A Wise Person Seeks Peace and Reconciliation

Have you ever met an angry wise person? Why can’t an angry person be wise? I am writing a series of posts about being wise according to Jesus’s first sermon. In the last post, I explained how a wise person is salt and light in the world. This post will look at the second precept of a wise person; a wise person seeks peace and reconciliation. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus tells us to not murder or be angry and insult a fellow Christian.

Matthew 5:21-22 states, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Liable to judgment means to be accountable or answerable to a judge or court of law. Jesus sees murder and anger as the same. Why? Would you agree a murderer does not value the person they kill? Likewise, an angry person does not value the person they are angry at.

But God got angry.

What is the difference between our sinful anger and God’s righteous anger? God is perfect and has no sin.

Self-centered pride motivates our anger when things don’t go our way. God is slow to anger, which is motivated by love and righteousness. He wants us to obey and not sin by disobeying His righteous laws or worshiping idols. Psalm 86:15 states, “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” King Solomon wrote about being slow to anger in Proverbs.

Proverbs 14:29 – Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:18 – A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 16:32 – Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11 – Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Our sinful anger fuels resentment and hatred, which causes us to seek revenge and punish those who did us wrong. God’s love fuels discipline when we disobey. His discipline is for our good that we may be righteous. Hebrews 12:6 states, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:11 states, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Obey and Pursue Peace

To live in peace with others looks different for each person, but it always involves forgiving offenses. You may not feel like forgiving, but it is an act of obedience to God. Forgiving restores peace by removing resentment and offenses in the heart. If you don’t have peace in your heart, then you won’t be at peace with others. In my post called The Mystery of Wisdom – Part 5, I explain why it is wise to obey God. The Bible says the following about God’s instructions to seek peace. Also, read the peace issues page in my book to learn more.

Romans 12:17-18 states, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Sometimes, it is not possible to live in peace, but we must not repay evil for evil by being offensive in return. 1 Peter 3:11 also says, “Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.” Striving for peace is a sign of holiness. Hebrews 12:14 states, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

We can live in peace with those around us by honoring them. 2 Corinthians 13:11 states, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” A wise person seeks to restore peace in their relationships as they live in peace. When we obey this principle, then the love and peace of God will be with us.

We can live in peace by letting the peace of God rule our hearts. When peace rules our hearts, then anger will not. One way to maintain peace is to be thankful. Colossians 3:15 states, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” When we sow peace in our relationships by being thankful and doing what is right, then we will harvest righteousness. James 3:18 states, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Also, James 1:20 says, “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Those who pursue peace seek reconciliation.

We all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). We will inevitably offend a brother or sister or be offended. When that happens, a wise person seeks reconciliation through apologizing and forgiving.

Matthew 5:23-24 states, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Remember, sin separates us from God, so we need to seek His forgiveness so we can come before God and offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

Who do you need to forgive so you feel peace in your heart?

Who do you need to go and be reconciled with whom you offended?

RELATED POSTS:

How to be Wise

Wisdom Posts

HOW PRIDE DESTROYS

WHY MUST YOU FORGIVE


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How to be Wise

I completed a series of posts on what wisdom is, where it comes from, and what a wise person looks like. If you haven’t read these posts, you can find them in the Mystery of Wisdom Summary post. But how do we apply wisdom? The following Scripture passage is a song that almost everyone knows. Read this passage and guess the song. If you know the song, sing it loud and include the motions if you know them.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” ̶ Matthew 7:24-27.

This passage is the last instruction in Jesus’s first sermon. Since Jesus is God’s son and is God. Colossians 1:19-20 states, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Jesus taught in His first sermon what He expects of us if we were to follow Him and be wise.

Building on a rock gives your house a solid foundation. The house is our spiritual life, and the rock is Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3:11 states, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” You can obey Jesus’s instructions and build your spiritual lives on His truths, or you can ignore His instructions and build your life on the sands of human opinions, unhealthy beliefs, and worldly wisdom. The storms of life will expose what you built your life on.

Jesus says a lot of hard-to-do instructions in this sermon, but know that He is with you and will help you when you humbly call on His name. Many of the difficult instructions relate to our pride and our need for God to give us a new heart. We will learn more about each instruction in subsequent posts. Let us review Jesus’s instructions in His first sermon in Matthew chapters 5-7.

