When we allow the flesh to take over, a simple irritation can quickly snowball into a raging outburst that can cause irreparable damage to all parties involved. When an unwise person allows their anger out in inappropriate ways, it can escalate and lead to major problems. A wise man keeps himself under control…he keeps himself still and restrained…and at all times, in command of his flesh.
Tag: God
Psalm 119:59 ” I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.”
The Lord is forever wanting us to think about our actions and behaviors. Are they righteous or wicked…good or bad…helpful or harmful? God’s precepts are the standard by which we should focus our Way in this world, but the decision to do so is entirely up to us. As it says in Joshua 24:14, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”
Luke 6:37 ” Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
The premise is so simple, the impending possible result… eternal. The Lord doesn’t want us doing His job…judging and condemning are His work, not ours. Every time we pass judgment on someone, we take on God’s mantel…which doesn’t fit us at all. Every time we judge, it may make us feel better about ourselves for a moment, but the Lord is grieved for our actions. Let God do His job…judging, and you do yours…forgiving.
PSALM 139:1 ” O Lord, you have searched me and know me.”
The Lord knows you intimately…He understands you better than you understand yourself. He knows every deep dark secret in your heart and still loves you. The Lord not only sees everything you do, but keeps count of every step you take. No one knows you better than the Lord…before even a word is out of your mouth He knows it completely. What better person than to put your complete trust in Him today.
Jeremiah 15: 11 ” The Lord said, ‘ Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress.’ “
Do you know God has an ultimate purpose for your life? Now, before you shake you head and tell me God could never use you…let’s think about it. The Lord used Jonah, even though he said no, and ran as far away as he could from God. The Lord used Rahab the prostitute to hide the Israelite spies in the city of Jericho despite her former life-style. The Lord used Peter, even though he used to stick his foot in his mouth on a regular basis. So see, you’re in good company…God uses everyday people to do unbelievable and unimaginable things. What it takes on your part, is just willingness and obedience to listen to that still small voice inside you.
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Our words should be tempered with the love of Christ…our actions showing His character and love. We should be ever grateful and continually honoring our Lord in everything we do and say… everyday…and to everyone we come in contact with.
Judges 4:9 ” Very well, Deborah said, I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman.”
Deborah had the distinction of being both a Judge and a Prophetess over Israel when she called Barak and gave him a command from the Lord. ‘Go, take 10,000 troops with you and I will lure your enemy Sisera and his troops into your hands.’ Barak was willing to go, but only if Deborah went with him. She agreed, but told him in the end it would be a woman getting the praise for the death of Sisera not him. As all of his troops fell around him, Sisera fled to a tent where Jael, a Kenite woman stood. He asked her to hide him, so she covered him inside the tent and stood at the entrance watching. But after Sisera fell asleep, she quietly slipped to him with a tent-peg and a hammer and drove the peg through his temple and he died at her feet. Thus the prophesy was fulfilled by her being honored rather than Barak.
Acts 17: 28 ” For in Him we live and move and have our being.”
I think Job 12:10 said it best, ” In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” The Lord holds our very life in His hand…for without Him we are nothing. We can go without oxygen for about 3 minutes, without water for about 3 days, and without food for about 3 weeks…but we can’t go even 3 seconds without God giving us life.
Habakkuk 3: 17-18 ” Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
There comes times in everyone’s life when we feel all is lost and ruined…everywhere we look in our lives we see devastation and destruction. When we are staring at this bleak landscape called our life, we need to do what Habakkuk did. He used one tiny word to change his mindset and attitude. That word was “yet”. That little word allowed him to place his focus on and draw strength from his Lord and Savior, and in doing so was able to rejoice in the face of ruin.
Matthew 18:14 ” In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
Jesus’s passion was for the lost…it showed every time He spoke about them to His Disciples. What are you passionate about? What do you have great enthusiasm, fire and intensity for? God can take our passions and use them for His good everyday. For me, my passion is cooking and baking…you could call me a real “Foodie”. I will admit without shame that I have a library of cookbooks, plus 6 binders of collected recipes from the last 30 years. My poor long-suffering husband never knows what he’ll be eating, for I’m always trying new recipes out on him. But the Lord has me using this passion to bake cookies, birthday cakes, cupcakes, and cheesecakes to surprise and bless many, many people. He has taken my passion and focused it outward to bless others…He can do the same with yours.
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