“Love the LORD your God” Joshua 23:11 by Roy Davison

“Love the LORD your God”
Joshua 23:11

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
This is “the first and great commandment” according to Jesus (Matthew 22:38).
We are commanded to love God. Thus, love is an action of the will, something we can choose to do or not to do.
Love is a virtue, the attitude that desires and actively promotes the benefit of another at one’s own expense. Love is the willingness to work hard, deprive one’s self and suffer, for the sake of someone else. Without love, all other virtues are worthless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

God is worthy of our love.
“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Men and women are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Although this image has been tarnished by sin, we learn something about God’s love by observing man’s noblest attributes.
Our first knowledge of love comes through human relationships. A child is loved by his mother and father, by his grandparents, by other family members and by friends. He learns to love others.
From these relationships he also learns something about the love of God. And parents learn something about the love of God by raising a child.
But substantial knowledge about God’s love is available only because of revelation. In the Scriptures God’s love is explained, and it is demonstrated in His dealings with man.
The ultimate demonstration of God’s love was the sacrifice of His Son on the cross to redeem man: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9, 10).
When God told His people, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” they had experienced His love many times and in many ways. He had every right to expect their love in return.
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7). “Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old” (Psalm 25:6).

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart.”
Superficial religion does not please God. Most religious practices on earth are vain formalities.
This was true of Israel when God said through Isaiah: “These people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13).
Jesus applied this to His time: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me’” (Mark 7:6).
Superficial or half-hearted worship does not please God. We must love God with our whole heart: with feeling, sincerity and dedication.

“You shall love the LORD your God ... with all your soul.”
Even our heart is not enough. We must love God with our whole being. Loving God is not something we do now and then. Love for God pervades our soul, is an essential part of our being, defines who we are, and influences all that we do.
Paul enlarges on this, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1, 2).

“You shall love the LORD your God ... with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
True love for God is based on reason. We love God “with all the understanding” (Mark 12:33).
Paul says, “I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:15).“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9).
Our love for God must be knowledgeable. We love God with our mind, with our whole mind.

“You shall love the LORD your God .. with all your strength.”
We must love God full force.
Although the Christians at Ephesus had persevered and had exposed false teachers, their love had grown weak: “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent” (Revelation 2:4, 5). Notice that love is indicated by works.
Lukewarm love is not sufficient. Jesus warned the church of the Laodiceans: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15, 16).
Jesus said, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
Our love for God must be full strength.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).

God must be our first love.
Love for God supplants love for self, money, pleasure and the world: “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, ... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:2, 4, 5). “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
Love for God must surpass love for family. Jesus said: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).

What does it mean to love God?
Our love for God is intense adoration and affection.
We yearn for someone we love: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).
We want to be near someone we love. God’s people were told “to hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 11:22) and to “cling to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:20). They who love God are attached to Him.
Although we learn love from God, His love for us is different from our love for him. His love is sovereign and unearned. Our love is dependent and submissive. He is the Father, we are the toddlers. He is the Shepherd, we are the lambs.
“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:1-5).
We rejoice in someone we love. “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You” (Psalm 5:11).
When we love God, we want to praise and thank Him for His goodness. “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, ‘The LORD be magnified!’” (Psalm 40:16).

How do we show our love to God?
Although love cannot be seen, it affects everything we do. “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14).
We want to serve someone we love. God promised to bless His people, “if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 11:13). Thus, he who loves God with heart and soul, serves God with heart and soul.
Motivated by love we gladly obey God: “Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always” (Deuteronomy 11:1).
When Joshua sent the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh back to their homes on the eastern side of the Jordan, he admonished them, “But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Joshua 22:5).
In his parting words when he was old, Joshua told the people, “Take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God” (Joshua 23:11).
Jesus tells His followers: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23).
John explains: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). When we love God with our whole heart, we gladly obey Him. “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6).
We want to communicate with someone we love. We talk to God in prayer and listen to His word in the Scriptures. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).
We want to know someone we love and we want to be known by the one we love. “If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him” (1 Corinthians 8:3). “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We want to have fellowship with someone we love. Christians show their love for God by gathering around the Lord’s table “on the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7) to participate in the body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16).