5:1-12  ̶  Jesus begins with nine blessings for the following conditions:

a) the poor in spirit;

b) those who mourn;

c) the gentle;

d) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness;

e) the merciful;

f) the pure in heart;

g) the peacemakers;

h) those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness;

i) those who are insulted, persecuted, and falsely accused because of Jesus.

5:13-20 – We are to be the salt and light for the world by showing our faith by our good works and giving glory to our Father in heaven.

5:21-26 – Do not murder or be angry and insult a fellow Christian; instead, be reconciled to them.

5:27-32 – Do not lust because even if you have a lustful intent toward someone, you have committed adultery. Remove whatever is causing you to lust, such as the internet, books, movies, etc., and avoid places that tempt you to lust. Because of our lust, we are tempted to commit adultery, leading to divorce, though Jesus discourages divorce.

5:33-37 – Do not take oaths. Let your “yes” be yes, and your “no” be no.

5:38-42 – Do not retaliate. Give to those who ask.

5:43-48 – Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so as sons of God, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This sounds impossible, but with God’s divine power in us, we can be perfect if we obey God’s laws. See 2Peter 1:3-12

6:1-4 – Do not practice your righteousness to be noticed by others. Don’t let people see you giving to the needy.

6:5-15 – Pray to your Father in heaven and forgive anyone who has sinned against you, just as your father in heaven has forgiven you.

6:16-18 – Do not fast to be noticed by others.

6:19-24 – Serve God, not money. Do not focus on money and metaphorically blind your eyes.

6:25-34 – Do not be anxious (concerned) about anything but seek first God’s kingdom.

7:1-6 – Don’t judge, but first remove the log from your own eye.

7:7-11 – Ask, seek, and knock through prayer and expect answers.

7:12 – Treat others as you would have them treat you.

7:13-14 – Enter by the narrow gate and not by the wide gate that leads to destruction.

7:15-20 – Recognize false teachers by their fruit and avoid them.

7:21-23 – Do your heavenly Father’s will.

7:24-27 – Do all that I have instructed you and you will be wise.

Most importantly, do you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, then love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:36-40 and Luke 10:27)?

May God bless you richly as you obey Him.

What Kind of Heart do You Have?

Do you have a heart that desires to fear God and keep His commandments? I have been pondering the following scripture and wondered if I had a heart that wanted to fear God and keep His commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:29 (ESV) states, “Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” (NKJV) states, “Oh that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (NIV) “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all My commands always…”

How do you know your heart?

The first step to finding out what kind of heart you have is to ask God to show you but be ready to hear the answer. Psalm 139:23-24 states, “Search me, Oh God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Also, Jeremiah 17:9-10 states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick [wicked; KJV]; who can understand [know] it? 10’I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.’” 

What does it mean to have a heart that fears God?

The fear of the Lord is to have deep respect, love, and awe which we demonstrate in our obedience to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:2, 10:12; 1 Samuel 12:14). The following verses describe how we are to fear God and in fact is the demonstration that you do have a heart that fear’s God:

Do you Praise Him always? You who fear the Lord, praise Him! …glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, … ̶̶ Psalms 22:23

Do you faithfully serve Him? Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you. ̶ 1 Samuel 12:24

Do you turn from evil and desire to do what is right? Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8) It will be healing to your flesh (body; NAS) and refreshment to your bones. ̶ Proverbs 3:7-8

Do you hate evil, pride, and disobedience? The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. ̶ Proverbs 8:13 (Froward means not willing to yield or comply with what is required or is reasonable; perverse; or disobedient.)

Do you have a submissive, humble heart? Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity (the pit). ̶ Proverbs 28:14

Do you trust the Lord? You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. ̶ Psalms 115:11

Why Should We Fear God and Keep His Commandments?

The Bible tells us that if we do fear God and keep His commandments that things/life might go well for us and for our children. Do you want that for your life? This does not mean that you will not have to go through trials to strengthen your faith and patience. Or suffer troubles because of the sinful world we live in, but life will go well in general. You will have peace and joy despite your circumstances. The following are five reasons why fearing God benefits us.

1.  God’s angel protects you, and you will be blessed and lack nothing. Psalms 34:7-9 states, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!

2.  God will help you and shield you from all harm. Psalm 115:11 states, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.” Proverbs 19:23The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

3.  You will have confidence and you will feel safe. Proverb 14:26 states, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.

