Devotionals from Dad

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Is it a sin when someone knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it? This very scenario goes all the way back to the beginning of time. God gives Adam some instructions on what he can and can't do in the Garden of Eden It's pretty basic, and very generous.

 Gen. 2:16-17 ESV And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. 

Notice what God doesn't tell Adam. There is no warning or instruction over what is about to occur, the Temptation of Eve. Missing from the conversation between Adam and God is something like this: Hey Adam, one more thing. A week from Tuesday, about four in the afternoon, you and Eve are going to be down in the orchard and something dangerous is going to happen... Adam, are you listening? The eternal destiny of the human race hangs on this moment. Now, here's what I want you to do.......….. Let me ask you a question. Where is Adam, when the serpent is tempting Eve? He's standing right behind her. The bible tells us She gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. This lack of action by Adam has impacted the history of all of mankind. You never know what impact your lack of action may have. Several years ago I was actively organizing a monthly gathering of men for breakfast and fellowship. Our former sheriff, Josh Esckerson, had been attending church services on a regular basis and I had been visiting with him. The Holy Spirit told me I should invite him to join us for men's breakfast. I procrastinated the prompting of the Holy Spirit and one short week afterwards he took his own life. Would this situation have had a different outcome if I had been obedient and followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit? I will never know. We are all guilty of being silent when we needed to do something, say something, or take a stand for what is morally right and just. A Christian who chooses to do nothing in the face of need or injustice commits the sin of omission, failing to live out their faith by neglecting the opportunity to show love and compassion. This I do know the bible says if you know the right thing to do and to fail to do it, you are sinning. God is God and He doesn’t need defending, however we are warned by Jesus. 

James 4:17 ESV So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 

As followers of Christ, we are called to actively participate in the world, reflecting God's love through our actions, not just our words. Doing nothing can be just as devastating as doing the wrong thing, especially when we are in a position to speak up or offer support to those in need.

Matthew 10:32 ESV So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.

When faced with a situation where you might consider doing nothing, ask yourself why. Are you truly unable to help, or are you simply avoiding responsibility? When unsure about how to respond, pray about your situation and seek God's wisdom and direction on how to act. Remember that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. By choosing to act when faced with a need, we demonstrate our faith and live out the teachings of Jesus Christ. Your life may be the only bible some people every read. May we all listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and know when to act, and when to be silent! 

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Everywhere I go from the smallest community - to the big city, I see storage rental units. What does it say about society when we do not have enough room in our homes to store all our stuff, so we fill up rental storage units. Our possessions wield a remarkable power over us. They give us a false sense of security and an inflated sense of worth. They promise freedom yet they only enslave us. We think that if we just had that one thing our heart desires we would be happy, so we put in the extra hours at work, to come up with the money we need to buy that thing that we think will make us happy. Then for some reason we think we need something more and we start the cycle all over again. We aren't really bad people, we attend church, we are morally upright in all that we do, we treat others with respect. In the book of Mark Jesus tells us about the rich young ruler. In many ways, the rich young ruler was a model of faithfulness. He was sexually pure, honest and trustworthy with his words and money, respected his parents, and studied the Bible. If he had grown up in my church, he would have been on the fast track to Christian leadership! And yet, the only reason we know anything about this man is because of his inability to follow Jesus in every area of his life. Mark 10:21 ESV And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. We are told that Jesus looked on this man and loved him deeply. Jesus wants nothing less than your whole heart, the whole of who you are. What is it in your life that you think you just can't live without? The rich young ruler loved his possessions so much that he couldn't turn loose of them. He was possessed by his possessions! The core of our being, our heart, is where our deepest desires, motivations, and values reside, and therefore, what occupies that space significantly influences our actions and life choices. Maybe it is stuff, but maybe it is something else. What holds the key to your heart? You may say well I don't have so much stuff that I am filling a storage unit, so possessions are not a problem for me. Well possessions are not the only thing that could fill your heart. Maybe you spend your time following the activities of your children or grand children. Maybe the focus of your heart is on food, maybe it is on camping or some other hobby. While none of these things are evil or are sinful, when you place them before God they become idols. The one thing Jesus was asking of the rich ruler was not a life lived perfectly, but a heart of perfect surrender. Complete surrender letting go of anything pulling him away from God. Proverbs 4:23 ESV Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Have you bought the lie of the world, He who has the most stuff in the end wins? What are the things that currently hold the most space in your heart? Are you intentionally cultivating a heart that is filled with compassion, love and forgiveness? Are there any areas of your life where you need to actively choose to let go of negativity and allow God's love to fill the space? Maybe your heart is not filled with how many possessions you have or even with activities, maybe your heart is filled with grudges, anxiety or worry. Negativity can fill you heart just the same as possessions. Consider what might be possessing your heart right now – possessions, anxieties, worries, grudges, or is it positive passions like love for family, serving others, or pursuing your faith. Pray for strength to guard your heart and to let God's love fully inhabit your life. Let this be your prayer. Everything I have. Everything I own. Everything I hope for. Everything I fear. Everything I love. Everything I dream. It's all Yours, Jesus. I trust You completely and I surrender everything I have and everything I am to You! 

