Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ezekiel 29, Daniel 4, 2 Kings 25:27-30, and Jeremiah 52:31-34

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Day 250 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my commentary* describes the final days of the ministries of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.  Also described during the final days of Ezekiel's ministry is what my commentary* indicates as the apparent true belief of Nebuchadnezzar in the One True God. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that Daniel interprets (Daniel 4) that the king will experience insanity and is told by Daniel to repent of his sins and submit to God.  After Nebuchadnezzar fails to repent and submit to God for a year, he does experience the insanity prophesied by Daniel.  God restores Nebuchadnezzar's sanity, and the king praises God, and submits to Him.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

God wants

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end....Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Various Proverbs 

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end....Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. Proverbs 29:11, 16:32

Day 138 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of the Proverbs - primarily of Solomon, but including the Proverbs of other authors as well. This morning my focus includes proverbs that discuss control of self (self-control, rashness, temper and patience, drunkenness and gluttony, adultery, and prostitution).

Like my post yesterday where there were multiple important topics worthy of greater consideration, today as well I zero in on one of the many topics covered by today's proverbs.  From a biblical perspective, self-control is a bit of an oxymoron given we are (generally speaking) either slave to sin or a slave to God and that none of us truly experience free will. Against this backdrop, I am proof of the harm done due to rashness (Proverbs 29:11), and the joy of God-control.  I say God-control because I don't want self-control - I am a sinful person and left to my own devices and self-control of course I will sin.  Who would want this?  Instead I seek to draw closer and closer to the one true God who can transform my heart and life into more of His image.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who HAS transformed my heart and life into more of Your image and I am grateful...very grateful.  Of course there is more work to do but I am very grateful for Your mercy and compassion.  I am also undeserving of Your mercy and compassion.  I continue to sin...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.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1

 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. v21

Both Overviewbible.com and MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) describe the "joyful tone" of Philippians.  Indeed, Paul is writing this letter from prison in Rome to the church in Philippi. For more on Paul's imprisonment and the "prison epistles", check this out.

Paul is joyful because of his freedom in Christ - as v21 captures this joy.  It is essentially a no lose situation for him.  As long as the gospel is advanced, he is good with that.  Paul is at the center of God's will - this is true joy and freedom in Christ.  John Piper also describes this freedom in Christ: "Freedom is doing what you love to do, if what you love to do is what you ought to do, and transformation is the change of our hearts, so that what we love to do is what we ought to do."  Piper describes how we can achieve this transformation of our hearts and minds here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who HAS transformed my heart and life - this I KNOW!  Yet I know this work is still in progress and there is much to do.  Thank You Jesus for the miracles You have worked in my life.  I am not deserving for the many, many blessings You pour out for me.  I sin...daily.  I am selfish, lazy, etc.  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. Provide 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.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

John 2

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. v11

For believers, we all reach a place in our journey with Christ where we are confident that Jesus has done or is doing something in our livesn  - belief in Christ.  As a follow-up to my post yesterday, God is always doing something in our lives, yet our own recognition of this is a process that is different for us all.  For myself, it took nearly 10 years of being a cultural Christian before I started reading the Bible regularly.  This then triggered renewal of my mind - allowing me to better see God's activity in my life.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is always doing something in my life - thank You for always being there in my life and for always doing something for me, in me and through me.  I am not worth such love.  I worry and I am selfish.  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 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.

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mark 5

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. v19-20

Jesus wants us to tell others about Him - for those of us who are saved - we all have a story of redemption - and it is powerful.  God saved (and is still doing so) me from anger, impatience, arrogance, pride, etc. and I am deeply grateful.  He saved my mom at 81 years old and now she is in Heaven - after living her entire life Jewish.

He also wants others to SEE this transformation in our lives - it's not enough to TALK about it, particularly if our actions don't square with our words.  

See Jesus words on the "lamp on the stand" from Mark 4:21-22. 

We are to be a living sacrifice.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You amaze me and You have transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I worry.  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.

This will be a sign to the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 4

This will be a sign to the people of Israel. v4

There will be times in our lives when it should be clear that God is doing something to get our attention.  It should not be hard for us to detect that God is up to something in our lives.  If we are close to God we should be able to see how God is using events and circumstances in our lives - see also Romans 12:2 where Paul urges us to "be transformed by the renewing of the mind". This renewing allows us to better see the world from God's perspective.

The Bible of course is full of examples where God uses His power to get our attention.