4.  You will have wisdom and know what to do. Psalms 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” See my post about why the fear of the Lord gives wisdom. THE MYSTERY OF WISDOM—PART 2

5.  You will have a long life. Proverbs 10:27The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

Why don’t Christians fear God and Obey Him?

This question is a hard question but after pondering it for several days, I think the parable of the soils explains it well. Let’s look at Jesus’s explanation of this parable in Matthew 13:18-23. Where is your heart in this parable?

vs18  “Hear then the parable of the sower

vs19  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path

vs20  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

vs22  As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful

Vs 23  As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Four Heart Conditions. What kind of heart do you have?

1) Prideful heart: A person who lacks understanding and is a fool. This person is more interested in being self-centered and following the desires of their flesh.

2) Cluttered heart: This person believes but doesn’t do the hard work to remove the rocks of offenses by forgiving and repenting of the sins in their heart. So that when the hard times and persecution come, they don’t have the depth of faith to endure and overcome.

3) Distracted heart: This person knows the truth but is distracted by all they must do or want to do in the world that they don’t have time for God and kingdom living. Or they are distracted by materialism, and they become focused on acquiring wealth instead of obeying God.

4) Fruitful heart: This person understands and believes the truth. They desire to obey God and fear Him by repenting of sin and self-centered pride; putting off their old, sinful nature and putting on a new, regenerated self; forgiving offenses; and setting their minds on God to love and serve Him instead of being distracted by the concerns and materialism of this world.

Conclusion:

What kind of heart do you have? Even if you have a hard, cluttered, or distracted heart, you can change it with God’s help. You can break a hard heart by breaking up the hard ground using God’s Word and seeking God to remove your pride and sinful nature. You can restore a cluttered heart by forgiving all offenses and repenting of all sins. You can refocus a distracted heart by putting off the desires of the world and desire instead to worship, love, and serve God only. The only motivation necessary to have a fruitful heart is a desire to fear God and obey His commands. Do you want the benefits of fearing God or the destruction of your self-centered, sinful desires, worry, and greed?

At the end of King Solomon’s life, he said in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14) For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” King Solomon did not always fear God or keep God’s commandments because he married foreign wives who distracted him and led him to worship their foreign gods. In the end, King Solomon realized his error. Where is your heart? I would love to hear your thoughts, please leave a comment.

RELATED POSTS:

What Is Required to Stand Before God?

How to Embrace the Challenge of Change with Grace

Bondage to Unseen Controls

Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without

What Controls Your Thoughts?

Identify and Replace False Beliefs

TRUST Leads to PEACE


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Prison Ministry Report 4

People are messy, but God is good and loves these girls. A few believe they are innocent and didn’t do wrong, some know they did wrong and want the judge to have mercy. Surprisingly some did wrong to get into jail so they can get the help they need. I will be writing about two meetings in this report.

Last Friday, we had three returning girls and three new girls. The new girls had a lot to say, but one was upset and wanted to tell her story. She believes she is innocent. Sandy taught on John 14:6a, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” She began in Haggai 2:4-9 and said that God was going to do something good, even great in our lives. Then she had us look up Scriptures about “the way” and what is the wrong way versus the good way. We are to seek the truth found in God’s Word. Find life in Him and how we should live and how the Holy Spirit helps us. At the end of our time, I asked if there was anything in particular that the girls wanted to learn, and they said forgiveness. That is a hard topic to teach incarcerated women.

This past Friday, I shared about forgiveness, and I did not get past the first page of notes out of five pages. We had four returning girls and three new girls. One of the new girls was the daughter of a pastor who rebelled and got into trouble, she seemed to accept being in jail, and wants to get right with God. One new girl broke down crying and left in the middle of the Bible Study. She can’t believe God forgives her and she can’t be forgiven because she killed someone and is facing life in prison and is 23 years old. She has been in prison since she was 20, so very sad. Please pray for her, she goes by Smalls (jail name). She did not want to share what happened because she doesn’t want it to get back to the block about what she did, and she threatened violence if anyone said anything to anyone back in the block. Then Tracy breaks down about Smalls’s situation because she is so young. I told you that teaching forgiveness is hard to do but so very important. Satan does not want us to receive forgiveness nor forgive others. Lord willing, I will teach on that next week. Sandy is going to first share how much God loves them, which is why He forgives them. Love is a hard concept for these girls to grasp as well.

