LEARNING DAILY

 

2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is in according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,

 

Gay pride parades with naked men on bikes, the terrible teaching in the public schools about gender identities, terrible weather patterns, false teaching in churches, the unbelievable increase in immorality and shamelessness, rebellion against God, and the throwing off of moral restraint is certainly characteristics of the last days. I have not even mentioned the “perilous times” mentioned in 1 Timothy 3. What we are seeing all around the world tells me that “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work”! Paul continues that it is only a matter of time when He who is restraining lawlessness will be taken out of the world, along with the true Church, which will allow the Antichrist and his demons loose upon the earth.

 

I am listening to talk radio explain the events that are happening, which the newscasts are ignoring, and I am wondering what things will be like on earth when the Holy Spirit and the Church are removed! Before I continue, I want to state that God’s Word is clear that the faithful Church and the Holy Spirit will be removed at some time. It is also clear that the Holy Spirit (along with the prayers of the Church I believe) is holding back the appearance of the Antichrist and the terrible lawlessness to come. “Once removed, the earth will be subject to the full effects of sin” (David Jeremiah). What will that look like?

 

This writing is not meant to put fear in anyone’s mind or heart. It is meant to encourage each of us to walk the narrow way as God intends His people to walk and to be ready and to be waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to call us to Him. I also want you to know I am not claiming to know it all; I am just trying to use common sense to apply what I see in the world right now and compare that with the Word of God. Can you imagine what will happen when “in a twinkling of an eye” millions of people disappear? When neighbors, friends, relatives are suddenly gone without explanation? Oh yeah, all those alien ships (UFOs) we keep hearing about and those eight-foot aliens abducted them!

 

Can you imagine the panic? What about Christians who are driving or flying airplanes? How are heaps of clothing left where Christians were when the trumpet sounded going to be explained? What about babies and children under the age of accountability taken from parents who do not know Christ as their Savior – how will that be explained? Can you imagine the confusion of all this and its effect on the lives of those left behind? With this confusion comes chaos, and craziness and a breakdown of society. Think of the major cities during the covid mess that were taken over by mobs, stores were looted, homeowners were told to leave their homes so others could live in them. Think of mobs of people going into stores and taking everything and anything they want right now. Don’t you believe in the chaos and confusion of so many people being gone, this behavior will only grow worse? What happens when hospitals, law enforcement, firefighter/EMT and the military lose personnel to the rapture? Those who are left in the military will establish martial law or gangs will set themselves up to control what is left of society.

 

Do you get the picture? Do you see the lawlessness at work in the world, the United States of America right now? We see many in the church falling away from the teachings of the Word of God; people do not want to hear the truth in order to be saved. “And then the lawless one will be revealed”; after the Faithful Church and the Holy Spirit are remove. I’ll continue with some thoughts in the next page of the blog.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

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

 

This verse relates to the previous verses in Proverbs 5, which warn of sexual sins. I am going to broaden this warning to all the sinful things we do thinking no one knows them. This verse gives a great reason for a person to resist sexual sins and other sins – the Lord sees and knows our ungodly ways. The internet has certainly made watching ungodly “stuff” easy and because this “stuff” can be viewed in secret no one knows. But God is not fooled and will judge us accordingly. That takes away any reasoning we use to justify our actions.

 

Knowing that God sees and know all things is seen throughout Scripture. Genesis has many examples of this. For example, God knew where Adam and Eve were when they tried to hide from Him. He knew Cian killed his brother Abel. In Genesis 6, God saw that all people were evil and every thought in their heart was continually evil. Job knew that during his trials, God was with him. The Psalmist said in Psalm 139, that God searched his heart and knew everything about him and what he did.

 

What is this saying to us today? Each of us needs to carefully examine our own path; we are to evaluate what are doing, our actions and activities, and the decisions we make to be sure we are walking on the narrow way, that we are living the life that God demands from His followers. If you have walked on this narrow way for very long, you know that this is a lifelong journey that is based on faith, obedience, and the willingness to walk with the Lord based on His Word. You know what comes next – it is based on reading/studying, meditating on God’s Word and prayer. How else can one know what He demands for us as we walk the narrow way to eternal life in His kingdom. It is a narrow way and few are on it.

