Tag: Wise

20.x. “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”

 

 

 

Romans 12:3   For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

 Proverbs 16:18-19    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

 James 4:6    But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

 Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

 Titus 2:2    Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

 1 Peter 4:7    The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded 

 1 Peter 5:8    Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We don’t have to listen to much on social media outlets to witness those who think very highly of themselves.  We see those with money who think their prosperity is because of their individual talents and thereby elevate themselves to the mental status of someone who ought to be heard and listened to for their “rich” opinion is worthy of everyone to listen to.  Because they have become rich they think highly of their status and their wisdom.  We also see those who have some form of power to govern or rule, who have also taken high self-worthy praise of themselves.  They seem to speak down to people who are not in their circle of influence makers.  They speak as though, only they have wisdom and understanding and anyone who does not agree or blindly follow is lacking understanding and knowledge.  If we listen and weigh what they are saying we can easily see their pride, folly, and self-worthiness being expressed.  

It is easy to read our Scripture today and think it was written specifically for these types of people, but this is not true.  Paul was talking to Christians in the Roman Church.  He is telling them, “do not think more highly of themselves than they ought to” and to give serious and sensible thought, and to judge these thoughts in light of the faith that has been given to them by God.  It is in humbleness that we seek and desire that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.  In this humbleness we give serious and sensible thought to our heart and, as best we can, to the intents and purposes that come from it.  We humbly seek and desire to place Jesus Christ first and give no place for self, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place do not exist, only Jesus.   Wherever God has led you in life, whatever position He has placed you, whatever knowledge and wisdom He has given you, these are not for our honor or glory, but for His alone.  We can take no credit for them but we can be thankful for them.  We can take no self-worth from them but we can give honor and glory to God because of them.  When is the last time you have given serious and sensible thought (in light of Scripture) to the intents and purposes of your heart?  

20.s.”But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”

 

Romans 11:25  Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

2 Corinthians 3:14  But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Romans 1:18   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Israel is a chosen people, blessed by God, and used by God.  Great promises were given to them.  Great miracles and acts of power were shown to them.  Great mercies were given to them.  Jesus, the man, entered into this world through them.  Jesus, the Son of God, came to redeem them and save them from the curse of death. Jesus’s ministry was first to them.  Jesus did many signs and wonders among them. Jesus was rejected by them. The message of the Gospel was proclaimed through them.  After Jesus’s resurrection, they rejected Him again.  Paul is explaining that this mystery of God is all part of God’s plan and purpose.  At some point in the near future Jesus Christ will return and whatever veil has been placed over their eyes of understanding will be lifted and they will come to worship, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ.  This veil has not been placed over (gentile) our eyes of understanding.  No, the Gospel has been made clear and all of creation bears witness to us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that out of God’s grace, love, and mercy He calls out to all of mankind to believe in/on Jesus Christ.  There is no hardening or darkening or veil over us.  We clearly see and, thereby, clearly reject or accept/receive this precious gift of forgiveness, salvation, and redemption through Jesus Christ.  We have no excuse.  When we die and are immediately ushered into eternity and stand before Jesus on the Day of Judgment, we will have no grounds to stand on. A person’s receipt/acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ in this life determine one’s destiny for eternity in heaven or eternity in hell.  There is no veil that blocks our understanding of the gift of God through Jesus Christ.  It is out of a pure rejection of God’s grace, mercy, and love whereby we are judged guilty.  God gave us His written Word, sent His Son to pay the price of sin, and did many witnessed and recorded signs, wonders, and miracles so that we would see and know of His love for us.  This is made clear in, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” We are without excuse when we reject this great and precious gift of grace, mercy, and love.