I finally was able to move on to talk about the five reasons why we should forgive then MJ (another jail name) broke down crying because she is concerned that other girls are being abused like she was by a past boyfriend but no one believes her. We had to leave early because the correction facility went into lockdown and the inmates are to be in their cells. So, we couldn’t continue to minister to MJ, please pray for her, she has such a tender caring heart. The following is what I was able to share with these precious girls.


What the Bible Says About Forgiveness

God forgives us: 1John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We must forgive others: Colossians. 3: 13 states, “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” And Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. ―Ephesians 4:32

Perhaps the greatest demonstration of supernatural forgiveness in all of history is when Jesus prayed to His Father as He hung on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all of mankind, “Forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Share the salvation message with the girls.

Often, we need to forgive ourselves: After receiving God’s forgiveness and forgiving others, you may have guilt for the wrong you did towards God and others, which is why forgiving yourself for the sins you committed, will release the guilt you feel. The following passage is an example. 1Corinthians 6:17-20 states, “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.18Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”


Why Forgive- 5 reasons

  • Forgiving releases us from the bondage of being offended and from resentment toward the person who offended us.
  • Forgiving helps us not to focus on that hurtful issue so we can love others as Christ does.
  • Forgiveness is essential for healing because it releases us from the power and control of a wrongful action or offense.
  • Forgiving someone does not excuse their wrong actions but sets us free to heal and move on.
  • Forgiveness releases bitterness from your heart and eliminates your desire to judge and punish those who hurt you. When you forgive someone’s sin, it begins healing the wounds from the painful memory.

Thank you for your prayers.

Joyce


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Prison Ministry Report 3

Today’s Scripture is James 4:7, “Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” This verse gives the inmates hope to overcome their destructive thoughts and live a successful Christian life and overcome temptations. You submit to God by letting Him control your thoughts and actions. Our sinful nature and the devil will put tempting thoughts into our minds and entice us to sin, at this point put those thoughts out of your mind in Jesus’ name and focus on truth from God’s word or just pray for God’s help and mercy to resist the devil and sinning. The more you practice this, the quicker you will submit to God and not to the devil. In 1Timothy 4:7, it tells us to train ourselves for godliness, that is to train our minds to think godly thoughts, not sinful thoughts.

The women’s Bible study was canceled this week, so Sandy and I went to the men’s Bible Study, which was very enlightening. In the prison system, several blocks (A, B, and C) house different types of inmates. The women’s Block B was locked down for covid, so our women from block A had to work in the kitchen. Our husbands lead the men’s Bible study, and they were surprised when we walked in. I did not know what to expect. Usually, they have a large group, but they only had three because only one block can attend at a time to prevent covid spread. The men do their Bible study according to the questions the inmates have, so you need to know your Bible well.

Pres started with a question in Luke 12:54-56, “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Jim (Sandy’s husband) referenced the fact that Jesus “also said” at the beginning of the Scripture, so he suggested reading from the beginning of the chapter to get the context of the scripture. The verses prior to the above verses referenced the coming of the Holy Spirit by fire and baptism, which Gary (my husband) led us to read in Acts 2 about the Holy Spirit. The Bible study went from Scripture to Scripture as the Spirit led to answer questions the inmates had. To do this kind of Bible Study you really need to know your Bible. Sandy and I like to prepare a Bible Study to encourage the women in their relationship with Jesus but leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead or change our plans. Like He did last Friday night.

Pres commented about another Scripture referring to us as sheep, which led to another Bible discussion. My husband spoke about the passage in Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely he [Jesus] has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Then Pres asked what iniquity and transgressions meant. Sandy explained them as a progression of deeper sinful behavior but how Jesus bore them all on the cross and forgives us, but Satan will cause us to doubt. I added James 4:7 that when we submit our minds to God and resist the devil, our thoughts won’t be influenced by the devil, which led to another discussion about resisting temptations. It was an interesting Bible study. Please pray for the inmates. Pres, who desires to grow in his faith. Chris opened up and shared the self-denigrating thoughts he has about himself for the things he did and still does, and how his depression led him to commit crimes. Please pray for John and his wife as they work through the current situation with him being in jail.

RELATED POSTS:

How To Train To Be Godly?

