Increase Your Faith

Leave the presence of a foolish person, or you will not understand wise counsel. Proverbs 14:7 (NET)

Pastor’s Commentary:

The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 (NET)

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! Psalm 14:1 (NLT)

For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” Mark 7:21-23 (NLT)

The Law of Association is an immutable and permanent principle in the Universe. As spirit beings, we are all influenced by it.

In essence, the law says we become what we surround ourselves with. The longer we are around people of any ilk, we eventually become just like them. The Lord asked Amos, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? (Amos 3:3 NLT) The answer is a resounding no. Therefore, people who associate with fools are, at some level, endorsing foolishness as a way of life.The old adage that “birds of a feather flock together” is quite true.

The Apostle Paul instructs us in Scripture saying, “Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols?…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16 NET)

Likewise we may ask, what does a wise person have in common with a fool? Absolutely nothing! Foolishness is not just an evil that Jesus put in same category as adultery and murder, it is a spiritual and psychological contagion. The longer you put up with foolishness the harder it will be to hear the Voice of the Lord, who is the embodiment of Wisdom.

If you ever discover that you are having a hard time comprehending scriptural principles, it may not be an issue of reading/listening comprehension. Look around your life carefully. There may be a fool in your midst. If so, leave the presence of a foolish person, or you will not understand wise counsel. And remember: a companion of fools suffers harm.

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It’s stupid to guarantee someone else’s loan. Proverbs 17:18 (CEV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

It’s difficult to be any clearer than this, but we should make a definite distinction between co-signing for someone in need and giving to the needy. The Wisdom of God is absolutely unambiguous about guaranteeing another person’s debt: to do so is stupid. While adjusting to this standard, I want to make sure no one goes beyond the limits of this prohibition. Very often people learn a great spiritual lesson only to misapply it in some way. Many people see co-signing as a compassionate form of financial giving and when instructed scripturally to desist, they may harden their heart to truly appropriate giving.

In Matthew 6:2, Jesus said, “When you give to the poor…” He didn’t say, “If you give to the poor…” That means giving to the needy is an absolutely expected action on the part of all believers. The poor and needy can be defined as those who regardless of effort are unable to affect their financial or economic situation. In other words, no matter what they do, they are unable to get out of their insufficiency. We are required to give sacrifically to those in valid need. We may also, on occasion, loan money to those who ask. However, co-signing for someone to get into a cellphone plan is altogether different. It’s dumb to do it because Wisdom prohibits it. Going contrary to this admonition, will bring well-deserved hurt into your life.

Make the proper distinctions and grow financially! Avoid making silly financial decisions even if you think you’re benefiting someone. If you’re unable to distinguish one type of aid from another, take the Apostle Paul’s advice: let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…

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My son, if you listen closely to my wisdom and good sense, you will have sound judgment, and you will always know the right thing to say. Proverbs 5:1-2 (CEV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

I don’t know about you, but in the past I have suffered from the dreaded Foot-in-Mouth Disease. There have been far too many incidences when I said the absolute worst possible thing for the moment. But, thank God for Wisdom! As I have pressed in for the Wisdom of God, I have been able to find the appropriate words for the appropriate occasion.

The Apostle Paul said, “…Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.”(Ephesians 4:29 CEV) Therefore, knowing the right thing to say in every occasion must be possible and achievable for all believers.

Before you rush into a meeting to conduct a briefing or a discussion, take a few moments to pray in the spirit and give the Spirit of Wisdom first place in your life. The right words for the right time will flow from your mouth like honey!

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Buy truth-don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight. Proverbs 23:23 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

On the list of things that King Solomon suggested to be pursued, truth is at the top. He instructs us to buy or acquire the truth. In the ancient Greek, one of the words often translated as truth, particularly in the New Testament, can also be translated as reality. In other words, pursuing the truth is more than getting the facts; it’s getting that which is real, and therefore eternal and unchangeable. Reality never changes!

How important is pursuing the truth? We need only read the words of Jesus to understand its potency. One day in prayer, He said to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17 NKJV) The truth or reality of God’s Word is what makes us holy, pure, and set apart from the world. Jesus also said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 NKJV) In other words, pursing and acquiring the truth is what truly brings about freedom in life.

The Apostle Paul also gave us some insight into the importance of the truth. He said, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8 NLT) The first thing catalogued in this strategy for successful living is to fix our minds on what is true or real. Then, what is honorable, right, pure, lovely, or admirable will become conspicuous and useful.

Buy truth and don’t sell it! The best that life has to offer is found when you find the truth.

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What’s this? Fools out shopping for Wisdom! They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it! Proverbs 17:16 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

I know I’ve said this over and over again, but it’s true. It’s a thorough waste of time to try get a fool, one who despises God and His Word, to embrace Wisdom. Such people depend solely on their senses and act as mere, natural men and women, not spiritual ones.

The Bible clearly tells us that the things of God, such as Wisdom, are seen as utter foolishness to fleshly folks. The Apostle Paul said, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

Keep these words in mind as you prayerfully share God’s Wisdom with others. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to the right people at the right time. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated by the naysayers.

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Don’t Let the Bullies Get You Down By Kenneth Copeland

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).

Remember the class bully when you were in grade school? He intimidated everyone. He was nothing but a five-foot, 140-pound heap of trouble who scared everyone silly. Well, you’re over that situation by now, but trouble is still around.

In this life there is trouble…trouble with every opportunity the devil gets. The Apostle Paul said he was troubled by circumstances on every side…but on the inside he was not distressed.