Ananias and Sapphira failed to give as God intends for us and both were struck dead (Acts 5).  After this it is said that "[g]reat fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events".  


Unfortunately, such events and circumstances cause many of us to push God away.  See also how Jesus healed the demon-possessed man and how (Luke 8:26-39) the "all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear".

This fear should draw us TO God and not AWAY from God.

 My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of love and compassion for me and You are ALWAYS doing things for me to help me - for my good.  Thank You Jesus that You love me so much.  Yet I am not worth such love.  I miss the mark 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 do.  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.

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.

Jeremiah 32

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. v39

God wants all of our heart and mind to be directed towards Him - Jesus identifies this as the most important commandment.  Jesus then says to love others as He loves them (first as yourself, then in John 13:34 as He loves us).  In Jeremiah, God identifies this singleness of heart as critical "so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them".  One follows the other.  Jesus then reinforces this when He says in Matthew 22:40 "[a]ll the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments".

However, our hearts wander in many directions - that is why time with the Lord (in its many forms) is so important.  We cannot have this singleness of heart and action without God (Ephesians 2:8).  God can renew our hearts and mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful beyond what my words can express.  I am not worthy of such love and blessings.  I worry.  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 do.  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. Please 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. 

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. v6

God is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).  He wants us to have life and to have it to the "full" (John 10:10).  If we turn towards Him and focus on a renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2) we overcome the damning consequences of our free will. 

God directs us towards truth as He gives us wisdom and knowledge.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  Psalm 119:105

More from John Piper on free will.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are an amazing God who has helped me with truth and knowledge - thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such a gift.  I often place other gods and idols above You.  Please forgive me!  Help me see the surpassing worth of You and You alone!  Help me turn towards You and love with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  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.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 111

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. v10

Both David and Solomon understand that God is the source of all of our abilities - including what we can do with our minds. With my worry, I often am concerned whether I am doing enough or whether I am doing the right thing - overthinking matters.  Instead of letting my mind wander - I should anchor myself to the Lord and His Word and let the Holy Spirit fill me.  I must FULLY submit to Him, including my thoughts.

Lord Jesus, please fill my head with fear and thoughts of You - for You are a great God who loves me.  

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:17-19

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are great indeed and I know that You love me, despite my sin and brokenness. Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love because I worry far too much.  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 do.  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.

Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.

2 Chronicles 19

Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery. v7

Jehoshaphat appoints judges in Judah and is careful to point them to the Lord for their wisdom.

Solomon recognized this:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

We must understand that we are not to go God for wisdom in big decisions but in ALL decisions and for ALL of our life.  This requires transformation of the mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

It is this DAILY renewing of the mind that should be our focus as this will serve to help God mold our hearts and minds into His image.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God whose wisdom far surpasses my own understanding and it provides for all of my needs and I would be lost without You and Your Word.  Thank You Jesus for loving me despite my sin.  I am not worthy - I worry.  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 do.  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.

The word of the Lord you have spoken is good, Hezekiah replied.

2 Kings 20

The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. v19

Isaiah delivers a grim prophecy to Hezekiah:

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” v16-18

The Macarthur Bible Commentary indicates that this a "surprising" reaction from Hezekiah and that perhaps Hezekiah is somewhat relieved that such doom will come to pass only after he is gone.

Yet such a reaction causes one to think - what is our reaction to God's will for our lives?

Jesus willingly submitted His life to God's will by going to the cross:

My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done. Matthew 26:42

God does not promise us a trouble free life (see yesterday's post) so we should be prepared to view our circumstances through God's lens.  God is in control (Colossians 1:16-17) and He will either allow or cause our circumstances.

Our circumstances may be difficult yet we cannot begin to understand the "goodness" (using Hezekiah's words) of difficult circumstances until we draw closer to God (Romans 12:2).  God "transforms" us by "renewing" our minds.  Of course it is only God who can give us such "renewing".

God please help me understand - good or bad - how my circumstances are Your will for my life and how Your will and plans for my life are perfect, for Your glory, and my good.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, full of grace and love for me...even though I am sinful and broken.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such grace and love...I am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  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 King David mourned many days for his son.

2 Samuel 13

But King David mourned many days for his son. v37

Building on yesterday's post regarding grace and the consequences of sin, we see how David continues to experience consequences from his sin.  Here we see Amnon rape his sister Tamar and then Absalom, his brother, take revenge on Amnon.  This is the cycle of sin.  Unfortunately, it appears that the sins of the father trickled down to the sons.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15

 

David's sons get caught up in the same impulsive behavior that drove David to seduce Bathsheba and this same impulse effects us all.

