The Best Yet To Come

Posted on February 19, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Rachel Cook on Unsplash

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

What Do You Give Up For Jesus?

I have told people about salvation by faith and surrender to Christ for many years, and the one question I’ve heard is:

“But what will I have to GIVE UP to give myself to Jesus?”

The answer is – EVERYTHING. If you want to be saved and cared for as God wants to care for you, you must give Jesus everything. Salvation is to give your life to Jesus – and He gives His life to you. The beginning of salvation, the very first step, is found in the word REPENT. Jesus preached:

REPENT (metanoeō), for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17)

Jesus often preached “unless you REPENT (metanoeō), you will all perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).

When Jesus sent the disciples out to preach, it was the message that “every person should REPENT (metanoeō)” (Mark 6:12).

Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, “REPENT (metanoeō) and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38).

And again later, “REPENT (metanoeō) and be converted, that your sins be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). To be saved, you must REPENT (metanoeō).

You must turn from being your own god, following your own word, and surrender to the God Who made you and Who wants to save you. Beloved, when you do this, you lose far less than you gain!

Those who come to Christ lose an uncertain and confusing life, and are brought into an abundant life. Jesus said,

“I have come that you MIGHT HAVE LIFE, abundant life!” (John 10:10, AP)

You are not really living unless you are in Christ Jesus. Those who will not come to Christ do not have life, but are merely existing. But those who come surrendered to Christ, we have previously seen:

Are no longer condemned by God. (Romans 8:1)
Are freed from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
Are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:3-7)
Are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 8:9)
Are made alive by the Spirit (Romans 8:10-13)
Are made into sons of God (Romans 8:14)
Are adopted into the Family of God (Romans 8:15-16)
Are made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)

Beloved, by coming to Christ as your Lord and Savior, you gain far more than you lose. Today the Lord tells us another great thing the Christian has over the lost person.

We Have His Promise Of Tomorrow To Help Us Through the Suffering Of Today

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We are all acquainted with suffering. Everyone has suffered, is going through suffering, or will suffer in this life. As the Apostle wrote these words that I just read, that dear man knew much of suffering. When Jesus knocked Paul down on the Damascus Road, He blinded Paul, and sent a disciple named Ananias to minister to him. Jesus told Ananias:

Acts 9:16 (AP) … I will show Paul how GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER for My sake

To stand for Jesus in this present evil world requires suffering. Paul suffered terribly in carrying the Gospel of salvation to others. Paul told the Church:

2 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV) … the affliction we experienced in Asia. … we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that WE DESPAIRED OF LIFE ITSELF.

Paul and his companions were beyond suffering. In another place the Apostle detailed how much he suffered in sharing the Gospel. He said:

2 Corinthians 11:24-27 (KJV) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. [25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [26] [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; [27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

How Paul suffered. How the Apostles suffered, the early Church, the Christians. Yet of the suffering Paul says confidently:

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Paul said, “I’ve seen the future of our state. We REPENTED. We gave our lives to Jesus. And yes, we suffer. But the suffering we are undergoing NOW is nothing in comparison to what we have coming to us – the GLORY that we will have when we meet our Jesus face to face”,

GLORY!

Not only do we look forward to the glorious future we have, but we are told:

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the CREATURE {ktisis} waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Word Study: The word translated “CREATURE” is the Greek ktisis, which means “CREATION”. Creation itself is looking forward to the “MANIFESTATION” {apokalypsis}, or the “REVELATION” of the sons of God. God has promised the Christian that there will come a glorious future where we have no suffering, no pain. A time when God fulfills His promise to us, where God says:

Revelation 21:5 (KJV) … Behold, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW …

We look forward to this time – but creation itself also looks forward to our future self. Creation will one day be relieved of suffering, just as we who are Christians will be relieved of suffering.

So Why Is There Suffering Throughout This World?

Why all the suffering? Why do babies get cancer? Why do we see such cruelty in nature? Why does the baby antelope, just born, find itself surrounded by predators, torn apart and eaten alive? Why are there poisonous snakes that kill children? Why do people suffer starvation because of drought? Why are people murdered by people, and by wild animals? Why … why … why?

Our text tells us.

Romans 8:20For the CREATURE {ktisis, CREATION} was made subject to VANITY {mataiotēs}, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope

Word Study: Creation itself WAS SUBJECTED to – not “VANITY” but the word mataiotēs means “that which is devoid of truth, robbed of that which is appropriate. That which is perverse or depraved.” Creation did not do this to itself. We are told that Creation …

was made subject to VANITY {mataiotēs}, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope

To understand this statement you have to go back to the beginning, to the Book of Genesis. When God made Creation, the Bible says:

Genesis 1:31 (KJV) … God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…

There was absolutely NO suffering in all Creation. God made it VERY GOOD, a beautiful Paradise. God put Adam and Eve in the midst of this perfection. God told them:

Genesis 1:28 … (KJV) God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion …

God gave humanity stewardship of the earth. Their orders were clear. Adam was to obey God’s Word, to do as the Lord required. God gave Adam ultimate authority over all things on this earth, and told him:

Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV) … Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam and Eve were perfect. Creation was perfect. There was no suffering, no pain throughout all of the world. Then Adam did the unthinkable – he departed from the Word of God. Adam ate that which was forbidden, choosing to follow the word of a possessed snake over the promise of God. God told Adam after the fall:

Genesis 3:17-19 (NKJV) … Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.

Creation was under the stewardship of Adam. But as Adam rejected the Word of God for the word of humanity, his actions brought the curse of sin into creation itself. As we have read many times:

Romans 5:12 (NKJV) … through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …

Adam’s sin didn’t just effect Adam. It effected Adam’s progeny – that’s us. Adam’s sin also effected nature itself. Prior to his sin Creation was “very good”. But following his sin, creation was “cursed for Adam’s sake”. When God subjected Creation to sin because of Adam,

him {God} who hath subjected the same in hope

The fall of mankind and of nature was not a hopeless fall, but one that offered HOPE. When God cursed the serpent (Satan himself, see Revelation 12:9) He promised a future redemption. The Lord told Satan:

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) … I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.

The “SEED of the Woman” is an ancient promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was promised as the Messiah in Genesis, the Savior and Lord of His people. It is because of Jesus that we who are Christians have a glorious future – a future that even Creation looks forward to. When the Christian is delivered from this present body of sin, then this will trigger a change in Creation itself:

Romans 8:21-22 Because the CREATION (ktisis) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together {synōdinō} until now.

Right now Creation GROANS and SHARES PAIN WITH US (synōdinō) right now. We suffer. Creation suffers. Why? Because of sin. Because man chose to depart from the Word of God.

We Suffer, But Not Without Hope

Romans 8:23-25 (KJV) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We all suffer, believer or unbeliever. But what we as believers have is HOPE beyond the suffering. Our HOPE is based on the faithfulness of God. The Bible tells us that God, unlike us, is FAITHFUL. Our God never changes. God is faithful under the New Covenant:

1 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV) God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And our God was faithful under the Old Covenant:

Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

God cannot be faithful. “Let God be TRUE, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). What God has promised, He will do. He has promised those who suffer together with Him:

2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) … If WE SUFFER, we shall ALSO REIGN WITH HIM

There is a grand future awaiting every Christian who is a Christ follower indeed. If we SUFFER with Him, if we STAND with Him, if we LOVE Him now – one day we will REIGN with Him. The Bible tells us that when the children of God are manifested, fully redeemed from sin, that there will be …

Revelation 21:1 (KJV) … a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH, for the first Heaven and the first earth WERE PASSED AWAY …

But Here’s The Glorious Truth For Our NOW

We have read that (verse 22) “The whole CREATION groans and suffers with us”. We also know that (verse 23) “WE OURSELVES GROAN within ourselves”, awaiting our final redemption. We groan. Creation groans. But here’s what blows my mind.

Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit HIMSELF (autos) maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

As we GROAN, God Himself, God the Holy Spirit, GROANS within us. He intercedes for us, praying for us as we go through the sufferings of this life. This totally blows my mind.

The Father sent His Son to die on the Cross.
The Father GROANED for our sake.
The Son suffered and died on the Cross.
GROANING in agony for us.
The Holy Spirit GROANS with us as we suffer.
Praying, interceding, loving us.

We do not suffer alone. God is with us. God gave Himself for us. God died for us. God rose again for us. God indwells us, who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And God has promised us a great and glorious future. These wonderful things flow into one of my favorite verses:

Romans 8:28 (KJV) AND we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What got the Apostles through the beatings, the imprisonments, the suffering, the hunger, the shunning, the exhaustion of being hounded by both Jewish and Roman authorities? It was the knowledge that God had a plan for their lives, a glorious future. They knew that, no matter what happened, it was all working together “FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD”. If you love God, if you have given your life to Christ, then everything that happens to you has happened for a purpose. It is not random chance, not blind fate, but the omnipresence and omniscience of God that overshadows your life.

God controls the end of our story – and it is GLORIOUS. But that truth is only for the Christian, those born again by faith in Christ. Are you born again? Have you REPENTED, and come to Jesus surrendered? Is Jesus Christ your LORD and SAVIOR? You have no future hope if He’s not. Beloved, Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) Enter by the narrow GATE; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

In the ancient world the GATE was the place where you entered into a city. It was also the place where business was conducted. The WIDE GATE leads to destruction. That’s the GATE of the world. Tolerance. Whatever you want. The word of man over the Word of God. Many gods and goddesses. That GATE, the WIDE GATE, leads to destruction and damnation. But the NARROW GATE, it’s NARROW and DIFFICULT. That GATE is Jesus Christ. He is the “GATE of the Sheep” (John 10:7). Few find this GATE. To enter this GATE is to stand with Jesus against the lost world. You will be hated. You will suffer for following Jesus. But the coming eternity we are promised is well worth it.

May God speak to your hearts this very day. Amen.

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Speak As Children Of God

Posted on February 14, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Juan Encalada on Unsplash

Proverbs 15:1-7 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. 5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Control The Tone, Not The Truth

If I were to summarize these few verses, it would be:

Consider your tongue and your place before you open your mouth!

Let’s start with our first verse:

Proverbs 15:1 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

We are not told never to speak harshly or with force – but we should consider de-escalation without compromising the truth of God’s Word before we bring out the Magnum. It takes two people to have an argument. As a wise King, Solomon knew that he could win more people to righteousness side with a calm and reasoned response than he could with harshness.

Now there are times for harshness. Our Lord Jesus used harsh words with the Pharisees. One place in Scripture is in Matthew 23:13-36. In those verses our Lord heavily chastises the scribes and Pharisees, saying:

Matthew 23:13 (ESV) … woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

Matthew 23:16 (ESV) … Woe to you, blind guides, who say ..

Matthew 23:23 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! …

Matthew 23:25 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! …

In that section of Scripture, Jesus accuses the Scribes and Pharisees of leading people into hell (23:13-15), in twisting the Scripture (23:16-22), of robbing God (23:23-24), of being outwardly respectable but inwardly reprehensible (23:25-28), of being a “brood of vipers who murdered the messengers of God” (23:29-36). This is a very harsh section of Scripture.

Though Jesus chastised the Scribes and Pharisees (though not the Sadducees), He did not resort to this harshness until all other attempts at reaching them was exhausted.

Jesus did not start with harshness, but started gently, lovingly. Jesus knew the Bible said:

Proverbs 29:11 (ESV) A FOOL gives full vent to his spirit, but a WISE MAN quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 12:18 (ESV) There is one whose rash words are like SWORD THRUSTS, but the TONGUE OF THE WISE brings healing.

One of the step-brothers of our Lord Jesus, James writes:

James 1:19-20 (ESV) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Though we as believers cling to the Word of God, we know that our primary objective is to “Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE” (Mark 16:15).

Illustrate: We need to take the stance of the the Prophet Samuel. When Israel came to Samuel and demanded:

1 Samuel 8:6 (ESV) … Give us a king to judge us.

Samuel got offended. But rather than fighting with the people, Samuel prayed to the Lord (1 Samuel 8:6). The Lord told Samuel:

1 Samuel 8:7-9 (ESV) … Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.

God told Samuel to not take it personally, but to “SOLEMNLY WARN THE PEOPLE” as to what they were requesting. He was to speak plainly, clearly, and truthfully, but not in anger. God can fight His own battles.

Illustration: In Judges chapter 7 God picked out 300 warriors to do battle with the Midianites. God had Gideon divide the 300 into three companies of 100. They surrounded the Midianite Camp in the middle of the night, blew trumpets and smashed jars with torches inside them as they cried out,

“A sword for the Lord, and for Gideon!”

Startled from sleep, the Midianite Army attacked itself, then ran away in a panic. When the Midianites ran, the Bible says:

Judges 7:23-24 (ESV) … the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out…

The tribes of Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh were called out first to attack the fleeing Midianites. Then as the Midianites ran into the land of Ephraim, they were called to do battle. Israel worked together to fully destroy the army of Midian.

Though Midian was destroyed, there was still an enemy that needed to be conquered – the pride of EPHRAIM.

Following this great win for God, the Bible tells us:

Judges 8:1 (ESV) Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.

They were upset that – first of all – they were not chosen to be part of the 300. But once Midian started running, Ephraim was called last, and this hurt their ego. How did Gideon respond?

Judges 8:2-3 (ESV) And he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger against him subsided when he said this.

Gideon defused the battle that was coming by humbling himself, and stroking the ego of the Ephraimites.

Proverbs 15:1 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Word Study: The word translated “GRIEVOUS” means “idolatrous, an earthen vessel”. The sense of the word is that it is temporal, humanistic, earthly, of little value. We should make our words reflect the Word of God, and share that Word in such a way that the lost might be reached. Again, the text does not tell us that we are to twist the truth of God – but to be careful not to let ourselves be drawn into an unnecessary battle of “I’m right and you’re wrong”.