What have we learned?
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).
God is worthy of our love. We love Him because He first loved us. From human relationships we learn something about the love of God, but substantial knowledge about God’s love is gained only through the Scriptures. Superficial or half-hearted worship does not please God. We present our bodies as living sacrifices. God must be our first love. We cannot love God if we love self, pleasure, money or the world. Our love for God must exceed our love for family.
Our love for God is intense adoration and affection. We hold fast to God and cling to Him.
We show our love to God by serving and obeying Him. We talk to God in prayer and listen to His word in the Scriptures. Christians show their love for God by participating in the body and blood of Christ at the Lord’s table each first day of the week. Our soul yearns for God. We rejoice in Him and magnify His holy name. Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

A DIFFERENT GOSPEL BY STEVE FINNELL

http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-different-gospel-by-steve-finnell-can.html

A DIFFERENT GOSPEL BY STEVE FINNELL

Can a different gospel other than the one found in the New Testament Scriptures saved anyone?

What is the gospel? The gospel is the good news preached about the kingdom of God and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Is there an example in the New Testament of preaching a different gospel? Yes. Jewish Christians, who were Judaizers. These Jewish Christians were teaching that men had to obey the Law of Moses to be saved. (Galatians 2:1-21) Paul called the Judaizers, false brethren and said they had fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:1-4)

What happens to those who preach a different gospel. Galatians 1:6-9 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who call you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.......9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching  to you a gospel contrary  to what you received, he is to be accursed?(NASB)

What did Paul say of those preaching a different gospel?

1. He called them false brethren.

2. He said they had fallen from grace.

3. He said they were to be accursed.

Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved....(NASB)

Would it be preaching a different gospel to say that men are saved without being immersed in water?

Jesus said those who have been baptized, (past tense), shall be saved.

John 8:24 'Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will will die in your sins."(NASB)

Would it be preaching a different gospel to proclaim that men do not have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God to be saved?

The gospel was preached on the Day of Pentecost.(Acts 2:22-41)

The apostle Peter preached Jesus as Lord and Christ. He preached the bodily resurrection of Jesus by God the Father. He told those who believed to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.

Would it be preaching a different gospel to say Jesus was not Lord and Christ?

Would it be preaching a different gospel to say God did not raise Jesus from the grave?

Would it be preaching a different gospel to deny that water baptism is essential for the forgiveness of sins?

Acts 4:10-12 ...the name Jesus Christ...12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."(NASB)

Would it be be preaching a different gospel to proclaim that there are many names under heaven by which men can  be saved; because Jesus is one of many ways to be saved.

What did the apostle Paul say about preaching a different gospel. He said they were false brethren, fallen from grace, and they were to be accursed.

God’s Soap Recipe by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=517

God’s Soap Recipe

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div.

When Old Testament instructions are compared to the New Testament explanations for those actions, it becomes clear that many of the ancient injunctions were primarily symbolic in nature. For instance, when the Passover Lamb was eaten, none of its bones was to be broken. This symbolized the sacrifice of Christ, Whose side was pierced, yet even in death escaped the usual practice of having His legs broken (John 19:31-37).

With all the symbolism in the Old Testament, it is important that we do not overlook the Old Testament instructions that were pragmatic in value and that testify to a Master Mind behind the writing of the Law. One such directive is found in Numbers 19, where the Israelites were instructed to prepare the “water of purification” that was to be used to wash any person who had touched a dead body.

At first glance, the water of purification sounds like a hodge-podge of superstitious potion-making that included the ashes of a red heifer, hyssop, cedar wood, and scarlet wool. But this formula was the farthest thing from a symbolic potion intended to “ward off evil spirits.” On the contrary, the recipe for the water of purification stands today as a wonderful example of God’s brilliance, since the recipe is nothing less than a procedure to produce an antibacterial soap.

When we look at the ingredients individually, we begin to see the value of each. First, consider the ashes of a red heifer. As most school children know, the pioneers in this country could not go to the nearest supermarket and buy their favorite personal-hygiene products. If they needed soap or shampoo, they made it themselves. Under such situations, they concocted various recipes for soap. One of the most oft’-produced types of soap was lye soap. Practically anyone today can easily obtain a recipe for lye soap via a quick search of the Internet. The various lye-soap recipes reveal that, to obtain lye, water was poured through ashes. The water retrieved from pouring it through the ashes contained a concentration of lye. Lye, in high concentrations, is very caustic and irritating to the skin. It is, in fact, one of the main ingredients in many modern chemical mixtures used to unclog drains. In more diluted concentrations, it can be used as an excellent exfoliate and cleansing agent. Many companies today still produce lye soaps. Amazingly, through God’s inspiration, Moses instructed the Israelites to prepare a mixture that would have included lye mixed in a diluted solution.

