God is Slow to Anger, We Are Slow to Find Him

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.

Nahum 1: 2-6

Commentary:

People avoid God because they see evildoers and hypocrites in the church. They don’t realize that God’s slowness to anger gives his true followers time to share his love and truth with the evildoers. Judgement will come to those against God; he will not allow sin to go unchecked forever. People wonder why God doesn’t punish evil immediately. Remind them that if he did no one would be here. We can all be thankful that God gives people time to turn to him. Don’t defy God; he will be here forever with greater power than any nation. The relationship you have with God is up to you. What is your relationship with him right now?

Avoid Sexual Sin: Steps to Take

Scripture verses from Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7: 1

My son, keep my works, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Proverbs 7: 4-5

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

Proverbs 7: 7

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding.

Scripture Commentary: Steps to Avoid Sexual Sin

People argue it’s okay to break God’s law against sexual sin if nobody gets hurt. Somebody is always hurt; spouses devastated, children scarred. Partners can escape disease and unwanted pregnancy, but they lose their ability to fulfill commitments, feel sexual desire, trust, and be entirely open with another person. God’s laws are not arbitrary. They apply to all.

There are definite steps you can take to avoid sexual sin. First, guard your mind. Don’t read books, look at pictures, or encourage fantasies that stimulate the wrong desires. Second, keep away from settings and people that tempt you to sin. Third, focus on the future, not the present moment. God’s law doesn’t forbid good clean fun. God warns us against destroying ourselves through unwise actions or running ahead of his timetable. Running ahead means running into the timetable of Satan.

Read the entire chapter:
Proverbs Chapter 7

God Knows You in Your Entirety

Scripture verses from Isaiah Chapters 29 and 30

Isaiah 29: 15

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Isaiah 30: 1

Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.

Scripture Commentary: God Knows You – He Cares About Who You Are and What You Do

If you go about your life doing good or bad and think God will not know what you are doing, you are making a big mistake.

Our God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God knows who you are, what you do, and why you are doing what you do.

We are told in Psalms 139 that God has examined us and knows everything about us. Do not be like the obstinate people of Judah, who rebelled against God. The people of Judah sought advice from =everyone but God.

When we are driven by fear, we tend to search everywhere for comfort, advice, and relief, hoping to find an easy way out. All we have to do is to put our concerns in God’s hands and he will take care of it. When you give over your concerns to him, leave them there. Doing anything else says to God that you do not trust him.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 29
Isaiah Chapter 30
Psalms Chapter 139

Trust God Who Can Do All Things

Scripture: Jeremiah 17: 5-7

Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Scripture Commentary: Trust the Lord and Flourish Like A Tree Planted By Water

When you are doing well, and your life is bubbling over, do you thank the Lord Jesus Christ or do you take full credit and thank yourself? Do you rely on God or only on yourself? Why are you here, and what are you doing with your life?

God tells us “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man.” When you trust yourself or another person to do for you, it will be short lived. The only trust you can have is in God. Trust in the Lord and you will flourish like a tree planted by water.

Do not be like a fool and continue to cherish sin knowing the eternal consequences of it. A sinful life is short, a sinless life is for eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When you put your life in His hands you will see all the good in life. When you put your trust in human man, impoverishment and spiritual weakness will be upon you when trouble comes.

We are weak and have a deep tendency to sin, but God’s love can redeem us. Trust in the Lord and have abundant strength, not only for your needs, but others, and God will remove temptation when it comes.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Jeremiah Chapter 17

Don’t Be Afraid To Speak About God

Scripture: Ezekiel 2: 1, 6

And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Scripture Commentary: Don’t Be Afraid to Do What God Asks of You

Is God telling you, as he told Ezekiel, not to be afraid and rebel, but to speak his words whether or not people will listen?

It is amazing that God chooses to work his divine will on earth through finite, imperfect beings. God addressed Ezekiel by calling him son of man, emphasizing the distance between them.

God made us from the dust of the ground. He chooses to place his life and breadth within us, and he asks us to serve him. God doesn’t expect us to understand everything about him. He asks that we be his willing and obedient servants. He wants us to be faithful to what we know is his will.

We can lay aside our fear of rejection or ridicule when God’s Spirit is within us. God’s strength is powerful enough to help us live for him, even under the heaviest criticism. God always gives us the strength to accomplish what he asks us to do.

What is God asking you?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 2

Thank Jesus For His Goodness … and Talk About it!