Only God is right!

Even if you stay within the parameters, don’t take it personally, and speak the truth in love – there will be times when our words will enrage the enemy. Stephen is an example of this. He died for the faith. But Stephen never attacked the enemy out of self pride, but used the Word of God. We are always to remember:

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

The Wise Speak Carefully, The Foolish Hastily

Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

The “WISE” or the saved believer is supposed to use “KNOWLEDGE”, the Word that God has given him, “ARIGHT” or in the right way. We are not to twist the text, nor take it out of context. We are to follow the example of our Lord Jesus. The Bible says of Him that:

Colossians 2:3 (ESV) {in Jesus} are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

When Jesus said “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE” (John 14:6) He was telling us that He shows us the right WAY. Jesus always spoke TRUTH productively, to lead others to the LIFE that God intended us to have. When Jesus was only 12 years old the Bible says as He conversed with the Rabbis in the Temple:

Luke 2:47 (ESV) … all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers ..

When the Pharisees sent Temple Officers to arrest Jesus (John 7:32), the officers returned empty handed. The Pharisees were furious! “Why didn’t you bring Him to us!” (John 7:45). Their response was telling. They said,

John 7:46 (ESV) … No man has ever spoke like THIS MAN!

Jesus hid Himself behind the Word of God. He looked at the world through the Scriptural writings. He meditated on the Word. Jesus was always careful to not allow the crowd to force Him into a reply.

The Wise – like Jesus – are not driven by passion and desire, but by God’s Word!

Jesus told those who challenged Him:

John 7:16 My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me …

John 7:18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the One who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and in Him there is no falsehood

John 8:28 I do nothing on My Own authority, but speak just as the Father taught Me

Compare the response of the Wise, the Child of the Kingdom of God to the child of Adam:

the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness

The foolish shout and babble nonsense regardless of the truth, all with the intent of dragging you into their cesspool of evil. When attacked, Jesus did not allow passion to control Him so that He attacked back. Pastor Jon Bloom notes:

“Jesus was more concerned for the glory of God his Father than anything else. Jesus did not fear people — he “did not entrust himself to them” (John 2:24) and he did “not receive glory from [them]” (John 5:41). He loved and feared his Father. And this overriding pursuit of God’s glory freed him to say only what needed to be said when it needed to be said — and it made what he said so powerful and frequently unpredictable.”

If we as Christ’s Church are going to make a difference in this world, we cannot be dragged into the babbling of demons and lost people. We must keep our eyes on the Word of God, and use our tongues and our lives to support that Word. We are to live for the glory of God, not for our own glory. This is the difference between the lost and the saved: for whose glory are you living?

God’s Character Should Moderate Our Tongues

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

The Lord watches us all. The evil, the lost person, rarely considers God unless they have a need in their lives. Then and only then will they give a slight nod to God as they demand that He give them comfort in their prayers. But God is everywhere at all times. God is not a stone idol, locked into a room. The Bible says:

Job 34:21-22 (ESV) For {God’s} eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

God is watching everyone at all times. This is an attribute or characteristic of God called omnipresence. People think that God does not see them. But God says:

Jeremiah 23:24 (ESV) Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.

God is everywhere, at all times and places. The Apostle said, “In Him we live, and move, and HAVE OUR BEING” (Acts 17:28). We were previously told in:

Proverbs 5:21 (ESV) For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.

When my nieces were young, every Christmas my sister Crissie would put “An Elf On The Shelf” in the home. If the children were misbehaving she would tell them, “You better behave! Elfie will tell Santa, and you won’t get any presents!” Other parents go directly to the source, and say along with the song:

You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not shout,
I’m telling you why –
Santa Claus is coming to town!
He sees you when you’re sleeping,
He knows when you’re awake.
He knows if you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

Elf on a shelf and Santa Claus are little tales we tell our children, but truthfully only God has omnipresence. God watches the evil and the good. God says:

Jeremiah 16:17 (ESV) … My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from Me, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.

Illustrate: In New York City, the largest city in America, there are 25,500 CCTV cameras with people watching the citizens – and yet criminals still slip through the cracks. But God sees everything. God sees the evil, and He sees the good. He sees us in our affliction, and in our comfort. God is with us through furnace or storm, through prison or freedom. The Bible says:

2 Chronicles 16:9 … the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

The character of God, rightly understood, should control our tongues and our behavior.

The Tongue Can Heal, Or Kill

Proverbs 15:4 A WHOLESOME tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Word Study: The word translated WHOLESOME is the Hebrew marpē’, which means “healthy or healing”. The same word is used in:

Proverbs 12:18 (KJV) There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is HEALTH. {marpē’}

The healthy tongue is the “TREE OF LIFE”. The Tree of Life was placed in the Garden of Eden by God (Genesis 2:9) to benefit Adam and Eve. When Adam led Eve to depart from the Word of God (the day that you eat of the Tree of Knowledge, you shall surely die), in essence making himself god, the Lord said:

Genesis 3:22, 24 (KJV) … the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the TREE OF LIFE, and eat, and live for ever: … So {God} drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the TREE OF LIFE.

While Adam honored the Word of God, he had access – along with his progeny – to the Tree of Life. But once Adam substituted the Word of God for the word of the serpent, he lost access to that blessing.

Adam & Eve, as well as their children, lost access to the Tree of Life because they did not honor God’s Word.

To those who believe in God’s Word and grasp it by faith, God has promised to restore the Tree of life to us. God says:

Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Those who speak and cherish God’s Word lead others to the Tree of Life, to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Those who wallow in evil and perverseness bring only “a breach in the spirit”. Let us turn fully to the Word of the Lord.

Father Knows Best

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

In the ancient world the Father or Daddy provided instruction to the children. God told the fathers in Israel:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NKJV) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

It was the father’s job to teach the children in the family. As the family began to break down, and the number of families were fatherless, foolishness began to reign in America. The father is to teach his children how to behave in a civil society. As one commentary noted:

“One’s attitude toward parental teaching will determine one’s lifelong attitude toward authority and instruction.” (Garrett)

Authority Of The Wise And The Foolish

Proverbs 15:6-7 In the HOUSE of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Wisdom and godliness bring treasure into a life. The word “HOUSE” is not a reference to a stick and mortar building, but to a dynasty or a kingdom. We are told in:

Hebrews 3:4-6 (KJV) .. every HOUSE is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his HOUSE, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a Son over His own HOUSE; whose HOUSE are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Moses’ HOUSE was the Old Covenant and the Law. Jesus’ HOUSE is the New Covenant and Grace. The Bible tells us “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). We who are saved are of the HOUSE OF CHRIST. He is our Savior and Lord, and we continue under His administration. There is “MUCH TREASURE” in following Christ. The wicked follows the flesh and the desires of this world, but those who follow after Christ are blessed beyond measure. Why? The reason is, the Ways of Christ are far superior to the ways of Satan, of this world.

There is RELIEF FROM DAMNATION in the House of Christ. God told Noah, “You come along with your HOUSE into the Ark, for you have sought righteousness before Me” (Genesis 7:1).

The Christ follower must leave the HOUSE of the lost, and commit to the Lord. God told Abram, “Get out of your country, from your FATHER’S HOUSE, to where I lead you” (Genesis 12:1).

If you are saved, you are called to follow Him Who saved you. We are to live for Him, and to speak His Word.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge

May God use us for His glory. Amen!

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Who’s Following Who?

Posted on February 10, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash

Romans 8:14-17 (KJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian is a changed creature – a “NEW CREATION”. When you RECEIVE the Gospel of salvation, REPENT of your sins and RETURN to God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ, you are changed. The Bible says:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) … if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The God Who separated light from darkness, water from earth. The God Who took a dead planet and turned it into a paradise, the God Who made Adam and Eve, the God Who set the universe in place around us – this God changes you.

You Are Changed By The Spirit Of God

The believer in Christ follows the Lord:

Romans 8:14 (KJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Believers follow God. We do not chase after SIN, but are led by our Savior.

You are not primarily driven by sinful desires. They may still be there, but your life direction, your wants and wills, move toward God. You are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. You believe the Word of God, the Scripture. Your heart seeks to follow the Lord Who saved you.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:1,

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (ESV)”

There are many SPIRITS in this world today.

When Satan revolted from God, He carried a third of the angels in revolt with him (Revelation 12:4). As Angels are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14), fallen angels are also spirits. We try or test the spirits to see if they are of God by comparing the message of the spirit to the Holy Scripture. What does the Bible say? When confronted with “The spirit of the world” (1 Corinthians 2:12) or Satan, the devil showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, he said to Jesus”:

Matthew 4:9 (NKJV) … All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.

Jesus “tried the spirit to see if it was from God” by focusing on the Scripture. He said:

Matthew 4:10 (NKJV) “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Jesus quoted the commands of Deuteronomy 6:13-14 & 10:20 when He declared “IT IS WRITTEN”. God will not depart from His Word, the Bible.

When people repeatedly reject God’s Word and His Gospel, He sends a “spirit of slumber” (Romans 11:8) on them. But if, on hearing the Gospel you REPENT of your sins, and RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then God the Holy Spirit comes to your soul and changes you – and keeps on changing you.

Romans 8:15 (KJV) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

So many people resist coming to Christ in faith because they fear what they will lose. “I don’t want to have to give up my lifestyle”. Beloved, the most precious thing you have is your soul. When you are laying on your death bed, hours or minutes from leaving this earth, you will care little about how much money you have in the bank, how much fame or popularity you have. As you come toward the end of life’s present journey you will have fear. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 16:26 (KJV) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

What will you have as the clock ticks, and life ebbs, if you do not have Jesus? You will have the “spirit of bondage again to fear”. Bound to your sins, bound to the things of this earth, the treasures that are soon to pass, you have spirit of fear. The Christian has not received the spirit of this world, nor the spirit of fear. The Christian has received the Holy Spirit of God, the “SPIRIT OF ADOPTION”.

You were a child of Adam.
Christian, you are NOW a child of God.
He has adopted you, through the Blood of Christ.

It is commonly taught by false prophets that “God is the universal Father of all”, and that we are all by default “His Children”. This, indeed, is the spirit of error (1 John 4:6) and not the Spirit of truth. Jesus Christ said:

John 10:27 (NKJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

The Child of God is led by the Spirit of God. The Child of God follows Jesus. The lost do not follow Jesus, nor are they led by the Holy Spirit. Therefore they are God’s CREATION but not His CHILDREN.

To be a Child of God, you must be “born again of the Spirit” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:23). The Bible is very clear in its assessment of mankind. There are none righteous. There are none good but God (Matthew 19:17). The Spirit of truth declares that we are all orphaned from God because of Adam’s failure. Man refused to obey God in the Garden of Eden, and continued to refuse to obey God even after he was cast from that Garden. Man was orphaned from God because Adam – and we as his children – walked away from God. I was listening to Pastor Voddie Baucham preaching the other day when he said:

“The most foolish thing Adam did when he sinned was to run away from God and hide. When we sin, we should run toward God, for God is the Source of mercy and Grace.”

What did Adam do on sinning? He ran away from God, and hid himself. When God came into the Garden the Father asked “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3:9), not because God didn’t know where He was, but because God in love always reaches out to us, calling us to His side. Adam replied, “I heard you, and hid myself because I WAS NAKED AND AFRAID” (Genesis 3:10). Adam ran away. When God further inquired as to why Adam ran away, Adam once more ran from God by blaming others. He said,

Genesis 3:12 (NKJV) … The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

To be saved, you need to run toward God, Who is mercy and grace. When we fill our hands with the forbidden God cannot put the best in them. We must empty our hands and come to Him on bended knee, recognizing that He alone is good, He alone is our Savior, Jesus alone is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).

Orphaned by sin we all need the Savior. God requires that all who would be in His family REPENT, and RETURN to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13). The genuine Christian is the person who has seen themselves as orphaned, alone in this world without God. The genuine Christian realizes that they need to be received into God’s Family by Grace. The genuine Christian looks upon the Cross of Calvary with swelling heart, knowing the price that Jesus Christ paid for them. The genuine Christian has thrown themselves on God’s mercy – and has not been ashamed.

On the day that you believed and received Jesus Christ, you RECEIVED God’s overwhelming Grace. You also received the Spirit of adoption.

God the Holy Spirit came to live within you the day you called upon the name of Jesus. He now lives in you, just as Jesus has promised:

John 14:15-18 (NKJV) If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

The Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Adoption – comes to the believer and stays with us. He represents Jesus in our lives. Jesus went on to say:

John 14:26 (NKJV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

The Holy Spirit Brings The Believer
Into The Family Of God

Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (16) The Spirit ITSELF (Greek autos, pronounced ow-tos’) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Before we go deep into this verse, I want to clear up a textual translation error. In verse 16 we are told:

The Spirit ITSELF beareth witness with our spirit

Word Study: The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is not a “IT”, but a “HIM”. The Greek word autós (pronounced ow-tos’) should have been translated “HIMSELF”, and this is the translation found in the NKJV, NIV, ESV, CSB, NASB, Legacy Standard Bible, ASV, and Young’s Literal Translation – in short, the bulk of the translations in use today.

Further, we previously saw where, in John 14:15-18 & verse 26 our Lord Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “HIM” and “HE” and not “it”. Later on Jesus told His disciples:

John 15:26 (NKJV) … when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16:13-14 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, HE will guide you into all the truth, for HE will not speak on HIS own authority, but whatever HE hears HE will speak, and HE will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for HE will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Masculine pronouns are repeatedly used by our Lord in describing the Holy Spirit. When Jesus told us to baptize, He said:

Matthew 28:19 (ESV) … baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity of God, and is a Person, the Third Person of the Godhead. We are told to:

Not GRIEVE the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
Not SIN AGAINST the Spirit (Isaiah 63:10)
Not LIE TO the Spirit (Acts 5:3), and
To OBEY the Spirit (Acts 10:19-21)
as He leads and guides us as God’s Children.

