guides our hearts. We are to make the call to TRUST GOD. Recall Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” We are to make the call to BE THANKFUL.
Is it easy to do? NO! Will it mean we are living differently? YES! And it will be impactful as others will see us calm and cool, full of peace, TRUSTING GOD, being grateful, and being helpful. Instead of rocking the already rocking boat in the storm, we will be rowing based on the commands of Master! Making the right call will cause us to be living differently during a difficult time! BE RULED BY PEACE!
Continue Strong letting His peace rule,
And remember to DATE the Word