Furthermore, consider that hyssop also was added to the “water of purification.” Hyssop contains the antiseptic thymol, the same ingredient that we find today in some brands of mouthwash (McMillen and Stern, 2000, p. 24). Hyssop oil continues to be a popular “healing oil,” and actually is quite expensive. In listing the benefits of Hyssop, one Web site noted: “Once used for purifying temples and cleansing lepers, the leaves contain an antiseptic, antiviral oil. A mold that produces penicillin grows on the leaves. An infusion is taken as a sedative expectorant for flue, bronchitis, and phlegm” (see “Hyssop”).

Two other ingredients stand out as having cleansing properties. The oil from the cedar wood in the mixture provided a minor skin irritant that would have encouraged scrubbing. And the scarlet wool (see Hebrews 9:19) added wool fibers to the concoction, making it the “ancient equivalent of Lava^® soap” (McMillen and Stern, 2000, p. 25).

Thousands of years before any formal studies were done to see what type of cleaning methods were the most effective; millennia before American pioneers concocted their lye solutions; and ages before our most advanced medical students knew a thing about germ theory, God gave the Israelites an award-winning recipe for soap.

REFERENCES

McMillen, S.I. and David Stern (2000), None of These Diseases (Grand Rapids, MI: Revell), third edition.

“Hyssop” (no date), [On-line], URL: http://www.taoherbfarm.com/herbs/herbs/hyssop.htm.

God’s Wood or Man’s Plastic? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1554

God’s Wood or Man’s Plastic?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Evolutionists are confident in their conviction that their explanations demonstrate their independent, autonomous existence to the exclusion of God. They literally “jump through hoops” and engage in scientific “ventriloquism” in their quest to achieve legitimacy for their atheistic bent. However, when all relevant evidence eventually comes to light, it fits “hand in glove” with the presence of the God of the Bible.

Prior to the invention of modern plastics, what would the Creator have humans to do for suitable containers? Wood, stone, or clay, and eventually metal, pretty much exhausted the possibilities. Yet, government agencies, like the USDA and the FDA, generally have advocated the use of plastic for cutting boards and other surfaces that sustain food contact, on the grounds that the micropores and knife cuts in wood provide hidden havens for deadly bacterial organisms. As one Extension Specialist from the Department of Human Nutrition stated: “for cleanability and control of microorganisms, plastic is the better choice.”

However, the best research available on the subject suggests otherwise. Dr. Dean Cliver, a microbiologist with the Food Safety Laboratory and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Food Virology at the University of California-Davis, disputes the oft’-repeated claim regarding the superiority of plastic over wood. His research findings, conducted over a period of several years, have consistently demonstrated the remarkable antibacterial properties of wood.

Dr. Cliver and his research associates have tested five life-threatening bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) on four plastic polymers and more than ten species of hardwood, including hard maple, birch, beech, black cherry, basswood, butternut, and American black walnut. Within 3 minutes of inoculating wooden boards with cultures of the food-poisoning agents, 99.9 percent of the bacteria were unrecoverable. On the other hand, none of the bacteria tested under similar conditions on plastic died. In fact, leaving microbe populations on the two surfaces overnight resulted in microbial growth on the plastic boards, while no live bacteria were recovered from wood the next morning. Interestingly, bacteria are absorbed into the wood, but evidently do not multiply, and rarely if ever come back alive. In contrast, bacteria in knife scars in plastic boards remain viable (even after a hot-water-and-soap wash) and maintain their ability to surface later and contaminate foods. Treating wood cutting boards with oils and other finishes to make them more impermeable actually retards wood’s bactericidal activity. Microbiologists remain mystified by their inability to isolate a mechanism or agent responsible for wood’s antibacterial properties.