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Many of us have a hobby that we love. Some of us love to golf, some go hunting, others love car racing and some love gardening. No matter what hobby you are passionate about there is only one way to get better at it, practice! I have recently become interested in shooting hand guns. Unless you spend a lot of money on a custom gun the average gun is made to fit the average person. If you happen to be above or below the average you have two choices: you either learn to adapt to how the weapon shoots or you change the weapon so that it adapts to the way you shoot. I have one hand gun that I know shoots high. When you align the sights you must place your target above the sights otherwise you are gonna shoot above your target. The sights on this gun are fixed so I must adapt the way I shoot if I want to be accurate.
Matthew 5:16 ESV In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
A successful Christian's actions should align with their beliefs. A successful Christian will speak openly about their own experience with Jesus and how it has transformed their life. They are not afraid to share their faith with others, even when it's challenging. To become a successful Christian you must fall back on what you know, you own personal experiences. Not all of us have a golden tongue like the preacher, or a mind that has total recall and is able to quickly remember and quote bible verses. The only real tools you have is your personal testimony and the skills that you have have learned throughout your life. Furthermore, not all of us are people persons. Having the ability to have spontaneous conversation is simply not a gift everyone posses. But, God has a use for those people as well. You may be a great listener, maybe you are a willing worker who lets your actions speak louder than their words. Maybe your a great care giver and you feel more comfortable with infants than you do with adults. No matter what your good at God can use you! As a Christian we are God's tools. If your hobby is racing, the car is your tool. If your hobby is golf, the clubs are your tools. If your hobby is hunting, the gun is your tool. A tool can do nothing on it's own. It must be placed into the hands of the person using it in order to do what it is intended to do. The person holding it determines is use and how successful it will be. The same is true for the successful Christian, we are only tools that can do nothing on our own, however when we are placed in the hands of God, then you are able to become a successful Christian, capable of more than you can imagine, more than your can dream possible.
Philippians 4:13 ESV I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 
With all tools, without the person who operates it, it has no value, it is useless, it is little more than a paperweight. The bible is the same. Without someone willing to pick it up and use it, it has no value, except to gather dust on a bookshelf. If your bible is perfect shinny and new, most likely your life is not perfect. If your bible is a mess, held together with duct tape, the pages are tattered and there are notes scribbled in your margins, than your life is probably in pretty good shape. If I was to hand someone a hammer, but no nails or a gun, but no bullets it would do them no good. If a Christian only offers prayers to someone in need, the impact of Christ is partially lost. The prayers may help, but a sandwich or a cool drink of water may fill their immediate needs far better. By helping both the physical and spiritual needs the full power of the Lord can be witnessed. To be a successful Christian you must be God's tool to be used in whatever manner He sees fit. Remember we are all just stupid tools, that a useless until we are in the hands of God! In the hands of God we become successful Christian's

