Doubts and misgivings sometimes sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun and its rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and  looks at them through Him.

Christ wants us to have child’s heart and a grown- ups head   C.S. Lewis

My goal is to please God and serve Him daily, not to seek joy, pleasure, peace, or satisfaction.  If these come by pleasing and serving Him then so be it, if not, then so be it. (Kent)

Everything must be weighed by God’s book, not by experience.

Do not be overly impressed with your own intelligence and righteousness, when you finally realize that you are not the answer, then you will know that Christ is. 

We don’t change the message, the message changes us.

If you have only the Word, you dry up.  If you have only the Spirit, you blow up.  But if you have both, you grow up.   Gordon Fee

New ideas are resisted, then tolerated, then grasped, then accepted.

Making plans

Pro 20:18 Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance.

Proverbs 15: 22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed.

Pro 24:5-6, 5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power. 6 For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Pro. 14:15 The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.

Preaching the Gospel

2 Tim. 4:2-3    2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.

Romans 15:20-21  20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see, And they who have not heard shall understand.”

Serving others

I Cor. 4:7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? and if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Leadership

Pro. 11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Dealing with sin

Romans 13: 12-14   12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Helping others

Pro. 11:25  The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

Pro. 27: 9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,  So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend. 

Romans 14:1-41 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.  2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.  3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Dealing with evil

Pro. 14: 16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.

Overall perspective

Eccles 3:1-8, 11 1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven 2 A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.  5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away.  7   A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. 11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

Working with the foolish

2 Tim. 2: 23,24,25,26  23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,  26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Dealing with arguments

Pro 20: 3 Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.

Proverbs 25:1-3   1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.

James 1:19-20  19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;  20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Matthew 5:23-24    23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Making plans

Pro 21: 22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

Our goals

I Tim. 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Working with fellow believers

Pro. 27: 17 Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

Being upbeat

I Thess. 5:16-21 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  19 Do not quench the Spirit;  20 do not despise prophetic utterances.  21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.

Source of wisdom

2 Tim. 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Matthew 7:24-29   24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.   27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;  29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Working with the lost

2 Cor. 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Matthew 7:6-7  6  “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.           

Col. 3: 14-16 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Working against the enemy and sin

Luke 12: 4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. 5  “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

I Cor. 6:18-20 18 Flee immorality, every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  20  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Pro 25: 26  Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

Working with children

Pro 23:13-14    13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. 14 You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol.

Heartache

Pro 18:14-15 14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit who can bear it?  15 The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Discipline

I Cor. 6:12-13  12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

Matthew 7: 15-24 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Salvation

Matt. 16:24-26  24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.     25  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Marriage

Eccles 9:9  Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

Reality

Eccles 1:2.9   2  “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” 9 That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.

Birth and death

Eccles 7:1,3, 1 A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy.  

World’s wisdom

I Cor. 3: 18-19   18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness.”

Riches

Matthew 6: 19-24  19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20  “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.   23  “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Matthew 6: 19-21   19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:24-32   24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?   26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30  “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.        

Honesty and humility

Eccles 7:16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

Matthew 6:1-4   1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Working through trials and temptations

James 1:1-15 1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.  2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,  8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;  10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.  12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.