My commentary notes:

“The person-hood of the Holy Spirit is also affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis 1:2), empowers God’s people (Zechariah 4:6), guides (Romans 8:14), comforts (John 14:26), convicts (John 16:8), teaches (John 16:13), restrains sin (Isaiah 59:19), and gives commands (Acts 8:29). Each of these works requires the involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.

The Holy Spirit’s attributes also point to His personality. The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8:2), has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A mere force could not possess all of these attributes, but the Holy Spirit does”

The Holy Spirit brings us into a personal relationship with God our Father.

ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father

Word Study: The phrase “Abba, Father” shows the Christian’s intimacy with God. When our Lord Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was nailed to the Cross for our sins, Jesus used these words in praying:

Mark 14:36 {Jesus prayed} … Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

These are the words that the very Son of God used when addressing the Father in that dark garden. There …

Hebrews 2:9 … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

As Jesus prepared to “taste death for every man”, to bear the full burden of our sins on His precious Body, He prayed.

“Abba – Father. Abba – Pater. There is nothing that You cannot do. Will You not take this cup of death from Me? Yet Abba – Pater, it matters not. I will do as You will, Blessed Father. I will drink of this cup if You so bid!”

Three times Jesus prayed “ABBA, FATHER”. And each time the Father told the Son, “No – though I love You with an infinite love, You must bear this burden. Only through You can salvation to mankind come.” Jesus knew this in His Godness, but in His humanity prayed as we pray when facing horror. The Bible says:

Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Son of God gave His life for you, dear Christian, so that you could be taken from the family of Adam and adopted into
the Family of God.

Every Christian has equal value to God. Every Christian is a child of God, a son or daughter. In the world people qualify and quantify people, but in the Kingdom of God:

Galatians 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

You, dear Christian, are united in Christ. You are “heirs according to the promise”. This heirship was purchased at a terrible price. The hymn “I Gave My Life For Thee” says it best:

“I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I’ve borne it, borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?”

When we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Did Jesus do this just to save us from hell?

Jesus Died And Rose Again To
Make Us HEIRS

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit (Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian is a “JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. The word translated “JOINT HEIR” is the Greek , sugkleronomos (pronounced soong-klay-ron-om’-os), which means “to be partnered with or bound together in a united state”.

Our interests are bound together now,
and into eternity.

What a joyous statement this is. We ARE joint heirs with Christ. This is the current state of the Christian. It is not we will be joint heirs, but WE ARE – but only with Christ. The Christian is covered by the righteousness of Christ. You are joint-heirs with Christ. As the Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Someone asks, “How do you know after death that you will go to Heaven?” My answer is, “I am a JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. When Jesus died, He rose again. He ascended into Heaven. I am bound to Him as a JOINT HEIR. Where He is, there I will be.

Someone asks, “As you go through the trials of life, are you not frightened as the lost are?” My answer is, “I am a JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST”. Jesus and I are tied together as Sons of God. If I go through trials, Jesus goes with me. He has said,

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV) He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

How can He leave me? We are JOINT HEIRS. He cannot, or God is a liar. And God is no liar!

When God looks at you, dear Christian, He sees a JOINT HEIR. As Jesus is, we shall be. Trials will come, but Jesus has promised:

John 16:33 (KJV) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The devil tempted Jesus, he will tempt you. This world will hate you, just as it hates Jesus. Why? Because you are are not of this world – you are of the next. You will be tried, but we are told:

James 1:2-3 (HCSB) Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Jesus is with you. His Spirit indwells you. You are JOINT HEIRS. The great preacher and Pastor C.H. Spurgeon wrote:

“Would you take Job’s jewels but not his dung hill? Would you have David’s crown, but not his caves of Adullam and the rocks of the wild goats? Would you have your Master’s Throne, but not His temptation in the wilderness? … when you refuse the one, you relinquish all claim to the other. The co-heir is heir to the entire estate. … The joint heirship reaches from the gloomy patina of deep affliction up to the bright ineffable splendor of the throne of bliss.”

Romans 8:17 … And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Christian way of life is Christ’s way of life. We do not bind with the spirits of this world, but are bound to the Spirit of God. We are joint heirs with Christ. We suffer with Him, He suffers with us. We inherit with Him, He inherits with us.

Romans 8:18 (KJV) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Yes, Beloved, we do suffer in this world. You will be maligned by the spirit of Satan, the spirit of bondage, the spirit of fear. But this suffering is nothing compared to the glory that shall be revealed or uncovered in us. One day we shall be with Jesus, joint heirs with Christ. We are joint heirs NOW, and will be joint heirs THEN.

The best is yet to come for the Christian. But every day is GLORIOUS because – dear Christians – we are bound to Jesus as JOINT HEIRS. And the indwelling Holy Spirit reminds us of our deep and intimate relationship with the Father.

I pray that you have given your life to Christ. May God the Holy Spirit speak to your hearts through this His Word. Amen.

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Affliction Of The Wicked

Posted on February 7, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Rob Griffin on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:32-35 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. 33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. 34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

If I were to sum up the theme of these four verses it would be:

Those who do evil are afflicted, but those who follow righteousness are blessed!

There Is A Payday Coming Someday

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

People of every age have mocked God, ignored His precepts, terrorized His people, and generally bathed themselves in wickedness. They believe that they are doing this with impunity. They could not be more wrong. The Bible tells us that:

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (NKJV) God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, WHETHER GOOD or EVIL.

You do not get away with doing evil.
You do not get away with failing to do righteousness.
Jesus said:

Matthew 5:13 (AP) You are the SALT OF THE EARTH. But if you, the Salt, lose your saltiness, you are GOOD FOR NOTHING but to be CAST OUT and walked on by the world.

God will judge the works of EVERY life, the things that we didor did not do while we were on this earth. This includes “every secret thing”, the things we did in the dark that we thought no one saw. God saw it.

Hebrews 4:13 tells us that “Nothing in ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD’S SIGHT”.

That which we do is seen, and recorded by God. The text goes on to say that everything is…

“Laid bare before the eyes of Him WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT”.

Our Lord Jesus Himself said “There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Matthew 10:26). God sees everything.

The wicked are deceived when they do evil and seemingly get away with it, because punishment many times is not immediately forthcoming. They take God’s name in vain, and God in Grace does not respond. They violate the moral law of God’s Word, and nothing happens. They do the things that God says not do, many in the pulpit itself endorse biblical ignorance and defiance, and nothing happens. Their ministries grow, and crowds of people flock to their false teachings and endorsement of evil.

Why doesn’t God punish them now? The Bible tells us that God does punish, but over time. The Scripture says:

Numbers 14:18 (NKJV) The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.

Our God is longsuffering, merciful, forgiving. But “He by no means clears the guilty”. God watches, and waits. When the “fathers” do evil, their children suffer the consequences of their wickedness. A good illustration of this is found in the Days of Noah. The Bible says:

1 Peter 3:20 (NKJV) … Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

God tarries. God waits. But “God is faithful”. A payday is coming someday.

God could have immediately punished the world, but gave Noah 120 years to prepare the Ark and preach the Gospel. God waited. But eventually, judgment fell, and only eight were saved from all creation. God will punish sin, but tarries. We are told in

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

God waits patiently for the wicked to repent. Some will not. They will harden their hearts toward God, and one day they will face horrendous judgment! What does it mean that …

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) The wicked is driven away in his wickedness…

The wicked – those who do evil and refuse to do righteously – will one day stand before God and be judged. John the Revelator saw this Great White Throne Judgment:

Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) … I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

As people stand before this Great White Throne there is a sense of terror. There is no happiness nor joy here. Payday has come. John said “I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened”. These “BOOKS” are the works of the wicked, the evil that they did while on this earth. All the evil that the wicked thought they got away with, now it comes out. We are told “the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books”. Every work is judged, whether committed in the light or in the darkness. Nothing is hidden. No one escapes. No one can hide out. Those who died and whose bodies decayed and were eaten in the seas of this earth, they are brought forth. Those in every graveyard – public or private – are brought forth. “they were judged, each one according to his works”. The wickedness that they did now comes to bear. God is not unaware. God is not dead. God is pouring out His wrath against all evil – and all the wicked shall be repaid.

These people are “DEAD” not because they suffered physical death. They are “DEAD” because they rejected God when they could have received Him.

They REVILED rather than REPENTED.
They HARDENED rather than HUMBLED their hearts.
Rejecting LIFE, they embraced spiritual DEATH.

The proof of their wickedness is that their names are not written in the Book of Life. “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire”. Dead creatures do not belong in God’s Heaven. God did not send them to damnation. They sent themselves. “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness”. They made their choice, and regardless as to how well known or rich they were while on the earth, they are now stripped of everything. They are imprisoned by fire.

Not so the righteous, those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.

Proverbs 14:32 (KJV) … but the RIGHTEOUS hath HOPE in his death.

The “HOPE” of the Christian is not the same as worldly hope. For the world, “hope” means a “wish”. For the Christian, “HOPE” means the fulfillment of God’s promise to us who believe.

Romans 5:1-6 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Our hope is not based on a wish, but on the Wisdom of God, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:24). We who are saved have received Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. We surrendered our lives to Him Who died for us, and rose again to lead us. We have a “sure and steadfast HOPE as an anchor of our souls” (Hebrews 6:19) because of Jesus, because of the character of God. Jesus Christ is our High Priest, our Shepherd, our Lord. And where He is, we will one day be.

The righteous has HOPE in his death – but the wicked will only find themselves driven away from God BECAUSE OF THEIR WICKEDNESS. There is a payday coming. Look to Jesus while you can.

Wisdom Gives Us Rest

Proverbs 14:33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

Those who hear and apply God’s Word in their lives “REST IN THEIR HEART”. Your faith shows in the fruit of your life, in the works you do on a daily basis. When we apply God’s Word to our lives, we will have:

1. CONFIDENCE in God, and in His promises. We who are saved by Grace rest in the confidence that God is with us, and goes before us:

Proverbs 3:26 (NKJV) … the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

We have confidence that God hears us – as long as we ask according to His Spirit:

1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

2. CONVICTION that I am fully accepted by God through the merit of Jesus Christ alone – I am a child of Grace.

Ephesians 1:3-6 (NKJV) 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, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The Christian is not saved based on his self-conviction, but on the Grace of God we find through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”. God now considers us – because we are in Christ – fit to enter Heaven. God called us to salvation, and “chose us in Him” from eternity past. Our destiny is not hell fire, but we are “predestined .. to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself”. We are children of God because of Christ. When God looks at us, we are “accepted in the Beloved”. Because we love Jesus, the Father loves us.

3. That we are now COMPANIONS of God.

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) … Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Matthew 28:20 (ESV) … I am with you ALWAYS

John 14:18 (ESV) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

4. We have COURAGE because of His promises.

Deuteronomy 20:1 (NKJV) When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 20:15 (NKJV) … Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

1 Peter 3:14-15 (NKJV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear …

5. We are COMFORTED by God as we look to Him.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Fools parrot their nonsense and silliness, but those who belong to God rest in His Word and in our faith.

Sin Hurts More Than Just The Sinner

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness EXALTETH a nation: but sin is a REPROACH to any people.

Thomas Constable’s Commentary on Proverbs notes:

“World history has proved the truth of this proverb repeatedly, but the great biblical example of it is the history of Israel— especially during the monarchy. When good kings and righteous conduct (“righteousness”) prevailed, Israel flourished. But when bad kings led the people into “sin,” judgment followed.”

Word Study: When a nation follows the righteousness of God, that nation is “EXALTED”. This is the Hebrew verb rûm (pronounced room), which means “to be lifted up, to be set on high, to be raised to a higher standard”. As this is in the POLEL stem (imperfect) it can mean “to cause to grow up”. Nations that follow the righteousness of the God of Scripture will, like a well nourished child, grow into adulthood. Nations that reject God’s righteousness for “SIN” find themselves anemic, deprived of that which makes for growth or health. This same word was used in describing the great Noahic Flood:

Genesis 7:17 (KJV) … the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up {rûm, Qal stem, imperfect} above the earth.

Because Noah and his family honored God with their lives, they were LIFTED UP above the judgment that He placed on the earth – whereas the unbelievers left behind drowned in their sin.

Proverbs 14:34 … but SIN IS A REPROACH to any people.

Word Study: The word translated “REPROACH” is the Hebrew ḥeseḏ. This is not a verb, but a noun. If you follow God and His righteousness, He does good toward the nation. But if you reject God’s righteousness you become “a wicked or shameful thing”. A good illustration of this principle is the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of ancient Rome. The Roman Empire rose to power fueled by a sense of civic duty, justice, and order. As the Empire grew, moral decay and corruption along with internal strife grew. Though Christianity prospered in the midst of this madness, Rome eventually fell not from its enemies, but through internal moral rot. One source I found noted:

“This proverb challenges conventional understandings of power politics, indicating that a nation’s greatness and power are determined by its moral character and not by its political, military, or economic strength.”

Before God sent Israel into the Promised Land, He told them:

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NKJV) … if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God

But God also warned Israel:

Deuteronomy 28:15-16 (NKJV) if you do NOT obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 “CURSED shall you be …

Whether our nation, our community, our Church, or our families are blessed and lifted up or cursed and cast down will depend on how we treat the Lord our God. He demands obedience for blessing. This verse flows into the last verse of this chapter:

Proverbs 14:35 (KJV) The king’s favor is toward a WISE servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

Our God is King of all that He has created. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 10:16 (NKJV) The LORD is KING forever and ever …

Psalm 47:2 (NKJV) For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.

