Friday, August 28, 2015

Start Time: 6:21 AM

End Time: 6:59 AM

Title: Sift and Weigh Every Word

Scriptures: Proverbs 14:14 - 35

God’s Message/Promise/Commands:

Proverbs 14:14 - 35 is consists of many great lessons.  This portion of this chapter is very powerful and true.  Every word just speaks the truth and I may not be able to discuss all but i will pick a few that really stuck in me. 

1) Vs 21 - It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor - what a blessing! 

I have not thought of ignoring someone's help as a crime, have you?  It's amazing how God can place things into the right perspective and leaving your human understanding crumbling down into dust.  I mean, if people would think this way that to refuse help is a crime, wouldn't we all be in prison by now?  Some say that you choose the people you help, only those who also help themselves.  Some say that people tend to help people they only know and not to those they are not connected with.  And I’m sure there's a lot more other human logical reasoning out there that contradicts this verse.  Yet God says, it is a crime to ignore a neighbor in need.  Note that it is not even a "friend" who is in need of help.  God note the person in need of help as a neighbor!  Who are your neighbors today?  Do you really know them? Have you bonded with all your neighbors?  Let's face it, not all of our neighbors are our friends.  In fact, some of us don't even know our neighbors.  But God said to extend help to people you don't know.  Because ignoring them is a crime!  Amazing!  What a new perspective that we all must internalize to clearly understand its true meaning.

2) Verse 31, You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.  To exploit means, according to Wikipedia, is to take advantage of something.  Now, all of us, I believe, one way or another, have exploited someone.  But many times, we didn't see it as one.  I mean, it's possible that we didn't realize that we have exploited or taken advantage of someone else.  Just because someone gave you extra favor or agreed to do something you asked for, doesn't mean that we can go demanding it from the person always, especially when they have a lot of things on their plate.  If you know someone who doesn't know how to say no to you and even though you know that the person is overloaded with work but you need something done and he/she is the only person you know can do it, to go to that person with the knowledge that he/she will not be able to turn you down, even though you know he/she is overloaded, means you're taking advantage of that person - in short you're exploiting the person because you know he/she is unable to say no.  And although, the task you asked the person to do may be for the good of someone or everyone, still, your heart intentions reveal something else.  And the word of the Lord says that when we exploit someone, we insult the Lord.  But to be kind to the poor, those who are what they call the "leech", and those who are not well educated or well-mannered, to show kindness to them is to honor God!

3) Verse 34, God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak. - This is fitting with the upcoming elections.  It is clear, a God-centered leader in position will make our country strong, while one that avoids the topic of God or tries to please everyone by promoting equality for both good and evil, makes the people weak.  No wonder, people today, they are bold to do evil things, robbery, rape, murder, kidnapping, etc...Because our leader today seeks to bring equality to all, I'm referring to the president of America who used to be and still has big influence over the United Nations.  This coming election, let us elect Christ-centered leaders.  May God help us all in choosing the right people in position. More importantly, we have to devote ourselves to God because in truth, a God-devote nation will make our country strong and not just our leaders.

Prayer:

Lord thank You for a fruitful time with You.  I learned so many things.  I pray that You help me apply these learnings in my life Lord to never ignore a neighbor in need of help, to show kindness to the poor and to devote myself to You because if the people devote themselves to You then our country will be strong.  In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Memory Verse Share for today:

Proverbs 14:21 (The Message Version)

It’s criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!

Wow! If we have this truth in place today, I believe all of us will be in prison by now.  But today, God wants to correct our way of thinking and to see that to ignore your neighbor's help is a crime!  It may not be punishable by law (the world's law) but the truth is God created us to be a blessing - that is the natural law.  So let us fulfill our purpose today and be a blessing to someone else!