 

Let me encourage you with a few more ways according to scripture. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to present our body as a living sacrifice to the Lord’s will, no longer be conformed to the world, and to renew our mind every day (in His word). Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think so highly of ourselves. 1 Peter 4:10 tells us to use the gifts God has given us by faith and to serve others. Matthew 7:5 tells us not to be a hypocrite; take the log out of our own eye before judging others. Proverbs 8:13-25 reminds us to love others sincerely and actively, hate what is evil, and hold on tight to what is good. We are to live a godly life that brings honor and glory to our Lord at all times.

 

Each of us should desire to walk on the narrow way with the Lord in a way that develops our relationship with Him. We are to seek to know Him not just know about Him. We have to know and understand that is His desire as well. That is what we do when we read/study, meditate on God’s Word and pray! When we are focused on these disciplines God helps us to remove the things that displease Him. It has helped me tremendously to remember God sees and knows everything I do and say and think; I am so thankful He forgives when I mess up!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 14:1, The fool has said in their heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

 

I cannot get a headline I read the other day out of my mind. The headline was a statement from a drag queen who said, “We are coming for your children”. Do you remember what Lenin’s wife said about controlling the children’s mind in order control society? This statement adds to all that is being taught in public, state-run schools today; teaching on gender identification, correct pronouns, and everything related without parental consent is coming after the children! In essence, these people are fools, corrupt, and doing abominable things.

 

The “fool” is a person who lives as if there is no God. The Bible is very clear that people who reject God’s existence or live their lives as if He does not exist or who believe He exists and live their life the way they want anyway are rejecting truth. Rejecting God’s existence leads to a corrupt and evil life (read the first chapter of Romans.). Fools reveal their rebellion by rejecting what the Bible says about God and relying on their own ideas and thoughts to determine right from wrong. When they do not seek God, do not submit to His Word, and do not trust or rely on Him concerning their daily lives, they show their rebellion against God. Let me get straight to the point. Such a person lacks spiritual wisdom, so they are not capable of doing anything that pleases God.

 

I believe anyone who does not want to “be told how to behave” is going to live a wicked life; they do not want to be restrained by Biblical truth. They will not object to the idea that there is a God as long as God does not interfere with their beliefs. How can one say they believe in God without being drawn to a sense of accountability to Him?

 

I know that I began with a certain lifestyle as the center of this page of the blog. This psalm describes the depravity of the wicked and teaches that the human race is by nature separated from God. Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Each of us must be careful of condemnation of others without first making sure we are walking on the narrow way ourselves. Sin is sin; we have all sinned! Those who have rejected God, who say, “There is no God” do so because they want to live free of the way of life He demands. They do not want to live with the guilt that comes when they do.

 

You know the old statement, “love the sinner, hate the sin”. I know I have been loved when I have sinned. I know God has loved me and never given up on me when I gave Him plenty of chances. That tells me we do not give up on those who have rejected God; we pray for them, love them, and allow the Holy Spirit to continue to work on them to repent and receive the forgiveness God wants so badly to give to them (all of us). Knowing truth means we pray against the ungodly lifestyles and beliefs being taught to the children. Yes, they are truly coming for them and as God’s people we need to stand against this movement!

 

Because of unrighteousness, the judgment of God is coming!

 

LEARNING Daily

 

Colossians 3:5-6, So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. (New Living Translation)

 

I still do dumb things – I do things God does not want me to do, things that are sinful. You do too!  An example was given along with a statement in church this weekend that made me stop and meditate on. Dr. Ed Newton said, “If you do not kill sin [within you], it will kill you.” In this blog, I have often encouraged you to confess sin in your life as soon as possible; the promise of God’s faithfulness to forgive and cleanse us from unrighteousness when you do is found in 1 John 1:9.

 

In the verses from Colossians, Paul is urging the Colossians to put to death their old lives and put on the new self or the new life we were meant to live before the fall of Adam and Eve. This is the life that comes through the saving relationship with Jesus Christ; when we ask Him to be our Savior and Lord, we become a new creation. The old person dies and we become a new person because Christ lives within us. If you have walked with Him for very long on the narrow way to His kingdom, you know that the old self does not give up … ever. The struggle for control in you begins at salvation and does not stop. Sin may continue to look “pretty” or “fun” and each of us need to say no when sin raises its ugly head. Or, it might rise up at a time when we are vulnerable or weak. Paul is urging people to make a clean break with the things we have done before being “saved” by Jesus Christ.

