Speak up for the poor and needy

Speak for those who for themselves cannot speak,
And for those destitute and weak.
Speak that their rights and dignity these receive,
So that they no longer due to evil, grieve.

Speak up for the poor and needy,
And rescue them from the proud and greedy.
Speak for them without any fear and delay,
So that their freedom doesn’t go away.

Speak for them because do so is just,
And above all in God you trust.
Speak to the Lord prayer as well,
So that valiantly in the land you dwell.

 

(Inspired by Proverbs 31:8-9)

Remember the wisdom, commandments and the great deeds of God

 

You most probably might be familiar with the Bible verse about God’s people getting destroyed for lack of knowledge. Now this comes in Hosea 4:6 but that is not there entire verse. The full verse is given below:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

This verse clearly says that the people of God get destroyed due to lack of knowledge and it shows where this lack of knowledge comes from. Now, I totally agree that if one never read nor heard of the Lord God and his wisdom and about the Gospel of Jesus Christ his Son, then such a person lacks knowledge in spirit. However, coming to the above mentioned verse, it means that due to the people of God rejecting the knowledge which comes from God they enter the path of destruction. And this is not the only thing the people do wrong. I mean, they  forget the law of God, which leads to God’s judgement on them and their children.

What I’m trying to say is that don’t just read the Word of God, but make sure you do not reject it. Because when you choose to accept it, your chances become better for remembering the wisdom which the Holy Spirit has inspired all through the Scriptures.

Let me make it real to you; If a pilot suddenly in mid flight says he forgot the route to Canberra to Oregon, wouldn’t the passengers in the aircraft panic? If a soldier in the middle of the battle says he forgot how to reload his rifle, would the enemy ceasefire for him till he learns it for sure?

Then, even in the realm of spiritual things there are things, bad things which happen to those of God’s people who don’t make a commitment to remember all the instructions the Lord wants them to remember. For instance, there are people who attend church but never teach their children about not stealing. Suddenly, the children steal at school and get caught and so then their parents are called for by the school authorities to their shame. Next, instead of accepting the fact they didn’t teach their young one’s not to steal they blame God for ‘letting this thing happen to my family’. What a vile little concept of justice they have! For when they try to find fault with God they end up not respecting him as they should.

When the Bible clearly says that the people of God are to teach their children to fear the Lord God and follow his commandments, they cherry pick the things they want to follow and skip the part about exhorting their young ones to live in a holy manner at all times. And when their children are in trouble due to stealing, these very people have the audacity to blame the Lord! “Pathetic”, is what I’d call their actions.

Don’t follow the path of ignorance which only leads to trouble. If read the Bible and hear the Gospel preached, why not make it a point to remember the Word of God? This will ensure that when you live your life you never forget to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Bible verses for reflection:

* “Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ (Deuteronomy 4:9-10)

* then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Deuteronomy 6:12)

* “Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,  (Deuteronomy 8:11)

* Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth; (1 Chronicles 16:12)

* Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. (Luke 8:18)

* The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. (Psalm 37:31)

* Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalm 103:2)

* My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. (Proverbs 4:20)

* For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:17-18)

* Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:1-4)

* Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. (Revelation 3:3)

 

Christ be with you!

Proverbs 17

17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
    he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a prince.
⁸ A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone returns evil for good,
    evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
²⁰ A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father
    and bitterness to her who bore him.
²⁶ To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent

Be friends with the good ones and avoid the bad ones

Sometimes, I’ve noticed that people try to keep away from the good one’s especially those who pray a lot. They avoid those who read the Bible and can quote verses from them. Such is their way for thinking is that they want mischief makers as their friends.

The weird reason for those who prefer such bad word giving, god avoiding, sensual and prankster kind of people for their friends is that these people are ‘more’ fun. Now, that a ridiculous choice. What’s the point of having fun when that fun will lead you to shame, torture and hopelessness in the fires of hell?

Please read below what Jesus Christ himself spoke about hell and those who cause others to sin:

⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good,but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:42-50)

If don’t want to risk being tempted very often, do a great favor to yourself and keep away from all your wicked friends. Don’t ask how that is to be done but rather focus on why that is so important to be done. Is risking hell fire so valuable for your that you do no want to let go of deceitful friends?

Now the good friends in life may not have great taste in music, art etc. Yet these are good because they do what is right. They decide to uphold the law. They encourage you to walk in the right path of life. What more do you need? Plus these are the one’s who stand by you in times of trouble. They warn you of dangers if you don’t about that, because they love you and don’t wish that you get harmed.

The really best friends are the one’s who encourage you the love and the serve the Lord Jesus more and more. If you get such friends, always value them. Don’t bother about looks but rather see if the heart is pure. What good does it do you if you have a fine looking friend who is a hypocrite towards you? It would be better that you didn’t waste your pleasantries on those who are bad and only looks for chances to make you lose your faith and hope.

Here are a few verse that you can reflect and benefit from:

• Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
• Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
• Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? (Proverbs 20:6)
• Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. (Proverbs 22:24-25)
• Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel (Proverbs 27:9)
• Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Staying away from foolish people

Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech. Proverbs 14:7

Though this proverb is self-explanatory it’s very important to actually apply it in your day-to-day life. It’s not enough to acknowledge the existence of the fact that people who are foolish talk no knowledge, you must stay away from them.

This doesn’t mean that you stop caring for people!

The Lord is very clear on this in the Bible. Here are a few scriptures:

• Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
• John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Now just as you are told to love one another, you are also expected to walk in wisdom. The same Bible that speaks of love also strongly suggests keeping away from foolish people with good reason.

You must guard yourself against foolishness especially heresies and godlessness!

• Titus 3:10 Avoid a man who is a heretic after the first and second admonitions
• 2 Timothy 2:16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
• 2 Timothy 2:23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

You must give no opportunity to the devil in everything especially your speech and hearing.

Ephesians 4:25-29 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.  Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Jesus too kept away from people when they spoke foolishness.

The main thing was that some people were trying to keep his mind off the will of God, no wonder Jesus didn’t entertain their foolish talk either. He got away from their words of foolishness, what about you?

Matthew 16: 22-23 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Jesus, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

My suggestion is that you start applying Proverbs 14:7 everywhere. Like at watching movies or comedies on TV, being at a concert, having a meal with friends etc. If there is foolishness spoken and no wisdom, understand that you need to reject it and get away from those situations no matter who feels what about you. Obviously make a polite excuse to get away. Don’t waste time listening to people who keep talking perverse things. This will save your time and also your mental energy which you can apply for some good work or prayer.

God bless you for reading!

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