A prayer of Proverbs 14

I pray O LORD, that we would build our house with Your wisdom. (Proverbs 14:1)
I pray that I would walk in uprightness and the fear of the LORD. (Proverbs 14: 2)
I pray that my lips would be preserved by Your wisdom. (Proverbs 14: 3)
I pray that my life would be full of You and my strength would be from Your abundant harvest. (Proverbs 14: 4)
I pray that I would always be Your truthful witness. (Proverbs 14: 5)
I pray that I would always be willing accept Your knowledge and that Your discernment would come easily to me. (Proverbs 14:6)
I thank You LORD for Your protection from straying on to the path of foolish men. (Proverbs 14: 7)
I thank You LORD for Your blessing of keeping my mind and heart stayed on Thee, and that You give me wisdom and prudence. (Proverbs 14: 8)
I thank You LORD for the goodwill that is found among the upright. (Proverbs 14: 9)
I thank You LORD that You know us each individually. (Proverbs 14: 10)
I thank You LORD that the lives, families, homes, and nation of the upright, will flourish and prosper. (Proverbs 14: 11)
I thank You LORD that even when we think we know, You always show us a new truth and the way to life. (Proverbs 14: 12)
I thank You LORD for showing us where true joy may be found and giving us the laughter of Your Spirit. (Proverbs 14: 13)
I thank You LORD that You bring justice and will always reward the good. (Proverbs 14: 14)
I pray that I would always be prudent and use Your wisdom to guide my steps. (Proverbs 14: 15)
I pray that I would always be wise in the LORD and shun evil. (Proverbs 14: 16)
I pray that I would always be slow to anger and use Your wisdom. (Proverbs 14: 17)
I pray that I would be crowned with Your knowledge in order to leave a legacy of You. (Proverbs 14: 18)
I pray that I would always be part of the good at the gates of righteousness. (Proverbs 14: 19)
I pray that I would be rich with the company of many in You. (Proverbs 14: 20)
I pray that I would be kind to all in need. (Proverbs 14: 21)
I pray that I would always follow Your plan and find love and faithfulness. (Proverbs 14: 22)
I pray that I would be diligent in Your work and that many would profit from it. (Proverbs 14: 23)
I pray that I would wear the crown of Your wisdom. (Proverbs 14: 24)
I pray that my truthful witness would save lives. (Proverbs 14: 25)
I thank You LORD that You are a secure fortress and refuge for Your children. (Proverbs 14: 26)
I thank You LORD that You are a fountain of life for those who fear You and rescue us from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14: 27)
I thank You LORD that Your kingdom is of great population and that You are our King. (Proverbs 14: 28)
I pray for Your patience and understanding. (Proverbs 14: 29)
I thank You LORD that You give us peace and life to our bodies and keep us from envy. (Proverbs 14: 30)
I thank You LORD for helping me to be kind and honor You. (Proverbs 14: 31)
I thank You LORD that even in calamity and death we have refuge in You. (Proverbs 14: 32)
I thank You LORD that we can have Your wisdom and discerning in our hearts and that even the fool will know it. (Proverbs 14: 33)
I pray that our nation would be righteous and exalted in You.(Proverbs 14: 34)
I pray that I would be a wise servant that You can delight in. (Proverbs 14: 35)

A refiner and purifier of silver

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of GOD.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities

The woman thought about GOD holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed..

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that GOD has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Why does GOD allow...

People are always asking “Why does GOD allow abortion?” “Why does GOD allow Christians to be tortured?” “Why does GOD allow ------(you fill in the blank.)” Does GOD really allow all the evil things that happen in the world today? No. GOD tolerates evil. What is the difference between “allow” and “tolerate”? Allowance is giving license. Tolerate says I don’t want this and I will only permit it for a specific time and purpose. To “allow” means that you are giving your approval of it even without your actions. To “tolerate” something means to put up with something for a certain period of time, with the knowledge that although this is wrong and GOD will stop it, He will use it for His glory and purpose. GOD says ALL things work together for the Glory of GOD. GOD created Satan and all other evils for a purpose. And He will let them have some power to carry it out. But only for a limited time period. Then all evil will be bound and cast in to the bottomless pit. So GOD does not allow abortion, He tolerates it for a limited time and it will stop when GOD’s time for it has run out. So He gives Satan some power, so that we can see the great love of GOD and choose ourselves to accept the work of grace. That also means that some will choose not to accept the grace.