20.l. “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Romans 10:17  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

 Luke 16:29-31   But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

 1 Corinthians 1:18-24   For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

If salvation is so simple, available to all who trust in the person and work of Jesus, then why do so many reject, deny, or neglect it? Saving faith comes through hearing by the word of God. Though people hear or read about the Gospel of Jesus Christ they do not exercise saving faith in Christ – making them (and us) all the more responsible. How much more responsible is a person for their rejection of the Gospel once they have heard it?  This is a bit of a dilemma for me.  On one hand they hear it, but unless their heart is open to receiving understanding and wisdom from God about it it will be just words on paper or sounds in the air.  On the other hand when their heart is open to the gospel God exposes their hearts, minds, and souls to the Gospel (hearing or reading) something utterly changes – they understand sin, their sin and separation from God, and God’s plan and purpose of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.  This point in a persons life is where they will either humbly surrender all self-reliance and self-worth and believe in/on Jesus Christ.  In their hearts, minds, and souls they are changed.  They have gone from being condemned to redeemed, unforgiven to forgiven, guilty to innocent, hell bound to heaven.  This is what the Gospel will do to a person when they act on the wisdom and understanding given by God to them.  It is true to many good people never see the need for Jesus Christ.  They have determined in their heart that they are good enough and worthy of heaven.  The destiny of all people, both good and bad, is eternal hell.  

19.w. “It would be easy to blame those problems on their circumstances”

Proverbs 21:20   There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.

The Israelites in Nehemiah’s day were facing major financial problems. It would be easy to blame those problems on their circumstances–after all, they could not control the famine, or the taxes. But they had also failed to follow God’s principles about spending, saving, and indebtedness. So when that famine came, when those taxes were due, they were not prepared. In Genesis 41, we read about another famine. Remember the story? Joseph was in Egypt, and he interpreted a dream that Pharaoh had. He told Pharaoh, “There are going to be seven years of famine throughout the whole world, but the famine will be preceded by seven years of bountiful harvest. We need to set aside a portion of the excess so that when the famine comes, there will be food for everyone.” That is what they did, and sure enough, when the famine came, no one went hungry. That is a principle that the Jews in Nehemiah’s day had failed to live by: they had no cushion for emergencies. Proverbs 21:20 says, “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.” In other words, the foolish person is the one who spends every last cent of his paycheck, who does not set aside some of his current income for future needs. If you disobey this principle, when that time of emergency comes, you are going to be forced to make some bad choices. You may be forced to sell your house for less than you paid for it. You may be forced to liquidate investments.

The way the Israelites handled their emergency was they went into debt. They mortgaged their homes. They mortgaged their property. They even mortgaged other family members. Today, there are many people who are mortgaging their futures because they have not prepared for financial contingencies. Many Christians have become slaves to Visa and MasterCard. Credit cards are convenient crutches when we run into a time of financial difficulty, but eventually we pay the price. We mortgage our future by spending years in debt. That is why Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

Why does God tell us to set aside something? It is not only to meet our own individual needs, but to take care of kingdom projects that come along as well. In 1 Corinthians 16:2, Paul was talking to the Corinthians about a special offering he was going to collect when he got there. He said, “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.” This verse has nothing to do with tithing; Paul assumed that the Corinthians were going to give 10 percent of their income to the weekly needs of the church. No, this was a special offering Paul said, “I want you to have this money set aside so that when I arrive in Corinth, it will already be there, ready to give.” If you spend everything you make, there will not be money to invest in God’s work. But when we follow Proverbs 21:20, it not only provides for our needs, but it also provides for God-given projects in the future. (Jeremiah)

17.k. “Let no one deceive himself.”

John 11:45  Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

 Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

 Isaiah 5:20-23    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,  who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

 1 Corinthians 1:20   Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

 1 Corinthians 3:18-19    Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

The words and works of Jesus divide humanity between those who believe and those who reject. There were some who saw both the power and sympathy of Jesus yet responded by working against Him. Some that had seen even this miracle steeled their hearts against it, and not only so, but conspired the destruction of this glorious Savior!

