Hi friends, How are you? Last week, we started delving into Psalms 13. If you haven’t read the ponderings about Psalms 13:1, you may want to do so now. I hope you are enjoying it. The psalm starts out as a sad one. As I mentioned in the last blog post though, we aren’t sure whether this psalm is based on a particular situation in David’s life or something written to glorify God and to help others. Regardless of when or why it was written, I do believe the psalm, like the entire Bible, glorifies God and helps others. What do You do When You Feel Sad and Alone for Extended Periods of Time?:
Let’s set the stage or feeling for Psalms 13:2 in our own minds. We have all had times of sadness. We may have even had sadness for extended periods of time. You may have felt this as well. Think back a little. What do you do when you are feeling sad and alone? What do you do when you feel like you are the only one going through a difficult time? What do you do when you feel like nobody cares or nobody will help you? What do you do when you feel like God is distant and not answering your prayers?
Have you ever had a time when you felt nobody, not even God was going to help you get out of a difficult and sorrowful situation? Have you ever sort of told yourself that you better start figuring it out, because nobody was going to help you? What is your first reaction when you are in a bind? Do you start thinking about all the “what ifs” or “should I” options? You know how it goes. “What if I do this? What if that happens? Maybe I should do this. No. Maybe I should do that. I don’t know what to do, but I better figure it out soon.” Sound familiar? Psalms 13:2 is depicting these sorts of feelings and thoughts. What is David Saying in Psalms 13:2?
So, what is David really saying in Psalms 13:2? It may be easier to think about if we think about David actually going through these thoughts and feelings at the time. What ever the situation may be, the first question is, “How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?” (KJV)
That is probably not how we would say it today. So, let’s take it slow and figure out what David is saying. If he is talking about having “sorrow in my heart daily”, then we can imagine that it is something that he has been feeling or going through for a while. What about the first part of this question, when David says, “How long shall I take counsel in my soul…”? What does that mean? Let’s think about what we are doing when we seek counseling or advice from someone. We are trying to find answers, get ideas, and get help in our situation. If you “take counsel” in your own “soul” that is trying to find answers, get ideas, and get help within ourselves. We are trying to figure out our own problems. If this psalm is based on a real life situation David was going through, we see in the second question of the verse the type of situation struggled through that led to writing this psalm. It was one involving an enemy. This second question in Psalms 13:2 (KJV) reads, “How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” We don’t know which particular enemy David was talking about or if there was one particular enemy. God may have put these words in David’s heart because he had many enemies and wanted to help him and others through difficult situations. We do know that David had many enemies. He fought many wars. He had surrounding nations that were enemies. He had friends and even family members turn into enemies. Sometimes David was even his own worst enemy. It sounds to me that in David’s mind, at least, the “bad guy” is getting all the breaks and is being treated as the “good guy” and he who is the “good guy” isn’t getting any of the breaks and is being treated as the “bad guy”. Did you follow that? Sometimes in life, the ones who try to do the right things get looked down upon. Maybe they get beat out by people who cheat or get accused of a wrong that someone else has done. The person in the wrong, the winner who cheated or the one who “got away with something” sometimes gets praised for their cunning successes even if they were wrong and unfair. God’s Word:
