by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 5-8
Don’t be tricked into following the wrong paths. These proverbs warn us in many ways.
One of the warnings has to do with laziness. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and your poverty will come in like a vagabond, and your need like an armed man.” (6: 10-11).
Idleness is a danger to anyone. We all yearn for our vacation and play times, and indeed we do need those moments. But our happiest times are really our productive days. The days when we are challenged and meet the challenge. Or the days when we can go to sleep at night knowing we have accomplished a good amount. God created us to be productive, and we are happiest when we are doing just that.
Another warning is not to be a deceitful person. God calls the man a worthless man who secretly devises evil in his heart for others. He spreads strife, often even speaking lies in order to gain his upper hand. Such wickedness will not be rewarded by our Father.
Yet the greatest warning comes to those who are contemplating adultery. The Lord has some pretty ominous things to say about the adulteress, who tries to deceive someone into a relationship with her. She flatters with her words – and her eyelids. Her beauty may be tempting.
However, on account of her, you may be reduced to a loaf of bread. (6:26) If you follow her, you will be like an ox going to slaughter. (7:22)
These truths are relevant today in our permissive society, just as they were in the days of these proverbs. You can look around and see many homes destroyed and children wounded by those who run to adultery. And the sorrows of an adulterer are still numerous.
God’s way is still the best way! If we run to it and follow it, we will be following His path completely.
II Corinthians 3-4
Paul is constantly reminding his followers about the differences in the way of the law and the way of the Spirit. It’s hard to understand unless you have the Spirit of God within you.
The law was glorious in its time. When the law was presented to Moses, he had to wear a veil over his face because his face was too bright from God’s glory for the people to look at him.
Yet this is a new day – the day of the Spirit of God. No longer do we have the law, which is to be carried out by natural means. Now we have the Spirit of God living within us. He is changing us from within – not from without.
Now when people try to just “keep the law” for their righteousness, they put a veil over their faces again. They are trying to do with their natural abilities something which is impossible to do. (In fact, one of the things the Law was designed to do was to let people know that they can’t do it in their own strength).
When they turn to Christ, they have the veil removed and they are able to understand what God has for them.
Rather than nervous, self-righteous “keepers of the law,” we become letters of God’s grace for all to read. Many who embrace the call of God to the fullest are those who have had turbulent pasts. They know they need more than themselves, and they are willing to go with God’s best. In their humility, they find God’s glorious truth and the veil is removed.
What freedom comes with this new revelation! Their goodness is from Him and Him alone. Their love for Him and their confidence in Him cause them to live to higher standards – above anything the Law could ever do.
That’s the glorious gospel Paul is always talking about: the greatest life available.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 1-4
Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom. That’s what we all want, don’t we? Wisdom to live happy, successful lives – to have close families, and to find productive paths to prosperity and peace?
Well, here it is! The keys to all of these things lie within the book of Proverbs.
The first four chapters reiterate this concept over and over, making it clear that God’s way is the best way. And God’s way is within His Word.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (3:5-6)
When we trust in the Lord, we trust in His Word – and we obey it. We follow the principles, and we allow the Word to penetrate our hearts for our own transformation.
It’s a process, but all of life is a process. There are paths which we choose to take that allow us to go His way or another way. The longer we stay on either path, the more we will benefit – or not.
So the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord and take His Word seriously. As we experience the many different challenges of life, we can always find wisdom in God’s Word.
Is your challenge pertaining to wealth? Your answers are in the Word. Do you have challenges related to health? Look at the Word. Are your challenges in your family? Once again – the Word is your source of wisdom. It’s all there.
“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom. And the man who gains understanding.For its profit is better than the profit of silver and its gain than fine gold.” (3:13-14) Long life, riches and honor are promised to those who pursue diligently God’s wisdom.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (4:23)
Do you believe it? I do!
Today, meditate on this one fact: God’s Word is true – and it is indeed the source of life for us. If we continue in His Word, we will find the keys to that abundant life we are all seeking.
II Corinthians 1-2
In the first two chapters of II Corinthians, we see one of the greatest principles of our faith.
Do you remember in Paul’s first letter how shocked and horrified he was concerning this man who had “taken his father’s wife?” Paul was adamant about separating him from the body of believers and showing him no mercy.
In these chapters, we see a different viewpoint. Why? The man had repented.