Posts About Godliness


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

I have written Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Mystery of Wisdom Summary

How much do you know about wisdom? To know if you are wise, see if you can answer the following questions? Click the link for a reminder.

___ What are the five differences between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom? See Part 1.

___ What are the nine benefits of fearing God and how do they relate to wisdom? See Part 2.

___ Where do you get wisdom, or do you rely on your understanding? Why? See Part 3.

___ List the six ways a person can be foolish or wise. See Part 4.

___ What are the seventeen instructions from Jesus that increase your wisdom? See Part 5.

___ What are the seven ways to cultivate wisdom in your life? See Part 6.

___ What are the five benefits of having wisdom? See Part 7.

___ Can you list 10 out of 32 attributes of a wise person? See Part 8.


How did you do on this quiz? I pray you have a better understanding of what wisdom is, how to get it, how to cultivate it, and who keeps wisdom. I wrote this series of posts to learn what wisdom was and to recognize my false beliefs about wisdom. We learned a lot about wisdom, but how do we apply it? In the next series of posts, I will expose harmful beliefs that lead to unwise decisions.


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Who shows wisdom? – Part 8

Would you agree that knowing about wisdom and having understanding does not mean you are wise at making good decisions? Do you want to exercise wisdom through what you say and do? Can someone testify that you are wise in what you say or do? King Solomon was known to be the wisest man ever to live. He wanted wisdom more than riches. Why? He asked God for wisdom. Are you asking God for wisdom? 1Kings 10:24 states, “And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.”

Have you read the other posts about wisdom to know if you are wise? Wisdom only comes from God, and it begins when you fear God by turning from evil and doing what is right. James 3:13 explains that a wise person is humble and does good towards others, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness [humility] of wisdom.” Also, Ecclesiastes 8:1 states, “Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.”

Can you say you have the following attributes of a wise person?

1.  Do you have understanding? A wise person shows wisdom through understanding. Do you try to understand another person’s circumstances? Do you know the Word of God? Do you understand how you should conduct your life in the fear of God? Do you have the common sense that comes from obeying the commands of God?

Proverbs 14:33; Wisdom rests in a man’s heart of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

Proverbs 10:13; On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

Proverbs 10:23; Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

Proverbs 14:6; A scoffer[mocker] seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.

Proverbs 15:33; The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

2.  Are you humble? A wise person is humble, which is evident in how they speak. Humility shows strength in being self-controlled and not thinking of yourself more highly than another person (Rom. 12:3 and Phil 2:3). A wise and humble person does what is right and does not brag, nor are they arrogant.

Proverbs 10:31; The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

Why do the righteous, which are those who have Christ Jesus in their hearts (1Jn 2:29), speak wisdom?

Proverbs 11:2; When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

3.  Do you show good judgment in choosing the right thing to do? A fool cannot grasp the right thing to do. A wise person also listens to wise advice to make the right decision.

Proverbs 10:8; The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Proverbs 12:15; The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 17:24; The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

Colossians 4:5; Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

How do you walk in wisdom to make the best use of your time?

4.   Do you obey God? A wise person reads the words of God and does what God commands. They do what God commands and tells others about God’s instructions on living a life of wisdom.

Proverbs 9:9; Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

Colossians 3:16a; Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.

How do you let the Word of God dwell in you?

Matthew 7:24, Jesus says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Why is building on the rock significant?

Wise person and a foolish person comparison, which side are you on?

Proverbs 9:8; Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. (Do you get upset when someone corrects you, or do you thank them?)

Proverbs 12:16; The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.

Proverbs 14:3; By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

Proverbs 14:7; Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.

Proverbs 14:16; One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

Proverbs 15:20; A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 17:28; Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Proverbs 18:2; A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18:7; A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Proverbs 20:3; It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Proverbs 21:20; Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

Proverbs 23:9; Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

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

Proverbs 29:9; If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

Proverbs 29:11; A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Ecclesiastes 10:2; A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.

Conclusion

Wisdom only comes from God, so seek Him to have the spirit of wisdom. The Bible refers to wisdom as a feminine spirit. Proverbs 8:11 states, “For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.” Do you desire wisdom more than anything else? Do you desire the spirit of wisdom and understanding to rest on you? Isaiah 11:2 explains, “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” Can you say you have the spirit of wisdom, or do you act like a fool?