So, what is our biblical take away for Psalms 13:2? What lessons can we learn and hope can we find in these words? What should we think about and pray about based on Psalms 13:2? One of the first questions I find to ask about Psalms 13:2 is, “Is it really such a good idea to try to figure out our own solutions?” The world might praise those who are independent, go-getters who solve their own problems. However, we are not really called to do that. We are called to rely on God. I think David is trying to do that in this verse, but shows how easy it is to teeter back and forth when it feels like God is so far away and not listening. After all, David is asking God how long will he be left alone to his own thoughts? It sounds like he doesn’t want to figure it out for himself, but wants God’s help in this situation. He is just not getting any answers. Just in case we had any doubt about who we should rely on, Proverbs 3:5 (KJV) says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Another thing I find interesting about Psalms 13 is that between verses one and two, David asks God “how long” four times. I can relate and feel for David. I can imagine how devastated, sad, and distraught David was feeling. Maybe he was on the brink of depression and feeling overwhelmed, maybe even helpless. Yet, he still cried out to God. He hasn’t given up on God yet. We are called to not give up on God as well. There are many, many verses in the Bible that talks about God’s timing. God’s timing is often not the same as our timing and may not come as quickly as we would like. There is hope when we are going through difficult situations, even if we are going through them for extended periods of time. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to get tired of doing the right thing, because we will end up reaping what we sow in the long run if we don’t stop. Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in our hoping, to be patient, and to continue to pray. So, let’s keep praying. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word, O LORD. Help us to learn from it and find hope in it. Help us to continue to seek you, cry out for you, and rely on you, even when it feels like you aren’t listening. Help us to know that you are listening, that you have our best interest at heart, and that we will see the goodness and reap the reward if we keep looking to you. Help us to know you are with us as long as we look to you. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, please stay tuned for the rest of the series on Psalms 13. Also, you might like to read these similar posts:
*Perseverance: It Will Happen in God's Timing *We are Called to be Careful for Nothing? *Biblical Encouragement for the Depressed and Discouraged Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. Also, if you are crying out to God and want me to pray for you as well, please feel free to contact me. I do sometimes get people who do ask for prayer. For those who do, thank you for reaching out. I am happy to pray for you. Feel free to pray for me as well. Thank you. God bless. I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
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Hi friends, How are you? Have you read Psalms 13 before? What were your thoughts? I don’t know about you, but I have much pondering to do with this psalm. For example, I wonder why some psalms, like this one, say “to the chief Musician”. Do you know? Anyway, I invite you on this journey of pondering Psalms 13 with me in the next few weeks. Who is the Chief Musician of Psalms 13:1?:
The beginning of Psalms 13 mentions a “chief musician”. There is some speculation as to who is meant be “the chief musician”. Some say it could have been one of musicians of the time. Maybe David wrote Psalms 13 to be played in one of the services back in the day. Maybe David wanted the musician to know or practice or use this psalm for some reason. Who knows? Maybe David was writing a note of sympathy to the musician. My mind can come up with many reasons why these words are part of the psalm.
Others speculate that “the chief Musician” could be God. I mean, God is “the Chief” everything. Why not consider Him the “Chief Musician”? It seems as though David is talking to God throughout the psalm anyway, so it would make sense that the opening statement is directed towards God. Why Did David Write Psalms 13?:
I wonder why David wrote Psalms 13. Was there a particular time in his life where he was feeling particularly low? We know that he had his share of low times. Could one of those times have brought on the need or desire to write this psalm?
Or, maybe David had a much more meaningful and positive reason for writing Psalms 13. Maybe David wanted to write the psalm to glorify God. Maybe he wanted to show that despite feeling the lowest of lows, one can still pray, trust in God, and feel God’s help and presence. The Emotion of Psalms 13:1:
I don’t know about you, but I can feel the emotion in Psalms 13:1. Let’s look at it. After the introduction, it says, “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD?” Can you imagine the desperation? If David wrote this in the midst of a difficult situation, it sounds like he had been there for quite a while. It sounds like he had started questioning whether God was even listening to him any more or if God was mad at him or something.