 

We must move forward to walking on the narrow way as the Lord demands. This is a constant decision, not a one-time choice. You cannot put the sins listed to death on your own. Read Romans 7 to see the harder we try to put these things to death ourselves, the more they seem to rise up. Every Believer, those new to Christianity or those walking with Him for a long time, must “yield to the work of the Holy Spirit daily to put these things to death in us. This is a daily, on-going work until the day Jesus Christ makes all things finally and forever new” (David Jeremiah Study Bible).

 

The Word of Christ must be put into your heart by daily readying/studying/meditating/praying over it until lives within us. When the word lives within our heart, our thoughts, words, deeds, and motivation will be influenced and controlled by the Lord. When we get off track, the Word draws us back to 1 John 1:9. The Word of God gives us principles to live by an to help Spirit-led Believers determine words spoken or the actions of others to be according to God’s Word or if they are contrary to God’s Word. The Life in the Spirit Study Bible give some questions to help guide what we say, do, think, or enjoy. 1) Can it be done for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)? 2) Can it be done “in the name of Jesus, “asking His blessing on the activity (John 14:13)? 3) Can it be done while sincerely giving thanks to God?  4) Is it a Christlike action (1 John 2:6)? 5) Will it weaken the sincere convictions of other Christians? 6) Will it weaken my desire for intimate fellowship with Christ, God’s Word and prayer? 7) Will it weaken or hinder my witness for Christ (Matthew 5:13-16)?

 

Be encouraged and strengthened to put to death those things that trouble you, those things that you would just not want others to know about you! Remember, you have been made new by the Son of God taking your place on the cross you deserved. Yield your life to Him and let Him cleanse and purify you as you walk on the narrow way into eternal life in His kingdom!

 

“If you do not kill sin [within you], it will kill you.”

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Joel 1:2, Hear this, you elders, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land! Has anything like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?

 

Israel had always been under the threat of invading armies. Because of experiencing many invasions, as well, they were prepared with their own armies. But Israel was not prepared for an invasion of locusts which swarmed over Judah, completely devastating crops and food supplies. Joel used the invasion of locusts to describe another invasion to come. He warned a spiritually complacent Judah that anything less than total devotion to the one true God would result in an invasion from people from the north. He also told of terrible day of the Lord was coming when He would bring all mankind into an account of their lives and what they had done with their lives. He urged the people to repent, pray and diligently seek God to delay God’s judgment. 

 

Thinking back over the past few years, the United States of America, with the great military capabilities we possess was not prepared for a virus that came to the nation and completely shut down – well, everything. Life as we had known it about stopped and today many businesses have not recovered. God has given us warning of events that would signal the nearness of His return. Like the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah broke covenant with God, the United States and the rest of the world have failed to follow God as He has demanded. Deuteronomy 28 gives the blessings of obedience and the curses brought by disobedience.

 

Joel 2:1 states, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord is coming. For it is at hand,”. Here is the warning for Israel: Be alert for an enemy is coming and it is ready to attack! The day of the Lord is near; it is coming! It is God’s final judgment against His enemies. The invasion of locusts was like a sign pointing to the future, the day when He would settle the matter, settle all accounts with Israel and all those who resisted His son and His will. This plague of locusts was real, not a vision which Joel saw as the working of God.

 

You saw how easily a virus shut down businesses, education, travel and emptied shelve in grocery stores. You saw how easily deception spread regarding the spread of the virus and how easily the deception was believed. Was it a warning from the Lord for people to turn to and follow Him in obedience? For Joel returning to the Lord came before He would restore the people. Perhaps the covid problem (only one of many problems) was our “locusts”.