RELATED POST:

Wise Thoughts vs. Foolish Thoughts


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my first book called, Fighting Unseen Battles, on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name so I know you are a real person making the request.

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 7

So why is wisdom more important than gold and riches? What are the benefits of having wisdom? For advertisers to get us to buy their product, they must show how it will benefit us. In this post, I will share Scripture passages written by King Solomon, the wisest and richest man to ever live, that show wisdom’s benefits. So far, we learned in the past six posts:

Part 1: Overview and the difference between godly and worldly wisdom.

Part 2: Wisdom begins with fearing God and what that means.

Part 3: Where we get wisdom.

Part 4: Those who get wisdom.

Part 5: Why a person or nation is considered wise when they obey God.

Part 6: How to cultivate wisdom.

First benefit: Wisdom will add years to your life.

Who doesn’t want years added to their life? When we follow sound wisdom, we will know the right path to avoid pitfalls and setbacks. Proverbs 4:10-14 states, “Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. 11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. 13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.” Entering the path of the wicked and walking in evil looks different for each person. When I think of evil paths, I think of drugs and alcohol, which have destroyed many lives.  I have worked with many inmates, and I have a son whose life has been destroyed by drugs and alcohol. I taught him to follow Jesus and to fear God. He knew how harmful drugs and alcohol were, yet he foolishly pursued this destructive path and did not keep hold of wise instructions. Life is not going well for him or the inmates I have worked with. A sinful path could be committing crimes, lying, gambling, adultery, idolatry, and so on.

Second benefit: You will have hope.

When you make wise choices, you will have hope, expecting something good to happen. Proverbs 24:14 states, “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” For example, if you wisely save or invest your money and don’t spend every penny on foolish desires, then you will have hope for a comfortable retirement, and so on. Also, when you do not walk in wisdom, you will walk in wickedness, which destroys your future. Jeremiah 29:11-13 states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” The key to wisdom is to seek God and trust Him by obeying Him.

Third benefit: You will be delivered from trouble.

The kinds of troubles we will be delivered from vary from person to person. I was delivered from a life of pain and suffering by making wise choices in what I ate. Because I wisely tithe and live on a budget, I am delivered from the stress of not being able to pay my insurance or heating bills when they come due. Proverbs 28:26 states, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” Proverbs 3:5-10 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil [sin, wickedness]. 8It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. 9Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Tithing is wise, because when you invest in the kingdom of God, then God will give back to you . Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” When I was a single mother living on a seamstress income, I still tithed, and God always provided all I needed.

Fourth benefit: Your life will be preserved.

This next verse was also written by King Solomon, the wisest and richest man. He writes in Ecclesiastes 7:12, “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” Growing in the knowledge of truth leads to wisdom. How does wisdom preserve your life? When you preserve something, you protect it from going bad. Wisdom preserves your life by instructing your mind to make the right choices, such as not getting drunk, not having an affair, not stealing, not lying, and so on.

The following is an example of how I preserved my life by changing my diet. Like my mother and her family, I had degenerative joint disease (DJD). My mother had five back surgeries, shoulder surgery, and needed hip surgery. In my thirties, I began having severe back and joint problems, so I asked God to give me the wisdom to know what I needed to do to avoid being crippled like my mother. He showed me that it was the food I was eating. I read books and went to nutrition classes to increase my knowledge. I learned that certain foods (e.g., wheat and corn) have lectins (type of protein) that cause inflammation and degeneration. I gave up eating those foods and substituted them with foods that did not have those lectins. I am now in my sixties and just completed hiking the Mid-State Trail from Maryland to New York, which was a moderate to hard hike. So, I have no joint problems if I avoid wheat and corn products. I also learned that wheat and corn also contribute to dementia. My mother has dementia, and her mother had dementia, which I don’t want. A wise person will avoid the things that harm their health so they can add years to their life and preserve it. You can read more about this change in my post called Sick and Tired? Change Your Destiny! Be Free From the Infirmity Stronghold.

Fifth benefit: You will succeed.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 states, “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.” This verse says it all. It does not pay to be intelligent if you are not wise in knowing how to use your God-given intelligence. You may know how to do something and why, but wisdom directs you to take the right actions so you succeed. Are there relationships in your life that are failing? Are you failing at your job? If circumstances are not going well for you, ask God to give you the wisdom and understanding to know the right path to success, then obey how He instructs you. My website and the online book will help you grow in wisdom so you can succeed.