In fact, our God is often called “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Daniel 2:37; Revelation 19:16). When we who are His children, His servants honor Him, He blesses us with favor. But to those who disparage and mock the King of all, He reserves wrath and judgment. God blesses those who love and honor Him, but curses those who reject and mock Him.

One of the websites I recently discovered – the Contradict Movement (Andy Wrasman) – noted:

“God’s people will receive his peace, strength, blessing, and protection. Psalm 29:11 says, “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” Psalm 95:6-7 remind us of previous points of God’s kingship, that he is our maker and God, and as such, we are given the comforting image that “his people we are occupants of his pasture.” Being the people of his pasture, we have the Lord’s blessing and protection, and in response Psalm 99:3 tells us the response of his people: “Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.”

We who are saved belong to Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Loving Him, we obey Him. Obeying Him, we show we love Him. God shows favor or blessing toward those who heed Him. But to those who disrespect the Lord, shaming Him, God reserves wrath.

This is rarely preached in today’s consumer Christian world, but Jesus often referred to the accountability of the believer. In

Luke 12:43-46 (ESV) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces.

Those who claim to be “Christian” and yet live a life filled with self and selfishness, there is coming a payday someday. Pastor John Piper wrote:

“… the parable is spoken to followers of Jesus, but the reason it is spoken to them is to warn them that if they turn their back on their Master and start using their reputed role as His servants to act selfishly and abuse those in their charge, He will put their lot with unbelievers.”

If you are saved by Grace, through faith in Christ, Jesus is both Lord and Savior to you. He is our Master, and we His bond-servants. Paul, Timothy, James, Peter, and Jude all describe themselves as “bond-servants of Christ” (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1, NKJV).

Believers in Jesus should consider themselves bond-servants or bond-slaves of Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:22 (ESV) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.

Christians are called to be faithful to God, “as bond-servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). We renounce other worldly masters and put God first (Matthew 6:24), giving ourselves fully to our God (Matthew 16:24). We do not do this to be saved, but because we are saved. We are not our own, but are “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). We glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits – for we are His possession.

May God touch your hearts with His Word. Amen.

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Proof Of Life

Posted on February 3, 2025 by bibleteacherorg

Romans 8:5-9 (KJVA) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Last week we saw that every person on the face of this earth is either condemned before God, or uncondemned before God.

As humans, we like to put things in categories. People are red, yellow, black, or white. That’s human tradition, and human error. God tells us that …

Acts 17:26 (AP) God has made all nations of people FROM ONE COMMON SOURCE, OF ONE BLOOD. God determines our appointed times on the earth as well as our boundaries.

It is God Who put people in different places and times – but we are all physically from ONE SOURCE and, if you look “under the hood”, we all have ONE BLOOD. We all bleed RED. As God looks at humanity, He cherishes all that He has created. He sent Jesus Christ to this earth to save whosoever believes on Him. His Disciples are commanded to:

Mark 16:15 (AP) … go into ALL THEWORLD, and PREACH THE GOSPEL to EVERY CREATURE

God does not care what color you are, what your economic situation is, what your nationality or cultural background is. Jesus came “to take AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” (John 1:29). The Bible says “God SO LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His only Son, that EVERYONE who believes in him will not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE” (John 3:16).

Two categories, Uncondemned or Condemned. These categories are described in other ways in Scripture based on their relationship to God in Christ. People are either:

Saved or Lost
Children of God or Children of Adam
Righteous or Wicked
Saint or Sinner
In Christ or In the World
Children of the Father or Children of the Devil

and today we are introduced to another Biblical description:

In The Spirit or In The Flesh

How You Live Your Life Matters

What has poisoned the Church in America today is the “Jesus Movement” concept that you can be saved by professing Christ, and yet still live your life the way YOU want to without regard to God. Some preachers have erroneously taught a two-tier form of Christianity:

Tier One: You are saved by faith in Christ
Tier Two: You choose (or don’t choose) to follow Jesus

This nonsense is NOT in the Scripture, but was something that Satan and the world tried to infiltrate into Christianity from the very beginning. We are told in:

Jude 4 (NASB) … certain people have crept {into the Church} unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this CONDEMNATION, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

UNGODLY or CONDEMNED people will tell you that you can be saved, and still do those things which God has forbidden. That you can be saved, and yet produce evil fruit. This is contrary to the teaching of our Lord Jesus, Who said:

Matthew 12:33-35 (ESV) Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

Again, we see TWO CATEGORIES of people. Jesus speaks of

The GOOD Tree or The EVIL Tree

Both trees produce fruit. The good tree produces good fruit. The evil tree produces evil fruit. WHY? Because the heart of that tree is either GOOD or EVIL. Jesus said “Make the Tree GOOD and its fruit GOOD, or make the Tree BAD and its fruit BAD” (vs 33). Jesus said in His “Sermon on the Mount”:

Matthew 7:17-18 (KJV) … every GOOD TREE bringeth forth GOOD FRUIT; but a CORRUPT TREE bringeth forth EVIL FRUIT 18 A GOOD TREE cannot bring forth CORRUPT FRUIT; neither doth a CORRUPT TREE bring forth GOOD FRUIT …

There are two categories of people – GOOD and CORRUPT. The GOOD Tree produces good fruit, the EVIL Tree produces evil fruit. Now follow me on this.

Illustrate: There is a tree called a Manchineel Tree. The fruit off of this tree looks like an apple. In fact, as it grows along the coastal beaches of the West Indies and Central America, it is often called the “Beach Apple”. If you take one bite of the Beach Apple, you’ll find it is pleasantly sweet. But in a few moments your mouth will fill like it is full of pepper, your throat will burn and feel like its tearing up. Swelling in your throat will keep you in agony, and it may take a day before you can swallow solid food again. If you eat the whole fruit, it will kill you.

Sap from the tree will blister and burn your skin, and wood burned will produce smoke that can blind you. If you seek shelter under its branches when raining, you can be blistered by the run off.

The Guinness Book of World Records (2011) crowned this tree the “most dangerous tree in the world”. No matter how hard a Manchineel tries, it’s fruit will always be corrupt, and deadly. Now compare this to an Apple Tree. An Apple Tree, regardless of the type, produces good, beneficial fruit. An Apple Tree cannot produce Manchineel fruit. The Apple Tree produces apples. It will always strive to produce edible Apples.

How do you get a Manchineel Tree to produce edible Apples? You have to change the Tree. It has to have a complete re-creation from Manchineel to Apple. No matter how hard a Manchineel Tree tries, it’s works, it’s fruit, will ALWAYS BE CORRUPT. It cannot work itself hard enough to become an Apple Tree. It naturally produces the “Little Apple of Death”.

Just like the Manchineel Tree, we are all born into this world physically alive but spiritually dead. We are physically born into a condemned state. How do we get from condemned/ evil to uncondemned/ good? It is only through surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not through a two tiered, blasphemous and unBiblical idea that you can be saved and cling to the darkness. Jesus Christ saves His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

When you give yourselves to Jesus, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to your soul (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit causes you to be “born again” (John 3:5, 6, 8). The Holy Spirit removes the scales of sin on your eyes, and turns your heart from stone to a heart that loves God, Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 12:24). His Blood shed on Calvary makes your salvation possible. Because of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and, as prophesied:

Jeremiah 31:33 (KJV) … I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

God changes the Tree from Manchineel to APPLE. God the Holy Spirit moves you from CONDEMNED to UNCONDEMNED. God’s Action at the point of salvation changes you:

From Lost to Saved
From Children of Adam to Children of God
From Wicked to Righteous
From Sinner to Saint
You are In Christ not of the world
You are Children of our Heavenly Father
not Children of the Devil

The Tree Is Changed By God, So The Fruit Changes

Romans 8:5 (KJVA) For they that are after the flesh do MIND {phroneo [pronounced fron-eh’-o]} the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

I cannot judge a person’s HEART, but I can judge the visible FRUIT. Those who are corrupt, who have refused to REPENT and TURN FULLY TO JESUS are corrupt trees. They are flesh based. Their minds are focused on pleasing their flesh. They may say “I’m a Christian”, or “I’m a [insert denomination of Church here]”, or “I love Jesus”, or “I’m going to Heaven when I die” … but the question is, “What fruit are you producing?” Those that are “AFTER THE FLESH” are primarily focused on the FLESH, on what THEY WANT as opposed to what God wants.

Word Study: The word translated “MIND” is the Greek phroneo [pronounced fron-eh’-o] means “to exercise the mind, to entertain, have a sentiment or opinion toward, to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively, to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience) or to set the affection on”. The unconverted Tree is focused on what the Tree wants. That person focuses on the flesh, on pleasure, on the things of this world, on satisfying self above all else. When I was growing up my mother or father would say, “Now mind me, David”. What she meant by that was to pay attention and obey their direction.

The lost “MIND” the flesh, because Satan is their father, and the world their stage. The saved “MIND” the Holy Spirit, the directive of God. Yes, there are times when the saved step off base of the will and Word of God, but in such cases we find the discipline of God. The Bible says:

Hebrews 12:6-8 (NASB) For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He punishes every son whom He accepts.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

The Tree that is God’s is supposed to produce GOOD FRUIT. What if it doesn’t?

John 15:1-5 (NKJV) I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

If you belong to God, if you are His Child by faith in Christ, you MUST bear fruit. Jesus said “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away”. God can cut the Tree down. He can take you off of this earth. You are not guaranteed tomorrow, Beloved. He wants you FRUITFUL. When our Lord Jesus saw a fig tree and went to eat of it (Mark 11:12-14), and THERE WAS NO FRUIT, Jesus said “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again”. When the disciples passed by that tree the next day, “it was DRIED UP FROM THE ROOTS” (Mark 11:20).

God will take you away, dear Christian, if you willfully refuse to bear fruit. Jesus went on to say: “every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit”. The pruning of God is the trials of life by which God grows you. Abiding in Jesus you “bear much fruit”. That’s what God wants of His Children. We bear MUCH FRUIT.

God’s Love Wants Us To Bear Good Fruit

Romans 8:6 (KJV) For to be CARNALLY MINDED [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.

Word Study: The words translated “CARNALLY MINDED” is the Greek sarx which means “focused on the flesh, driven by the world”. Those who produce corrupt fruit are playing with DEATH. We have read before in Romans 6:23, “The WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH”. God is life and light, and in Him is no darkness. Anything that draws us away from life and light drags us into death and darkness. Those who are saved by faith in Christ know that:

John 4:24 (KJV) God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship [Him] in Spirit and in Truth.

We cannot worship God and worship the flesh at the same time. The Christian is called to worship God, to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. He fills us with His power. He enables us by His Spirit. He feeds us by His Word. The flesh cannot feed, but is can demand and consume. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. The fleshly person, dead in his trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), walks according to the directions of the world and of its lord Satan (Ephesians 2:2). The good Tree walks in the Spirit of God, according to the Word of God, the Bible. We are told in another place:

Galatians 5:16-18 (NKJV) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

God calls His people to be like He is, not like the world is. We are called to productive, Biblical thinking and FRUIT BEARING. God wants us to bear LIGHT and LIFE. He wants us to bear MUCH FRUIT to His glory.

A Lost Person – Like A Corrupt Tree – Cannot Bear Good Fruit

Romans 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

God gave us the Mosaic Law as a “schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” (Galatians 3:24-25). Measuring our lives by the Law of God, we saw how far we fell from God’s will. Being convicted of our sinful state by the Law, we came to God will empty hands and repentant hearts. Realizing we deserve damnation, we surrendered our hearts to Jesus.

And the Holy Spirit changed the Tree.

The Spirit of God not only changed the Tree, but He indwelt the Tree, the life that now belongs to Christ. We read:

Romans 8:9-10 (KJV) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (10) And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.

Our text in verse 9 literally states: “You are not in the flesh, but you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God keeps on making Himself at home in you”.

The normal Christian life is to live a life that is comfortable with the Holy Spirit.

God calls those who are His Children to rest in Him, to trust Him even when our senses (our FLESH) tells us otherwise. Heaven is about trusting God, about living by faith. We are told:

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

If you are “born again”, then you are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are “born again”, then the “Spirit indwells you”. If the Spirit of God indwells you, then that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will “quicken your mortal bodies”. God is not talking about Heaven here. He is talking about your “MORTAL BODIES”. God will enable you while YOU ARE ON THIS EARTH to BRING FORTH FRUIT to GLORIFY GOD.

The devil wants to keep you in the FLESH, following your earthly wants and desires. But God the Holy Spirit wants to take your broken lives and use them for the GLORY OF GOD.

Therefore …

Romans 8:12-13 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Where is your focus? If you live “BY THE FLESH YOU SHALL DIE”. If you are a lost person pretending to be saved, you will one day leave this life and find yourself imprisoned in a lake of fire FOREVER. Let me put it this way: If you NEVER think about God, NEVER pray, NEVER read the Word of God unless you are in Church, you may be headed to hell. Hell is a place of death. Hell is where the lost soul, the dead without Christ, go. That’s a bad scene!