 

Not one of us can recover the bad choices, the time we wasted, the words spoken. But God, can take each of our lives, the time we have, the opportunities before us, our relationships, and use them for His glory. But we must choose to put all the broken pieces of our lives into His hands (paraphrased from the notes in the David Jeremiah study Bible). His forgiveness and His grace puts those pieces back together in a way that He can use us, making an impact on those around us for Him each day!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Hosea 14:9, Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

 

The writings of the prophet Hosea were about God’s call for him to remain faithful to an unfaithful wife. By doing this, Hosea’s marriage was to represent the unrelenting love of God for His people. God had made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai during the exodus from Egypt. The unfaithful wife represented Israel’s unfaithful walk with God. At this time Israel was divided into northern and southern kingdoms; the northern kingdom of Israel was centered in idolatry, chaos, and evil; they lived a life that had broken every commandment. Adultery was incorporated into the nation’s religion and it was this spiritual adultery that Hosea spoke out against. Yet God was longsuffering toward His people and sent prophets like Hosea to speak to the people about turning from their idolatry and wicked lifestyles – to repent – in order to return to living under the covenant established with Him. But the people did not do so.

 

Spiritual adultery began when Israel’s affections began to move away from God. Israel became attracted to other things, fascinated and absorbed in other things to the point that God became second to the lifestyle presented by foreign nations. When that happened Israel’s affections, love and allegiance to God began to be replaced with other interests and pursuits. Spiritual adultery occurs when one replaces God with one’s own interests and wants. The only answer to this is to repent, to come back to placing God first in one’s life. Hosea calls this person wise and prudent. But transgressors be warned that not repenting will be a stumbling block to you!

 

We are living in evil days. The people of this nation and the world are committing spiritual adultery; people have turned away from God and are unfaithful. But God has not changed – He remains faithful. People continue to chase after wealth, things, position, power and prestige in the eyes of the world. While they do, God is loving them, calling them to come to Him, to return to Him. I do not fully understand God’s love and why He does not give up on us, on me. I just know He does not tell anyone to get themselves cleaned up and get their life in order so He can love us. No! Instead, His love is so great for each of us that He went to a cross to die for every sin we have committed and will commit.

 

Read the last chapter of Hosea. It describes God’s desire for Israel to repent and return to Him. His grace and love for His people are shown and tells us He will transform every heart who confesses and turns from their sins and humbly accepts the forgiveness He offers. God loves His people – you and me – deeply and wants us to experience His love, mercy, grace and many blessings! I have read that it is not the sins of God’s people that cause Him to discipline them but their refusal to repent of their sin.

 

The United States of America must repent! If it does not, the nation will face God’s judgment like Israel did. I see no where in Scripture that God enjoys disciplining His people. God’s desire is to bless His people. He has compassion on those who repent and come to Him. He wants each person to walk on the narrow way to eternal life with Him. May each of us be wise in understanding the need for walking on the narrow way, the way of the righteous. True wisdom involves understanding God and His ways; it is expressed through a lifestyle that is centered in His standards of righteousness and a right relationship with Him.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

 Hosea 7:13, 15-16, “Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, because they have transgressed against Me! Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. (15-16) Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against Me; they return, but not to the Most High; they are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the cursings of their tongue. For this they shall be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

 

“Israel rebelled against God by refusing to turn to Him as the One who could help them; they felt that Egypt and Assyria offered more security than the Lord God” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible). Today people commit the same sort of sin by seeking their fulfillment in possessions, activities and sinful pleasures rather than seeking God’s will for their lives and living the way He demands. Our leaders seem to be doing all they can to lead us away from God’s clearly stated desire regarding issues that God has said are evil. Plus, there is a definite trust in alliances and the desire to be like other governmental philosophies in the world.

 

God Had given Israel victory after victory and strengthened their military; yet the people trusted in their idols. God has done the same for the United State as well. But, like the people of Israel, we have turned our attention to be like the countries of the world. It seems that those in power are more willing to do anything and everything to keep their philosophy in power, even if it means changing the normal as we have experienced it. Perhaps we can agree that changes and acceptance of changes has been gradual. Those changes have been coming more rapidly as the leaders of the country seem to be moving more and more like the countries we have tried so hard to keep away from. Can I just say that the one world government and one world economic system the Bible tells about is coming closer and closer to reality.

 

My friend, Duane, sent me a short clip by Rick Renner that I found quite interesting. Renner described the Soviet Union under Lenin as he came to power during the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Lenin knew that philosophies and ideas of people need to be changed in order to create the society he wanted to rule. One of the first things he did was to tear down the monuments. He also believed that the old vocabulary needed to be eliminated by replacing the old with new terminology. Lenin’s wife even got involved by saying that in order to take the children away from the influence of the parents they – the government – needed to control the minds of the children. If they could do this, they could create the society they wanted. The philosophy of the Nazi rise to power was very similar. Perhaps a closer look at other nations would reveal similar philosophies. Notice I did not even mention the attack on Christianity in these countries!