Do these research findings bear any resemblance to Mosaic injunctions 3,500 years ago which required the destruction of pottery that had become contaminated—while wood was simply to be rinsed (Leviticus 6:28; 11:32-33; 15:12)? Dr. Cliver concluded: “I have no idea where the image of plastic’s superiority came from; but I have spent 40 years promoting food safety, and I would go with plastic if the science supported it. I don’t necessarily trust ‘nature,’ but I do trust laboratory research.” Kudos to Dr. Cliver’s honesty. What about trusting nature’s God?

REFERENCES

Cliver, Dean O. (2002), “Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards,” Unpublished manuscript.

Cliver, Dean O. (2002), personal letter.

Penner, Karen (1994), “Plastic vs. Wood Cutting Boards,” Timely Topics, Department of Human Nutrition, K-State Research and Extension.

Raloff, Janet (1993), “Wood Wins, Plastic Trashed for Cutting Meat,” Science News, 143[6]:84-85, February 6.

Raloff, Janet (1997), “Cutting Through the Cutting Board Brouhaha,” Science News Online, Food For Thought, July 11.

Has Noah's Ark Been Found? by Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1341

Has Noah's Ark Been Found?

by	Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

Q.

Has Noah’s ark been found?

A.

In short, no, the ark has not been found. However, it is worth digging into this question a little deeper, because claims of discovery or sightings are so frequent.

People have reported seeing the ark many times over the last 150 years. They include Turkish soldiers, Russian pilots, Kurdish villagers, and foreign travelers. Most of the sightings and searches have focused on Greater Ararat (17,011 feet above sea level), although the biblical “mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4), where the ark came to rest, probably refers to a much larger geographic area. The mountains are located in a politically troubled part of eastern Turkey, bordering Armenia and Iran. Ararat’s size and location have contributed to a variety of proposed sites, and some colorful adventures.

Most search efforts in the last few decades have attempted to pinpoint the locations given by previous “eyewitness” reports. One such report receiving much attention in the past year came from George Jammal—a Palestinian living in California. In an unsolicited letter to the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), and in a taped interview with ICR scientist John Morris, Jammal claimed to have discovered the ark in 1984. He alleged also to have a piece of wood from the ark, although Morris (1994) says he never was able to confirm this or the location of the find. Then in 1992, Sun Pictures began work on a film called The Incredible Discovery of Noah’s Ark. Although Morris had little confidence in the details of Jammal’s story, he referred Jammal to Sun, who used him extensively. During that interview, Jammal produced the mysterious timber.

The two-hour show, which aired on CBS in February 1993, switched between sensational stories about the discovery of the ark, and excellent scenes portraying evidence for a global flood. In either case, the anti-creationists were not happy. They expected CBS to make a public apology, but CBS and Sun maintained that the show was simply entertainment. What really caused a stir, however, was the revelation that Jammal literally cooked up his piece of wood, working in collusion with prominent humanist Gerald LaRue. Critics have had a field day using this incident to discredit the whole Ark show. Yet while the humanists snicker over their prank, we may ask which is worse: that Sun Pictures naively accepted someone’s claims at face value, or that people worked deliberately to lie and defraud? In any case, the film did not present a verifiable discovery of Noah’s ark, and Morris now regrets his involvement with Jammal (1994, p. 3).

Another controversial claim received wide attention in the early 1990s. Various video tapes and articles were in circulation proclaiming that the ark had been found 12-15 miles south of Greater Ararat (e.g., Yocham, 1991). Actually, this story began more than three decades ago. In 1959, a Turkish pilot had noticed a large, boat-shaped object in aerial photographs of the area, and an article in Life magazine the next year brought it to the world’s attention. Despite high expectations, a scientific expedition in 1960 showed that this was neither a boat nor the remains of Noah’s ark. However, one of the expedition’s members, René Noorbergen, published a book in 1974 claiming that this object was indeed the ark (Shea, 1988, p. 8).

The site’s most vigorous promoter is self-styled biblical archaeologist Ron Wyatt. Since his first visit in 1977, Wyatt has convinced various scientists to investigate the site. While many of these scientists believe in the Flood account, their results, plus surveys carried out by Turkish geologists, have shown convincingly that this boat-shaped object is a natural geologic formation. Various claims, such as having mapped the subsurface structure of a boat or having discovered wooden and metallic artifacts, are all false (Snelling, 1992).