But if you are a Christian, you will shorten your life ON THIS EARTH by living in the flesh. Think about Israel in the Old Testament. They were given the Promised Land. Had they followed God, and entered the Land when God told them to do so, they would have received the reward. But instead they murmured, they complained, they resisted God rather than glorifying God – and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until all the offenders were DEAD. We have this promise of God, “if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die”. This applies to the believing individual. This applies to the CHURCH. The Christian is a person who is under obligation to God. We are not obligated to the flesh. We are not obligated to the old Sin Nature. We are not obligated to Satan, nor are we obligated to peer pressure or the lost world. We are obligated to follow the God Who saved us. Continued separation from God for the believer leads to physical death. We see this in the lives of the Corinthian Church. They continued to ignore the Way of the Master while following the way of flesh. They followed after selfishness rather than following after the Spirit of Christ. The Apostle told them:

1 Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep{in physical death}.

Christian, the fruit of your life should be glorifying God. Again we are told:

Romans 8:13 … if ye through the Spirit do MORTIFY {put to death} the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The Holman Christian Standard renders this verse “But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”. We who are Christians are partners in life with the Holy Spirit. We do not have the power to purge our sins, no more than we had the power to save ourselves. The Spirit of God Who indwells us does have the power to purge our sins. As we live the surrendered Christian life, the Holy Spirit controls more and more of our lives.

As we practice the Christian disciplines – Prayer, reading & meditating on the Holy Scripture, and unity in fellowship with other believers (the gathering of the Church) – the Holy Spirit will gain ground in our lives.

Piece by piece parts of the old life die, being mortified or put to death by the Spirit. The Christian is a person in flux, in change. This change, this growth continues until the day we stand with our Jesus in glory, cleansed of sin forever. May that day come soon to all of us.

To Whom do you belong? What fruit are you bearing, and does it glorify God? It matters. It matters. May God the Holy Spirit draw you to Christ’s side today. Amen.

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Honor God In Your Life

Posted on January 30, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:28 In the multitude of people is the king’s honor: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

Leaders Need To Understand God Made Them, And God Is Watching

Though the Bible tells us that:

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

The King, the Politician, the Business Leader or CEO, even the Pastor must realize that the Lord Who installed them is the Lord they must report to. God places leaders in leadership positions. “the powers that be are ordained of God”.

If God has placed you in a leadership position it is wise to always remember that this is a stewardship and not a possession.

Kings and those in authority have forgotten this principle, and have suffered for it. We are told “In the multitude of people is the king’s honor”. The divine purpose of the KING or the leader is to protect the people’s freedom, to insure that the people are held in safety so that they might find their purpose in Christ. The King of Great Britain, George III, allowed overtaxation of British subjects and settlers in the “New World”, that is, the North American colonies. In 1765 the King enacted “The Stamp Act”, which required the colonists to purchase and place a stamp on every sheet of paper, documents, and even playing cards. All thirteen colonies protested so forcefully that the Stamp Act was quickly repealed. The King didn’t learn from that mistake, and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed – and war declared.

in the want of people is the destruction of the prince

Illustrate: What a King does – or doesn’t do – will reflect on his legacy. The Biden Administration for years failed to protect and serve ALL the citizens of the United States by endorsing open borders, lawlessness, and catering to sexual confusion even in our military. When the King fails to protect the MULTITUDE of people, it is no surprise when the PRINCE (the Vice President) is cast out. All people, even lost people, know when their safety is at risk. God creates nations to allow for the promotion of His Gospel. Paul, in his sermon at Areopagus, preached:

Acts 17:26-27 (NKJV) {God} has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him

Nations are formed, and their boundaries established, not by man but by God. Borders are secured so that its citizens can live in peace and harmony, so that people will be given an opportunity to “seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him”. It’s all about the Gospel.

Anything that detracts from God’s mission of promoting the Gospel of Christ will bring about God’s wrath on that leader & nation.

Preach! The purpose of feeding the homeless is to lead them to Christ and His Gospel. The purpose of all leadership, be it in business, Church, or politics, is to lead people to Christ and His Gospel.

The Bible is filled with stories of Kings who honored God, and saw the growth and blessing of their kingdoms. It is also filled with stories of those Kings who dishonored God saw the loss of their kingdom and authority. Compare, for instance, King Hezekiah and his son King Manasseh. King Hezekiah loved the Lord. The Bible says:

2 Kings 18:5-7 {Hezekiah} trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth

We all go through valleys and ditches. When the Kingdom of Judah was threatened by Assyria, Hezekiah sought God through the Word of God and Prayer. His prayer is found in

2 Kings 19:15-19 (KJV) … O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. 17 Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.

Hezekiah remembered that, though King, he was but a steward of God’s people. Praying, he sought God’s direction. He asked that God save Judah from Assyria, “that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only”. This is the Gospel. How did God respond? God fought for Israel. The Bible says that – as the Assyrian Army waited for daybreak to attack and destroy the House of Judah, that God sent a lone angel to do battle. We read:

2 Kings 19:35-37 … it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 37 And it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

God not only killed the Assyrian Army, He killed Sennacherib through his own sons. God honored Hezekiah because the King honored the Lord.

On the other hand we see that Hezekiah’s son Manasseh was an evil King:

2 Kings 21:2-6 … he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

Manasseh forgot that his authority derived from God. His evil provoked God to destroy Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:13-18). Those who will not honor God in their leadership will be demoted by God. As the Bible says:

Daniel 2:21 (NKJV) {God} changes the times and seasons; He REMOVES kings and RAISES UP kings …

One other point we can take away from this text is found in Adam Clarke’s Commentary. He noted the phrase “IN THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE”, and wrote:

“ It is the interest of every state to promote marriage by every means that is just and prudent; and to discourage, disgrace, and debase celibacy …”

God gave us marriage for the perpetuation of humanity. One of the first commands God gave Adam and Eve was:

Genesis 1:28 (KJV) … Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over

Human sexuality was not given for recreation, but for procreation. When the birth rate drops below the replacement fertility rate, which is generally considered to be 2.1 children per woman, the population will decline. Our fertility rate is down to 1.787. Why? Because of poor leadership, and tolerance of sexual perversity as opposed to Biblical standards.

Our country is slowly perishing.
Poor leadership is destroying the family,
Promoting sexual perversity and unhealthy lifestyles.
Ungodly leadership is to blame.

Control Your Temper

Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath {ap̄} is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

It is the nature of our God to be “slow to wrath” or to anger. The Prophet said:

Nehemiah 9:17 (NKJV) … You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger {ap̄}, Abundant in kindness

This is a constant theme throughout the Old Testament. King David wrote:

Psalm 103:8 (KJV) The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger {ap̄}, and plenteous in mercy.

The Prophet Joel told Israel:

Joel 2:13 (ESV) rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.

Anger is justified only when all other sources have been used. The anger that God expresses never overcomes His wisdom and justice, but the anger we fall into and allow can make us depart from righteousness and into the flesh. When we are angry, we must always place a leash on it. The Bible says:

Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Uncontrolled anger opens the door to the devil in your life. He rides in on hot waves of anger and unforgiveness, leading you away from God. Uncontrolled anger from His children grieves the Holy Spirit Who indwells us (Ephesians 4:30, GRIEVE NOT the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the Day of Redemption).

We who are saved by Grace and indwelt by His Spirit are to follow the pattern Christ has given.

What saith the Scripture?

1 Peter 2:23 (AP) When Jesus was REVILED, He did not REVILE those who reviled Him; When Jesus SUFFERED, He did not threaten those who hurt Him. Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father, the Righteous Judge.

Our Lord Jesus “humbled Himself, and became obedient to God to the point of death, even the death of the Cross” (Philippians 2:8). Rather than be angered, Jesus trusted that God would balance all things in the end. Christians are called to “put off ANGER and WRATH, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language” (Colossians 3:8). These things are inconsistent with the Kingdom of God and its subjects. We are told “as God’s chosen children, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER … as Christ forgave YOU, so YOU MUST DO ALSO. (Colossians 3:12-13).

When the Apostle described the works of the flesh as opposed to the works of the Spirit, he stated:

Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Of the various works of the flesh the various states of uncontrolled wrath or anger are called:

Hatred – echthra = to be an enemy, to hate
Variance – eris = to strive or contend with someone
Wrath – thymos = to be wrathful or indignant, to boil over
Strife – eritheia = to be contentious, back biting

Those who quickly “lose their temper” do foolish things. Anger is generally non-conducive to growth or blessing. Keep anger in check.

Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 14:30 A sound HEART is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

The “SOUND HEART” is a reference, not to the pump in your chest, but to the center of your soul. Our God looks at the “HEART” of man to determine our spiritual status. The Scripture says:

1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Again, God is not speaking of the pump in your chest – but the center of your soul. The “HEART” is the thinking and reasoning part of your soul.

Proverbs 2:1-2 (NKJV) My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding

Proverbs 4:4 (NKJV) {My father} taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words …

We apply the promises of God to our hearts (Psalm 119:10-11). We either receive the Word of God in our hearts – or we reject that Word, to our detriment.

Proverbs 5:12 (NKJV) … How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction!

Zechariah 7:12 (NKJV) … they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

A heart that is in tune with God and His precepts will be happy, productive, and the body will be healthier. My commentary, the Constable Soniclight Commentary on Proverbs notes:

“A “tranquil heart” at peace with God promotes good health, but a heart full of “jealousy,” that is in turmoil, weakens a person like rotten bones. Modern science has attested the truth of this proverb: stress shortens life, but tranquility lengthens it. Moses’ relationship with God was tranquil because he trusted and obeyed the LORD, even though the Israelites were a source of some stress in his life. He lived an unusually long time (120 years old, see Deuteronomy 34:7). Absalom, on the other hand, was not right with God, and he died prematurely (29 years old, see 2 Samuel 18:14-15).”

Most of life is lived based upon your attitude of being. If you wake up miserable, out of touch with your God and your creation, your day will be miserable. We are told “envy (is) the rottenness of the bones”. The victim mentality or the pity party will ruin your day. Rather than allow a bad attitude to rule your heart, reject envy and other negative emotions and praise God for what He has given you. Your attitude – the attitude you allow in your heart – shapes your success or happiness.

Illustration: While a young mathematic student at University of California, Berkeley, George Dantzig got to class late one day. On the blackboard were two statistical mathematical problems that needed solutions. Copying the problems in his notebook, Dantzig went home and solved the statistical problems. From Wikipedia:

“According to Dantzig, they “seemed to be a little harder than usual”, but a few days later he handed in completed solutions for both problems, still believing that they were an assignment that was overdue. Six weeks later, an excited {Professor} Neyman eagerly told him that the “homework” problems he had solved were two of the most famous unsolved problems in statistics. He had prepared one of Dantzig’s solutions for publication in a mathematical journal. This story began to spread and was used as a motivational lesson demonstrating the power of positive thinking.”

We can let our hearts go negative, and never accomplish anything. Or we as believers in Christ can focus on the Lord, believing that “I can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Fill your hearts with God’s Word and God’s promises.

Care For The Weak

Proverbs 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor.

God gives to His children grace, and expects us to be gracious to others. Those who oppress the poor “REPROACHETH” his Maker. The word for REPROACH is the Hebrew ḥārap̄ (pro. Khaw-raf’), which means “to blaspheme, to mock or defy”. Those who help hold down those who are already downtrodden are the wickedest of people. Wicked Queen Jezebel encouraged her husband Ahab to steal land from poor Naboth, then had him killed by stoning – a horrid death! (see 1 Kings 21). God watched this. Then He sent the Prophet Elijah to Ahab’s palace with these words:

1 Kings 21:19 (KJV) Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

God watched over Naboth, just as He watched over Lazarus. When the rich man who oppressed Lazarus died, the Bible says:

Luke 16:23 (KJV) … in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments

Where was Lazarus while the rich man burned? “He was comforted, but the rich was tormented” (Luke 16:25). Jesus said “you have the poor with you always” (Matthew 26:11), and further said “whenever you will, you may do them good” (Mark 14:7). God places the poor on this earth for our growth as believers. There is a special blessing for those who care for the poor.

Psalm 41:1-2 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.

Jesus said “the POOR have the Gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:5). Those with nothing are much more responsive to the Gospel than those who have much. Poor people are often discounted and discouraged, but God loves the poor.

Though Saul did his best to kill King David to keep him from ascending the throne, once Saul and his son, David’s best friend Jonathan was dead, David sent messengers out. He asked:

2 Samuel 9:1 (KJV) … Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. His name means “out of my mouth comes reproach”. He was a cripple, the last child of the house of Saul. David brought him to his table, and restored all the lands that Saul owned to him. David blessed that young man, poor as he was, and was blessed because of it.

When you study the lineage of Christ, you find out that there were three considered poor: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. Tamar and Rahab were Canaanites, and Ruth was a Moabite (see this). God loves and uses the poor. As our text says:

he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor

You honor God when you have mercy on the poor. They need love and the Gospel of salvation just as much as any do.

May God bless His Word in your heart today!

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You Are Either Condemned Or Uncondemned

Posted on January 27, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Romans 8:1-4 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The Law Cannot Save, But Once Saved By Grace
We Strive To Follow God’s Law

Last week we saw that the person who is saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is dead to the Law, but alive to God. The saved live to glorify the Lord Who save them. We learned that the Law is totally unable to save us. The Law is diagnostic – it shows us to be sinners in need of salvation. But the Law cannot save us. Believing on the death and resurrection of Christ, we die to the Law so that God’s Spirit can lead us.

A Christian is NOT lawless. A Christian, properly speaking, has undergone a spiritual transformation. God has written His Law on our hearts.

The Law is not defective or evil. We are born into this world defective and evil. We read:

Romans 7:12 … the law is HOLY, and the commandment HOLY, and JUST, and GOOD.

The Law of God was written by God, and since “there are none good but God” (Matthew19:17), the Law must be good and right. We all struggle with sin, struggle with our desires. The Apostle addressed this by saying:

Romans 7:18-21 (KJV) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Every Christian struggles with desires toward evil. We know what is right and wrong, but in our own strength we have no power to defeat that. The Christian loves the Word of God, and loves the commandments of Christ.

