Proverbs 28 - 2.13.23

Scripture

Proverbs‬ ‭28:24‬ ‭NLT

“Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than a murderer.”

Observation-What does it say?

Another one of King Solomon’s wise sayings that runs deeper than you think. If a person is willing to justify stealing from the very people who has brought them life, provision, guidance, and unconditional love, what else are they willing to do to others? King Solomon says that they are no better than murderers! Ouch!

Understanding-What does it mean?

Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

Who has the audacity to cheat or steal from their own parents and believes they did nothing wrong? Talk about total disrespect! Your parents are the people who have raised you, cared for you, met your every need, and loved you unconditionally. We should know better than that! Yet here we are with our sense of entitlement, believing we deserve it, and are willing to take from anyone who gets in our path. That’s cold blooded!

It can go the same way with God, our Spiritual Father in Heaven. He has given us so much. Yet we feel we deserve more. And so we cheat Him. We will even find ways to justify it to make it seem we’re in the right. We can find ourselves saying things like “I don’t need to tithe this month. I have too many bills to pay off.” Or “I don’t need to go to church today, I just finished a really busy week, and I just need to sleep in and rest.” It’s this kind of mindset that can hinder our relationship with God. But if we take a moment to think about it, isn’t it because of God that I’m able to wake up every day and have the strength to go to work and finish off a work week? Isn’t it in His commandments to honor the Sabbath? Doesn’t everything I have and own belong to God anyway? Why try to take and take from the One who gives and gives? God gave me His very best in Jesus to free me from my sins. That is more than enough for me.

Life Application

Be grateful for all the things God has given me.

Father God, thank You for being such a great provider. Thank You for Your unconditional love, Your grace, mercy, and Your willingness to forgive freely. Please forgive me if I ever took advantage of Your kindness and the way You forgive so freely. Forgive me for ever trying to cheat You with my time and money. It all belongs to You and it’s all because of You, I am where I am. I love You Lord. I dedicate my life to You to honor what You continue to do for me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

-Moses Gaddi

Proverbs 27 - 2.10.23

Scripture

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

Observation – What does it say?

There aren’t many proverbs that are more well-known than this one. But, what does it really mean?

Understanding – What does it mean?

Some years ago I bought a sharpening rod for my kitchen knives. And being the smart and wise man that I am, rather than researching how to use it, I just began trying to imitate what I saw Gordon Ramsey do on tv. After a minute of running it along the steel rod, I tried out the knife and it was so dull it completely smashed the tomato. The skin split everywhere but where the knife blade touched it and tomato juice flooded the counter.

What I came to realize is that when a blade is applied to another surface, depending on the angle and the pressure used it can either dull and destroy the blade or hone it and make it sharper and better.

The same is true of us. We all have the ability to make others better and sharper when we interact with them, or we can dull and damage them. The way we talk to them, the lifestyle we model, the way we handle conflict. It affects the people around us for better or for worse. The flip side is also true: the people we expose ourselves to can either sharpen or damage us.

Life Application

Prayerfully consider how I’m affecting others:

-       How am I sharpening the people God has placed in my life? (spouse, kids, church family, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, etc.)

-       Are there any ways I am dulling or damaging the people God has placed in my life?

-       What needs to change so I can walk away from every interaction having made the other person better, encouraged and more like Jesus?

Prayerfully consider how others are affecting me:

-       Are there any relationships dulling my blade that I need to walk away from? And if I can’t walk away, what can I do to protect myself from damage?

-       Are there any relationships you need to pursue that will sharpen your blade? (committing to in ITC group, grabbing coffee with a friend from church, asking someone to disciple you, etc.)

God, we believe you’re in the sharpening business! You are sharpening us into the image of Jesus, continually calling out the gold in us, declaring over us the great men and women you’ve created us to be, challenging us in love to grow. May we join you in sharpening those around us! Please forgive us for the times we’ve said or done damaging things to others, and heal us where others have damaged us. We love you. We need you. Amen.

-Levi Thompson

Romans 4 - 02.09.23

SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 4:17 AMP

“(as it is written in Scripture, “I have made you [Abraham] a father of many nations”) in the sight of HIM in whom he believed, that is, God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”

OBSERVATION:

What an extraordinary heartfelt letter Paul writes to the Roman believers. This letter would and (still today) have me on my knees before God. Paul commends the Roman believers for their faith as he shares about the Gospel of Grace—wholly dependent on our faith IN Jesus Completed work on the Cross. Then, Paul goes on to use Abraham as an example of someone whose Faith IN God was lived out—even in seemingly “impossible circumstances”.

Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did NOT waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,” (Romans 4:19b-20 NIV)

UNDERSTANDING:

It is Impossible to Please God without Faith (Heb:11:6)

So, a man comes up to Jesus with a desperate plea and kneeling before HIM asks Jesus to heal his son who is mercilessly plagued with a demon. He explains to Jesus that he brought his son to “Your disciples but they were unable to heal him” (Matthew 17:16). Jesus reproaches his disciples for their lack of faith-turns to the boy-rebukes the demon—and immediately the boy is made well (Matthew 17:17-18).

The disciples were deeply troubled and puzzled and they came to Jesus privately to ask why they were unable to cast out the demon.

Jesus responds,

“I tell you the truth, if you had [Living] faith [Trust and Confidence IN God] even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. NOTHING would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20 NLT/AMP)

This is such a Life Lesson Today. This incident falls right on the heels of Peter, James, and John witnessing Jesus Glorious Transfiguration on the Mountain Top—AND Hearing the Voice of God! Then, here we are just a short time later these same three along with the other disciples are being chastised for their lack of faith! (There is an additional and Important word from Jesus about Prayer and Fasting—but my journal post would be way too lengthy, so I’m staying on the topic of Faith today)

LIFE APPLICATION:

Two Takeaways:

—Jesus says the SIZE of our Faith is NOT the issue—

Our Faith can be infinitesimal—BECAUSE—it is Not really about the measure of our Faith—but—rather—having a greater Understanding that our Faith [whatever size] is placed IN the ONE and Only GOD—WHO—is ABLE to Do immeasurably MORE than we could ever dare to ask, hope, or imagine.

May we begin to grab hold of WHO we serve—in a deeper and deeper Love communion with His Heart—as His servants.

“Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS power that is at work within us, to HIM be the glory..” (Eph:3;20)

—Our Faith Grows as it is Tested—

This is a fact though it is not a fun reality. We are all somewhere on that Spiritual measuring line—looking to move further to the right in our spiritual maturity—which really means further UP closer to God. Our Prayer time is a Lifeline—the air we breathe [“It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline” Heb:6:19 MES)]. Our daily time in HIS Word is our Nourishment [Jesus said, I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35)]. Community develops us and keeps us strong [“a three strand cord is not easily broken” (Ecc: 4:12) “Iron sharpens iron” (Pro:27:17)].

Without these things we can become weak and vulnerable—with these things we are Fully prepared for whatever comes our way. Though faith may be tested we will come out victorious.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)

Lord Jesus,

We have a life-long process of building godly character. This is “all” we bring with us into heaven. I believe you would be chastising me for my faith along with the disciples. Forgive me, Lord. So many times YOU have shown up in unbelievable ways to demonstrate Your Grace and Power. Enough for a lifetime. Give me strength and courage to move past the boundaries I’m currently experiencing because I desire so much more for myself and others. Keep me in the deep deep depth of your heart. Teach me to walk on water. Speak to me and through me to be an encouragement to those You have placed in my circle. Test and stretch me. I surrender all to You. For Your glory, Lord. amen

Tina L Kudelka