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Not everyone that professes being a Christian actually follows Jesus Christ or has a saving knowledge. They may know some facts from the bible but they don't understand the truth of the word of God. They can probably even quote from memory several of the most recognizable bible verses. What does it mean to be a Christian? Does being a kind loving person make you a Christian? What about being morally upright or a honest person? Does following the commandments in the Bible make a person Christian? What about doing kind deeds for others, does that make a person a Christian? Abstaining from drinking alcohol and being generous to others, does that make a person a Christian? Taking sacraments or going to church doesn't make a person a Christian either. Even praying and studying the Bible does not make a person a Christian.

1 John 2:19 ESV They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 

We all know people that may be almost Christians. In America we have plenty of churches with plenty of almost-Christians. It’s easy to get caught up in the crowd, sing the songs, and go through the motions. Eventually, they feel like they belong, and they can’t even remember a time when they weren’t a Christian. They attend church a frequently. They put some money in the offering plate. They attend many of the special events like the carry in dinners, baptisms and children's programs. If you ask them if they are a Christian they will respond with a confident yes, I attend church and I believe in God. You must know that in heaven, there is no membership roll. Almost-Christians will almost get to heaven. But almost isn’t going to be close enough, almost heaven is still hell. Even the demons believe in God and they Shudder!

James 2:19 ESV You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder! 

So how do you know if someone is a really a Christian? The only real way for us, as humans, to know if someone has truly become a Christian is to observe that person’s life on the outside. Since we cannot see the interior of the human heart as God does, we have to look for some result or indicator of their faith. If a person does not show any fruit, that is, any visible evidence of the change that has taken place in their heart since receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior, well then they may not be a Christian. 

Matthew 7: 20-21 ESV Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

As I said in the beginning, not all who profess to be Christians are truly followers of Jesus Christ, regardless of the Christian language they use or the Christian activities in which they participate. These, almost Christians, try their best, struggling to do for themselves what God in His grace has already accomplished. 

John 14:6 ESV Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

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I came home from work the other day on my way feed the chickens and pick up eggs I noticed smoke was rising up out of the door on the chicken coop. When I opened the door the entire building was filled with smoke, but there was very little flames. I quickly flipped the breaker box switch and turned off the electricity. I began kicking out the straw on the floor, but within a few seconds the inside of the coop was engulfed in flames. A heat lamp bulb had somehow came in contact with the straw bedding and when I opened the door I provided a source of air and the fire was quickly out of control. I ran to the storage shed and dug my garden hose reel out, while calling 911 on my cell phone at the same time. I stretched the hose out and of course the hose reel lacked about 15 feet of reaching the fire. So I ran back to get another hose. I did manage to somewhat keep the fire under control until the fire department arrived, with the help of my neighbors who saw the smoke or got a frantic call for help from me. I was able to keep the fire from spreading into the dry trees and grass the surrounded the chicken coop. The chickens were smart enough to get out of the fire and none of them were harmed, but the chicken coop was a complete loss. The following morning I opened the door of my home to let the dogs out and the air around my home was filled with the smokey stench of the fire from the day before. When I went to work my co-workers could also smell the smoke that had soaked into coat that I had been wearing the day before as I was trying to put the fire out. In the Bible, the smoke from the fires of hell symbolizes the eternal torment of those who oppose God. The smoke is used to describe the uncomfortable state of the wicked and the irreversible nature of their punishment.
Revelation 14:10-11 ESV he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.
Smoke is a product of combustion. If the fire is quenched, the smoke ceases. This is a graphic image that the flames of hell causes burning and that the smoke of the combustion signifies the torment of those who are afflicted. The smoke is from the carbon material of the human body being burnt. The human body is composed of 4 key ingredients, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. If the thing that smokes is taken out of the flame, or is wholly consumed, then the flames that causes the smoke ceases. But the fires of hell can not be quenched.
 Mark 9: 43-48 ESV And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled, than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.
This may seem to be ghastly, but this is the truth of God's word. Those who refuse to accept Jesus as their savior will have no rest day or night. The devil, his demons, and those who followed him, will burn yet not be consumed. They will beg any who will listen to give them a drop of water on their tongue to relieve their anguish from the flames, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, not silence or the mere roaring of a fire. The bible is very clear, very plain, in this simple truth. The torment of Hell is eternal! Hell is a place of eternal separation from God and unending punishment.