 

Does this sound familiar to what is happening in our own country? There is so much being established to control the people of this country and to eliminate those who disagree. As Christians, we must not lose focus regarding walking on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom! That is our hope and should cause us to trust Him, trust that He has all that is happening in the world and this country under His control. Never, never lose sight of that! We do all we can to keep our lives in line with His desire and staying as close to Him!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Hosea 4:1-6, Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because The Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery, the break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns [dries up], and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your children.

 

I will return to the Proverbs; perhaps writing on them once or twice per week. We need the wisdom that can be gleamed from them in order to live righteously in this evil world. There is a message for us today from the writing of the prophet Hosea.

 

If you read closely the verses above you will see he is writing to the people of Israel to scold them for breaking five of the Ten Commandments – cursing (misusing oaths and vows), lying, killing, stealing, and committing adultery. Adultery had been incorporated into the nation’s religion through temple prostitution at the temple of Baal. Go back and reread the verses to understand what was said to Israel. The root of Israel’s sin was a lack of knowledge of God and His Word! Israel had broken covenant with God, worshipped other gods and basically changed glorifying God into walking in shame. As a result, crime and violence had increased to a critical condition, fear and misery prevailed in the land; increased crime and violence resulted when the people no longer acknowledged God and His Word as the ultimate authority in the land.

 

“Hear the word of the Lord, you people of the United States of America, because The Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land”. The statement is so appropriate to us today. According to an article by Glenn Beck a survey has shown less than 50% of Americans have no doubt that God exists and 34% of Americans never attend church. Have we not seen a tremendous increase in violent crimes in our nation in the last few years? Stores are being looted by mobs, mass shootings are more and more frequent, lies are told to us by our leaders because they think we are ignorant, and the list goes on and on! Like Hosea’s Israel, the United States no longer acknowledges God and His Word as the authority in the land. There is no fear of God as people have turned to the gods of wealth, position, greed, and do what is “right in their own eyes”.

 

The people of Israel grieved the heart of God! They had His Law, His commandments, His prophets; all told them how to live in a world filled with evil and was clear about the consequences of disobeying God and His Word! They did not pay attention and were destroyed for the “lack of and rejection of knowledge”. Consider for a moment hearing that the God who created all things, the God who had chosen them as His special people to receive His inheritance, who had pleaded with them through the prophets to return to Him was no longer going to be with them. Notice who God held responsible – the leaders of the nation, particularly the priests. They had led the people to pagan nations and following their rituals instead of turning to God who had sustained them and provided for their needs.

You decide and tell me if you believe this describes the United States of America in 2023! Do you understand why I continue to encourage you to be in the Word of God daily, reading/studying/meditating so you have the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to do what He says and to walk the narrow way to eternal life in His kingdom? Do you think evil will not continue? No, it is going to continue to grow worse. I wish I could tell you all would get better! Strengthen your walk with Jesus by being in His Word and by spending time in prayer with Him. He provides the wisdom to walk with Him as He desires!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 3:3,4, Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

 

For quite a few years I have worn a cross which is on a chain around my neck. Most of the time no one sees it; it is not something for others to see. There are times I have it on the outside of a t-shirt for others to see. It is not a decoration to me. It is a reminder to stay steadfast in my walk with Jesus Christ as I walk the narrow way. It is a reminder of what He has done for me by taking my place on a cross for the sinful life I have led. It is a reminder to take the sins I commit to the foot of the cross to be washed in His cleansing blood. Another Bible version uses the phrase “steadfast love meaning loyalty to a covenant. I think of the ring I wear that reminds me of the covenant I have made to love and remain true to my wife.

 

With that covenant, I have promised to be faithful or true which means I am going to be dependable. One who is dishonest or deceptive in a marriage is false. That same covenant relationship may be seen in the relationship Believers have with God. Once a person is saved through Jesus Christ, the Believer ’s life should reflect his/her love for Him and his/her obedience and dependability to live as God demands in His Word.