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my first book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 6

Have you ever planted a garden but weren’t motivated to weed and water your garden? What happens? Your heart is the garden, and you plant truth and wisdom from God’s Word into your heart. Fearing God and obeying His commands is the beginning of wisdom. Let’s say you fear God and obey Him and pray for wisdom, but what do you do to cultivate that wisdom, so it grows in your life and produces fruit?

Review of the two types of wisdom.

There are two kinds of wisdom; which one are you cultivating? We learned in part 3 that worldly wisdom comes from experience but is biased. It is often jealous of others and selfishly wants what they have (James 3:14-16). God gives godly wisdom. What is godly wisdom? James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” Therefore, a person who seeks to be wise is also at peace with themselves and those around them. So, strive to be humble, gentle, and sincerely open to reason and other people’s ideas and desires. I can only imagine what the world would be like if everyone would get rid of their self-centered pride and arrogance, then humbly value others as more important than themselves (Romans 12:3). A wise person is humble and seeks to do good for others (James 3:13).

How do we cultivate the wisdom God gives us?

I found seven ways we can stay motivated to cultivate wisdom, knowledge of God’s truths, and insight in our lives. As I have been studying wisdom, I realize that we need to desire wisdom, knowledge, and insight (understanding) more than anything else. I learned that wisdom keeps us on the path of righteousness and protects us from evil. I also realize that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding must be cultivated every day.

1. You need to delight in growing God’s truth in your heart by desiring to learn the wise truths of God found in the Bible. Psalm 51:6 states, “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”

2. Know that life is short, so seek to be wise with every day God gives you. Psalm 90:12 states, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

3. Do not forget to seek the Bible’s wisdom daily. Love wisdom more than gold and silver. When you get wisdom, you also get the knowledge and insight of truth to make the right decisions. According to dictionary.com (2022), insight is penetrating mental vision or discernment and the ability to see into inner character or underlying truth. Wisdom will guard your mind and your life. Proverbs 4:5-6 states, “Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.” And Proverbs 4:7-9 states, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. 8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” 

4. Be prudent, and you will have wisdom. Dictionary.com (2022) says that prudence is being cautious about practical matters, using discretion, and being frugal (careful). Someone who is prudent does not make rash decisions. Proverbs 8:12 states, “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.” Discretion is the quality of being discreet (careful, restrained), especially concerning one’s choice of actions or speech.

5. Seek and take godly advice to build wisdom in your life. Proverbs 13:10 states, “By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.” And Proverbs 19:20 states, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

6. Discernment is recognizing what is true and correct, which eliminates unhealthy beliefs to increase wisdom, so you know the right decision to make. Proverbs 14:8 states, “The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.”

7. Discipline gives you the power to grow in wisdom, knowledge of God, and understand the truth by removing sinful and foolish thinking. Proverbs 29:15 states, “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” God also reproves us when we are not wise but act on our foolish thinking. Hebrews 12:6-11 tells us, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. 7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children, not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” The goal of discipline is to be holy, which means to be set apart to bring glory to God. When we act on sinful and foolish thinking, we don’t bring God glory, so He lovingly disciplines us. The discipline of God also teaches us to be wise so we make the right choices.

Conclusion:

If you desire free, organic fruits and vegetables, you need to grow them yourself. Sure, you can go to the farmer’s market or the grocery store to get fruits and vegetables, but they will cost a lot. In the same way, you can go to church to learn about wisdom and get some wisdom, but the wisdom you get when you dig into the Word of God will be a more significant benefit. Just as a garden needs to be prudently weeded and diligently watered to produce a harvest. So, our hearts need to be kept free of sinful, foolish thoughts and filled with God’s truths, so we produce a crop of wisdom. You also need to discern when you have an insect problem and know what organic pesticide you need to kill the harmful insects destroying your plants. So, you need discernment to know when you have an unhealthy belief and what truth will eliminate it. Taking advice is like putting fertilizer on your garden, so your plants grow better and produce more.

I pray you are blessed and grow in all knowledge, insight, and discernment.