Have you ever felt like questioning God? Have you ever felt like you have been going through a situation and you have been praying your heart out, but nothing changes? Have you felt this kind of “almost ready to give up” desperation? One might not feel that questioning God, or yelling at God, or crying to God, whatever David might have been doing here. Yet, it sounds like David was being very vulnerable and honest with his feelings. I don’t know if it is “right” or not. However, I do think that God likes honesty. With the second question in Psalms 13:1, the “for ever?” we can see that David was feeling this for a while. Or, he was showing that the despair or lowness had been for a while. If it wasn’t for something he was going through, he could have been magnifying the fact that people even in the lowest of their lows, can call on God. In the last question of the verse David asks God, “How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?” Whether David was feeling it himself or wanted to stress that it is possible for people in general, he was showing that it might feel at times that God is ignoring you. Have you felt that before? Have you felt that God has ignored you? It seems like David felt desperate and overwhelmed. I wonder if he also felt depressed and angry. I can imagine David yelling out, maybe even crying out to God in desperation. He may have even been standing and dropped to his knees out of exhaustion, almost as a sign of overwhelm and on the brink of hopelessness. We read about how God seemed to rely on God quite a bit and trust in Him most of his life. Feeling a desperation and fear or concern that God might be ignoring him seems quite the opposite of that usual trust and reliance. God’s Word:
How often have you read Psalms 13:1 or any of the verses in God’s Word and glossed through the verses like the words in any other book? We could read Psalms 13:1 and think, “Okay, a man from long ago was having a bad day. It doesn’t affect me.” Yet, all of God’s Word is meant to teach us no matter how long ago it was written.
I find that it is easier to get more out of God’s Word, when I ponder it. I feel that it is important to find ways to relate to it and find the meaning of not only the people in the day, but for me in my day as well. Like I said, I think whether or not David was going through something at that particular time or not, he was trying to show that no matter how low you are feeling, even in the lowest of your lows, you can call out to God. Even though he might be down, questioning, upset, scared, desperate, or whatever he is feeling, he is still calling out to God. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. We may not know things like why David wrote the exact things he did thousands of years ago, but help us to remember that all your Word can help us and lead us to you. Help us not to gloss past verses that seem outdated. Help us to know that even in our lowest of lows, we are called to turn to you. Even if it might feel that you are listening, we are called to turn to you and trust you. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, please stay tuned for the rest of the series on Psalms 13. Also, you might like to read these similar posts: *Perseverance: It Will Happen in God's Timing *We are Called to be Careful for Nothing? *Biblical Encouragement for the Depressed and Discouraged Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. Also, if you are crying out to God and want me to pray for you as well, please feel free to contact me. I do sometimes get people who do ask for prayer. For those who do, thank you for reaching out. I am happy to pray for you. Feel free to pray for me as well. Thank you. God bless. I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends, How are you? This week, we are still pondering verses having to do with love. There are many verses about love and many kinds of love mentioned in the Bible. Yet, today may not be a kind of love, but more of a clarification of love. I have to say, that when I looked at 1 John 4:18 as a possibility for today’s blog topic, I saw it out of context. My first thought was different than the context in which it was written. Just to be clear, I am not advocating for people to twist the truth for their own use or to study God's Word out of context. My first thoughts were out of context, but as you can see I say the correct context. Can 1 John 4:18 and the Concept of Love Help Battered Women?:
In the past, I have worked with battered women. So, when I read 1 John 4:18 out of context and saw, “There is no fear in love”, I thought about the fear battered women have of their boyfriends or husbands. I thought about how battered women often feel that they deserve the battering and that their boyfriends and husbands love them despite the violence they show.
I wondered, “Can 1 John 4:18 be used to help battered women?” I thought about how batterers often use fear to control their victims all the while they are telling their victims that they love them. I wonder. In reading 1 John 4:18, it doesn’t look to me that fear and love can go hand in hand. It seems like there is only one or the other. So, can 1 John 4:18 be used to help battered women? There is no mention of battered women or men, in the context of 1 John 4:18. I don’t know if I would advocate for trying to use a verse out of context, unless specifically called to do so by God. However, there may be useful lessons in a verse that can be used in similar or related circumstances. After reading this post, I will let you decide for yourself if 1 John 4:18 can be used to help battered women. Love and Fear:
When I think about love and fear, I think about how a parent may comfort a child who is afraid. A parent’s love can often wash a way the fears of a child. A hug and gentle, reassuring words often helps when a child is afraid. Coming from a loving parent, these things are often all that is needed for a child to feel safe again. It is like the child can’t feel the fear and the love at the same time.