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I was a single parent for about 4 years. While that in itself is a difficult task, I was a single father doing my best to raise 3 little girls. One day I decided that life was just a bit to busy, hectic and just plain messy, so I was going to give myself a break from preparing a meal for my children. I loaded up the girls in the car and we went to Subway for dinner. My older 2 girls Samantha and Sophia were 8 and 7 years old and were able to see over the counter and order their own sandwich. My youngest girl Sara was almost 4 year old and so she was in my arms and together we were trying to order a sandwich for her. The older 2 had placed their order and were standing at the cashier waiting for myself and Sara to finish our order. We were almost finished when Sara looked me in the eyes and said, “Daddy I don't feel good!” I looked at her pale face just as she barfed all down the front of my shirt. No further explanation is needed! It suddenly became a very messy situation. How often do things in our lives go exactly as we have planned? Even what was supposed to be and evening of relaxation with my girls at Subway turned out very unexpected and messy. The reality is this, you have little or no control over your life. What will happen is going to happen regardless of how well you have planned.

Psalm 23:5 ESV You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

In the midst of our enemies the trails and tribulations of our lives God is preparing a table for me. This is eating in style! Forget grabbing a sandwich at Subway. We are talking a Thanksgiving Dinner! All the fixings, the place settings, festive decorations, a table loaded with all your favorite fixings. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pies and desserts as far as your eyes can see. All this being said the Christian life is no walk in the park. In order to receive these blessings we must walk through a messy sin filled world. And if you think about it even when God is blessing you to the point your cup runneth over, a cup that is spilling over can still be a bit messy, wonderful messy, but still messy. David’s life was an unrelenting battle. In his early years, he was a shepherd, despised by his older brothers. Then, he lived as a fugitive, hunted by king Saul. When he became king, he inherited a divided kingdom, where rival tribes were filled were filled with a deep distrust for each other. How in the world did he keep going? How will you keep going in the light of the many burdens, conflicts and your messy life? 

John 16:33 ESV I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. 

 As Christians our desire for a comfortable life is often overshadowed by our desire for a Godly one. We have become spiritually complacent. For the most part I live a very comfortable life. I have a warm home, my cabinets and my stomach is always full. I have more than one vehicle and a full time job. My kitchen garbage disposal eats better than many people. Many families are finding that grocery bills are increasing every day and food banks are running out of donations. The poorest Americans, while facing challenges, are still significantly wealthier than the majority of the world. Many times it takes the messy trials of life to get our attention. In the midst of our pain, God asks us to do one very important thing, Trust Him!

Proverbs 3: 5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 

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Most everyone would agree that if someone commits a crime the punishment should not exceed the damage done to the victim by the crime, at least until they become the victim, then all holds are removed and no amount of punishment is to much. If you do a quick internet search on the term an eye for an eye it will tell you that the phrase was first stated by Cicero in106 BC as he spoke about letting the punishment fit the crime. However the truth is that the phrase truly originated as a part of the mosaic law way back in 1500 BC. The concept of an eye for eye, is part of the Mosaic Law used in the Israelites’ justice system. The principle is that the punishment must fit the crime and there should be a just penalty for evil actions. If there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Exodus 21:23-25 ESV But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 

This concept remains a core principle of criminal justice to this day. There are even traces of it in the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, according to which excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. When someone hurts us; we want to hurt them back. Getting even is a natural response to being wronged, but God calls us to live above our natural responses. Retaliation for harm done is the world’s way of making things right. But God’s way is to heap burning coals on his head by refusing to stoop to the level of the offender. Proverbs 25 tells us If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. When we retaliate with evil for evil, we join our offender in his error, his sin. In the sermon on the mount Jesus told us not to return evil for evil, but to overcome evil with good. Getting even is a natural response to being wronged, but God's way is almost always opposite of my way.