The religious leaders privately admitted that Jesus performed signs that authenticated His claim to be Messiah and God. As Jesus claimed, His works did bear witness to Him. First, they opposed Jesus because they weren’t convinced He was the Messiah. Now they opposed Jesus because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. They denied and opposed Him.  They were afraid of His influence over people and their loss of influence. They knew the logical response to the witness of the signs, wonders, works, and words of Jesus was to believe in Him. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him.” The high priest unknowingly prophesied. “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

The Word of God proclaims the wonders, signs, words, and works of Jesus Christ.  And just like during the life of Jesus, people believe and reject and deny the truth of it.  Some deny Him within their heart but do not speak of it.  They float along in life never giving thought to what they have rejected. They trust in their good works rather than the Savior.  At some point, they may have heard the Gospel presented in such a way that their heart was softened and their mind was given a full understanding of the offer of salvation and redemption.  Yet they chose to reject that offer.  Others deny Him openly and with great disregard of who it is they are rejecting.  They spit on the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ.  In the end, all who have inwardly and outwardly rejected Jesus Christ will suffer eternally in Hell for this rejection.  Now is the time of salvation.  If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to you, do not reject it.  Surrender to it and cling to it.  Your eternal life depends upon it.

16. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

John 7:6  Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

James 4:4    You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 4:5    They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

Proverbs 15:12     A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

Romans 8:7     For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

1 John 2:15-16     Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Acts 7:54   “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

“I testify about it that its works are evil.” “Friendship with the world is enmity with God.” “They are from the world.” “The mindset on the flesh is hostile to God.” “Do not love the world.” “Do not love things of the world.” “You stiff-necked people.”  I am not sure I have ever seen the division, anger, fear, and hatred that is around us today.  Surely it points to the condition of the heart of mankind without Jesus Christ in their lives.  Boasting, looting, rioting, lying, causing fear, anger, and division are clearly coming from the abundance of what is filling their hearts.  The love of God is not there but rather a love of self, self-centered, self-interests, self-reliance, self-power, self-worth, self-love, pride, greed, and arrogance.  They harden their heart into stone and close their ears to His calling.  They shake their mental fist at God, mocking the Creator, Savior, and coming again King of kings.  When they harden their hearts and stiffen their necks against God there is no limit to what sin they can commit.  Think about it.  Abortion is called, “Pro-choice”. Pornography is called, “adult entertainment”.  LGBTQ is called, “alternative lifestyle”.  Breaking a contract for the sole purpose of making money is called, “shrewd businessman”.  Lying in business is called, “manipulating the truth”.  Hate and violence are called, “justified”.  The list can go on and on.  Sin is no longer recognized as sin.  We can look at this list and say these are all sins against a child, person, business, or group of people.  The fact is these are not sins against man but against Jesus Christ himself.  When we sin it is not against man.  We sin against God.  We may harm man but we sin against God.  We may wrong a person but we sin against God.  When God is removed from our hearts and mind, there is no thought of sinning against God.  Even as Christians we fall into a false thought that our sin is against a person rather than the one and only Holy God.

We must have a proper understanding of “Sin”, or our lives will become more and more like the world’s view of it.

13.x. ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 7:14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Proverbs 4:26-27    Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.  Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Isaiah 35:8    And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

Matthew 25:1-12    “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,  but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.  But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Luke 13:23-30     And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them,  “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’  Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’  But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.  And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.  And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

1 Peter 3:20-21     because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

Romans 9:27-29    And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,  for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”

What happens to those who fail to follow Jesus? What about those who try to find another path to God? Will they make it to heaven? Let’s look at what Jesus had to say about eternity.

First, Jesus taught that two eternal destinations exist. Universalists claim that all roads lead to the same place, that everyone’s going to heaven regardless of what he or she believes or doesn’t believe. But Jesus drove a stake through that claim when He said in Matthew 25:46, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Jesus taught there are two destinations: eternal punishment and eternal life.