 

Solomon suggests another way to help us be faithful because of our love for God is to write His Word on our heart. How do we do that? By reading/studying/memorizing His Word, the Bible.  That is the only way we get to know God, His characteristics, the way He wants us to live and walk on the narrow way. It helps us to trust Him with all our heart for decisions that must be made because we know he knows what is best for us. As humans we only “see in part” and if “we lean on our own understanding” we are going to fail. By writing God’s love and faithfulness on the tablet of our heart we are able to discern between good and evil, when something or someone is not right even though it is not clear. God is directing us as we walk on His narrow way.

 

When we do this with God’s Word, we will have favor and success with God and with man. May we understand that following God’s will results in better results than disobeying Him. To “have a good name” means to have a good reputation as a wise, capable, and effective person in God’s eyes as well as man’s. Faithfulness is saying and doing truth; it is an endorsement of we are. It is extremely important as we gain respect from our spouse, within the community and where we work. Being selfish and unfaithful will eventually be found out and destroy relationships.

 

As Christians we have a never-ending amount of love and faithfulness in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, the Father looks at each and sees His love and faithfulness which causes us to gain favor and success in His eyes. Proverbs 16:6 tells us, “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil”. Write that on the “tablet of your heart”!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 16:2, All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

 

Proverbs 20:27, The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inner most being.

 

Proverbs 21:2, A man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.

 

 Long ago I had a plan about how I could best serve the Lord. It was a good plan, one that I would have been thrilled to be able to do. It was an ambitious plan and I believed the Lord would provide the finances to complete the task I believed needed to be done. I ignored those who doubted and continued to believe. It was a good and honorable plan, but God knows the beginning and the end; He took me to a different destination with a different outcome – greater than I could imagine. I look back on those plans and I can see only disaster would have been the outcome.

 

I have learned and seen that Believers are often blind to their own faults and their spiritual poverty. The Bible speaks of us making our plans and striving to make them happen, but it is God who directs us. Do not misunderstand it is good and even prudent to make plans regarding out future; the planning process should include prayer, seeking God’s will, and even seeking counsel from those we know to be godly and wise. I believe that the process needs to begin by going to the Lord in prayer asking that He reveal the condition of our heart and making sure our motives are good and honorable.

 

God knows our motives, intentions, inner thoughts, and desires; God tests them all. The Bible is clear that God knows our inner being, nothing is hidden from Him. He wants that our motives to be pure in order to honor and glorify Him. For example, when Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, He knew the motives of the “businessmen” were corrupt and self-centered. His reaction was to overturn tables and drive them from the temple. The temple was to be a house of prayer and not where a profit could be made. Is God against making money? Absolutely not. However, wealth is not to be gained by illegal or immoral ways that take advantage of one’s position or authority given to Him. God knows the motives for doing what we do. That which is done with righteous motives will be blessed and those done for unrighteous reasons will be judged. When and how is determined by Him.

 

Here is the takeaway for these verses today. Each of us needs to examine our own heart to be sure our motives for what we are doing reflect God’s will in our lives. We might think our behavior is good, but the ultimate Judge is God. He examines our heart and the motives for what we do. If we have wrong motives or sin in our heart, confess it to Him and then make right the wrong we have done. The Bible is clear that no one is righteous, and all have sinned which includes doing things with the wrong motives. To me, the solution is to walk the narrow way as best we can in Bible reading/study and in prayer. By doing so, God will reveal the true condition of our hearts so we might be truly clean and able to follow the Holy Spirit as He guides us.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 10:9, The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

 

This proverb contrasts two types of people. The first person is one who walks in integrity; Solomon states that person’s way is secure. The other person walks in a deceptive way which will eventually be seen by others.

 

Integrity is usually spoken of as doing the right thing, even when no one is watching or when others will not know it. It often refers to telling the truth or not taking advantage of a situation to make personal gains – when money is involved, for example. Perhaps it could be thought of as not taking a “shortcut” in order to receive personal gain of some sort. Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything”. An honest, sincere life, a life centered in integrity, does not risk being caught in a lie or some dishonest action. The honest person, therefore, has a more “secure” life.

