Increase Your Faith

Anyone who gets Wisdom loves himself. Anyone who values understanding succeeds. Proverbs 19:8 (NIRV-ENG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

We often focus on the love we must have for others, and rightly so. But, we are required to love ourselves as well. In accordance with the Old Testament requirement, Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors AS WE LOVE OURSELVES. The standard in the New Testament is higher, but doesn’t nullify the requirement to treat others the way we want to be treated. We can’t know what true love and appreciation is without the love of God and the love for self (not the flesh; these are two different things). In other words, I can’t love you properly without first loving God and loving myself.

Today’s Wisdom verse says, “Anyone who gets Wisdom loves himself.” In my mind, the acquisition of Wisdom is proof of the love for oneself. Wisdom results in so many awesome things. Clearly, anyone who obeys Proverbs 4:7, loves themselves.

Once we get Wisdom, who is Jesus, we obtain love, for God is Love. Getting Wisdom, therefore, improves my love walk with others. Do you see the connection between Wisdom and Love, and progression of the two? Maybe instead of praying for a greater capacity to love others, we should pursue greater Wisdom and understanding.

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We Are a House of Prayer By Lynne Hammond

All these I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples. (Isaiah 56:7 AMP)

Astounding things happen when God’s people get together to pray.

Impossible victories are won.

Enemies that stubbornly resist the opposition of individual believers flee in terror when pray-ers assemble side by side, each one giving his or her own unique supply of the Spirit.

The Bible affirms it again and again. Both the Old Testament and the New tell us about times when the powers of darkness were driven back and defeated because people linked their hearts and their faith together and became a house of prayer.

That is what we are as born again believers, you know. We are a house of prayer. We are God’s temple. He dwells in us not only individually but “collectively as a church” (1 Corinthians 3:16 Amp). And these days, I sense in my heart that our collective power is most urgently needed.

As precious as our solitary times of prayer may be and as much as we may enjoy fellowshipping alone with the Father, we are living in a time fraught with challenges that can only be met by the corporate prayers of God’s people. We are in a season when we need not just lone prayer rangers, but “the church, in all its various parts, closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied…each part [with power adapted to its need]…working properly [in all its functions]…(Eph. 4:16 Amp).

In other words, during these last and greatest days of the Church, God is looking for pray-ers who will draw near not only to Him but to each other.

He is searching for those who will join hands and hearts and become a house of prayer.

Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.

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Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome— a staggering drunk is not much fun. Proverbs 20:1 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

The recreational use of alcohol has NO place in the life of the believer. Scripture after scripture affirms this fact. The Apostle Paul said unequivocally, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18 NLT).

I can already hear the response of carnal, wine-bibbing, immature Christians. They usually retort, “The Bible says don’t get drunk; it doesn’t say not to drink!” Sadly, these folks lack the true revelation about who they have been made in Christ Jesus.

Let’s examine a few Scriptures that detail the true nature and assignment of the New Testament believer. In the Word of God, every New Testament believer has been assigned as a priest. Accordingly, the Apostle Peter reminded the Church that “…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession…(1 Peter 2:9 NLT). The Apostle John had the same revelation. He said, “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father…(Revelation 1:6 NLT).

Now let’s look at the ancient, yet eternal office of the priests who serve the Lord God, the Almighty:

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation. You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. (Leviticus 10:8-10 NLT).

There are two points that must be made for clarity sake. First, the prohibition against priests serving in the Tabernacle, which was the very presence of God, under the influence of alcohol is a permanent law. Secondly, the Tabernacle or Temple of God in the New Testament is the believer’s own physical body, not a building structure. Paul said, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT).

So, the New Testament believer or priest is ALWAYS in the presence of God unlike the Old Testament priest who had to physically go to the Tabernacle to be in His presence. Therefore being under the influence of alcohol, in any degree, is strictly forbidden for the Christian unless alcohol is used for medicinal purposes (1 Timothy 5:23).

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He Destroyed the Note By Kenneth Copeland

“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).

For every believer, Jesus’ death and resurrection provided complete freedom from the curse of sin and death. But until we learn what that means and how to apply it, we don’t know how to lay hold of all that is ours.

To walk in complete freedom from sin, guilt, condemnation and defeat is like an unattainable dream to some people. They have no idea of the freedom and joy that is already theirs, if they only knew how to tap into it.

When Jesus died, His shed blood ratified the covenant you and I have with God. His blood was the ultimate and final sacrifice for our sins. You don’t have to “do” things to make up for your sins.

You don’t have to punish yourself, or offer up a sacrifice like they did in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew sacrifices of the blood of animals was atonement. It covered for sin, it did not destroy it. Atonement means “to cover over or cover up.” Animal blood only temporarily hid sin away for one year.

Under the New Covenant, the blood of Jesus did not just cover our sin, it remitted or did away with it. In the Greek language in the New Testament, the word is never atonement, it’s God reconciling by totally wiping out. The Greek word for atonement doesn’t occur in the New Testament when referring to the sacrifice of Jesus.

To use the word atonement in referring to the blood of Jesus is totally inaccurate. In ignorance we’ve used it. People in religious circles have talked about the great atonement. I did for years until I learned the truth.

It was an atonement in the basic understanding of it, but not in the real description of it. The blood of Jesus did far more than just cover up sin.

Colossians 2:14 explains remittance: It rendered invisible the ink of the note that was written against us in sin. The King James Version says, it “blotted it out.” Atonement would have stamped “paid in full” on the note. Atonement would have covered the note. But remittance wiped out the ink of the note. Remittance means there’s no evidence now that there ever was a note. The note is not only paid, it doesn’t exist anymore. The blood of Jesus destroyed it.

