Put out the fire

Pro 15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

 Dealing with anger is a major lesson in life to be learned, both our own anger and anger of others.  Anger is often expressed in words, and also is often provoked by our words.  Part of dealing with anger is learning to control our mouth.  Learning to speak calmly, with reason and kindness, will help to diffuse anger, much like throwing water on a fire.  However, responding with bitter hateful words will lead to more anger, much like throwing gasoline on the fire.  Let’s learn to be firemen, quenching the flames of anger by our words.

Receive instrustruction

Pro 10:8  The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

 Let us never get so wise that we can’t be instructed.  Those who are truly wise are open to being taught and instructed.  It is a fool who thinks they best that will fall, that will bring harm and loss on themselves.  We need to learn with humility that acknowledges that we don’t know it all, and remain open to instruction, particularly in the things of God.

Beware of bitterness

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

 Being a Christian does not exempt us from loss and disappointment.  One of the dangers of disappointments and loss is bitterness.  There is a certain pain and discouragement that naturally accompanies loss and disappointment.  However, we need to learn to seek God’s grace, to rely on His love and care, to be able to overcome our discouragement.  To allow our self to seek comfort in self pity exposes us to spiritual danger and bitterness.  Bitterness is a poison that will prove to be spiritually fatal to our self and a great hindrance to those around us. Don’t fail the grace of God; seek comfort and refreshing in His love and care.  

Stay alert

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

 The idea of a real and living Devil has lost favor in the modern church.  However, we are warned in God’s word that there exist an evil being who is intent on destroying us.  We have one who opposes us and works to see us lost eternally.  For this reason we are to be diligent and alert, on guard for his deception and opposition.  Live a careful life; be aware that we have a dangerous and powerful enemy who is intent on our destruction.

Contentment

Pro 15:16  Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

 It is a great spiritual attainment to find contentment.  Too often we create trouble and difficulties because we over reach, stretching to try to accumulate too much, and in the process wound our own conscience. This verse reminds us where real contentment and satisfaction in life is to be found.  It is found in a life of reverence to God, obeying Him and trusting Him.  As such, we can rest from anxiety knowing He is caring for us, and we can sleep peacefully knowing all is well between us and God.  This verse isn’t advocating poverty, but rather it is a reminder that the security and contentment we seek must be in God, not things.  The real joy of life, contentment and security are only found in Him.  Let’s make sure we are pursuing the right means to a happy life.     

Sing of His mercy and faithfulness

Psa 89:1  I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Psa 89:2  For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

 God is good, and it is on this foundation of God’s goodness that His mercy and faithfulness builds.  God is faithful, He is worthy of trust. What He has promised He will do.  His faithfulness is as dependable as the sun, moon and stars, steady and fixed in the heavens. This Psalm was written in a difficult time for David.  Yet he recalled God’s mercy and faithfulness, and he then declared that mercy and faithfulness.  When we are struggling, it is a good time to rehearse God’s past mercies and faithfulness, to make them known to those around.  It will strengthen both our and their faith to hold steady in the storm to once again see the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises.    

God blesses

(Prov 10:22 KJV)  The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

We are often tempted to believe that we are missing out on something by living a Christian life.  It is often assumed that one must be somewhat deceptive to get ahead.  But this leaves God out of the equation.  God’s blessing enriches us without any regrets, guilt or sorrow.  Purpose to live honestly, and trust God to bless as He sees fit.

The thrill of answered prayer

Psa 28:6  Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. Psa 28:7  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

 Our God is a prayer hearing and prayer answering God.  He is trustworthy; He is our strength and protection. God is faithful to hear our prayer and bring us the help we need.  What a thrill it is to trust the Lord and experience His deliverance.  One of the greatest sources of joy for a Christian is answered prayer.  Trust Him.  Call out to Him.  Allow God to prove Himself faithful in your life.  Then your heart can thrill with joy and your mouth be filled with song and praise.

Perspective

2 Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

 Every now and then it is good for us to take a step back and get perspective.  We need to be reminded that this world is just temporary.  Everything in this world is going to be destroyed.  With this perspective, there is really only one thing important in this life and that is making heaven our home.  There is nothing more important than living the way God has instructed us.  No matter the cost, we need reminded that living a holy life is worth more than anything we may gain in compromise.  Keep your perspective, stay faithful.   