 

Integrity also speaks of a person who loves God and has made the decision to walk on the narrow path He has determined one needs to walk on in order to spend eternity in His kingdom; that person has made the decision to honor God in his/her life, with their possessions, in the way they deal honestly with others, and by who they are. Integrity is important to guard ourselves and protect our heart from being polluted by the temptations and evil of this world. It also helps us to become the person God wants us to become and to be the light of Jesus Christ to others.

 

Solomon also points out the person who does business in a dishonest way, gains wealth in a way that takes advantage of situations he/she controls, and just commits evil. That person will be “found out” eventually. To go back to Twain’s words, it is too difficult to keep track of lies told and dishonest dealings with others; it is a losing situation and those who try will eventually be exposed for what they have done.

 

Let me add some other proverbs to encourage you to walk in integrity. “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner” (13:6). “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to Him” (15:26). “The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright” (21:8). “He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall” (28:18).

 

As Christians, it is important to be an example to those around us in both our words and in our action, whether seen or unseen. It is walking the narrow way, the “way less taken” instead of the broad way where many walk. It is not taking the short cut or using any means available to get ahead, to make an extra dollar. I do not know anyone who enjoys dealing with the person who lacks integrity. Even a thief does not enjoy dealing with a person who lacks integrity. There are plenty of men and women whose walk on the outside appears to be great in the eyes of those who see them. However, their private lives are not so good inside because of greed, dishonest dealings and because they have no relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We deal with our private lives by taking them to the only One who can change us from within. That is the only way we have the ability to walk in the integrity He demands and to honor Him with our lives and our decisions.

 

This integrity is to characterize every Christian. Paul encourages us in Philippians 2:14-15 in this way, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 28:13, He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

 

Proverbs 11:19, As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil, pursues it to his own death.

 

The Bible is clear, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “If we say that we have no sin, deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). When John wrote these words, there were people who taught that when a person became a follower of Jesus Christ, their sin nature was erased and that person could live a perfect life, one without sinning. This may or may not be taught today; but I do believe people falsely believe that once they begin to follow Jesus Christ, they can live any way they please. If that were true, there would be no need for a Savior. I wish what I am about to say was not true: Even after we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, begin walking on the narrow way, we continue to sin.

 

I do not want to continue to sin! Do you? When I sin, I know that I disappoint the Lord and I do not feel good about my actions, words spoken, or the thoughts that come through my head. Sometimes something I see sparks a reaction and if I dwell upon it, I sin. Anyone with me this morning? The question then is what do I do when I sin? The next verse in 1 John gives the answer. It is an answer I have referred to many times in previous blogs. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness. If we say we that we have no sin, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us” (1 John 1:9-10). Everyone sins! “Those who say they have no sin reveal their ignorance or pride, demonstrating they do not belong to Christ. Acknowledging the truth of the gospel is not enough – people must also confess their sin and walk in the light” (David Jeremiah Study Bible).

 

We can fool others and act like we live a sinless life; it is foolishness to believe that God does not know when we sin. We confess our sin to Him. It does not weaken our walk on the narrow way nor our fellowship with God. Not confessing our sin will cause our walk with Him to become distant. He knows all we do, say, and think. The DJSB notes tell us the cure for sinfulness is not denying our sin but relying on the faithfulness of God to forgive us on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross. To confess our sin and remain in fellowship with God is the way to maintain the joy of our salvation.

 

One of the greatest mistakes we make is thinking we can hide our sins from God or that he will be angry to find out we have sinned. You just cannot conceal it from God. Pretending to be blameless will only cause you to be judged. I can tell you as a principal, I told students who needed to come into my office it was best they told me about the wrong that I already knew they had committed. Leniency always came when the student told me what had been done instead of trying to cover it up or blame another. Consequences might still occur but more often than not, they were less severe.

 

Solomon is telling us that God rewards those who pursue truth, goodness, mercy, and righteous living – walking on the narrow way according to the desires and standards established by God in His Word. That does not mean righteous people will never experience tragedy or will never sin. Nor does it mean that evil people will never prosper. It does mean that living as best we can, confessing when we sin will result in God being faithful to forgive and cleanse those who do and the promise of eternal life with Him in His kingdom.

 

The DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no revelation [vision], the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law.