In this second letter the man had repented and was truly sorry for what he had done. Not only was he sorry, but he had changed his way and wanted to be back in fellowship with the others.
This time Paul rebukes those who are still treating the man with disrespect. They should “forgive and comfort” the man.
I have a hot news flash for you: we aren’t perfect. All of us fall short of God’s best from time to time. Hopefully we don’t commit gross sin, as this man did. But we sin. We hold unforgivenenss in our hearts. Or we gossip. Or we harm others with our unmerciful tongues. Or we are greedy. Or we judge others with a self-righteous attitude.
There are many ways that we can and do fall short, so all of us need God’s forgiveness – and all of us have it. That’s the beauty of the gospel, or at least one of the beauties. When we truly repent, we always have God’s forgiveness – and His restoration.
Just thinking about this makes me want to spend some time with Him and make sure that all of the vestiges of bitterness are removed from my heart.
That’s God’s way – and it has to be our way, if we live in the best He has for us.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 147-150
Today we wind up the book of Psalms and, as one might expect, we wind up on a high note. A high note of praise.
Let everything and everyone praise the Lord. Everything in the earth or above it. Every angel, all His hosts, the sun the moon and the stars, all of His creation – I mean everything! I love it!
There is another important lesson, however, which is planted in the midst of all the praise. It comes in Psalm 147:15-20. From time to time, as we study the Bible, we come across the concept of God’s Word and its many ramifications. Sometimes it is called “logos,” and sometimes “rhema.” (Those are the Greek words for “word”).
“Logos” means the general Word of God – the Bible and the words on the page which everyone can read. However, “rhema” means something different. It means the spoken Word. It can be spoken out loud for all to hear, or it can be spoken to you personally. When the latter happens, the words leap off of the page and you see something you never saw before – or you are reminded of something you need to hear again right now. You understand the Word.
When I am teaching, I sometimes bring some ice cubes in a glass. In that form, though they are water, they have no ability to reach the roots of a plant. They are water locked up. However, as I teach, they begin to melt and then they can begin to be useful for the watering process.
Psalm 147:15-20 is a good illustration of this concept. God speaks his Word into the earth, but it is locked up. It is icy fragments; snow like wool. No one can understand what He is saying.
Then He speaks again and the ice is melted. The wind of the Holy Spirit blows and the waters begin to flow. This second speaking is “rhema.” He is declaring His Word to His people. Understanding comes to those who are His.
As we study the Bible, we need to pray for “rhema.” We want more than just to read the words on the page; we want to understand it so that we can apply it to our lives.
The “rhema” is what we are counting on from God. That understood Word is what guides our lives and brings us deliverance.
Ask Him for more of His speaking to you personally – opening up the great truths locked up in His Word.
I Corinthians 16
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (V.13)
These are some of the words Paul leaves with the Corinthians in this letter. And these are words which we should take to heart everyday.
There is always an opposition to our walk with the Lord. There are disappointments and trials. There are also those who mock our faith and try to dissuade us.
We need to be strong – in Him and know that He is our answer in everything. His Word is true whether anyone believes it or not. His path is the right one, even if we see everyone around us going another way.
Be alert and stand strong. That’s how we obtain the good, abundant life He has promised.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 140-142
Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can run to our God with anything? Are you fearful? Run to Him. Are you feeling guilty of your sin? Run to Him. Are you not sure what to do next? Run to Him.
Our Father is always on our side. He is always pulling for us and there to help us. His grace is there to carry us to the next level.
Our job is to be honest with Him. It’s silly to think that we can be otherwise, because he knows our thoughts, our fears, and our weaknesses. Yet many somehow think that they can pretend with God, and He will be fooled.
David really understood the significance of being honest with God. He poured our his heart to the Lord on a regular basis – just as he would a best friend. God was indeed David’s best friend.
Now we come to our century and our own set of issues. Our generation is a “got it all together” generation. We want to be on top of everything and always be ready for the challenge. That attitude can be a source of strength to us when it makes us stand strong and exhibit fortitude. However, that attitude can cause trouble for us if we think that we shouldn’t be honest with our Lord.
You don’t have to tell everybody else what you are going through emotionally and spiritually, but when you run to your God and pour out your heart to Him, He will lift you up like no one else can. He will cause new strength to rise up within you. He will direct your steps, and cause greater victories than ever.