The main purpose for the strange events occurring at the Cross

The hill Golgotha (meaning “the place of the skull”) may have been chosen by God for the reason of being an international interpretation of the place of death. There is death all around us every moment, but this place is the only place where a death (Jesus’ death) freed us from sin. Part of the suffering of sin is when you lose sight of the hope that you have in GOD.

The main purpose for the strange events occurring at the cross when Jesus died, were for the benefit of the lost that they might see God and have an opportunity to receive salvation

In Matthew 27, why was it note worthy to tell about the soldiers dividing up and taking Jesus’ clothes? The world will always come away with some part of God. Most of the time, it will be used for evil. But when someone sees truth, then God can use them. They will be repentant. Intellect is not enough. you can know the bible cover to cover, but if you are not submitted to God, if you are not listening for revelation of the Holy Spirit, you will not see God.

Prophesy is not given to see into the future

Prophesy is not given to see into the future, but is like a landmark to a map so that we know where we are in the LORD. GOD gave prophesy to give us hope and encouragement along the way, and to help us to know we are still on the right path. If you are traveling and you see on a map a river bridge or a small town, especially if you have not been this way before, it is kind of exciting to see the bridge or town because you know exactly where you are on the map. That is usually what prophesy really is. When you see the prophesy fulfilled, you know where you are with GOD.

Who is JESUS?

JESUS was not created after the world began just for our benefit. The scriptures say He has always been part of GOD since before time began.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD. He was with GOD in the beginning. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1,14)
(actually, since the Word is JESUS, a better translation would have been, "In the beginning the Word was").

He has been our Savior since before the foundation of the world.The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. It was not just a plan to happen in the future. It had to be done before creation could take place or God would be unbalanced. God had to pay the losses first. He could not create us without propitiation (total payment of sin).

He was with GOD in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)
...all things were created by Him (JESUS) and for Him. And He (JESUS) is before all things, and by Him all things consist. He is the head of the
body, the church; the beginning, the firstborn; that in all things He might have preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him (JESUS) should all fullness dwell. Colossians 1:16-19

And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began. (John 17:6)

“Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. (John 17:5)

JESUS was not born of human DNA, but of His own Godly DNA.
"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name JESUS." “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The HOLY SPIRIT will come upon you, and the power of the MOST HIGH will overshadow you. So the HOLY ONE to be born will be called the Son of GOD. For nothing is impossible with GOD.” Luke 1:32-38

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is CHRIST the LORD. Luke 2:12

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the HOLY SPIRIT was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the HOLY SPIRIT that he would not die before he had seen the LORD's CHRIST. Moved by the SPIRIT, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child JESUS, to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised GOD, saying:“Sovereign LORD, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel. The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2:26-36

JESUS had a human body, but His spirit was GOD, not man. In 1 John 4:2 and 2 John 7-9 it says
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of GOD: Every spirit that acknowledges that JESUS CHRIST has come in the flesh is from GOD. Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge JESUS CHRIST as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.

In the Strong's greek dictionary for the context for the word “flesh,” in 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 7-9. means: "the body as opposed to the spirit or soul; or as the symbol of what is external." JESUS’ humanity was external only; in other words He had a human body, but not a human soul. Since JESUS is and was GOD throughout time and even before time began, He had to have the same nature as GOD the Father and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT or they could not co-exist, because GOD cannot inhabit sin. That is why He could be our sacrifice for sin because He still had the Spirit of GOD, not man.

2Corthinians 5:21 GOD made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of GOD.

Because JESUS was divinely conceived by GOD, He was born without the adamic nature that human babies all have. That is the significance of the virgin birth. JESUS was born into the world, not from. JESUS is not the best human being. In the words of Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His highest), He is a being who cannot be claimed by the human race at all. He is not man becoming GOD, but GOD incarnate; GOD taking human form; the Highest coming to us by the lowest door
(Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:35, John 17:17)

It is our adamic nature that leads us to sin— the sin nature that Paul talks about in Romans 8 as being other than and at odds with the righteous nature that CHRIST has imparted to us. Satan makes suggestions that we are vulnerable to because of our sin nature. But JESUS being of divine birth of GOD, had no adamic nature, therefore there is nothing Satan can say or do to JESUS, that ever had any effect.