 

I am still pretty clear about when I decided to be a teacher. It was in the fourth grade, during the physical education class, taught by the football coach, that I decided I wanted to be a teacher and to coach. When I got into Middle school and met Mr. Nelson, my decision was set. That is what happened; I did get side tracked a few times but I always went back into teaching. I had a vision that kept me doing some sort of teaching, even when I was not in a classroom. Looking back over the years, I have to believe that vision was placed in me by the Holy Spirit when I was very young.

 

The word vision means “revelation”. “It does not refer to some dream of success a person might have but to prophetic exhortation to the community” (David Jeremiah Study Bible). Let me try to explain. In the Old Testament, God revealed His will to the people through the prophets. They communicated to the people what God wanted them to do, where to go,  and how to live their lives so they pleased Him. When there was no clear revelation people did not (and still don’t) walk in God’s will, live to His standards but made up their own standards and followed other gods. In other words, there was moral and spiritual decay. The last statement in the book of Judges states “when there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in their own eyes”.

 

Israel ignored God’s standards and decided what was right and wrong. It is interesting that he let them do what they wanted; what followed was sinful living, idolatry, moral decay and oppression. It is inevitable that when people do not follow God’s will, this lifestyle occurs and judgment follows; people perish.

 

By now, you know where I am going with this. Our nation and the rest of the world has turned from following God’s will as written in His Word. All that was once hidden, done in secret, is flaunted and all who disagree with it are being punished and called all sorts of names, even arrested and put in jail. When people’s opinions are followed instead of God’s Word they are in rebellion against God. The Bible is very clear that to be out of God’s will, in rebellion results in judgment.  

 

It seems to me that people doing what is right in their own eyes is the result of people no longer interested in studying the Bible. How many times have I heard someone say or seen it written that the Bible is an outdated writing? Or people are just too busy and do not have time to read/study the Word of God! People do not have God’s vision; they have their own.  The only answer is to keep God’s revealed will as found in His Word, and His righteous demands for walking a narrow way to eternal life in His kingdom continually in our hearts and minds. If this is not done, …. Well, look at the country we live in and the world around us!

 

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

 

I will never forget watching my dad sharpen knives. He would move the knife he was sharpening up and down a long steel rod made for that purpose – on one side of the blade going down and come up the rod with the other side of the knife. He did it so quickly that the change to the other side of the knife was never seen by me. He never cut himself doing that as far as I knew. The result was the knife becoming very sharp so he could cut the meat he was cutting. The knife, without being sharpened would still be a knife but it would be dull and not as effective. But sharpened it became very effective to cut and slice the meat.

 

I have been very fortunate to have people in my life that helped and challenged me to grow in my reading and understanding God’s Word. There is a need for fellowship with other Christians, to get together and study God’s Word and to pray together. Man was not created to be alone. God recognized that before sin entered the world. Since that time, it is even more important for men and women to be with other Believers. Jesus said that whenever two or more gathered in His name, He would be in their midst (Matthew 18:20). We sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron.

 

The people in my life have sharpened me! They challenged me to be in God’s Word and to teach it. When I made a mistake – and I made some good ones – they lovingly (and in some not so loving ways) corrected me and helped me become better in knowing the word and teaching it so it could be understood. I was fortunate to have fellow teachers I could ask questions of. One taught across the hall from me and another down the hall in another building. They even asked me questions at times. Our discussions and praying together sharpened me! We don’t get to do that anymore but we do still have our times through blogs and phone calls. I was fortunate, I think, to have sharp students who asked questions; I had to be prepared. I still have one who sharpens me and I enjoy every minute of it. He has become my teacher in some ways. David considered Jonathon to be his friend. Paul mentioned Quartus to be his friend at the end of his writing to the Romans and Peter mentioned Silvanus as a faithful friend. The sharpened each other. I have had Don and Jim and Manual to be my faithful brothers.

 

Believers must spend time encouraging, sharing, and even correcting each other. When we do, the body of Christ shines brighter and does the particular role God has for us better. We shine brighter because the dullness of us is rubbed off. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching [the return of Christ]”. Believers are to take seriously to do all we can to help people live the best they can as they walk on the narrow way to heaven.

 

I believe the Day of Christ returning for His Church is near. Because of that we need to sharpen each other to live for Him, to love one another and do good works that glorifies and honors Him.