Are you getting this? It means when you confess your sins and they are put under the blood of Jesus, and you mention it to God the next day, He doesn’t know what you are talking about. It’s been destroyed! It’s no longer in existence. You are worrying and fretting over something that doesn’t exist. You are living under condemnation of something that isn’t there. You’re letting something hold you back that isn’t real. You’ve been redeemed! You’ve been set free!

Speak the Word: Jesus shed His blood for the remission of my sins and now they no longer exist! (Matt. 26:28)

For Further Study: Colossians 1:9-23; 1 Peter 1:18-25

Source: Pursuit of His Presence by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

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He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Today’s Wisdom verse, although found in the Old Testament, mirrors 1 John 1:9 in the New, which states, “If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This Word-based theme of handling personal sin forms a consistent thread through scripture and is immutable. In cases where the believer sins, the transgression is properly disposed of by confession and repentance (change). This doctrine had been unchallenged and completely accepted by disciples of Bible for thousands of years. I am amazed and saddened by modern teaching that says the believer need not do anything when he or she sins simply because they are New Testament believers.

Such doctrine does not exist in Christ. Wisdom dictates that if we sin, we must confess that sin and forsake it. It is pure foolishness to deal with sin any other way. Remember: The sin you fail to deal with will eventually deal with you.

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For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Proverbs 6:23 (NKJV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Under the Law of Moses, and to some extent the New Testament, facts were established by two or three witnesses. Here is the third verse of scripture in as many days that clearly shows the connection between instruction in the Word and life.

A key part of today’s Wisdom verse says, “…Reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” In other words, the corrections given to us by God’s Holy Word produce life in us when we adhere to them. This point forms a consistent thread throughout the Bible.

The Lord wants us to live well. That is why He constantly shows us, from the Old Testament to the New, the importance of adherence to wise instruction. Such instructions truly constitute the basis of the God-kind of life.

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My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you… Proverbs 2:1 (NKJV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

In a father-son relationship (or mother-son/daughter), each party has very specific Biblical responsibilities. A father’s role is to be an example of conduct and behavior while simultaneously speaking into the lives of his offspring, teaching them in both word and deed life’s success principles. Fathers are required to instill a reverential respect for God and the things of God in his sons.

Sons have a role in this unique relationship as well. Each must be obedient to parental authority and readily accept parental decisions. A son must accept the words of his father without refuting them. God’s requirement for complete obedience by sons was so sacrosanct in the Old Testament that a son who disobeyed his parents was stoned to death.

Although in this dispensation of Grace stoning is unauthorized, this relationship model between fathers and sons has not changed one iota in the heart of God. Our God is and has always been a God of order. The family of God is based upon this same Father-son model.

As dear children of our Heavenly Father, we must readily accept His Word as the final authority in our lives. The wisest thing we can do is receive His Word into our hearts without refuting a single one. Then and only then can we receive the Wisdom of God, which is designed to bring us life, prosperity, success, and favor.

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Everyone who is ignorant or foolish is invited. Proverbs 9:4 (CEV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Compare today’s verse with James 1:5 in the New Testament, which says: “If any of you need (lack) wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you…” Can you see the similarities?

To summarize of Proverbs 9, Wisdom has prepared a great feast for everyone to enjoy, particularly for those who lack Wisdom. Verse 4 represents the invitation list: Everyone who is ignorant or foolish. That means, like James 1:5, everyone who lacks knowledge and understanding on any topic, spiritual or otherwise, and those who are without purpose and direction in any area of life are welcome.

Both in the Old Testament and the New, the LORD graciously invites us to seek His Wisdom; He guarantees that when we do, we will find all the answers we need. This is particularly true when it comes to understanding His living and enduring Word.

I was once at a Bible study, if you can call it that, and one of the participants asked for clarity on a particular verse of scripture. After struggling for several minutes to answer, the teacher said exasperatedly, “There are some things in the Bible God doesn’t want you to know!” I was appalled! I was even more appalled by the number of “Amens” that resonated in the room. Why was I so put off? Because I knew and understood Proverbs 9:4 and James 1:5. There’s nothing in the universe that God wants hidden from you, let alone in the Holy Script. Everything is hidden FOR you and you will get it if you’re willing to seek for His Wisdom as you would hidden treasure.

So, purpose in your heart today that you will make acquiring Wisdom your focus. You don’t need to spend another day in ignorance of the Truth. When you seek Him, you will find Him and you’ll be happy you did!

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Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. Proverbs 20:1 (NLT)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Wisdom provides practical guidance for the believer. Even when it comes to what we physically consume, Wisdom is there giving us prudent instruction. We are obligated to respond, if we truly want success in life.

Frankly, it is absolutely amazing to me as to how many believers stumble over the Biblical prohibition of drinking alcohol. This prohibition is expressed from the Old Testament to the New. Paul the Apostle encouraged the Church at Ephesus to refrain from alcohol. He said, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Modern, so called “wisdom” touts the benefits of alcohol, but the Word of the Living God is immutable on this point. Alcohol is the single most abused drug on the planet. Most crimes, to include homicides, rapes, and robberies, are committed while the perpetrator is under the influence. Alcohol ruins lives!

The believer is to refrain from alcohol with the exception of medicinal use. A wise believer will heed Wisdom’s warning and live a peaceful life. Selah!

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