RELATED POSTS:

The Mystery of Wisdom-Overview

THE MYSTERY OF WISDOM—PART 2

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 3

The Mystery of Wisdom –Part 4

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 5


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 5

Have you ever played a game where the rules kept changing? How much chaos did that create? Did you think it was fair when another person changed the rules to give them an advantage? God is just, so He values regulations and laws. Without laws, there is chaos, and people will follow their self-centered, sinful nature to do all manner of evil. In the last post, we learned that those who seek to do what is right and please God show that they have wisdom and understanding.

A nation that is not governed by laws will dissolve into chaos. The evidence can be seen in the cities that let criminals run free to do whatever their sinful hearts directed them to do. What makes a nation great? What is the difference between a wise leader and a foolish one? How can you tell if a person is wise or foolish?

What Makes a Nation Great?

In Deuteronomy 4:5-9, Moses teaches the Israelites the following.

5See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

6Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes [laws], will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

9“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”

Summary of a Great Nation and People Who Are Considered Wise.

1. The leaders and the people obey God’s rules.

2. Having a God who is near when they call upon Him.

3. A nation and people who value the righteous laws established by God.

4. People and leaders who don’t forget God and all He has done.

Why America is Not a Great Nation:

Right now, there is a massive push by those deceived by the devil to remove all references to God from every part of our country. Prayer was removed from the school. Then killing children became legal. The schools stopped teaching the Christian foundation and heritage of our country. The Ten Commandments were removed from courthouses and other places. Many people are not saying the pledge of allegiance because it acknowledges God. We are to say “Happy Holidays” because Merry Christmas references Jesus Christ’s birth. Foolish people want to take the words “In God we Trust” off our money. Idolatry is rampant, even in the church. If a nation is considered great when they obey God, what happens to the country that removes God and lives sinful, self-centered lives?

New Testament Obedience

Moses was God’s spokesman for the emerging Jewish nation. The New Testament Christian is not bound to the Laws given to the Jewish nation though the 10 Commandments still apply to us. God gave laws so everyone lived by the same rules, and there was order, not chaos. The principle of obedience still applies. So, what rules are the New Testament Christians required to obey? Let us see what Jesus, our spokesman, said to do in His first sermon in Matthew chapters 5-7.

1. We are to be the salt and light for the world by doing good works and giving glory to our Father in heaven (5:17-20).

2. Do not be angry and insult a fellow Christian; instead, be reconciled to them (5:21-26).

3. Do not lust because even if you have a lustful intent toward someone, you have committed adultery. Whatever is causing you to lust, remove it, such as the internet, books, movies, etc. and avoid places that tempt you to lust (5:27-30).

4. Do not take oaths. Let your “yes” be yes, and your “no” be no (5:33-37).

5. Do not retaliate (5:38-42). Matthew 5:42 states, “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

6. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so as sons of God, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:43-48). This sounds impossible but with God’s divine power in us, we can be perfect if we obey God’s laws.

7. Don’t let people see you giving to the needy. Matthew 6:1 states, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

8. Pray to your Father in heaven and forgive anyone who has sinned against you just as your father in heaven has forgiven you (6:5-15).

9. Serve God, not money (6:19-24). Matthew 6:24 states, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

10. Do not be anxious (6:25-34). Matthew 6:33-34 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

11. Don’t judge (7:1-6).

12. Ask, seek, and knock through prayer (7:7-11).

13. Practice the golden rule (7:12-14). Matthew 7:14 states, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

14. Recognize false teachers by their fruit and avoid them (7:15-20).

15. Do your heavenly Father’s will (7:21-23). Matthew 7:21 states, “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.”

16. Do what the Word of God says to do (7:24-27). Matthew 7:24 states, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Most importantly, you are to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, then love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:36-40 and Luke 10:27). Do you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind? Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Are you morally upright and call upon God? Do you obey God’s commands to show yourself wise and understanding to those around you?

Conclusion

Playing a game by the rules makes the game fun, and everyone knows what to expect. The Christian life is rewarding if we live by God’s rules established in the Bible. We learned that following God’s laws makes a nation great. Jesus gave us some standard rules or practices in His first sermon. The Apostle Paul wrote letters to the new churches, instructing them how to conduct themselves toward those outside the church and toward each other in the church. If you haven’t read the New Testament yet, please do that and note the rules the Apostle Paul lays out for the new and mature believers.

Related Posts

The Mystery of Wisdom-Overview

THE MYSTERY OF WISDOM—PART 2

The Mystery of Wisdom—Part 3

The Mystery of Wisdom –Part 4


All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my first book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.