Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat
Luke {22:31} And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: {22:32} But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Satan desires to have us all.
Satan wants us all desperately. You think I'm kidding? You think that little ol' you isn't worth his trouble? That he only wants those with power and such? You're wrong. He wants each one of us and he'll stop at nothing to get us. Each person kept from God is another bonus for Satan. He wants to mock God. He wants to be able to glory in all those he can take with him to the eternity of non-existence. He knows that his time is short and he does go about as a roaring lion.
1 Peter {5:8} Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Satan wants to sift us all as wheat. He wants to give us trial after trial, after trial without end and whether you believe it or not it's true. More true than you probably can imagine.
Jesus prays for us, that our faith won't fail. Because it's when our faith fails that Satan has won.
Faith - the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews {11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The substance of hope in things we cannot see. Jesus prays for us that our faith will not fail, that we continue to hope in something invisible, something beyond all the pain and heartache we live through in this world ruled by Satan, and don't think for one moment it's not ruled by him because it is-- for now.
Eph. {6:10} Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. {6:11} Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {6:12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places.]
The wiles of the devil- not flesh and blood but principalities, powers, ruler of the darkness of THIS world, spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians {4:4} In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The god of THIS WORLD hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.
Satan is the go of this world.
John {14:30} Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
The Prince of this world has nothing in Jesus, nothing.
We have to cling to the hope that Jesus gives as Jesus prays that our faith will not fail.
Please Jesus, Satan is sifting us so much trying to destroy our faith in you. Help us Lord, pray for us now and always. Lord please. By your grace, have mercy on us. The sifting is so painful.
Amen.
Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
*******
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
wisdom-
H2451
chokma?h
khok-maw'
From H2449; wisdom (in a good sense): - skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
instruction-
H4148
mu?sa?r
moo-sawr'
From H3256; properly chastisement; figuratively reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint: - bond, chastening ([-eth]), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke.
Not many people truly consider themselves foolish. Oh, some might like to "act" the fool, but in "acting" they are only pretending to be the fool, playing the part of a fool to get laughs and whatnot. But a person never likes to consider themselves a real fool, a person who is by definition someone who is deficient in judgment, acting unwisely. Yet how many people despise wisdom and instruction? How many people abhor being chastized or corrected? People don't like being corrected because they feel they are being called stupid, they are being made to look the fool because they NEED correction. Needing correction means you were doing something wrong and who likes to be thought of as doing wrong, of being unwise.
Sure we have criminals who spend their lives in wrong doing yet to them they justify their deeds in one way or another. That criminal would even despise instruction and chastizing by being told they are committing their atrocities in a less effiecent manner. Forget the fact the act itself is wrong, they wouldn't want to be criticized on how they go about doing their wrong.
I know I don't like being made to look like a fool and I feel foolish and laughed at, ridiculed, when I'm caught even innocently doing something unintentionally stupid. It's no wonder we are told this--
'...but fools despise wisdom and instruction'
It's easy to despise wisdom and instruction when it makes you appear like a fool, and yet you are a fool in despising wisdom and instruction.
Yes, on the surface that seems like a very good proverb there and we readily agree to it but at the same time it's sooooooo incredibly easy to to just that- despise wisdom and instruction because being full of pride we never like being wrong and worse yet, we never like being laughed at and made to feel a fool, to feel stupid, by others when we are wrong.
The other day I mentioned that it's hard not to consider myself stupid when I'm constantly reminded of my failings and ridiculed for them- even if the one doing the ridiculing isn't doing so with malicious intent but rather for self-amusement. Perhaps I need to contemplate more this saying - 'but fools despise wisdom and instruction', and when the instruction comes as it always does as it points out my failings, I should just by the grace of God be thankful for the instruction and pray that I learn from my mistakes not despising the wisdom and instruction.
In an ideal world people wouldn't be amused at the foolishness of others, they wouldn't laugh at each others mistakes making the person feel deficient, but we CAN'T change anyone else, we can't even really change ourselves, we need to seek Christ and pray He changes us to be the people He would have us be in Him. Wishing others were different means wishing we ourselves were different because we are all guilty of also being the one instigation another's despising of wisdom and instruction.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, In His love now and forever.
Amen.