I think the opposite as well. I think no matter how much a couple thinks they are in love; if there is violence or fear between them it is difficult (if possible at all) to feel the love and fear at the same time. The more the fear is used as a tool by the batterer to control the battered, the more difficult it will be to feel the love. Often the battered struggles to keep the love and the relationship together. She (or he) wants the relationship, tries to say the abuse was her fault, that she deserves it. But, is it really possible? Is it possible to feel the love and the fear at the same time? Can the violence of the batterer, push the love away? Is the violence of a battered relationship love? Is there any love in the relationship? The batterer and the battered may claim there is love. They may want it. However, is that real love? Or, is that just wishful and misled thinking? God’s Word:
Now, let’s look at 1 John 4:18 in context. If we read 1 John 4, we can see that John is giving the early Christians a pep talk. In earlier verses John talks about how there will be false prophets (1 John 4:1) and the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3) in the world. These things will cause fear, disconnect, and division. John is reminding the early Christians as God reminds us, that no matter how bad things get, move closer to God. Keep God close and keep your focus on His infinite love. One can’t feel nor be disturbed by the fear and violence of the world, if one is close to God and feels God’s loving presence. Nothing else matters when we are close to God, not even the most fearful and shocking thing the world can do to us. Yes. That is easier said than lived. God didn’t say it would be easy. Yet, it as 1 John 4:18 (KJV) says, “…perfect love casteth out fear”. God’s perfect love can get rid of the fear we feel. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your infinite love. You know that there is violence and things that scare us in this world. Even some of the things you call us to do outside of our comfort zone seem frightful at times. Help us to draw close to you in difficult times instead of dwelling on the fear. Help us to come to you and to feel your love. Help us to understand that your perfect love and fear cannot occupy the same space. Help us to realize that your love is infinite and powerful. Help us to know your faithfulness. Help us to be close to you and focus on you always. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read these similar posts: *How Do You Show Jesus You Love Him? *Do You Reflect the Love of God? *Do You Practice Pure Religion? *Why are We Called to Love Our Enemies? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. As you can tell from the post, I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends, How are you? I was hoping to write a post about biblical ways of marriage and love between spouses today. However, I decided that there is so much to consider and talk about with a post like that, so I chose a more general form of love today. That love is “charity”. A Few General Thoughts about the Definition of “Charity”:
I am sure there are many definitions of the word charity. We may each have our own definition. Our definition may even change, as we grow older and mature in faith and understanding.
I can remember reading the word “charity” in the Bible and automatically thinking of the noun “charity, as in an organization that helps the poor. So, maybe I thought of the word “charity” as in “a kind-hearted feeling for those in need”. I don’t remember for sure. Now, I think of “charity” as being a “Christianly love for all” and something that is to be done always. It is a love we are called to have for others, because God calls us to love others. They don’t have to be poor. They don’t have to be rich. They don’t have to be kind. They don’t have to be friends or friendly. We are just called to love others. What is your definition for the word “charity” as mentioned in 1 Peter 4:8? I would be interested in hearing thoughtful considerations by other Christians. If you are uncertain of a definition, you might want to research it. A Bible concordance may be helpful for you. Here is a page that explains and defines “charity”. What Reason Does Peter Give for Having “Charity” for Others?:
In 1 Peter 4:8, the reason Peter gives us to have charity for others is “…for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” (KJV) So, what does this mean? When I first read this, I thought about how we tend to “overlook” or more easily forgive minor misgivings from our loved ones, because of our love for them. We might think or say something like, “Oh yes, he (or she) might have done something wrong, but I can’t stay mad. I love him (or her).” The more endearing the person may act towards us, the more difficult it is to stay upset with that person.
Was Peter’s meaning this practical? Was he talking about the practicalities of human behavior? Is that what God means? Is God calling us to love one another in 1 Peter 4:8, because it will make it easier to forgive one another when our human behavior slips into sin? I am not sure. However, in the practical sense, I do think Peter wanted to stress to the early Christians that they should stick together, encourage each other, and help build the kingdom of God. I think he wanted to stress the need to be of one mind in God and guard against being divided. God’s Word:
When reading and studying God’s Word, it is often important to consider the context of the statement before taking it to heart. For example, when reading 1 Peter 4:8, I am kind of surprised to read that Peter’s instructions was to “have fervent charity among yourselves” above all instead of loving God above all or something like that.