No genuine Christian would say, “I know what God says, but I’m going to do it MY WAY because I and how I feel is MORE IMPORTANT than what my God wants.

We who are saved …

Romans 7:22 (KJV) DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD after the inward man:

Illustrate: There was a group of false of pseudo-Christians who attempted to infiltrate the Church called the Gnostics. The Gnostics taught that, once saved, you were free to sin guilt free, for the Blood of Christ covered all sins. The Apostle addressed this in:

Hebrews 10:29-30 (NKJV) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”

God will AVENGE the lost Who mock His Law, and will JUDGE the saved who minimize His Law.

The Christian delights in the Law of God. Because we love Jesus, we love His commandments (John 14:15; 14:24). Though we struggle with the Law and our desires, we do not cast the Law away. The Law cannot and did not save us – Grace did. But the Law is still the Law, and is HOLY and JUST. Though the desire is there, we follow the Word of God, though we as Christians struggle with sin.

Christians Will Struggle With
The Old Sin Nature

Romans 7:23-25 (KJV) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is an old sin nature in each one of us that beckons us to abandon the Word of God and move toward the flesh. But the Christian loves the Law, the Word of God. The Christian meditates on God’s Word. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

This is what Paul was saying in Romans 7:22, “I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD, in my INNER BEING”. This is what the Apostle John meant when God directed him to write:

1 John 5:3 (ESV) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

You cannot be saved by the Law, but by Grace. But once saved, you love the Law of God. God is your King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If He is NOT, then you are NOT SAVED. But do we struggle? Yes, because of the old sin nature still resident in our flesh. We understand that we will struggle, and at times fail. As the Apostle said at the end of chapter 7, “with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”.

Illustrate: The Law of God is like a Spiritual GPS. It points us in the direction of the will of God. There have been times when I have followed my vehicle’s GPS, but when it told me to take a certain turn, I just knew it was wrong – so I went where my desire led me. What was the result? I was not where I wanted to be. I had to surrender my will to the GPS to get to my destination. God’s Word is like that.

Though the world will dispute God’s Word, and label it homophobic, patriarchal, misogynist, racist, out dated, impractical, intolerant, loveless, mean spirited and hateful – mocking it and you – the Law is RIGHTEOUS and HOLY. The only way to get where God is is to, by faith, follow that spiritual GPS.

Christians Suppress Godless Desires By Following
God’s Spirit & God’s Word

Romans 8:1 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Is a “Cultural Christian” a “Christian”? No. God is very clear, the Christian is “in Christ Jesus”. The lost person is under the Law of God, and often seeking to please God by “being good” or keeping that Law. There were many lost Pharisees who followed after Jesus, finding fault with His ministry. Jesus told these Pharisees:

John 8:42-45 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

There are many people in America and around the world who have appropriated Christianity because they like portions of what it teaches. But Jesus tells us all, “If God were your Father, you would love me”. The Christian proper has fallen in love with God. We love Jesus. We love God’s Word. Though at times we may allow desire to guide us, this is not normative of a Christian. Jesus said of those who are Satan’s children, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.”

There are two states that every person can be in: CONDEMNED or UNCONDEMNED before God.

Word Study: To those in love with Jesus, there is “NO CONDEMNATION”. That word “CONDEMNATION” is the Greek katakrima (pronounced kat-ak’-ree-mah), literally means “a sentence of damnation”. When Adam sinned against God, his actions brought katakrima, that is “a sentence of damnation” on all his children. We are told:

Romans 5:18 (KJV) … by the offense of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to CONDEMNATION (katakrima)

All are born in a state of condemnation. But Jesus has told us:

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only Begotten Son of God.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned”. You can never be condemned or damned before the Great White Throne of God if you have trusted your soul into His hands. Jesus Christ took all of your condemnation on Himself on that Cross. The Greek text literally states “no, not one judgment against you”. The Father has placed all condemnation on Jesus for your sake.

My heart swells with gratitude to God when I think of this glorious Grace we who believe stand in. He has promised us that Christ has bore our sin on Himself. Jesus took on Himself two condemnations for you and for me. There was the condemnation of our willful sin against the Law of God. We do not need to blame Adam for our sinful estate. Yes, Adam sinned, and yes, Adam brought sin on all of his children. But we, just as sure as Adam, know the Law of God and willfully violated it. We were breakers of God’s Law, willfully and without care prior to our salvation. Then when we broke God’s Law we, like Adam of old, made fig leaves to cover our nakedness.

Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Jesus Christ had to die for our sins.

The Lamb of God was killed on the altar for us.
The Blood of the Innocent was placed on our lives.
The Law we violated was kept perfectly by Christ.
So that He could pay for our violations against God.
As the Ark lifted Noah and his family
above waves of judgment,
When you are IN CHRIST you are lifted
above just punishment.

If you are in Christ Jesus, there is NO CONDEMNATION. But note that it says “in CHRIST JESUS”. The order by which the Name of God’s Son is shown in Scripture matters. The word “CHRIST” or Cristos means “The Messiah, the King of God’s House”. Beloved, to be saved you must be “in CHRIST JESUS”. His name “JESUS” emphasizes that He is the Savior (Matthew 1:21). But His name “CHRIST” emphasizes that He is Lord of His people. Jesus is Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

Preach This: The phrase “in Christ Jesus” is found 40 times in Scripture. We are saved by being “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). We are in God’s love because we are “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39). We are sanctified or set apart by God because we are “in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2). We are born again by being “in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 4:15). We are children of God because we are “in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). We are new creatures because we are “in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 6:15). I could go on and on. The reality that Scripture presents is ..

The day a person surrenders the lordship of their life to Jesus, and falling in love with Jesus, that person becomes a “Christian”. There is no Christian where there is no Lord Jesus.

Under the Lordship of Christ, we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:1 (KJV) [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The desire of the Christian is to follow the Lord Jesus, not the world and the desires of the flesh. The Christian is someone who has been freed from one Law because another Law now rules him. We follow the Law of love. We love Jesus.

1 John 4:19 (KJV) We love {Jesus}, because He first loved us.

When we knew nothing of Jesus, He knew us. He died on Calvary for our sins. When we think of the MAGNITUDE of God’s Love. God knew that Adam would be tempted to sin, long before Adam did so. God knew that Adam would fail in the Garden of Eden. This is why the Bible says:

1 Peter 1:18-21 (ESV) … knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Jesus was “foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you”. When you unpack that statement you see the depth of God’s love. God knew Adam would choose to disobey – but made Adam anyway. God knew that Adam would bring the world to sin, and that Christ would have to pay for the sins, but “God chose us in Christ BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD” (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus was involved in the creation of this earth and all that is in it, knowing that one day He would have to go to Calvary to pay for our sins.

No Condemnation In Christ Jesus!

What a glorious truth this is! Jesus said, “Because I live, you shall live also” (John 14:19). Being in Christ Jesus means that we are led to God by His Word. Being in Christ Jesus means that

Psalm 37:24 (NIV) … though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Being in Christ Jesus means that God has promised,

Hebrews 13:5 … I will NEVER LEAVE THEE nor FORSAKE THEE

C.H. Spurgeon clarified this thought by writing:

“This union with Christ is often mentioned in Scripture under the form of a marriage, but it is also described under other symbols: we are one with Christ as a BRANCH is one with the VINE, as a STONE is one with the foundation, and especially as a MEMBER of the body is one with the HEAD. Now it is not possible if I am a member of Christ that I should be under condemnation until He is condemned. Is my head acquitted? Then my hand is acquitted. So long as a man’s Head is above water you cannot drown his feet; and as long as Christ, the Head of the mystical body, rises above the torrent of condemnation, there is no condemning even the least and feeblest member of his body.”

It is God Who maintains my salvation. Not I, but God. However, if I am in Christ Jesus, then my walk has changed. I do not please myself, but Him Who is My Head!

This is the sense of our text:

Romans 8:1, 4 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. … (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Jesus fulfilled the righteousness of the Law of God on Calvary, a Law we could not keep. But now, saved by being in Christ Jesus, saved by the Grace of Calvary, we walk according to God’s Word and God’s Spirit.

God did not save us so we could freely SIN. He saved us so that we could freely SERVE. We who are saved live to glorify Him Who saved us.

You are called of God to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This is repeated twice in our focal text to emphasize it. The Christian saved does not cease to serve God. We are freed to serve God. The Christian saved ceases to perform in the flesh, ceases to try and satisfy sin and self. The lost, children of darkness, walk in the darkness of sin. The Saved, children of God, walk in the light of God’s Word. “Thy Word is a LAMP UNTO MY FEET and a LIGHT UNTO MY PATH” (Psalm 119:105). If you have no love for the Word of God and its directives, dear friend, you may not be saved. There are a lot of people who rejected Jesus as “Christ” but receive Him as “Savior”. Jesus is the Light of God, but the Scripture says:

John 3:19 (KJV) … Light (Christ Jesus) is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

There are many who choose to reject Jesus, to refuse to be in Christ Jesus. Being in Christ Jesus changes your way of life. We are told in:

Galatians 1:3-4 (NKJV) … our Lord Jesus Christ, … gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father

His death saves us from sin itself. Jesus delivers us, so that we can follow Him. You have been plucked out of this present evil world. You no longer live to sin, you live to be like Jesus. You walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God is in you, dear Christian, and wants to work through your life. You have a purpose, a calling to walk like Jesus, to be like Jesus, to love like Jesus.

Everything that happens to a Christian, to the person who is “In Christ Jesus”, happens to make you more like a son of God, like THE Son of God. “God is working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). If you are “in Christ Jesus”, you may stumble at times, but you will never fully fall. You are a child of the King. You love Him, and seek to follow Him.

But if you are not “in Christ Jesus”, and living as the world lives, chasing desire and sin, then you are condemned already. Oh, how I pray that you would come to Jesus this very day. Beloved, you are either condemned already – or freed from condemnation. Which state you are in depends on whether you are in Christ Jesus – or not. May God touch your heart with these words, and lead you to say “yes” to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Living For Jesus

Posted on January 27, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Maxim Berg on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:23 In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

The Blessing Of Work, The Cursing Of Talk

There is a blessing that comes with doing. God created us to work. Even in Eden, though it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31), and perfect according to God’s standards, God gave us work. God told Adam and Eve:

Genesis 1:28 … Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion …

And specifically:

Genesis 2:15 … the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Ken Mathews notes in the New American Commentary on Genesis:

“{Pagan} accounts of human creation typically show how human beings were created for the purpose of work, but there human beings work to supply food for the selfish, lazy gods. Divine travail over their incessant labors is relieved by the creation of a human workforce. In contrast the biblical account portrays God as Provider for man’s needs, a part of which is the honorable, meaningful labor of tilling the soil. Life without work would not be worthy of human beings.” (pg 209)

God works, so we should work. When questioned as to why He healed people on the Sabbath, Jesus said:

John 5:17 (NKJV) … My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.

God works, and we are made in His image, so we should work.

When Jesus wanted to prove that He was the Messiah, He pointed to His works. Jesus said:

John 5:36 (NKJV) … I have a greater witness … for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

How do we KNOW that Jesus is the one and only Messiah? Because He did the works of the Messiah – His works proved His worth. We cannot judge the heart of any person, not even Jesus. But we can see in the WORKS that He is the Messiah. Jesus said:

John 10:37-38 (NKJV) If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.

Jesus Christ was not the Messiah because He worked, but He was the Messiah because His works were those of the Messiah. Jesus was the Messiah because He is God incarnate. His works proved that. Christians are not Christians because they work, we are Christians because God the Holy Spirit has made us so. But others know we are Christians because our works glorify the God Who saved us.

Jesus often alluded to His works as proof of His Messiahship. He said in

John 14:11 (KJV) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is a DUCK. We know that Abraham was a believer in Christ because of his works. The Scripture says:

James 2:21-26 (ESV) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Had Jesus come to this earth declaring Himself to be Messiah, but never did the work of Messiah, He would have been no different from the other purported messiahs that roamed the earth at the same time. Mohamed proclaimed himself to be Messiah. Joseph Smith declared himself to be Messiah. Jim Jones declared himself to be Messiah. Yet only Jesus did the work of the Messiah.

Christians, like Christ, are commanded to work for the glory of God (if you are a Christian). The Bible says:

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

The Christian “SERVES” or WORKS FOR the Lord Jesus Christ. When we as believers work, we do not work “to be people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” (Colossians 3:22). When we work, we work so as to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 5:16). God says:

Psalm 50:23 (ESV) The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!

Those who are saved, WORK AS IF THEY ARE SAVED. Then there are others who just talk about being saved, but never live for Jesus.

Proverbs 14:23 (KJV) … the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Word Study: The word translated “PENURY” is the Hebrew maḥsôr (pro. Makh-sore’), which means poverty or want. There are many people who talk a good Christian life, but when they die they will end up in eternal poverty. As the old saying goes, “talk is cheap”. You say you are saved by Grace, through faith in Christ. What proof do you show of this salvation? Those who are saved live by the two Great Commandments:

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) … Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

The salvation of the soul that does not bring a changed heart will show outwardly by selfish works. Jesus illustrated this in:

Matthew 25:31-46 (NKJV) When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

We May Be Hated, But We Must Stand True To God’s Word

Proverbs 14:24-25 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. 25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Word Study: The “WISE” (Hebrew ḥāḵām) person is the one who heeds and obeys the Word of God. These people have riches, perhaps not on this earth, but in glory. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The wise person, the believer who loves the Lord, will one day receive a crown of glory that will not fade away (1 Peter 5:4). The fool who rejects the Word of God, mocking the Master, will only have the crown of eternal folly. Their foolishness will multiply on the earth, and be eternal when they leave this life for the next.