No doubt more claims will come to light in the future. We must ask: Who is making these claims, and can the details be verified? Considering that the Ararat region has experienced volcanic and glacial activity, the likelihood of finding recognizable remains of an ancient wooden vessel is extremely remote. Therefore, Christians should treat ark discovery claims with a high degree of skepticism.

REFERENCES

Morris, John (1994), “Noah’s Ark: Setting the Record Straight,” Acts & Facts, pp. 2-3, January.

Shea, William (1988), “Noah’s Ark,” Archaeology and Biblical Research, 1[1]:6-14,35, Winter.

Snelling, Andrew A. (1992), “Amazing ‘Ark’ Exposé,” Creation Ex Nihilo, 14[4]:26-38, September-November.

Yocham, Virgil (1991), Noah’s Ark (Lubbock, TX: Sunset Extension School, VHS tape recorded June 1991).

"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS" The Theme Of Proverbs (1:7) by Mark Copeland

"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"

The Theme Of Proverbs (1:7)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous study we considered the purpose of the book of
   Proverbs...
   a. To know wisdom, perceive words of understanding - Pr 1:2
   b. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and
      equity - Pr 1:3
   c. To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and
      discretion - Pr 1:4
   d. To increase learning for a wise man, to give counsel to a man of
      understanding - Pr 1:5
   e. To understand proverbs and enigmas, the words of the wise and
      their riddles - Pr 1:6

2. In this study, we shall focus our attention on the theme of the
   book...
   a. Found in verse 7 (read)
   b. Stated in the form of antithetical parallelism
   c. In which the repeated terms of a poetic couplet are opposite in
      meaning
   d. Typical of thought rhyme (as opposed to word rhyme) found in
      Hebrew poetry

[We first note that it is "the fear of the LORD" which is...]

I. THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE

   A. THE FEAR OF THE LORD EXPLAINED...
      1. The term yara' (fear) is the common word for fear in the OT and
         has a basic three-fold range of  meanings - as per the NET Bible
         a. Dread, terror - Deut 1:29; Jon 1:10
         b. To stand in awe (in reference to a king) - 1Ki 3:28
         c. To revere, to respect (in regards to parents) - Lev 19:3
      2. Notice when God descended upon Sinai amid geophysical
         convulsions - cf. Exo 20:18-20
         a. Moses encouraged the Israelites to not be afraid of God
            arbitrarily striking them dead for no reason ("Do not
            fear!")
         b. He informed them that the Lord revealed Himself in such a
            terrifying manner to scare them from sinning ("God has come
            to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that
            you may not sin.")
      3. Thus there is also a place for such fear of the Lord in the
         life of a Christian
         a. We should fear God, not man - Mt 10:28
         b. The early church walked in the fear of the Lord - Ac 9:31
         c. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling
            - Php 2:12
         d. We should be fearful of apostasy, serving God with godly
            fear - He 10:26-31; 12:28-29
      -- The fear of the LORD is expressed in reverential submission to
         his will - NET Bible

   B. THE FEAR OF THE LORD ESTEEMED...
      1. From the book of Proverbs we learn concerning the fear of the
         Lord:
         a. It is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7
         b. It will cause one to hate evil - Pr 8:13
         c. It will prolong life - Pr 10:27
         d. It provides strong confidence and is a fountain of life
            - Pr 14:26-27
         e. It prompts one to depart from evil - Pr 16:6
         f. It leads to a satisfying life, and spares one from much evil
            - Pr 19:23
         g. It is the way to riches, honor, and life! - Pr 22:4
      2. Thus without the fear of the Lord:
         a. We deprive ourselves of the treasures of God's wisdom and
            knowledge
         b. We will flirt with evil and be corrupted by it
         c. Our lives are likely to be shortened by our refusal to heed
            God's word (e.g., suffering sexually transmitted diseases if
            we do not heed His Word on sexual relationships)
         d. We will not come to know the love of God that gives us
            assurance and confidence of our salvation
         e. When fallen into sin, we will not be motivated to repent and
            turn to God!
         f. We will not be motivated to truly "work out our own
            salvation"
      -- The fear of the Lord should be a highly regarded and sought
         after trait to develop!

[The fear of the Lord serves as the beginning or principal part of
becoming truly wise.  Now let's notice the second half of verse 7 which
reveals...]