I have heard it taught that JESUS was “fully GOD and fully man. However that is absolutely impossible.
If JESUS was fully man as well as fully GOD, that would mean that He would also have the adamic nature; which means He would be a sinner like every human born after Adam. He would have sinned and therefore could not be the sinless sacrifice we needed to be our savior. GOD could not exist together with a sinner. Therefore as it says in Philippians 2:6-8 JESUS was made in the likeness of man, in order that He could take on the human frailty, and yet remain sinless.

JESUS never had to be taught to obey His parents or the difference between right and wrong. He had His own Godly righteousness in Him when He was born into this sinful world. In Isaiah it says that when He was a small baby still eating baby food, He knew GOD's truth and rejected wrong.
He will eat curds and honey when He knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. Isaiah 7:15
And the Child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of GOD was upon Him.
When He was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy JESUS stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. After three days *(see below) they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers. “Why were you searching for Me?” He asked. “Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?”
Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And JESUS grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with GOD and men. Luke 2:41-52
*(Three days always symbolizes death of something. In this case these three days picture the death of the old dominion of darkness and slavery to sin. JESUS (the boy) is now starting the operation of the LORD. Mary and Joseph didn’t understand at this point, that JESUS was now more that just one of their children. He was now at work for what GOD sent Him for and that work starts with death.)

It says in Hebrews 5:8 that JESUS "learned obedience." The Strong's Concordance says the meaning in this context of learned is "to experience." In other words, GOD being the ALMIGHTY has never had obey anyone. He's GOD, people obey Him. But when JESUS became the likeness of man, He experienced obeying GOD the Father. But since He was still GOD he didn't struggle to obey as we do. Obeying was automatic and involuntary.

JESUS was totally submitted to the Father and never rebelled, resisted, held back or hesitated. JESUS replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of GOD.” Luke 9:62

Even in Matthew 4, in the desert, when Satan tests JESUS, JESUS said to him, “Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the LORD your GOD, and serve Him only. Matthew 4:10

James 1:13-14 When tempted, no one should say, “GOD is tempting me.” For GOD cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is drawn away by his own lusts.

The race set before us

The apostle John wrote that JESUS came to his people, but in general, they did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, He made them the children of GOD. What a wonderful concept- to have a living relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth that can never pass away!

The writer of the book of Hebrews compares this present life to something like being in the Olympic games. Each entrant has a time to do his part, maybe running, skiing, swimming, or whatever his field is. While He’s running, his team-mates cheer for him from the sidelines, urging him to keep going, no matter what.

There are some entrants that are disqualified because they don’t play by the rules, and they are put out of the games, but for all who submit to the right standards, there is honor and satisfaction for the effort, even for those who don’t finish in first place.

After each one completes his part of the team’s event, he joins the others on the sidelines to cheer for the ones yet to run. If a runner falls, they urge him to get up and keep going; if a gymnast stumbles, they encourage him to go on and complete his routine, and when all the games are over, and the awards have been given out, there follows celebrations for all who took part, and there’s a great satisfaction from just being in the events, all the pain, the weariness, the hours of practice, are forgotten in the gladness that comes from the accomplishment.

“Tom” ran his part in the games. Like all of us, he made errors, he fell down sometimes, and there were cuts and bruises to prove it. I’m sure there were times when he felt like giving up, but the ones who had run before kept yelling, “Get up, Tom!’, you’ll make it!”

Now Tom’s there yelling for all of us, “Go, go, go!” The LORD Himself, who laid out the course is there at every step to encourage, to bless, and to point out the direction we need.

When it’s all over the victory celebration will come. (read Isaiah 25: 6-9)

Right now, there’s sorrow, but GOD says He will wipe away the tears At this time, we want to urge all of you to let the Lord be your hope. And I’m sure that Tom would agree with that!