Let’s dive a little deeper and look at 1 Peter 4:7 for some context. In that verse Peter notes that “the end of all things are at hand”. So, I am thinking that Peter is probably expecting Jesus to come back and the world to end soon. He wants to do what he can to comfort the newest Christians and to encourage them to love each other and to stick together. He is probably warning them that things will get difficult, that there may be persecution from the non-Christian community. He may be saying that they should make sure they have their “ducks in a row”, so that when the end comes, they will be with God. He wants them to remember that “together we stand and divided we fall”, so sticking together and encouraging each other is important. Maybe Peter figured that if he said to “love God above all”, the new Christians might not understand the message that he was giving them about sticking together and encouraging each other. Maybe Peter was remember back and relaying the message that Jesus gave in verses such as Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, and John 15:12 that we are called to love one another. Maybe Peter knew that we couldn’t dislike each other and love God at the same time (as mentioned in 1 John 4:20). Maybe Peter wasn’t sure if the new Christians would understand that, so he just said to love each other. I believe that we get more out of God’s Word and His message, when we look at things in context and also try to put ourselves in the shoes of the speaker or listener back in biblical times. Although, nothing is better in gaining knowledge about God’s Word then to read it and then pray to ask God for knowledge. So, let’s pray. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your love and your Word. Your Word is a living and life giving Word. However, at times it can be difficult for us to understand and to take out of context. Help us to turn to you in prayer, especially if we have the least little doubt about what you are telling us through your Word. Help us also to love each other and to encourage each other in your Word. Help us also to understand that we don’t love you, if we don’t love others. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read these similar posts: *How Do You Show Jesus You Love Him? *Do You Reflect the Love of God? *Do You Practice Pure Religion? *Why are We Called to Love Our Enemies? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. As you can tell from the post, I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends,
There are many kinds of love. However, one kind of love may be more difficult to do or to understand than the others. That is the love we are called to do in Matthew 5:44. We are called to love our enemies. Think for a moment about the people who may have hurt you. Think of the people who you dislike or distrust. Think of the people who may have been cruel to you or abused you at one time or another. Did you know that you are called to love those people? Yes. We aren’t just called to love family, friends, and neighbors. We are called to love our enemies also. Do you love your enemies? Do you love those who have been mean to you, cruel to you, and abusive to you? I know. This might not seem logical to us humans, especially being surrounded by worldly reasoning which says the opposite. Worldly ways say something like, “hate those before they hate us” or “get them before they get us” or “if they don’t like us, we don’t have to like them”. Yet, worldly ways are not God’s ways. So, why do we have to love our enemies? Well, God could just say, “because, I told you to” but He gives us other reasons as well. Let’s look at some of the reasons why we should love our enemies as Jesus tells in in the words of Matthew 5:44. If We Love Our Enemies, We are not Murderers:
One of the reasons why we are called to love our enemies is found in 1 John 3:15 (KJV) which says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” God knows human nature. Killing someone isn’t always a physical act.
There are other ways of “killing someone” other than physically doing it. You can incite a riot to kill someone. In that case, words work on people’s emotions until they are caught up in the moment and get violent. Look at they way the crowd called for the murder to be released and for Jesus to be crucified. People can act in a different way than they normally would or even want to act when caught up in the moment or feel pressured. Look at the way Peter denied Jesus. He was caught up in the moment and felt pressured, even when he didn’t want to feel that way. We often hear that if we think positive thoughts, positive things will happen and if we think negative thoughts, negative things will happen. It is why we are concerned when a friend or loved one may start to have suicidal thoughts. We know that if the thoughts are there, the actions might not be too far away. There is a fine line sometimes between thoughts and actions. Therefor, if we hate someone, we might not be far from saying mean things towards him or her or about him or her. If we say mean things about someone, we might not be far from being violent towards that someone. If we are being violent, we might not be far from killing. So, we are called not to hate at all, not even those who are mean to us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a murder. To me, that is motivation for me to love my enemy. If We Love Our Enemies, We Love God:
Another reason we are called to love our enemies is found in 1 John 4:20 (KJV) which says, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” If we hate our enemy, we don’t love God.