A true witness delivereth souls

Christians are called to be “TRUE WITNESSES”. We only “DELIVER SOULS” when we affirm what God has said, regardless of our own desire.

Christians are to speak the Word that God has given us, without addition or subtraction. The Bible places a high value on truth. The Ninth Commandment states:

Exodus 20:16 (ESV) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

God wants us to speak TRUTH, His TRUTH, to everyone.

Illustrate: When I pass by a Church and see on a sign that its Pastor is a woman, my first thought is “Is this endorsed by the Scripture?” Personally I don’t care what others do, BUT I do care what God has said. Always ask yourself, “What does God’s Word say”? Let’s look at the Book, not at the Church sign nor what the ACLU or some liberal denomination states. What does the BIBLE say?

1 Timothy 3:1-2 (KJV) This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife …

Titus 1:5-7 … (KJV) For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife,

The Pastor in the Scripture is given several different titles:

Pastor or Shepherd (Ephesians 4:11)
Bishop (1 Timothy 3:1-2)
Overseer (1 Peter 5:1-2; Acts 20:17, 28)
Elder (Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20:17, 28)

The New Testament does NOT record any women serving as Apostles, Evangelists or Overseers/ Bishops/ Pastors.

When the Apostle spoke of the order of Creation, he writes:

1 Timothy 2:12-13 … I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

The arguments for women being ordained into Pastoral roles are all based on human reasoning, not Biblical counsel. When women are assigned roles as Pastors though the Scripture itself does not support it, then this opens the door to other teachings that are based on human traditions and philosophies. In every instance where people depart from Scripture to put their own twist on things, they ignore The Golden Rule of {Biblical} Interpretation:

“When the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at it’s primary, ordinary, usual meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” (Dr. David L. Cooper, founder Biblical Research Society)

It is God, not man, Who qualifies the Pastor, as it is God Who gives the Biblical offices. “He {God} gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the upbuilding of the body of Christ {the church}, till we all come in the UNITY OF THE FAITH”. (Ephesians 4:11-13). When Israel got away from God, the Lord commanded them to REPENT and return to Him. He said to His people:

Jeremiah 3:14-15 (KJV) Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

God establishes the office of Pastor – not us. When we begin to set our own rules, we walk down a dangerous pathway. The Christian is to be “not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Though it may see reasonable by the standards of humanism, God establishes what is right or wrong – not us. We are to be careful to follow His Word faithfully. The true Pastor will adhere to the qualifications of the office, and to the Word of God above all else.

Proverbs 14:25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

No one is blessed when we depart from the Word of God. Those in ungodly lifestyles are not blessed by the deceitful witness. Those who are enabled to do ungodly things are not blessed by the deceitful witness. Beloved, the strength of living is found in the fear of the Lord.

The Fear Of The Lord

Proverbs 14:26-27 (KJV) In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Knowing that you are living the life your Creator designed you for builds confidence. When you live to honor the One Who saved you, you know that He will honor your life, and protect you as you go forward. A good picture of this is found in the New Testament ministry of Paul and Silas. Thrown in prison for sharing the Gospel, we are told that:

Acts 16:23-27 (NKJV) when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

Having been beaten by their accusers, Paul and Silas were put in stocks, a miserable way to be, and placed in the deepest part of the prison. Yet as they were held they focused on prayer and praising God. When God caused the doors to open, and the chains to fall off of the prisoners, neither Paul nor Silas nor any of the prisoners tried to escape.

They were worshiping the Lord!

When the Philippian Jailer started to kill himself, Paul cried out, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all still here”. Seeking Paul and Silas out, the Jailer simply asked:

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (vs 30)

The fear of the Lord caused Paul, Silas, and the other prisoners to keep their eyes on the Lord, and not on their condition. They found refuge in God. The fear of the Lord keeps us from making bad decisions. It is:

Proverbs 14:27 … a fountain of LIFE, to DEPART from the SNARES of death …

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin is a trap, a snare, an outward behavior that reflect the inward status of the heart. Nothing good comes from following sin. We cannot make peace with sin, and not make war with God.The Matthew Henry Commentary notes:

“The fear of the Lord is here put for all gracious principles, producing gracious practices. 1. Where this reigns it produces a holy security and serenity of mind. There is in it a strong confidence; it enables a man still to hold fast both his purity and his peace, whatever happens, and gives him boldness before God and the world. … 2. It entails a blessing upon posterity. The children of those that by faith make God their confidence shall be encouraged by the promise that God will be a God to believers and to their seed to flee to him as their refuge, and they shall find shelter in him. … 3. It is an over-flowing ever-flowing spring of comfort and joy; it is a fountain of life …

I have noticed that people will slow down on the highway when they see a police car. We fear a ticket. Fire warms us, and gives us light. But fire can burn your home down. We fear fire. I and my family loved visiting Yellowstone may years ago, and often camped out there. We were warned to stay away from the wild buffalo that wandered through the park, and to avoid leaving food out lest the bears be attracted to our camp site. We fear buffalo and bears. We stayed on the marked pathways, because we were warned there was hot springs that people could fall into, being boiled to death. We feared the hot springs. We love electricity, for it enables our appliances to wash our dishes, our clothes, to cook our food. But I never work on light switches or outlets without turning off the power, for I fear electrocution.

We fear lots of things that we love, and rightly so. Should we not fear the God Who made us, and saved us? Absolutely! We should fear offending Him more than anything else we fear. God can not only take your life, but He can make your life miserable if you are flippant with Him.

It is a fool who has no fear of God!

May God the Holy Spirit guide you in applying His Word to your life.

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What Tree Are You?

Posted on January 18, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Anna Kaminova on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

The Simple Will Not Repent & Turn To God

Word Study: Those who are “SIMPLE” {Hebrew pᵊṯî} or “open-minded, worldly” turn away from the Word of God and instead choose the traditions and foolishness of man. The word “FOLLY” is the Hebrew ‘iûeleṯ (pro. iv-veh’-leth) which means “foolishness, that which is devoid of God’s blessing”.

The simple chase after anything that leads them away from God, rather than to the Source of Life.

Illustrate: The simple believe Darwinian Evolutionary Theory to be true, teaching that humans are just another form of animal. They teach their children that you can be a “furry”, an animal, if you want to be, and put litter pans in human toilets. They teach that life in the womb is disposable, then wonder why life in society is so cheaply held. They allow their children to play video games where murder is glorified, then wonder why their child grows up to murder. They give their children rewards for nothing, and the child grows up expecting to be supported in their lives whether they work or not. Their government awards welfare checks to able bodied citizens, and then wonder why these people keep expecting more.

Illustrate: Actions always have consequences – and sometimes those actions lead to unintended consequences. For instance, the wildfires that are destroying Los Angeles that have killed 16, and destroyed $135 Billion dollars in property to date. The liberal Mayor Karen Bass cut the Fire Department budget by $18 million dollars. Reservoirs were not filled with water, because the ruling class mismanaged resources. Fires themselves are out of control because environmentalists have resistedprovenforestation control, keeping dry tender removed via controlled burns. Rather than hire the most qualified to fight fires, the LA Fire Chief made it a priority to hire along Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion guidelines.

The simple, ignoring the counsel of God’s Word, ignoring common sense, ignoring the counsel of the wise, through their actions cause horric consequences.

the PRUDENT {Hebrew ʿārûm} are CROWNED with knowledge

The “PRUDENT” or Wise Believer heeds the Word of God from cover to cover. We not only read but we DO as God says. When we do so, God CROWNS our lives with blessing. Children of the King follow the King. My commentary notes:

“Contrary to the claims of ignorant skeptics, the Bible does not promote “blind faith.” This is one of many statements in Scripture warning against being naive or credulous (Proverbs 14:12, 15; Matthew 10:16; 1 John 4:1). The term translated “simple” here is from the root pathiy, meaning someone too easily convinced or unreasonably trusting. The book of Proverbs denounces this flaw many times when encouraging the reader to follow true wisdom (Proverbs 1:4, 22; 7:7; 8:5; 22:3).”

The Christian has a reasoned, clear faith. We follow what God has directed in His Word. We understand that DEI practices are non-Biblical, and nonsensical. All people are to be treated as Christ has directed, regardless of outward color:

Matthew 22:39 (ESV) … You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Romans 13:9-10 (ESV) For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

When God is placed FIRST (Matthew 22:38), then other humans are treated not as animals or furniture. Every person is the creation of God, and on that level is to be respected. We do not condone sinful fruit, but we love others enough to share Christ with them. We live our lives in glory to God so we can share the Gospel with the simple. We cannot save anyone – that is God’s work. But we work alongside God by sharing His love through the Gospel.

Righteousness Is Superior To Evil

Proverbs 14:19 The EVIL bow before the good; and the WICKED at the gates of the righteous.

Though it seems in this world as if those who are evil are enthroned over those who love the Lord, from God’s perspective the evil will eventually fall down before His Children. Jesus promised His followers:

2 Timothy 2:11-12 (ESV) If we have died with {Christ}, we will also live with Him; 12 if we endure, we will also REIGN WITH JESUS

In time, evil will be defeated. When God created the world His first command was “Let there be light”, and there was light (Genesis 1:3). God will not work in the darkness, but demands LIGHT. He conquers darkness by light.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and in him is no darkness at all

God is on a mission to eradicate darkness.
He has chosen us to partner with Him.

There will come a time when every believer in Christ will reign on this earth with Him. During Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, His Thousand Year reign on this earth, the Bible says:

Revelation 20:4-6 (ESV) Then I saw THRONES {notice this is PLURAL}, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Those who “were not conformed to this world, but were transformed by the renewing of their minds” (Romans 12:1-2) will reign on this earth with Jesus, as Satan and his angels are bound in the bottomless pit. Those who are in the first resurrection, the believer in Christ, will “inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5:5).

When you give your life to Jesus Christ, you come to the winning side. Philippians 2:10 tells us that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. This will happen in time. This must happen.

I remember several years ago a young woman who mocked our church, one whom I had tried to reach with Christ (along with her effeminate husband). She was the head of her household, and her husband the wife. Visiting our church, she hopped from church to church, having no use for the Word of God. About 6 months after leaving our Church she sought me out on a Monday morning, begging food from our pantry. Her husband had been up on a ladder doing something she wanted done, and the ladder slipped. Her husband fell, broke his back, and was badly laid up. Though there were other churches in town, she came to THIS CHURCH looking for help. She saw Christ in our midst. This woman who mocked and abandoned Christ and His way now came to me begging food. Of course, I fed her and her husband.

We are to “love our enemies” (Matthew 5:44), “blessing them that curse you, doing good to those who hate you, and praying for those who despitefully use you”. This is what Children of God do. I encouraged the foolish woman to come back as needed, but never saw her again as she – red faced – put several bags of groceries in her car. The wicked may – in this life – come to “the gates of the righteous”. Look at the testimony of the Scripture:

Imprisoned Joseph had all Egypt – and his brothers –
eventually bow before him and beg food.

Deceived Jacob in time gained most of Laban’s flock.

Captured Daniel was sought out by the King
as a wise man, and became the Chief Magi.

Mocked and disregarded David came from the flock to the Palace,
and his family bowed before him.

We as believers know that eventually we will triumph, because evil must lose. Let us continue trusting the Lord and keep doing good to the glory of God!

What Is The Fruit Of Your Life?

Proverbs 14:20-21 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends. 21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

People are often friendly, pretending to be friends to those who have money. This is not how God would have us to be, but an observation as to what happens among those who are lost or simple. Those who are rich have rich friends, not poor friends. They think themselves above those who are outside of their economic bracket. Yet the rich rarely find salvation in Christ. The Bible tells us that:

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (ESV) For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

Though not all the rich are lost (praise God), many are because their god is money and power. The poor have no such gods to rely on, so they often turn to Jesus. The Bible says:

James 2:5 (ESV) Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

There were a few rich people who helped support Jesus’ earthly ministry – but very few. We know of:

Joseph of Arimathea, who gave a Tomb to Jesus
Nicodemus, a rich Rabbi
Joanna, the wife of Pilate’s steward
Susanna, a wealthy woman

The Bible does not say there were NONE chosen to salvation, but it says “NOT MANY”. The vast number who followed after Christ were impoverished, either physically or economically.

Many who are rich are not noble or virtuous, but have achieved their riches through deception and lying. Not all, but many. There are many rich who live in luxury, but treat people as if they were furniture or objects to be used. Jesus reminds us in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) how cruelly the rich can be toward the poor. And yet, how gracious God is.

Those who love money more than life will one day “lift up their eyes in hell” with the rich man, whereas those who struggled through this life while loving the Lord will be comforted in glory. Money is fleeting, but life is eternal – in Christ. My commentary notes:

“No matter how dear are the friends, or how many there are of them, that reject you, God will never desert you, no matter how poor (Psalm 73:25-26; Hebrews 13:5-6). He set His love on you when you were his hateful enemy, and He will not remove His love for the minor turns of life’s events (Romans 5:6-11). He became poor to make you rich (II Corinthians 8:9).”

The Good (Converted) Tree Bears Good Fruit

Proverbs 14:22 Do they not err that DEVISE {ḥāraš} evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that DEVISE {ḥāraš} good.