II. THE WAY OF FOLLY

   A. THE FOOLISH DESPISE WISDOM...
      1. The Hebrew word 'evil (fool) refers to a person characterized
         by moral folly - NET Bible
      2. It is an adjective meaning foolish in the sense of one who
         hates wisdom and walks in folly, despising wisdom and morality
         - TCWD
      3. This foolish disdain for wisdom expressed elsewhere in Proverbs
         - Pr 1:22; 17:16; 18:2
      -- For one to despise the wisdom of God (such as found in this
         book) is truly foolish!

   B. THE FOOLISH DISREGARD INSTRUCTION...
      1. Not interested in wisdom, they are unwilling to heed the
         counsel of others
      2. As expressed by the voice of wisdom herself - cf. Pr 1:25,30
      3. Lack of such counsel leads to defeat and failure - Pr 11:14;
         15:22
      4. The fool listens only to his own heart - Pr 12:15
      5. But wisdom and delight can be attained through the counsel of
         others - Pr 19:20; 27:9
      -- In the book of Proverbs, the fool is characterized mostly by
         his or her unwillingness to listen to the advice of others
         (God, parents, friends, etc.)

CONCLUSION

1. Here then is the underlying theme throughout the book of Proverbs...
   a. Develop the fear of the Lord if you desire to become truly wise
   b. Discount the warnings and counsel of others, and you will be a
      fool!

2. As Christians, let us be truly wise by developing the fear of the
   Lord...
   a. For His knowledge has given us great and precious promises - cf.
      2Pe 1:2-4
   b. It behooves us to perfect holiness in the fear of God - cf. 2 Co
      7:1

Shall we be wise, or shall we be fools...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

 

Cold Lightning? by Gary Rose

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191008.html

Sprite Lightning in HD
Image Credit & Copyright: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)

Explanation: This phenomenon occurs in the sky over our heads, not the sea. It is a type of lightning known as red sprite, and rarely has it ever been photographed in this detail. Even though sprites have been recorded for over 30 years, their root cause remains unknown. Some thunderstorms have them, but most don't. These mysterious bursts of light in the upper atmosphere momentarily resemble gigantic jellyfish. A few years ago high speed videos were taken detailing how red sprites actually develop. The featured image was captured last month in high definition from Italy. One unusual feature of sprites is that they are relatively cold -- they operate more like long fluorescent light tubes than hot compact light bulbs. In general, red sprites take only a fraction of a second to occur and are best seen when powerful thunderstorms are visible from the side.

The older I become, the more I realize that I am just an ordinary guy, with all the shortcomings that are associated with growing older. Everything has slowed down in my life, but fortunately, I am not senile, yet. I think what has helped me to keep most of my cognitive abilities is my curiosity. And this picture really made me think. How could lightning be cold? Their explanation sounds plausible enough...but?

I guess this is just another of those instances where I have to just think about it some more and hopefully it will make sense to me. Not to worry, its just lightning after all and it really doesn’t matter, anyway. But, what if I was confronted with teaching from the Bible that was hard to understand; what then? The Apostle Peter says...

2 Peter 3 ( World English Bible )

[15] Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; [16] as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Beware, indeed. We must study and carefully understand what we are reading. The apostle Paul said to Timothy…

2 Timothy 2 ( Modern Literal Version )

[15] Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed worker, cutting-straight the word of truth.

The next step – do it!

Bible Reading October 9 & 10 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading October 9 & 10

World  English  Bible

Oct. 9

Psalms 148-150

Psa 148:1 Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh from the heavens! Praise him in the heights!

Psa 148:2 Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army!

Psa 148:3 Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars!

Psa 148:4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the heavens.

Psa 148:5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For he commanded, and they were created.

Psa 148:6 He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away.

Psa 148:7 Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths!

Psa 148:8 Lightning and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling his word;

Psa 148:9 mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars;

Psa 148:10 wild animals and all livestock; small creatures and flying birds;

Psa 148:11 kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth;

Psa 148:12 both young men and maidens; old men and children:

Psa 148:13 let them praise the name of Yahweh, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

Psa 148:14 He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah!

Psa 149:1 Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.

Psa 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Psa 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!

Psa 149:4 For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation.

Psa 149:5 Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds.

Psa 149:6 May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

Psa 149:7 To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;

Psa 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

Psa 149:9 to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise Yah!