Our help

(Psa 121:1 KJV)  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Psa 121:2 KJV)  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

 We are in need of help.  Our country, our society and even our churches are in trouble.  There is only one solution.  We need to lift up our eyes and look up to where our help comes from.  Only God has the wisdom and the power to bring real help to our situation.  My prayer is that we will look to the mighty Creator God for the help we stand in need of

Teach us Thy ways

Psa 119:68  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

 God is good, He is altogether good, perfectly good; it is who He is.  Not only is God good, but everything He does is good.  The Psalmist’s plea is for God to teach him His statutes, His ways.  Our plea should be as the Psalmist’s.  To know God’s ways is to know His goodness and to also know how to conform our own lives to be and do good.  Let us strive to know His goodness and learn to follow His ways.

Let no one deceive you

1 Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

 Modern Christianity places a huge emphasis on grace, and rightly so. It is by grace we are saved.  Yet, salvation produces a real change in our lives.  Too often, this truth is neglected.  A real experience of salvation changes us from our old sinful life of loving our self supreme, to a new life of loving God supreme and loving others as our self.  This love is shown in the way we live and produces a life of righteousness.  This life of righteousness is the distinguishing mark of those who are the children of God.  Anyone who doesn’t love others and live righteously is not of God.  Grace, love and holiness are not opposed to each other, in fact you cannot have one without having the other as well.  Let no one deceive you.

God is great

Psa 145:3  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. Psa 145:4  One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

 Our God is worthy of praise.  His holiness, His goodness, His purity, His love, His compassion, His wisdom and His power are beyond our comprehension.  The greatness of God elicits praise.  Those of us who know Him must let others know who He is, let them know of His wondrous works.  Our greatest obligation is to the generation that follows, to tell them of our great God.  Let us not fail to rightly portray our God to those who come after us.  Praise Him.

God still rules

Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

 No matter how powerful the nation or ruler, God is still God.  Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the world empire, the most powerful man on earth.  Yet God humbled him, made him become as an animal grazing in the fields to show him that God was the ruler over all the earth.  No matter how powerful nations and rulers appear, they are still ultimately responsible to God.  God still rules, God still ultimately determines the destiny of nations.  Don’t fear, trust the future to God.     

Hate evil

Psa 97:10a  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:

 There is a tendency in Christianity today to equate the love of God with a tolerance of evil.  Such is far from the truth.  Part of loving God is to hate evil. To love God is to also love holiness, to love all that is good, to love all that God is.  We need to take time to consider the wickedness of sin, to see the absolute hideousness of sin and evil, to see the hurt and suffering caused by sin.  We need to consider the affront to God that sin is.  Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.  Begin by hating evil in yourself.  Don’t tolerate sin in your own life, for the love of God.    

Please God

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

We all live with a certain pressure to fit in, to get along. However, there are times when we cannot go along, or fit in, and still please God.  Our primary focus in life must be to please God, to be His servant.  We cannot please God and be His faithful servant if we get caught up in pleasing people.  Remember, we have One whom we must please, whether it is popular or whether it is not.

Suffering with Christ

2 Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 There are times that we may suffer for the cause of Christ.  We may suffer for being faithful to God.  Yet we have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed because we know God.  We know who He is, we know His faithfulness, we know His power.  We know who we are trusting our lives and our eternal destiny to, and we know He is able to keep us to and through the final judgment.  Continue faithful, bear the cross when required.  Our God is faithful.

Ready to answer

Isa 65:24  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

 We need God’s help in so many ways, yet we so often fail to realize how willing God is to answer our prayers. This passage shows us God’s readiness to answer prayer in that He answers as soon as we call, while we are yet speaking.  Do you have needs?  Bring them to God, He is more than ready to help.

Near

Jer 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

 There are times when God seems far away.  There are times when our own difficulties, disappointments and discouragement seem to scream “Where is God?”.    Yet God is always near.  He is always right at hand, with us, ready to help.  God is always with us, He knows what is happening.  His love and care remain the same.  It is a trick of Satan to make us believe God is no where to be found, to discourage us from seeking His help. Take faith, our God is near at hand.

None like God

Jer 10:6  Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.  Jer 10:7  Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

 Sometimes it helps to step back and take a look at the big picture.  This is God’s world, His creation.  It was created by Him and for Him, and for His purposes it exists.  God still reigns supreme.  Nothing has taken Him by surprise; nothing has occurred that He was unprepared for.  There is nothing that is beyond His wisdom.  He is still the creator God to whom all creation shall answer.  There is none like Him.  He is greatly to be feared and reverenced. Take courage…our God still reigns.