Word Study: This present life we live is a battlefield. All around us are temptations to do the wrong, to join in with the worldly, to compromise with sin. Satan whispers to us, “Just do it. If it feels good, do it.” But if you are a Child of the King, you are called to “DEVISE GOOD”. The word “DEVISE” is the Hebrew ḥāraš, [pro. Khaw-rash’] which means “to cut, plough, engrave, plot, to scratch” in the Qal {simple verb stem}construction, but in the Hiphil {verbal stem that is causative action} & Hithpael {verbal pattern that shows reflexive action} the word means “to be silent or keep quiet”. Put this into English: Those who sneak around, plotting and planning evil are hurting themselves and others. However, those who quietly do good, seeking to serve the Lord shall find mercy from God and the truth that Christ wants us to have.

The converted or “Good” Tree quietly bears fruit to the glory of God. The unconverted or “Bad” tree quietly conspires to bring evil and dark fruit to the glory of man.

A Christian is not a Christian because of good works, but because of GRACE. But once saved, God recreates the soul of that person. The tree is made good – CONVERTED or BORN AGAIN. As our Lord Jesus said,

Matthew 7:17 … every GOOD TREE bringeth forth GOOD FRUIT; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth EVIL FRUIT

If you profess to be a Christian, then what fruit is your life producing to prove or endorse your faith? What fruit are you producing DAILY that glorifies God? How many people have you been Jesus to? How much good have you done in the name of Christ? Or do you just sit about talking about doing good, but never doing.

Those who are saved DEVISE GOOD. Those who are possessors of eternal life through Christ patiently DO GOOD. The Bible says:

Romans 2:7-8 (KJV)To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath

If the fruit of your life is evil, you need only expect hell and damnation from God in the next life. Those who have been “born again”, changed by God from corrupt trees to good trees, will produce good fruit.

Good fruit blesses others, brings glory to God,
and is proof of a saved life.

The Scripture says in Galatians 6:9 (ESV) … let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

And again in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV) … do not grow weary in doing good.

An apple tree will struggle to bear apples, even in years when the rain was not as plentiful, and the sun not as hot. Why? Because it is in the nature of the apple tree to bear apples, not frogs or poison ivy or chiggers. The apple tree knows that to reproduce, it must bear fruit. Even so, the Christian MUST BEAR FRUIT.

Why are so many Churches dying in America today? We cannot blame the unbeliever for not coming. The unbeliever is not an apple tree. Their fruit is evil, poisonous. They may come to Church periodically to give the appearance of good, but it is not Church life that proves the tree, but life life. Are you bearing apples? Or are you bearing evil fruit, or worse, no fruit at all. Evil fruit goes with the world, with the darkness, but not with the Lord. Evil fruit glorifies man and mankind, while ignoring the glory of the Creator.

Beloved, we are to bear fruit unto the glory of God. We may suffer in doing so, for good fruit is hated by the darkness. We are to remember the words of Scripture:

1 Peter 3:13-17 (ESV) Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Children of the King DO GOOD. Churches that die, die because they are filled with bad trees pretending to be good trees. Churches that do not DO GOOD do not deserve to continue.

Serve the Lord.

May God the Holy Spirit touch your souls, drawing you to hear and heed His Word. Amen.

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A Matter Of Identity

Posted on January 11, 2025 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Our Identity Must Be In Our Maker

The person who often laughs is not always happy. A good case in point is Actor and Comedian Robin Williams. Robin often had severe depression. Earlier in his life he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, but he stopped cold turkey. After 20 years he re-entered depression, and turned back to his addictions before he killed himself in 2014. He was only 63 years old. Williams was a comic genius as well as a brilliant dramatic actor. Off stage he was quiet and reserved. But onstage he came alive. His suicide by hanging was a surprise to the world.

Sadly, many people find their identity in anything but the right thing.

People chase after identity in power, fame, in their God given abilities (God gave Robin his extraordinary talent), in skin color, in a variety of lesser things. To seek your identity in anything outside of the Creator is to follow a perilous path. When God made man and woman, the Bible says:

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

Though man was made “from the dust of the ground” (Genesis 2:7) and woman was made “from the rib taken from man” (Genesis 2:22), both man and woman were made in God’s image, “In HIS LIKENESS” (Genesis 1:26). This likeness of God is in every person, male or female, whether they are children of God or children of Adam. Though we may delude ourselves (as atheists and agnostics do), we all resemble God in certain ways:

Morally We Are In His Image: We have a sense of what is right and wrong, though we may warp this sense by hardening our conscience or our heart. We harden our hearts by:

Turning from God’s Direction: Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an EVIL, UNBELIEVING HEART, LEADING YOU TO FALL AWAY FROM THE LIVING GOD.

Professing believers who repeatedly ignore the Word and Command of the Creator for the word of man will be absorbed into the darkness. The Pharisees, knowing the Law of God, arranged that false witnesses speak against Jesus at His trial. They did so not out of ignorance, but out of pride and selfishness. They “did not obey or incline their ear to God, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (Jeremiah 7:24). People today twist the moral code of the Scripture by ignoring what God has said is right and wrong, and by trusting in the created rather than the Creator. God says:

Jeremiah 17:5 (ESV) Cursed is the man who trusts in man and MAKES FLESH HIS STRENGTH, WHOSE HEART TURNS AWAY FROM THE LORD …

Spiritually: Every person knows that there is a God – however, only the Bible believing Christian worships the right God. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (KJV) For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and We by him.

Every person has a god – whether it is themselves, another person, an idol made of stone, steel, or wood, a profession or an ideology. When the Apostle Paul preached in the midst of Mars’ Hill (aka. Areopagus) in Athens, Greece, he told these pagans:

Acts 17:22-25 (ESV) … Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Everyone seeks for God our Creator. Not finding God, we do as Israel did in the wilderness. When Moses was gone 40 days up Mount Sinai, in fear the people created their own god to lead them, a golden calf (Deuteronomy 9:13-21). Turning from the Bible, the Word of God, we all seek after God. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 10:4 (KJV) The WICKED, through the PRIDE of his countenance, WILL NOT SEEK AFTER GOD: God is not in all his thoughts …

We are created by God to know there is a God. But in pride we reject Him, for to know Him is to serve Him and not sin.

Ontological: Like God, we are living beings. Though created, we have personality, and the ability to create. We have been given a freedom of will to respond to or ignore God. We are not animals. We were made in God’s image to rule the planet as His stewards. We have creative ability as God does. Though we can create nothing from nothing, we are manufacturers and makers. Animals re-purpose items crudely to use, but we create technology and tools. We share the nature of God.

Those Who Find The Maker, Find Joy

When we depart from God, we will never find true joy, which is what God wants us to have. Joy, unlike happiness, is not temporal nor based upon your current situation. Joy comes from being complete, fulfilled in your creation. At the announcement of Christ’s birth the Angel told the shepherds:

Luke 2:10 … Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

When the Magi saw the Bethlehem Star, the Bible says:

Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

To know Jesus is to know Joy, great Joy. We are not guaranteed happiness, which is temporal, but JOY is found when we find God. When the child John the Baptist heard the voice of Mary, pregnant with the Christ, the Bible says “the baby leapt for JOY” (Luke 1:44). Jesus said:

John 15:11 (KJV) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Telling His disciples that He had to go to the Cross for us, Jesus said:

John 16:22-24 (NKJV) you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us the futility of living your life apart from the Lord. He had riches, fame, women, popularity … but he found no satisfaction nor significance in any of it. Solomon tells us in the end:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (ESV) The end of the matter; all has been heard. FEAR God and KEEP his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

You will always be incomplete, always be unfulfilled and joyless, until you return to the Lord Who made you.

Fill Your Cup With God

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

When you turn away from God, you get what you ask for. It’s like the old saying, “What goes around comes around”. If you reject God, you “SHALL BE FILLED WITH YOUR OWN WAYS”. God does not leave His children alone. He has promised,

Hebrews 13:5 … I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

And again, Psalm 9:9-10 (ESV) The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

God does not abandon His children. However, if you backslide and turn from the Lord, you will find yourself walking alone. God will not walk in darkness. The Scripture says,

1 John 1:7 … (KJV) if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), though a child of the Father, walked away from his home and his Father. “Give me my portion of my estate”, he demanded, and the Father gave him as he asked. Going into a far away land this foolish child “FILLED WITH HIS OWN WAYS” began to suffer for all the bad decisions and bad company he made. In time, the Prodigal found himself eating out of the trough with the pigs he fed.

Beloved, if you walk away from God, you will find yourself very lonely, FULL OF YOURSELF until you repent and return.

God will not walk in darkness. God will not eat out of the pig trough with you. When that foolish person repented, going home to his Father saying:

Luke 15:21 (NKJV) … ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.

It was only then that the Father embraced him, and killing the fatted calf fed him. If you are miserable, dear one, it is because you have miserably abandoned your Father. You have walked away from your vows, and held up your God to open ridicule as you imitated the world. My commentary notes:

“As the book of Proverbs often notes, ignoring God increases risks in earthly life (Proverbs 13:21) and guarantees death in eternity (Proverbs 10:29; 11:4). Galatians 6:7–9 tells us: ‘Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.’ Isaiah 3:9 addresses the backsliders in Judah and pronounces woe to them, asserting: ‘they have brought evil on themselves.’”

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

Those who abandon God find burdens, but those who seek after God find blessings.

The only person that can find joy for the Christian is the Christian himself. We lift up others by our works. We are humble before God and others. But we live our lives for the Lord. The Bible says:

Galatians 6:4-10 (ESV) … But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

A Christian is called to the work of the ministry. Jesus said, “My Father works, so I work” (John 5:17). We, as followers of Christ, work. It has been my experience that the most miserable Christians are those who sit around waiting to be waited upon. If you are a Christian, you are called to work. To “DO GOOD TO EVERYONE”. Not THINK Good, but DO Good. You are called to sow the seed of the Gospel, and to labor so that the seed can be sown. It is a scriptural principle that “whatever one sows, that will he also reap”.

Sow nothing, expect nothing.
Sow self, expect self.
Sow goodness, expect goodness.
Sow wickedness, expect wickedness.

What you do, or don’t do, matters. Find something that glorifies your Creator, and do it for His glory. Matthew Henry wrote:

“As sinners never think they have sin enough till it brings them to hell, so saints never think they have grace enough till it brings them to heaven.”

Simple Vs Prudent

Proverbs 14:15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

Word Study: The “SIMPLE” is the Hebrew pᵊṯî (pronounced peth-ee) which means “those who are naive or foolish, open minded without qualification, silly”. If people would listen to God’s Word, we are promised “the Law of the Lord is PERFECT and CONVERTS the soul: God’s Word is certain, making WISE the SIMPLE (pᵊṯî) (Psalm 19:7). Those who are simple or silly choose to ignore what God has said in favor of what man projects. Instead of believing we are created by a loving and all powerful God, the simple or silly believe that we evolved from goo, from fish, and from apes. The simple believe in a “Big Bang”, but will not acknowledge the One Who made it so. They can see no limit to space, but believe the infinite evolved from the finite. The simple ask foolish questions, like “What is a woman?”. Then they ask us to believe that a man can become pregnant, or compete fairly in women’s sports.

The simple fool follows whatever trend is popular among humanity at the time, but

but the prudent man looketh well to his going

Word Study: The “PRUDENT” (Hebrew ʿārûm, pronounced aw-room) does not follow the crowd, but follows the Word of God. These people are like the Berean Christians that Paul and Silas met with. When told that something was Biblical or godly, the Bible says:

Acts 17:11 (ESV) Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

The Berean Christian did not just accept what was said, but searched the Scriptures to see if the Bible supported the preaching. This is what the Apostle told us:

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

People are often quoting “Bible verses” that are not in the Bible. Things like:

God helps those who help themselves
(Quran Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:11, not the Bible)

God works in mysterious ways (see Isaiah 55:8-9)

Cleanliness is next to godliness
(Quran 2:222, but not in Bible)

God never gives us more than we can handle
(see 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 1:8)

God will give me everything I want
(Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-32)

Money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)

We believe every word of the Bible by faith, and receive God’s Word as the truth. But as believers we always test what we hear. Had Adam tested what the serpent said before eating, the world would not have fallen, and we would not be immersed in sin. Consider carefully before stepping out on a “truth” that someone shares with you. Ask yourself, “Where is this in the Bible?” Remember, God’s Word …

Psalm 119:105 … is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

A wise or prudent person doesn’t act on instinct, but carefully examines each situation he confronts through the lens of God’s Holy Word. The devil loves to attack us at our point of weakness. The fool “RAGETH”, that is, they charge forward without thought into sin. They have no regard for consequences. They do not ask, “That loose man or woman, do they have AIDs or HIV? Who else have they been with?”. They go to bars and drink beverages offered by strangers. They walk down dark alleys, never considering that evil hides its damnation in the darkness.

Just as “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10), we should have a holy fear of sin (1 Timothy 5:20).

When weak and hungry, Satan came to Jesus to tempt Him in the wilderness. Jesus did not rely on His own power, but with each temptation responded “It is written” (see Matthew 4). Just as we fear snakes, spiders, scorpions, tigers, lions, skunks, and other things that can harm, we should fear dabbling in sin.

Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Word Study: The words translated “SOON ANGRY” is the Hebrew Ketsar appayim, which means “to have short nostrils”. When a person gets angry their nose contracts, and is drawn toward the eyes. Those who are easily angered always “DEAL FOOLISHLY”. They make errors in judgment, errors in business dealings. Those who are easily angered make foolish statements that, when they are called on it, they reject all discussion like a rabid dog. They are not self aware. They have no self control.

The “MAN OF WICKED DEVICES”, on the other hand, is hated because he cannot be trusted. They twist situations to their strategic advantage. God promises to eventually judge these people. We are told:

2 Peter 2:9-15 (ESV) the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray.

The sign that someone is out of balance is that they have a quick or explosive temper. They make up lies to cover up their deficiency and their misery. Do not hang out with these people, but share the Gospel of Christ with them.

People need the Lord.

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