Second, Jesus taught that hell is a reality. Of all the verses in the New Testament that record the words of Jesus, do you realize that 13 percent of those verses deal with the reality of hell? For example, Jesus believed that hell is an actual location, not a state of mind (Matthew 25:46). Jesus taught in Matthew 22:13 that hell is a place of physical suffering. And most devastatingly, Jesus said that hell is an irrevocable destination. Once there, no one leaves. In Luke 16, Jesus told the story about Abraham, the rich man, and Lazarus. The rich man found himself in hell and begged Abraham to provide relief and a way out. Abraham answered and said, “Between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us” (v. 26).

Third, Jesus taught that the majority of humanity will occupy hell. The single greatest objection to the idea that faith in Christ is the only way to heaven is it means relatively few people will be in heaven. There are seven billion people in the world today. Only 25 percent of the world’s population can be classified as Christian, and most of those only because of their birth or nationality; when you talk about those who’ve actually trusted in Christ, it’s minuscule compared to the world’s population. People say, “It just can’t be true that billions of people will be in hell while only a few will be in heaven.” That seems illogical until you realize that’s exactly what Jesus taught. He said the population of heaven will be relatively small compared to the population of hell. In Matthew 7:13-14, He said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” I realize you may find this teaching offensive, but please consider this: the majority of everything we know about hell comes from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself. To dismiss the idea of hell means you have to dismiss Jesus Christ and what He taught about eternity

12.w. “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.”

Psalms 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Proverbs 8:10-11    Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,  for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

Job 28:12  “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?  Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’  It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.  It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.  Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

Proverbs 3:13-15    Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,  for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.  She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 16:16     How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Jeremiah 15:16  Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

If God’s Word was removed from you would you miss it? Would your soul feel hunger pangs? Whenever you sit down and open your Bible, you’re feasting on something that is “more… desired… than gold… sweeter… than honey”, When people lose their appetites, we worry about them. As Christians, we should have a hearty appetite for God’s Word and for the kind of righteous living it produces. Hungering for spiritual food is a good indication of our walk with God.  We lose our appetite for God’s Word there is a health decline in our hearts, minds, and souls.  Our understanding of the spiritual things of God is lost.  Our knowledge of His great and precious promises is lost. Our ability to see spiritual battles and lies of Satan is lost.  Our ability to honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust, and rely on God is lost.  If you have no hunger and appetite for God’s Word there is a good chance you are nearsighted, blind, and have forgotten the great price that was paid through grace, mercy, and love for you.  Your walk will have the appearance of godliness and your words will have the sound of godliness but in your spirit, you are dying or dead.  God’s word is not to be taken lightly.  How are you to claim promises you never know? How are you to fight spiritual battles you never see? How are you to recognize sin in your life?  How are you going to be able to walk by faith?  How are you going to encourage, build-up, and strengthen yourself, your family, your church, and the lost?  Without an appetite for God’s Word, you are becoming nothing more than walking dead.

Peter said: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of a reminder since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.”

12.y.O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you”

Zephaniah 3:14    Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Psalms 42:2-4    My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalms 63:1-2   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Jeremiah 31:9    With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Romans 11:25-26    Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

Even in our trials and troubles, God is with us.  “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart”. “The Lord is with you”, “I will rescue”, “I will gather”, “I will bring you home”, “I will give”, and “I will restore”.  These are all from God.  When all around us may be failing and falling apart, God has not changed and His promises are true, His grace, mercy, and love are steadfast, His presences is ever-present, His power to do more than we ask or can imagine is never limited, and all His foes, defiers, and deniers will be defeated and their plans destroyed.  Our God is greater.  Our God is all-powerful, Our God is all-knowing. Our God is all-in-all.  He is our God.  Do not allow fear, confusion, and worry place a cloud over you, blocking you from standing in the light of Our God, savior, redeemer, and King of kings.  He is God Almighty.