Trying to Understand Life

Trying to Understand Life

2 Peter 1: ¹⁹ So we are even more confident of the message proclaimed by the prophets. You will do well to pay attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place until the Day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all else, however, remember that none of us can explain by ourselves a prophecy in the Scriptures. ²¹ For no prophetic message ever came just from the human will, but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.

 

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Going through difficult circumstances, I asked GOD “Why?” I did not get an audible answer and wondered if I was being punished or possibly forgotten. But then I read the scriptures and an example in the bible gave me peace that I wasn’t the only one going through difficulty and there is an enemy orchestrating war against believers.

 

• I did not like having to face difficulty again, but I felt inspired by reading the Bible.
• My situation had not changed, but something inside me felt at peace.
• Each word I read changed something inside me.

 

Peter explains that all scripture originated by the HOLY SPIRIT and can only be understood by explanation from the HOLY SPIRIT. He implicitly urged people to believe in CHRIST so they would receive the HOLY SPIRIT who would in turn be a guide to life.

 

My Observations:

• Humans can lie to me to get their own way, BUT GOD gave mankind scripture that revealed HIS love through HIS SON.
• I can believe scripture will guide me in making large and small decisions in life.
• Each example I read in scripture parallels a foundation in scripture.

 

Skeptics would say that scripture was written to enslave people to do work, or that scripture is no longer valid because technology has provided new ways of thinking. BUT GOD is in control and has provided a way to cope with life to this very day.

 

HE spoke to various men and women and had each carefully document their encounter with GOD. As unbelievable as each encounter was, there were several people who were eyewitnesses to the experiences. These experiences still hold true to this very day and can provide me with direction to keep moving forward. I am glad GOD said “I will never leave you nor forsake you, because I can hold onto this truth in the middle of a storm.

 

Challenge

• What gave the writer confidence?
• Have you ever wanted to ask GOD “Why?”
• Will you “lean not unto your own understanding” and allow the HOLY SPIRIT to guide you through the difficult time so you can give GOD the praise HE deserves today?

Not Like Everyone Else

Not Like Everyone Else

2 Timothy 3: ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe. You know who your teachers were, ¹⁵ and you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, ¹⁷ so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

 

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Hearing the lie said in the smooth delivery made me mad. I watched people fall for the lie and was amazed! I got up and told the truth and was met with criticism. “You are just jealous” is what someone, who was brave enough, said to me. “I wonder if I should start lying” was my thought.

 

• I was tired of bad people getting ahead.
• I was tired of being nice and finishing “last.”
• I was tired of being ignored because I was trying to be “good.”

 

Paul finishes his warning to Timothy regarding conduct. He had mentioned that there would be some people who would persecute, derive evil and be deceitful. “But as for you” he says to Timothy. He tells Timothy there is another path.

 

My Observations

• When other people are acting deceitful or imposing persecution or manipulative, GOD wants me to “continue in the truth.”
• When it seems like everyone else is going one way that does not include JESUS as GOD and LORD of all, HE wants me to stand firm in the scriptures that HE inspired.
• When I need to make a decision to be popular with a lie or be unpopular with the truth in scripture, GOD wants me to choose the unpopular route.

 

Believing in JESUS does not make people popular. In fact it seems quite the opposite. People run in the other direction at the mention of scripture or JESUS. BUT GOD wants everyone to understand HIS love and HE inspires many writers to speak about JESUS.

 

GOD’s revelation of HIS SON equips me for life’s traps and trials. When times were difficult, I can look back and see that HE was with me and that following the scriptures was all I had during times of deep trouble. I am so glad GOD has given us the scripture to help me live a life pleasing to HIM.

 

Challenge

• What truths is the writer talking about?
• Does “relative truth” scare you?
• Will you continue in the truth of JESUS, our LORD and Savior, by studying HIS word and gaining useful wisdom that leads you to salvation and becoming fully qualified and equipped today?

Noble Character

Noble Character

Acts 17: ¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. ¹² As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

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“We checked your references and what you said was true” the hiring manager told me. Although I had told them the truth and they were excited to have me on board, they wanted to make sure I really had performed the things I claimed to do.

• Many times I have had background checks.
• Many times I have had my actions questioned.
• Many times I have had to prove what I was saying was true.

Paul and Silas spoke to the Berean Jews, who were of more noble character than those at Thessalonica. While they were excited about what Paul and Silas preached, they check the Scriptures every day to see if what they spoke was true. This resulted in many people believing in JESUS as their Savior.

• GOD wants me to speak the truth about JESUS.
• GOD wants me to receive the message from HIS messengers with eagerness.
• GOD wants me to check the Scriptures to be sure the messenger is telling the truth.

Noble character means living by the truth. When someone claims to speak about JESUS, they should not mind if someone says “wait a minute… let me check the Scriptures to see if what you are saying is true.

GOD wants me to validate what I am saying by using the Scriptures, avoiding twisting the meaning to make it say something that gives me personal gain. I am glad GOD gave the scriptures so I can speak the truth.

• Are you mad because someone checked up on what you are saying?
• Did you speak the truth?
• Will you be excited about what you hear about JESUS and check the Scriptures for yourself to make sure the messenger is speaking the truth?

Total View

Total View

John 10: ³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. ³² Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

³³ The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? ³⁵ If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), ³⁶ do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; ³⁸ but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” ³⁹ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

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Angry at the situation, I scheduled a meeting with my boss’s boss. I was tired of my boss snooping around my desk, looking for ideas to steal and call his own. I voiced my frustrations and left. Later, I found out that my boss and my boss’s boss, were friends. I was now in trouble.

• There were times when I did not have the total picture.
• There were times when I did not see danger coming.
• There were times when I did not have enough information to make a decision.

The entire congregation, especially the leaders, were furious at JESUS. HE clearly called HIMSELF GOD and they labeled HIM a blasphemer. Unfortunately for them, they did not have the total view of the situation. They were gravely wrong.

• JESUS reveals HIMSELF to me through HIS word.
• JESUS shows me all I need to know in order to live an abundant life.
• JESUS discloses HIS will to me by giving me HIS Scripture.

“Scripture cannot be broken” is what caught my eye. This means GOD spoke specific words that HE wanted authors to write down. These words are binding and humans will be held accountable to them.

Since some of the words can be taken out of context, GOD wants me to see the total view of what HE has revealed. HE revealed that one day HE would return to collect those who believe in HIM. HE also said that while I wait for that day, the COMFORTER would be here with me. I seek the total view of JESUS.

• Are you living your life on a couple of scriptures you like?
• Are there parts of Scripture that you don’t agree with, so you discount their meaning?
• Will you seek the total revelation of GOD so you can live an abundant life for HIM today?