Paul fixed his attention, not on external circumstances, but on the light of the gospel in his inner man, because that’s where the excellency of God’s power is. Knowing the truth will always make you free. “We’re perplexed,” he said. The Greek word for perplexed means “to be cornered by the circumstances.”

“But we’re not in despair.” In other words, even when it looks like there’s no way out, I can find a way out if I look to the Word that’s living in me.

“Persecuted, but not forsaken.” If I’m persecuted on the outside, how do I know God hasn’t forsaken me? Because when I look on the inside, I can hear Jesus saying, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you, even to the ends of the earth.”

Perplexed…persecuted…cast down. There’s no doubt about it, Paul was under more pressure than most of us today will ever experience. But he handled it…and so can you if you’ll do the following three things:

ONE: Remember where the pressure is coming from—the outside! And remember where your life force comes from—the inside!

TWO: Stop running on a spiritual deficit. Take time to feed your inner man with the Word of God. Fast your body if necessary and feast your spirit on the Word so your inner man can get stronger more quickly.

THREE: Focus on Jesus inside you until your inner picture of Him is bigger than the outside situations you’re facing.

If you’ll build up your spirit man in those three ways, when pressure comes, it won’t affect you like it may be doing today. Soon, the problems that are knocking you flat won’t even bother you anymore.

Remember the bully? He couldn’t even make you blink today, now that you’re six-feet-tall. What happened? What changed? You grew. You’re stronger now. He’s no longer a threat. That’s what happened to Paul. He grew! He kept feeding on the Word until the image of Jesus within him grew bigger than the pressures around him. So just keep feeding your spirit man on the Word. Get strong on the inside. And don’t let the bullies get you down!

Speak the Word: I am troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. The life of Jesus is made manifest in me (2 Cor. 4:8-10).

For Further Study: 2 Cor. 4:8-12

Source: Pursuit of His Presence by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

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Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. Proverbs 18:1 (ESV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (ESV)

One of the most foolish behaviors evident in the church today is “believers” separating themselves from the body of believers. These folks think they can make it on their own without the benefit of leadership and membership in the Body of Christ. For such people, self-expression and self satisfaction are paramount. They see little need in a body of believers, but they are wrong and will be defeated and ultimately destroyed, if they don’t repent.

Members of our physical bodies only operate effectively as part of the body. Once dismembered, they become absolutely useless and ultimately decompose. That’s what happens to people when they don’t embrace the need to stay connected to others within the Body of Christ.

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church that because many of them didn’t properly respect the power of the Body of Christ negative things were manifesting in their lives. He said, “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

The adversary’s ultimate goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. He knows he doesn’t stand a chance against the Body of Christ in totem, so his strategy is to pick off one or two members at a time by separating them mentally and emotionally from other believers. Don’t let this happen to you.

Be wise and live. Stay connected to the people God has called you to. Resist the popular foolishness of the day and you will enjoy great success.

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Proverbs 7:4-5 (ESV) Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

Pastor’s Commentary:

Did you know that Wisdom is a sanctifier? To sanctify is to make holy; or to separate from that which is defiled. That is exactly what Wisdom does in the life of the possessor.

Have you also noticed in your studies of Proverbs that Solomon places a great deal of emphasis on refraining from adultery? What is the significance of his admonitions?

Look closely at the commandment found in Proverbs 7:4. We are ordered to get as close to Wisdom and understanding (insight) as we possibly can. We’re instructed to view Wisdom as a close familial relationship. Why? To keep us from committing adultery.

It is paramount to understand that God sees close fellowship with the world as adultery, and not solely as a sexual act between unmarried partners. He calls believers with close, intimate (not necessarily sexual) relationships with unbelieving sinners adulterers. He sees those who embrace worldly standards of dress, behavior, conversation, marriage, etc. as unfaithful adulterers. Read James 4:4 in the English Standard Version of the Bible:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

He continues in verse 8:

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Keep in mind that James is addressing Christians and not the unconverted. God’s stance on holiness has never changed and will never change. He expects us to live holy lives both spiritually and physically. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV), “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” And the Apostle Peter encouraged us in 1 Peter 1:15-16 saying, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

As we close out these last and evil days, it is very important to remain unstained by, and separated from the world. Wisdom, which is the Word of God, is the primary tool for keeping us from committing spiritual adultery. Remember what Jesus prayed in John 17:17. He said, “Sanctify them (set them apart) in the truth; Your Word [Wisdom] is truth.”

Embrace God’s Wisdom and remain sanctified!

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With wisdom a house is built. With understanding it is established. Proverbs 24:3 (GWT)

Pastor’s Commentary:

We know that if the life we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn’t made by human hands. In our present tent-like existence we sigh, since we long to put on the house we will have in heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 (GWT)

In scripture, human life is sometimes described in building terminology. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5, the Apostle Paul compares life on earth to eternal life in Heaven by referring to one as a tent or temporary structure and the other as a house or permanent building.

In such scriptural contexts, we can replace the building term (e.g. tent, building, house) with the word “life”. Therefore, we can read today’s Wisdom verse like so: With wisdom a [permanent and stable] life is built. With understanding it is established.

Wisdom brings stability and invincibility to the life of the possessor. Jesus described the life of the wise this way: Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not collapse, because its foundation was on rock. Matthew 7:25 (GWT)

Godly Wisdom is literally the Way of Life for the believer. Jesus, Who is the embodiment of Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30), said of Himself in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”

Let’s make a concerted effort to pursue Wisdom at all cost. Wisdom brings a certain fail-proof quality to our lives and stability no worldly problem, situation, or crisis can shake.

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