He will never fail you.
I Corinthians 15:1-28
“By the grace of God I am what I am,” says Paul. (V.10). The apostle is addressing the Corinthians and reminding them to “hold fast that Word” which he brought to them.
The word they are to hold on to is the gospel, which he has preached to them. That Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose again the third day, seen by Cephas, the twelve apostles, over five hundred brothers at once, and then by Paul.
Apparently there were in the group at Corinth those who were trying to say that the resurrection had not occurred. Paul is addressing that issue.
If Christ has not been resurrected, then there is no hope for anyone, says Paul. It’s important to know and believe that Christ died and rose again for our sins. He paid the price for the sin debt which was against us. That’s the essence of the gospel.
He now is seated at the right hand of God until every enemy is made His footstool. The last enemy is death – which will eventually be totally done away with.
There will come a time when the kingdom of God will rule the earth as He intends. It may seem hard to believe that when you look around you now, but that is the Word of God, and it will happen in due season.
Until then, let’s remain strong and press toward the high calling of our Father which He has for us in this day.
Forever upward!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I didn’t post yesterday. My husband and I spent most of the last two days with or praying for our dear friend, Steve Woods. His precious wife, Darlene, moved to Heaven, and she will be dearly missed. She truly left her mark on all those who knew her.
Psalm 139
Our Father has searched me and known me and is intimately acquainted with all my ways. Just reading this statement brings peace, doesn’t it?
Psalm 139 is full of all of the intimate ways our Father knows us – and all of the personal dealings He has with us as believers. Often I have shared this with young people as they are going through their self-conscious teen years. They – and you – are special to God. He has a plan for them – and you – and won’t let them go.
“You have hedged me before and laid Your hand upon me…Where can I go from your spirit?”(V. 5-7) The answer: no where. Our Father is watching over us, knowing our every move, and His loving hand is guiding us even when we don’t know about it. Even when we “make our bed in hell,” He will be there to guide us back to the light.
What a loving God!
Then we come to some of my favorite verses. “For you have formed my inward parts…I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”(V 13-14) What a confidence booster! You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
You are a unique person wrought by God Himself. Instead of trying to find all of the faults with your makeup – let your mind meditate on this. God made you the way He wants you. Of course, you aren’t like everybody else. Why would you be? You are unique – according to His plan.
This reminds me of Acts 17:26 where Paul says that God has set the “appointed times and boundaries” of all the people on the earth. The fact that we live in this century and in the places he has put us is no accident. It’s all part of God’s plan.
Then look at this: “Your eyes see my unformed substance.”(V 16) I love this verse, because it reminds me that there are parts of my makeup which I have never discovered. There are gifts and talents which He knows are there, which He put there – deep within me, and as I follow His lead, I will discover them
All of us know people who late in life started painting or writing and we were surprised, because that talent hadn’t been evident before. That’s what I am talking about. Those gifts were always there, and of course, God knew it. He was waiting for the opportunity to reveal them.
So hold up your head. Regardless of where you have been, where you are going is more important. You have a Father who adores you, and has a marvelous plan laid out for you. As you continue to walk with Him, He will open new doors for you, causing your life to become richer along the way.
I Corinthians 14
When you read this chapter, you can really get a picture of the Corinthian personality, can’t you? These people who had been – and in many respects still were – worldly, came to the Lord and received His Spirit. They seemed quick to embrace the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they were fluently speaking in tongues. (Paul says in 1:7 “you have become short in no gift”).
Here’s the thing. They had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but they were trying to show off for each other. Instead of using their tongues, or prayer language, the way they were supposed to, they were trying to outdo each other. Apparently these people needed a governor on their behavior.
Paul rebukes them for getting together and speaking to one another in tongues, or getting up and giving messages in tongues. (Unless there is someone to interpret). He told them to speak in a language the people could understand when they are giving messages in church. “If the whole church comes together in one place and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?”(V.23)
Paul is certainly not knocking the gift of tongues, as he says, “I’m glad that I speak in tongues more than you all.”(V.18). He is just trying to bring order to the services of the Corinthians.
The bottom line is the bottom verse, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”(V. 40)
Desire to prophesy, and don’t forbid to speak in tongues, but just make sure that your services are orderly. That’s the message of Paul.
Good advice, wouldn’t you say?
