“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not” (Ezek 33:31-32; KJV).

I love how the word of God gets right to the basic issues of life. How often we ask ourselves, why am I not growing in my walk with God as I would like to, why don’t I experience God as I should?

Are we like the people God spoke about to Ezekiel? Do we hear and read God's word and enjoy it but don’t do it, don’t allow it to change us but go about doing our own thing? As we hear and read God's word, we need to ask ourselves, what does this word say to me, what does it mean, what is God trying to tell me?

The parable of the sower shows us so clearly how satan can steal the word from us or prevent it from bearing fruit in our lives through the pressures and busyness of life (Matt 13:3-9; 18-23). The word has the power (Heb 4:12; James 1:21) to change us, to bring good fruit into our lives (Matt 13:23; Gal 5:22-23) and make us doers of the word. (James 1:22) We just need to prayerfully apply ourselves to read, study and meditate it. (1 Tim 4:13;15).

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us what God is saying to us in his word, to open his word to us (John 14:26). Then we will not need to tell people we are Christians, they will see it in our lives (1 Tim 4:15).

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Do you have children that have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior or who have turned away from God? Nothing can be more heartbreaking than raising your children in a Christian home but then see them rebel against what they were taught. However, it does not have to be that way forever, because God has some promises concerning our children.

In Isaiah 43:6 (KJV) it says: "I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth." Isaiah 60:4 is a very similar verse. If God did this for his children, the people of Israel, he can bring our children back into fellowship with him.

In the New Testament Paul and Silas told the prison jailer that he could be saved along with his whole household. (Acts 16:31). In Proverbs 22:6 it is written: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”.   These are all promises that we can stand on; but this requires faith as well as patience and much prayer.

We know that the promises of God are: "yea, and in him A’-men" (2 Cor. 1:20). God is faithful to his word. In Isaiah 59:21 we are told that God's words’ will not leave our mouths nor of the mouths of our descendants or our descendants’ descendants. Now that's a promise.

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Have things come against you? People? Problems? Pressures? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a furnace so hot that the guards who threw them in were killed by the heat (Dan 3). The 3 were thrown in the fire because they refused to worship the image of King Nebuchadnezzar. When in the 3 were in the furnace, the King noticed a fourth person: "like the Son of God" (Dan 3:25). Jesus was in the fire and delivered them.

Paul described the tribulations, persecution and afflictions that came against him as he obeyed God in ministry (1 Cor 11:24-28; 2 Tim 3:11-12). He was beaten stoned, hungry, tired and threatened by angry crowds and robbers. However, Paul said triumphantly that God delivered him every time.  

Jesus said we would have challenges in this life but he also said not to worry because he is victorious over everything that can come against us. (John 16:33). Jesus was in a boat with his disciples when a fierce storm arose. The disciples woke him up in a panic: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).  Isn't it wonderful to know that when the storms of life come against us, we have Jesus in our boat (Mark 4:35-40)?

Been in the fire lately?

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Wisdom for Every Issue of Life

“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures.” (Prov 2:1-4; KJV)

Do you get the impression that God is trying to tell us something here? He directs us to receive his word, not just hear it. We are to treasure his commands, incline our ears to wisdom, apply our hearts to and lift up our voice to understanding. God says, cry out for discernment, seek understanding as silver and search for her as if she were a treasure. This does not have the ring of a passive occupation but one of active pursuit, a passionate pressing in to something of paramount importance in our life.

As we do this, God gives us the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s word to us; (John 14:26) we just need to do our part.

If we look at the whole of the second chapter of Proverbs, we see the benefits of our pursuit. We will learn to respect and hallow our awesome God. We will understand justice and equity and how God sees us as his children; righteous in his presence. God gives us the knowledge, understanding and wisdom we seek. My, how we and the church need all of that. God will lead us, protect us and preserve us and cause us to dwell in the land. When Israel dwelt in the land and obeyed God, the nation settled, prospered and enjoyed peace. Does this interest you? It should. Well, the action plan is simple.

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"And the Lord make you to increase and abound and in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you" (1 Thess 3:12; KJV).  That verse is requiring a lot of love from us. This love is to be extended to our Christian family (one another) and also people in general (all men). The writer indicates that the Lord will help us do this; we certainly can't do it in our own ability. The love of God: “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5). Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). If we desire it and allow it, the Spirit will develop this love in our lives.

We are probably all familiar with the famous love chapter - 1 Corinthians 13, but we also find many characteristics of love in Colossians 3:12-13, where we are told how to behave- with pity, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, endurance and forgiveness. I believe that all these added together would equal love.

I encourage you to spend time reading and meditating on the love scriptures each day and you will find that increasing and excelling in love will come much easier. Make a decision to grow in your love walk, ask God to help you - and he will.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.