 

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. Ephesians 2:2  

 

Of course God can break this cycle of sin, in our own lives and in the lives of our families.

We need to draw near to God, ask for His direction and seek transformation of our hearts and minds (Romans 12:2).

 

We don't see David's sons inquiring of the Lord like their father.

Lord Jesus please help me with my own sin so that I can be Jesus to my sons.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love, grace and wisdom.  You have protected me from great harm and been full of compassion when I have sinned.  Thank You for Your love.  I am not worth such love.  I worry..and I am harsh with my words and actions. 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 do. 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 for our sons.  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.

Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

2 Samuel 3

Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!” v38-39

After Saul dies, the commander of Saul's army, Abner - initiates a power struggle with David to determine who should rule over both Israel and Judah.  However, ultimately Abner determines that he should not fight the Lord's anointed.

May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.” v9-10

David and Abner strike an agreement to peaceably transfer power of Israel from Saul's house (Abner) to David.  Abner then leaves David in peace.

Joab - who was not present to the agreement - feels that Abner is an enemy and he cannot be trusted so he - on his own accord - makes the decision to kill Abner.  David makes his displeasure known.  

For us, a key lesson here is to avoid our impulsive nature and to seek the Lord's guidance - explicitly with regard to significant actions and decisions that will have lasting consequences.  

Contrast this with David's repeated inquiries of the Lord with another one in 2 Samuel 2:

In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered. v1

My sense is that we should be in a daily relationship with Jesus so that in the little things we know what to do (see also Romans 12:2) and go to Him explicitly with the bigger things.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are!  You are Truth and I am lost without You.  Thank You for your guidance.  I am not worth such love.  I often neglect my relationship with You. Please forgive me 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 do.  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.  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.

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

Joshua 22

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived. v32-33

The Jordan separated the 12 tribes and the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of the
Manasseh built an altar to the Lord on the east of the Jordan - seemingly duplicating the one altar to the Lord that already existed west of the Jordan.  This of course raised suspicions within the tribes of the west.  Yet once the western tribes determined the motives or heart condition of the eastern tribes - suspicions were dampened.

There are many occasions in our life when we question ourselves or others about obedience to God's commands.  While our actions are important, our internal heart condition is more important because our heart condition is the source where everything flows.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 

Spending time with God daily and with the Word transforms our hearts and lives to be more like Him (see also Romans 12:2).

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me faith and through that strength, peace, hope, encouragement, direction, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I worry and I am harsh with my words and actions.  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 do.  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.  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 anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

Deuteronomy 15

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. v7-8

Moses expands on the commandment for us to care for those in need:

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. v11

Paul echoes this commandment:


Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Paul emphasizes how we should "freely" give - as our heart condition towards money and wealth is important:

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor[.] Psalm 112:9

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Our heart condition is softened and molded through a relationship with Jesus, and by meeting with Him daily (Romans 12:2).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God - I love You.  You have watched over our family during a time of mourning and You have my mom and Your arms.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings as I often hold onto my money and am tightfisted. I am also harsh with my words. 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 do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  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.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. v9

As I posted yesterday (and previously), God is in control, has ordained all of my days (Psalm 139) and does not plan to harm me but to prosper me (Jeremiah 29).  I know God loves me and I desire to honor him and to offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him (Romans 12).  If I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me (James 4).  When I draw near to Him and focus on renewing of the mind, my hope and prayer is that I "may discern what is the will of God" (Romans 12).  

Lord, PLEASE direct my steps!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are!  I know I experience all good and perfect gifts because of You.  You bless me beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus but please forgive me for my laziness and desire for comfort.   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.  Help me grow in my faith.  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 lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me be the man You intend for me.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Psalm 91

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. v14

I worry far too much - and I know this is sinful and it reflects my lack of trust and faith in God.  God tell us not to worry - see Matthew 6:25-34.

The antidote for worry is to draw near to God to have a fuller understanding of His greatness.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE a great God, all the time, and in all ways.  You are perfect.  I should love and trust You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Yet often I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me be mindful of Your greatness and all the ways that You have and continue to bless me.  Thank You Jesus for knowing everything about yet still loving me.  Thank You for choosing me, adopting me, and suffering and dying for me.  I am not worth such a gift and for such grace.  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 Lisa 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.