Scripture: Psalms 107: 1-3, 5-9

O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.(1-3)

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainteth in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and fillets the hungry soul with goodness.(5-9)

Scripture Commentary: We need to thank Jesus for what he’s done for us … and tell others about his goodness

When was the last time you told anyone what Jesus has done for you? Did you thank him and praise him when you were distressed and needed help and he rescued you?

We, who have been redeemed, need to thank God and tell others how he saved us. Jesus wants us to tell our story of how he has taken us out of darkness and put us in the light.

This is our declaration, that when we live in God’s presence we will not be able to keep this glorious experience to ourselves. We do have a lot to be thankful for, so tell someone.

We are free from sin because God sent his son to free us. If God did this while we were captive to sin, how much more merciful is he now that we are his followers?

We are no more wanderers or prisoners, and we are not sick. How wonderful is that? What has Jesus Christ done for you? Is there someone you can tell?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 107

The Conclusion is to Know God

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12: 12-14

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Scripture Commentary: No matter what happens in life, the final conclusion is to recognize God as first in your life

These final three verses of Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 tell us that no matter what the mysteries and apparent contradictions of life, the final conclusion is that we must aim to know God.

Solomon shows us that we should enjoy life, but this does not exempt us from obeying God’s commandments. We should acknowledge the evil, foolish, and unjust parts of life, yet maintain our faith in God. Oftentimes we see our human endeavors as not for God, but for ourselves.

One day all of us will stand before God and be judged for what we did in this life. What will you say during your judgment? Remember this, you cannot use life’s inconsistencies as an excuse for not living as God mandated.

God is first in your life. Recognize that human effort apart from God is futile, not Godly. Everything good is a gift from God. Realize that God will judge the quality of your life; He will judge both the good and the evil.

How strange that people that do not know God spend their lives striving for the enjoyment of life that God gave freely as a gift.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ecclesiastes Chapter 12

Use God’s Gifts to You

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. Then shall thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2: 1,2,5

Commentary:

To know God is to seek Him. We don’t seek Him only when we need his help, we seek God because we want to be with him. God has given us the gift of wisdom, but we have the choice of how we use it. If we are rebellious and foolish, it will take a great effort on our part to find and use. When we are on the path, we discover that true wisdom is in God and that he will guide us and reward our sincere and persistent search.

God gives us wisdom and victory, but not for drifting through life or acting irresponsible with his gifts and resources. If you do not use your gifts that God gave you, then you lose them, and Satan begins to work on you to become one of his workers. If we are faithful and keep his purpose in life, God will keep us from the things that will lead us astray. We gain wisdom through a constant process of growing. By studying the Word of God we are better to evaluate courses of action and consequences. We are the children of God and he has given us His gift. Use it for his glorification.

Let God Help You Make Decisions

Do not be wise in your own eyes

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Proverbs 3: 7

Commentary:

Leaning has the sense of putting your whole weight on something, resting on and trusting in that person or thing. When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can’t trust anyone, not even God. But God knows what is best for us. He is a better judge of what we want than even we are! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. We should not omit careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability to reason; but we should not trust our own ideas to the exclusion of all others.

We must not be wise in our own eyes. We should always be willing to listen to and be corrected by God’s word and wise counseling. Bring your decisions to God in prayer; use the Bible as your guide; and then follow God’s lead. He will make your paths straight by both guiding and protecting you. To receive God’s guidance said Solomon, we must acknowledge God in all our ways. This means turning every area of life over to him. Look at your values and priorities. What is important to you? In what areas have you not acknowledged him? What is his advice? In many areas of your life you may already acknowledge God, but it is in the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore his influence that will cause you grief. Make him a vital part of everything you do; then he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes. Take self out of what you are thinking or doing and let the Holy Spirit guide, then and only then can the glory of what is being done can be for the glorification of God.

God the Creator

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100: 1-5

Commentary:

God is our creator; we did not create ourselves. Many people live as though they are the creator and the center of their own little world. This mindset leads to greedy possessiveness and, if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself. But when we realize God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us. Then, if all is lost, we still have God and all he gives us. God alone is worthy of being worshiped. Do you willingly and joyfully come into God’s presence, or are you just going through the motions? This psalm tells us to remember God’s goodness and dependability, and then to worship with thanksgiving and praise. So go and shout a loud joyful cry to our Lord and spread the word of Jesus Christ through the land.