Psa 150:1 Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

Psa 150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Psa 150:3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre!

Psa 150:4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!

Psa 150:5 Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!

Psa 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

Oct. 10

Proverbs 1-4

Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

Pro 1:2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

Pro 1:3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

Pro 1:4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

Pro 1:5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

Pro 1:6 to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

Pro 1:7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 1:8 My son, listen to your father's instruction, and don't forsake your mother's teaching:

Pro 1:9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

Pro 1:11 If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

Pro 1:12 let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

Pro 1:13 We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil.

Pro 1:14 You shall cast your lot among us. We'll all have one purse."

Pro 1:15 My son, don't walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

Pro 1:16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

Pro 1:17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

Pro 1:18 but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

Pro 1:19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

Pro 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

Pro 1:21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

Pro 1:22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

Pro 1:23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

Pro 1:25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

Pro 1:27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.

Pro 1:28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

Pro 1:29 because they hated knowledge, and didn't choose the fear of Yahweh.

Pro 1:30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

Pro 1:31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

Pro 1:32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

Pro 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm."

Pro 2:1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;

Pro 2:2 So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

Pro 2:3 Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;

Pro 2:4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:

Pro 2:5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.

Pro 2:6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Pro 2:7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;

Pro 2:8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.

Pro 2:9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.

Pro 2:10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Pro 2:11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,

Pro 2:12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things;

Pro 2:13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

Pro 2:14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;

Pro 2:15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths:

Pro 2:16 To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

Pro 2:17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God:

Pro 2:18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the dead.

Pro 2:19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:

Pro 2:20 that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

Pro 2:21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.

Pro 2:22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Pro 3:1 My son, don't forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

Pro 3:2 for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

Pro 3:3 Don't let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Pro 3:4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Pro 3:5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Pro 3:7 Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

Pro 3:8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

Pro 3:9 Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

Pro 3:10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Pro 3:11 My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

Pro 3:12 for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

Pro 3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

Pro 3:14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Pro 3:19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

Pro 3:20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

Pro 3:21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

Pro 3:22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

Pro 3:23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won't stumble.

Pro 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

Pro 3:25 Don't be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

Pro 3:26 for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

Pro 3:27 Don't withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Pro 3:28 Don't say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you.

Pro 3:29 Don't devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

Pro 3:30 Don't strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

Pro 3:31 Don't envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

Pro 3:32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.

Pro 3:33 Yahweh's curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

Pro 3:34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

Pro 3:35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.

Pro 4:1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

Pro 4:2 for I give you sound learning. Don't forsake my law.

Pro 4:3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

Pro 4:4 He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

Pro 4:5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don't forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

Pro 4:6 Don't forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

Pro 4:8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

Pro 4:9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."

Pro 4:10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

Pro 4:11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

Pro 4:12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

Pro 4:13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don't let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Pro 4:14 Don't enter into the path of the wicked. Don't walk in the way of evil men.

Pro 4:15 Avoid it, and don't pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

Pro 4:16 For they don't sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Pro 4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don't know what they stumble over.

Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.

Pro 4:22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

Pro 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

Pro 4:24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

Pro 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

Pro 4:26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

Pro 4:27 Don't turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

Oct. 9

Galatians 6

Gal 6:1 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.

Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Gal 6:3 For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Gal 6:4 But let each man test his own work, and then he will take pride in himself and not in his neighbor.

Gal 6:5 For each man will bear his own burden.

Gal 6:6 But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

Gal 6:7 Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Gal 6:8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Gal 6:9 Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up.

Gal 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let's do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

Gal 6:11 See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand.

Gal 6:12 As many as desire to look good in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Gal 6:13 For even they who receive circumcision don't keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

Gal 6:14 But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Gal 6:16 As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God's Israel.

Gal 6:17 From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body.

Gal 6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Oct. 10

Ephesians 1

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Eph 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;

Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love;

Eph 1:5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved,

Eph 1:7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Eph 1:8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

Eph 1:9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

Eph 1:10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;

Eph 1:11 in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;

Eph 1:12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:

Eph 1:13 in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation,--in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Eph 1:15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints,

Eph 1:16 don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;

Eph 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Eph 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

Eph 1:20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

Eph 1:22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

Eph 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.