Archive for July, 2019
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36, ESV
Just as God showed us mercy for all the ways we sin against Him, remember that people are messed up and mess up all the time, and show them mercy and grace. You would like them to do it for you.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11, ESV
When circumstances are tough, it is probably not punishment so much as a time to learn and grow. Your sin (even someone else’s) may lead to it, but use the time to grow closer to God.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26, ESV
When life is so hard, so scary, and so wearying that we barely know how to think straight, God helps us talk with Him.
If you find it hard to pray, either sit quietly, inviting Him to speak, or let it all out at Him. He can take it. He will help you.
Every once in a while I feel the need to do a little teaching. Keep in mind, many who read this blog do not go to a church, never hear a real pastor preach, nor even read a Bible. This might be the only path through which they choose to accept Biblical truth.
I just finished recording the audio for an upcoming radio broadcast. The text from which I preached was primarily the following:
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. … Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. – 1Ti 4:13, 16 KJV
One of the greatest challenges for the preacher is to make sure his doctrine is biblical, not based on human desires, such as the desire to only hear what we want to…
View original post 223 more words
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23, ESV
This is not a “know thyself” proverb. This is a “be careful what you think, feel, watch, and listen to” warning and encouragement.
Focus on good and godly things.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10, ESV
Only God can make us good and clean.
Lord, give us wisdom to seek You, and clean our hearts and minds as You cleanse our souls.
Do not let your desire to read Anthony’s thoughts be naughty! You will understand if you read his entry on Proverbs 11:6. Do it.
Daniel
“The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.”
Other Versions
As I did with the last verse, let’s look again at a couple of other versions of Proverbs 11:6. Let’s look at the New King James (NKJV)and the New International Version (NIV).
“The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.” – NKJV
“The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.” – NIV
It would seem that the part that is causing any confusion or needs any clarification is the word “naughtiness.” I wonder if that has anything to do with the phrase we hear around Christmas, “naughty or nice?”
Naughtiness
Whenever I hear this word it makes me think of strict elementary school teachers, paddles, grandmothers, and disobedient, candy-stealing…
View original post 270 more words
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13, ESV
Too many churches teach we can do whatever we want, being free in Christ. If we are not crucifying our flesh daily, we may be showing our true allegiance … to ourselves, not Christ. Choose Christ.
I share, not so much for Anthony’s thoughts, as for the thoughts that were shared over 200 years ago.
We may not be a Christian nation, but those principles were used at the formation of our nation.
Daniel
Every year around this time the godless, anti-Christian, anti-religious, “spaghetti monster” fans wear out the keyboards of their iMacs as they hammer any and every posted news article having anything to do with the Christian stones in our nation’s foundation.
Just this week a story about another school taking down a student-donated 92-year-0ld plaque hit the news. The comment sections of various sources that published the story were overflowing with arrogant atheists preaching the virtues of “separation of church and state.” Obviously, their hatred of Christianity (not so much the desire for pluralism) was fueling their snarky vitriol.
As if the trolls got together beforehand and decided what would be the most effective “shut up the enemy” type of argument, one of the most common mic-drop-type attempts to end any defense of the Ten Commandment plaque went like this:
“If you are OK with posting the Ten Commandments, then…
View original post 1,143 more words
a simple man of God 