God has equipped us for every good work, but many of us through disobedience will be disqualified.
God has already given us all that we need to be vessels of honor, therefore, let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity and cleanse himself, so that he will be a vessel of honor and useful to God, prepared for every good work. Let us not be disqualified because of disobedience to God.
Have you ever prayed to God for anything and seemed like the wait was too long?
Your wait will seem longer if you don’t understand that God does everything in his own time and that he makes no mistakes. He answers our prayers at exactly the right time. Many of us could attest to this, that when we prayed to God, it may have seemed like we needed the prayer to be answered immediately, but when God answered, we then realized that God truly gives us our fruits in due season.
Are you only a hearer of the word and not a doer of the word?
If we are doers of God’s word, we will aim to do what is good and right in his sight according to his law. As we teach others of God’s law we should be careful to practice what we preach. Let us ask of God that he will guide us who are blind, to be a light for those of us who grope in darkness, to instruct us who are foolish, and lead us who teach others to accept his teaching. If we preach that a man should not steal, then we ourselves should not steal.
What does it mean to cast your bread upon the waters? If we cast our bread upon the water, will not the water take it away? How then will we find it after many days?
We cast our bread upon the water by doing good not only to those we know, but especially to those we do not know, for just as scripture reminds us, we do not know the way of the wind, or the works of God who sees and knows everything, and just as we help those in need, God will send someone to help us in our time of need, and therefore, your bread that you have cast upon the waters, will then be returned to you.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
We read in Ecclesiastes chapter 9 that wisdom is better than strength, wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. My brothers and sisters in Christ, “Be ye therefore wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, for wisdom brings success. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart is at his left, even when a fool walks along the way he lacks wisdom and he shows everyone that he is a fool. The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up, the words of his mouth begin with foolishness and the end of his talk is raving madness. The lips of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of wisdom. The lips of the righteous knows what is acceptable to God, but the mouth of the wicked knows only what is perverse.” Daily we are sent out as sheep in the midst of wolves, therefore, we must fear God to know his ways, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
It is good to give God thanks and praise and to declare God’s loving –kindness in the morning and his faithfulness every night; for you, O Lord, have me glad through you work, I will triumph in the works of your hands. Psalm 92
“O Lord, how great are your works! Your thoughts are very deep, a senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand.” Thank you, Lord, that you have blessed us with the understanding to know that you are the giver of all good things. Lord, you open your hands and shower us with blessings, blessings we could not earn or deserve. Who else could love us so much? Thank you, Lord, that you cover us with your love, you protect us with your care, show us how to faithfully serve you and do all such things which are pleasing to you, let us continually lift you up in praise, for you are worthy. Thank you, Lord!
He drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. Psalm 18: 16-17
“They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support, he also brought me out into a broad place, he delivered me because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands, for I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God, for all his judgments were before me.” Praise the Lord!
Every setback we encounter in our lives is a set up for the future and God is in the midst. When Joseph’s brothers became envious of him and sold him into slavery, scripture tells us that God was with him, and what was meant to hurt him, God turned it around for good. Praise the Lord!
Lord, give us the faith and patience to believe, that, you are the giver of all good things and that you make no mistakes; for your ways are perfect. Lord, you promised us that your blessings do not come with trouble, therefore, if we believe your word and that you have predestined good things for us, we should not become faithless or fearful because your plan cannot fail; we just need to allow you O God, to work your purpose out. What we see as trouble along the way is just a test of our faith, to see if we would really trust God to bring his plan to completion. We are reminded in Acts chapter 7 verses 9-10 that when Joseph’s brothers became envious and sold him into slavery that God was with him, and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Was Joseph’s trouble a curse or a blessing? Think about this as God begins to work his purpose out in your life. His plans are not always straight, but he already knows the beginning and the end. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.