Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Proverbs 1:8-7

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

As part of my D-Group's study of Proverbs using the Knowing the Bible study series for this book, I continue with an examination of Proverbs, moving to week 3, which focuses on Proverbs 1:8-7.  Today, I covered the final two questions of the study, looking at Proverbs 6 and 7.  Today's study also included a review of the commentary associated with Proverbs 1:8-7, and the commentary (is it always is) is broken down into: (a) Gospel Glimpses (how wisdom, and ultimately salvation is a gift from God; how we should look at discipline from God as His way of sharpening us and purifying us for His glory; how we should pursue steadfast love and faithfulness to God and others-modeled after Jesus); (b) Whole Bible Connections (contrasting light from darkness; warnings about adultery and the seriousness of this sin; and how "double-mindedness" or lack of full devotion to God is to be avoided as any opening for Satan will be used for our peril; (c) Theological Soundings (how God may ultimately hand us over to our sin-and our destruction-if we persist in it and do not seek to repent, follow God and stay near to Him; a reminder that wisdom and salvation are both gifts from God-not from our own doing). 

It is the double-mindedness James writes about that I seek to avoid - in particular this morning as I am prone to be distracted.  I am prayerful that I can avoid the double-mindedness that may take me away from God's commandments. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who is full of grace and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and mercy.  My sin is great - including double-mindedness - and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” v40-42

I am often distracted by the world - by my own comfort, by cares and concerns of the day, etc.  I needed to read this...and I need reminders of this often.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are the love me...despite that I daily miss the mark and far too often distracted.  Thank You Jesus.  I am completely undeserving.  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.

Luke 8

Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them. v18

I posted about Mark's version of these words back in December.  I reviewed John's Piper's commentaries on these words - Part 1 and Part 2. The importance of hearing is once again front and center.

From Piper's commentary on these words from Luke 8.

"Listening - hearing - is a high calling in the Christian church because your salvation hangs on it (verse 12), and your fruitfulness hangs on it (verse 15), and the spread of the light in the world hangs on it (verses 16-17), and in the end the glory of God hangs on it (Matthew 5:16). So (verse 18), "Take heed how you hear."

My salvation, fruitfulness spread of light, AND the glory of God through me hang on my ability to HEAR.  I focus on DOING (and the shame of NOT DOING) but instead I should focus on my HEARING.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has given me life and life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such blessings.  I worry, I am distracted and I often fail to hear You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell....

Mark 9

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.  And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell....v43-47

The world is full of evil influences designed to distract us from our focus on Jesus and the eternal.

We must grow our desire of Him through daily study of His Word.  We should also have fellowship with other believers.  

Both of these spiritual disciplines serve to help us be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2) as God changes our heart to keep our earthly desires in check.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and mind, and helped keep my earthly desires in check - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessings - I worry and I daily miss the mark.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.” v18-21

Matthew 12

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.  He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.” v18-21

Jesus has a purpose - to fulfill Old Testament prophecy of a coming Savior who was to save us from being a slave to the (ceremonial) law.  See also the reference here to Isaiah 42:1-4, as well as post yesterday.  He makes a new covenant with us based on the shedding of His blood on the cross.  Just as Jesus could not be distracted from His purpose, Jesus gives us a purpose and we are not to be distracted.

Psalm 139:13-16 
Ephesians 2:10 
1 Corinthians 12
Hebrews 12:1

Jesus, please help me stay focused on Your mission for me.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You died for me...knowing everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love...I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

Psalm 92

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. v6-7

I am often distracted by the things of this world.  Much of that distraction is how I view others...envy, jealousy, impatience, anger, etc.  I am also often distracted by my own judgement of others' sin.  Yet I allow all of these distractions to take my eye off Jesus.  The world and all of its wickedness will go away - but Jesus will not.  I must fix my eyes on Jesus and continue to run the race set before me.

But you, Lord, are forever exalted. v8

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

My Prayer: Lord, You are forever, and You are my rock - never changing like the shifting shadows.  You never lie and You always keep Your promises.  We can rest in You because You provide refuge and shelter from the storms of life.  You are worthy of my praise and worship.  Thank You Jesus for how You bless me daily.  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I am too easily distracted by the world and I take my eyes off Jesus and the race You set before me.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. v11

I now I am easily distracted by things of this world, and I too desire an undivided heart. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

As we "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" us, we are called run the race marked out for us.  And we need to fix our eyes on Jesus.  Everyone's race is unique in terms of of developing and using our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12).  I am reminded of John Ortberg's book If You Want to Walk On Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat.  We have to get out of our comfort zone and focus on Jesus...He is the only one who can can do this for us.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God, able to accomplish all things, creator of all things and in control of all things.  You hold my life in Your hands and You are full of gentleness, patience, kindness, mercy, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such treatment.  I am not willing to get out of my comfort zone...please forgive me Jesus and help me have an undivided heart and to fix my eyes on You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, apply, and be obedient to Your message for me today and every day. 

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

To Catch a Thief
Psalm 119

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. v105

Today's devotion once again focuses on sin and how it "easily entangles" us (Hebrews 12).  As the devotion states, we should be able to identify Satan, and my recent posts point to how scripture (in our heart) serves as a key defense against Satan.  Prayer and the assistance of my brothers and sisters in Christ are also key defenses.

A key way that Satan has been able to distract me is through worry - worry about the future.  Although I should plan for the future, I should not worry - these are two separate and mutually exclusive actions.  You can do both but you should not do both.  I fall down by doing both.  Forgive me Jesus!  I know You have blessed me despite my worry - thank You Jesus!  Please help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me take encouragement from Your words, such as those from the Psalms.  I know that "no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37)"; I also know that if I "[c]ome near to God, ...he will come near to [me] (James 4:8)". 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and I know You will never leave me or forsake me.  Thank You for being a God that loves me so much - You love me despite my brokenness.  Help me overcome my worry and turn towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer, including the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me trust in You and not worry. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

The Darkness Within

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

Today's devotional focuses on the extent to which all of us get caught up in sin - even though we may not even be aware.  I know for myself that I am easily distracted...I worry too much and this causes me to be distracted.  I also too often focus on the world even though I know that is sinful and God's desire for me - as it indicates in today's scripture - is to focus on Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You have done SO much in my heart and in m life, blessing me beyond what I could imagine is possible.  I am blessed with You in my heart and my life...Thank for for calling me one of Your children and for guiding and protecting me.  Yet I am easily distracted by the world and I too often worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me fix my eyes on You.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.