Matthew 5: 38-42 ESV You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 

When we retaliate we take matters out of God’s hands and insist on fixing things ourselves. These commands against retaliation are for individuals, and they should not be applied in matters of law enforcement. When we try to apply Jesus’ words about loving others to matters of national security, they fall apart. Jesus’ followers are to seek to practice every scriptural principle in their personal and family lives. But governments must operate by a different standard. Government was instituted by God for the common good of a people. There are times when a nation must retaliate in order to preserve its freedom and its people, such as the United States’ response to Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. A nation is given permission by God to exercise force and retaliate against other nations in defense of its citizens.

Romans 13:1-2 ESV Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

The believer in Christ is to be guided by Jesus’ words to forgive. We are to be radically different from those who follow the natural response of an eye for an eye!

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Most Americans say the Earth is getting warmer. According to the Pew research center 53% of Americans say global warming is mostly because of human activity, such as burning fossil fuels. Most also view global climate change as serious problem. When it comes to what Americans most often pray for, the environment ranks lower than other topics. Those who pray regularly are more likely to pray for the healing of someone who is sick, for peace on Earth, for the poor or their family’s well-being, than they are to pray for the environment. However one of God's first commands to Adam and Eve was to take care of their environment.

Genesis 1:28 ESV And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 

Another instance of God directing us to care for our environment can be found in Genesis chapter 41. Joseph interpreted a dream God gave the Pharaoh which predicted devastating changes coming to Egypt. He foresaw seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph did not ignore the signs of this coming catastrophe, and Pharaoh was wise enough to heed his warning. He placed Joseph in a position of leadership enabling him to address the situation, and to save many lives in the process. In Leviticus 25, God gives instructions regarding Israel’s agricultural practices to ensure the land would never be permanently ruined.

Leviticus 25: 2-5 ESV Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 

However the greatest climate change that has taken place and is still drastically changing is the climate of morality. What is morality? Who defines right and wrong? This may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but what should be our Christian stance be on abortion? The Canadian Government, recently stated that pro-life groups are not in-line with Canadian Society. They are saying that Canadian society is the standard and that pro-life groups should conform to that standard. The problem with developing a moral code that ignores God is that whatever a group accepts becomes what is right. In the Canadian government’s example, the government says that killing children in the mother’s womb is right. But did Canadian society always agree to this? Prior to 1969 all abortion was illegal in Canada! What changed? The morality of Canadian Society changed. Did it change for the better? Some will argue yes because the mother is free to choose. But is it morally right for a woman to be free to choose to kill? Does the child have a say in this, can we give him or her a choice to live? The problem with this shift in morality is that there are no fixed principles. Biblically, this reminds us of the time of Judges in the Old Testament when the Israelites were not seeking God.

Judges 21:25 ESV In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 

Our social and political climate today is inundated with angry voices that are convinced of their own righteousness and their opponent’s depravity. We are quick to highlight the sins of others and call for their due judgment, all while ignoring the beam in our own eye.

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My wife and I frequently have disagreements. Not argument or fights, but just disagreements about who is right. I often tell her, “I thought I made a mistake once, but I was mistaken.” Joyce usually responds by saying, your not always right Jeff! My attitude at work is, it is only a mistake if someone else knows about it. If I can fix my mistake before someone else is aware, well than it is if it never happened. In Proverbs chapter 3, Solomon tells his son to trust in the Lord. In verse 5 Solomon tells his son to trust the Lord instead of his own understanding, and in verse 7 he says, don't be impressed with your own knowledge.

