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BS 53 - Proverbs 9:9

Proverbs 9:9 “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Taking instruction. When I think I got everything down or I know what I’m doing, it’s hard for me to take instruction. I get upset because I don’t want to be told how to do something if I already know how to do it. I don’t like being told that I don’t do something well enough if I know what I’m doing. But that’s not being wise. There is always room for improvement, so I shouldn’t get upset when someone is trying to help me out.  Also, I want to be wise. I pray for wisdom. And wise people don’t get upset when someone is trying to help them. “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser.” When I’m instructed, it’s shaping me into being wise. I’m not very wise yet, but if I keep this new attitude of accepting instruction with an open mind and good heart, then I’ll become wise. I need to continue submitting to authority and take instruction and hold on to it. P...

IBS 52 - Luke 2:46

Luke 2:46 “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” This is Jesus they’re talking about. He’s asking questions and listening to the teachers there. Jesus, the person that was sent from Heaven who knows all things, was sitting submissively to these teachers and absorbing the information they told him. Jesus who was sent to die for every person was asking these teachers questions. Jesus. Jesus did it first. If Jesus did it, then why shouldn’t I? I can submissively sit under teachers and learn from them. I can absorb all the information that is taught to me. I can ask questions and listen.  I can do all that, but I used to not. I didn’t want to sit and listen or ask questions. I wanted to go out and do the things I wanted to do. I didn’t want to take the time to learn. But this isn’t right. I should’ve wanted to sit and learn. I should’ve wanted to be a sponge, sucking in all that was bei...

IBS 50 - 1 Timothy 4:8

1 Timothy 4:8 “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” Almost everyone is obsessed with looking thin and fit. They spend so much time counting calories and going to the gym. They become devoted to looking good. Spending so much money to get surgery to “enhance” their physical appearance. But it is all of little value. It’s not going to be eternal. It’s not going to fulfill their hearts. Obviously, it’s good to eat healthy and keep up with other health things, that’s why the verse says it has some value. But, like I just said, it’s not going to be eternal.  On the other side of the coin, godliness has eternal value. If everyone put as much money into their faith as they do in looking good, Christianity and peoples relationship with God would be amazing. Devoting your life to Christ, following Him, and obeying His word promises the present life and the life to come. But...

IBS 51 - Mark 4:10-11

Mark 4:10-11 “When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables.” The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. Given; I didn’t have to do anything to receive that, except for believing faithfully in Christ. He paid the price and suffered and gave me a way to Heaven. Christ took horrible beatings, lashes, and a gruesome death on the torturous cross so that I could know the secret. So that the Kingdom of God would be open to me. I didn’t do anything to deserve that, yet the love He has for me made it all worth it to Him. His love is stronger then any other love out there. I don’t have to earn it or work for it, it is given.  He made it clear to me, the secret, when I believed. And the stronger my belief gets the clearer the secret gets. When my faith was weak and I didn’t have much of a relationship...

IBS 49 - Psalm 119/Mark 1:35

Psalm 119:11/Mark 1:35 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Doing devotions is such an important thing to do. It doesn’t matter when you do them, as long as you take time out of your day to spend with your creator. Hiding the word in your heart. I love doing my devotions in the morning. Waking up and hanging out with my Father before anything else takes place in the day. It puts me in the right mood and makes the whole day better. Because what could be better then starting the day off with your first love?  A lot of times we get to busy to do our devotions. We have busy schedules; groceries to shop for, houses to run, jobs to do, etc. We are busy people. But that’s when we have to gain that discipline to get up early or stay up late and be dedicated to spend time with our God. Jesus sets the example her...

IBS 48 - 1 Peter 4:7

1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” Praying is so important. It’s communicating to God. It keeps us connected to Him, close to His heart. He loves it when we talk to Him. He listens to what we are saying and He always answers in His timing. He won’t always answer in the way we want Him too or when we want Him too. But He will. And when we pray, we must listen as well. He’s got things He wants to tell us, we just have to stop talking and listen.  Prayer is our most powerful weapon. We should probably use it more. Prayer, talking to God, helps us keep the devil out of our heart. When this verse says to be alert and of sober mind so that we can pray, that’s very important to listen too. Speaking to God and being in communication with Him protects us. It keeps us aware and helps us discern things. It keeps us from making stupid decisions. When we aren’t alert and aren’t of sober mind then we can fall so easi...

IBS 47 - 2 Samuel 11:11-13

2 Samuel 11:11-13 “Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” Then David said to him, “stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.” Uriah, knowing that his army people are sleeping in tents and such, wanted to respect them by not enjoying the things they couldn’t have. That takes great discipline. Especially with him getting drunk, he still slept out on his mat. If I were in his position, I would definitely go and eat. Having that respect for his people is praiseworthy. This man knew both self discipline and respe...