5/17/11
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to God.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!
Satan desires to have us all.
Satan wants us all desperately. You think I'm kidding? You think that little ol' you isn't worth his trouble? That he only wants those with power and such? You're wrong. He wants each one of us and he'll stop at nothing to get us. Each person kept from God is another bonus for Satan. He wants to mock God. He wants to be able to glory in all those he can take with him to the eternity of non-existence. He knows that his time is short and he does go about as a roaring lion.
1 Peter {5:8} Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Satan wants to sift us all as wheat. He wants to give us trial after trial, after trial without end and whether you believe it or not it's true. More true than you probably can imagine.
Jesus prays for us, that our faith won't fail. Because it's when our faith fails that Satan has won.
Faith - the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews {11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The substance of hope in things we cannot see. Jesus prays for us that our faith will not fail, that we continue to hope in something invisible, something beyond all the pain and heartache we live through in this world ruled by Satan, and don't think for one moment it's not ruled by him because it is-- for now.
Eph. {6:10} Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. {6:11} Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {6:12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places.]
The wiles of the devil- not flesh and blood but principalities, powers, ruler of the darkness of THIS world, spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians {4:4} In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The god of THIS WORLD hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.
Satan is the go of this world.
John {14:30} Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
The Prince of this world has nothing in Jesus, nothing.
We have to cling to the hope that Jesus gives as Jesus prays that our faith will not fail.
Please Jesus, Satan is sifting us so much trying to destroy our faith in you. Help us Lord, pray for us now and always. Lord please. By your grace, have mercy on us. The sifting is so painful.
Amen.
Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
*******
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
wisdom-
H2451
chokma?h
khok-maw'
From H2449; wisdom (in a good sense): - skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
instruction-
H4148
mu?sa?r
moo-sawr'
From H3256; properly chastisement; figuratively reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint: - bond, chastening ([-eth]), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke.
Not many people truly consider themselves foolish. Oh, some might like to "act" the fool, but in "acting" they are only pretending to be the fool, playing the part of a fool to get laughs and whatnot. But a person never likes to consider themselves a real fool, a person who is by definition someone who is deficient in judgment, acting unwisely. Yet how many people despise wisdom and instruction? How many people abhor being chastized or corrected? People don't like being corrected because they feel they are being called stupid, they are being made to look the fool because they NEED correction. Needing correction means you were doing something wrong and who likes to be thought of as doing wrong, of being unwise.
Sure we have criminals who spend their lives in wrong doing yet to them they justify their deeds in one way or another. That criminal would even despise instruction and chastizing by being told they are committing their atrocities in a less effiecent manner. Forget the fact the act itself is wrong, they wouldn't want to be criticized on how they go about doing their wrong.
I know I don't like being made to look like a fool and I feel foolish and laughed at, ridiculed, when I'm caught even innocently doing something unintentionally stupid. It's no wonder we are told this--
'...but fools despise wisdom and instruction'
It's easy to despise wisdom and instruction when it makes you appear like a fool, and yet you are a fool in despising wisdom and instruction.
Yes, on the surface that seems like a very good proverb there and we readily agree to it but at the same time it's sooooooo incredibly easy to to just that- despise wisdom and instruction because being full of pride we never like being wrong and worse yet, we never like being laughed at and made to feel a fool, to feel stupid, by others when we are wrong.
The other day I mentioned that it's hard not to consider myself stupid when I'm constantly reminded of my failings and ridiculed for them- even if the one doing the ridiculing isn't doing so with malicious intent but rather for self-amusement. Perhaps I need to contemplate more this saying - 'but fools despise wisdom and instruction', and when the instruction comes as it always does as it points out my failings, I should just by the grace of God be thankful for the instruction and pray that I learn from my mistakes not despising the wisdom and instruction.
In an ideal world people wouldn't be amused at the foolishness of others, they wouldn't laugh at each others mistakes making the person feel deficient, but we CAN'T change anyone else, we can't even really change ourselves, we need to seek Christ and pray He changes us to be the people He would have us be in Him. Wishing others were different means wishing we ourselves were different because we are all guilty of also being the one instigation another's despising of wisdom and instruction.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, In His love now and forever.
Amen.
5/17/11
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to God.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!