Proverbs 3:7 NLT Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 

Those who are wise in their own eyes do not fear or trust the Lord. Instead, they think all they need is found within themselves. To be wise in your own eyes means you think, you have it all figured out. You do not listen to advice of others, and you tend to live by the saying “it’s my way or the highway.” Society as a whole believes that it is a good thing to be fully self reliant. I must say that I pride myself in the fact that I pay my own bills, that I am able to meet all my own needs. I have a home that is warm, my kitchen cabinets and my stomach is full. I have gas in my vehicles and for the most part if I need something I just go buy it. I am self-reliant and self-sufficient, I don't need anyone's help. I believe that I have life figured out, But God is not impressed.

Proverbs 28:26 ESV Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. 

Solomon continues by saying it is better to trust the Lord instead of your own understanding. This does not mean we're to act recklessly or without thought. The point is that our intellect, our wisdom is nothing compared to that of God, the one who created us. Human wisdom falls far below God's wisdom. It is infinitely better trust the Lord, and turn your back on evil, your own understanding, than it is to follow, your own ideas. Job did not understand why he was suffering so greatly, but he was convinced that the Lord knew what he was doing. He acknowledged that his only responsibility was to trust in God.

Job 28:28 ESV Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.

Don't be impressed with your own knowledge and abilities. We need to see ourselves as we are, flawed and imperfect. This requires humility, we must realize that we are not as smart as we think we are and recognize that everything we have is from God.

John 1: 1-3 ESV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

God gives wisdom through His Word and through His discipline. “Do not be wise in your own eyes” is not just a rule of etiquette or a personal improvement tip; it is a principle of godliness designed for your own good. Your not as smart as you think you are and believe me God is not impressed with your knowledge, so “Don't Be Impressed with yourself!”

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When I was drag racing I was always looking for something that would get the results I was searching for. And the results I was looking for was going faster and winning races. One year I put together a plan in my mind to go big or go home. My wife didn't understand my plan at all. I began by trading an all steel,full frame race car, that had a beautiful blue job for an all fiberglass, tube chassis car, that was a basket case. When I brought it home there were more pieces in the back of my pickup than were on the car trailer. After I unloaded it I had to ask Joyce to steer the car while I pushed it into the garage. I left home with a car that looked like something you might see at a car show. Then I drove 7 hours one way to Chicago Illinois to bring home what my wife thought looked like a piece of junk, but I could see its potential. I took several months but I did end up getting the results I wanted, a faster race car. So here is my hard question for you. What should be the results of accepting Jesus Christ as your savior? Many people will acknowledge Jesus Christ as a good man, a great teacher, or even a prophet of God. These things are definitely true of Jesus, but they do not fully define who He truly is. The Bible tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh, God in human form.

John 1:14 ESV And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

We all have two lives, one on earth and one in eternity. We die a physical death on earth, but we live an eternal life in Heaven if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. If we do not accept his free gift of eternal life in Heaven, we go to Hell; the Bible is very clear! Jesus said that punishment in hell is just as everlasting as life is in Heaven. 

Matthew 25:46 ESV And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Life on earth is a dress rehearsal as we get ready for eternal life in Heaven. While good works do not get us into Heaven, we will be rewarded in Heaven based upon the good deeds we performed while we were on earth. Galatians chapter 6 tells us, do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap from the flesh, he will reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap from the Spirit, he will reap eternal life. It goes on to say, let us not grow weary of doing good. When someone becomes a Christian, their life should change significantly by experiencing a new sense of purpose, peace, and love. This leads us as Christians to live a more ethical life aligned with Christian values, which include greater love and compassion towards others and a new family of Christian brothers and sisters. You should prioritize your relationship with God and seek to incorporate the teachings from the bible into your daily decisions and actions. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

This doesn’t mean you are never tempted to do wrong or that you will never sin again. However, as you become a more mature Christian you will turn your heart towards God, and you will desire to serve and please God with your life. The results,... will be your life will display the fruits of the Spirit. You life should exhibit greater love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And these are the Results of being a Christian!

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