God is love. If we don’t love, we are not near or even around God. We aren’t thinking of God. It is like God is far away and out of our mind, if we don’t love others. So, how can we expect to be or say that we are close to God, if we don’t love others, even our enemies? If we don’t love, God is out of sight and out of mind. That is not where God wants to be. God wants to be close to us. Even more than not being a murderer, I don’t want to be far from God. This is even more motivation for me to love my enemy. I know that I am called to be close to God and that is where I want to be. What about you? If We Love Our Enemies, We are Children of God:
Still another reason to love our enemies is in the very same breath as Matthew 5:44. Yes, Matthew 5:45 tells us the answer as well. It says (KJV), “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Yes, as children of God, we are called to love our enemies. If we want to be considered children of God, we are called to love our enemies. God makes the sun rise on the good and the evil. He shows the same “Godly love” to enemies as He does loved ones. As God’s ambassadors and as God’s friends and family, we are called to show our enemies “Godly love” as well. God’s Word:
Friends, I get it. God’s Word is full of concepts that are difficult for us to understand and even more difficult for us to live, especially being surrounded by worldly people telling us just the opposite. If it were easy, we wouldn’t read about most of the people in the Bible NOT getting it.
Living by God’s Word and doing all the things God calls us to do may seem impossible at times. We do know that, “For God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37 KJV) So, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your holy Word. Thank you for showing us the way to you. Thank you for loving us like friends and family. Thank you for showing us love and how to love. Help us to love not only our friends and family, but our enemies as well. Help us to love when we are hurt, angry, or confused as to why we are even called to love. Help us to love, when how hurt seems so enraged that it doesn’t feel natural to love. Help us to love our friends and our enemies, so that we may know you and be close to you. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may want to read these similar posts: *How Do You Show Jesus You Love Him? *Do You Reflect the Love of God? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. As you can tell from the post, I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends, How are you? We seem to be on a “salt theme” on the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. I hope you are enjoying it. We have talked about learning from Lot’s wife (who as we know was turned into a pillar of salt) as well as being the salt of the earth. Today, we are furthering our discussion of salt and how it relates to speaking. Do You Have Trouble Knowing What to Say or How to Say it?:
Have you ever had times when you haven’t known what to say to someone? Maybe during an argument and someone takes a jab at you, you want to “come back” with a statement of your own. You know that you aren’t supposed to be mean, even if others are mean to you. Yet, you just don’t want to leave it. You want to say something. Maybe you are trying to explain something and just don’t know how to get your point across. Maybe you need to tell someone something very important, but not quite sure how to get your message out.
If you have trouble knowing what to say or how to say it, you are not alone. It can be difficult for most of us at times. For, example, I don’t like conflict. When someone says something against me, I have a difficult time knowing what to say, how to say it, or if I am even supposed to say anything at all. Do I ignore it? Do I stand up for myself? I am sure the answer to this is different in each circumstance and for each person. I just know that my first reaction is often to feel uncomfortable. This is not what we are called to do by the way. The Worldly Attitudes about What to Say and How to Say it:
It probably doesn’t help that the worldly views and attitudes about what to say and how to say it seem to bombard us from such a young age. As far back as I can remember, there was a saying that I heard in school that went like this: “Anything you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” Now, this may seem like an innocent enough way to react. After all, if you say that, you aren’t coming right out and calling the other person what they just called you. You didn’t say the same mean words. Yet, in reality, you are saying the same thing. You are saying and wishing whatever mean thing someone said to you back to them.
Worldly thinking when it comes to speaking or talking with someone is often “tit for tat” or “jab them before they get a chance to jab you”. Sometimes it is more like “the one who speaks the loudest wins”. However, this is not what we are called to do. We are not called to worldly ways in speaking, or in anything else. How are We Called to Speak?:
So, how are we called to speak? Let’s start by looking at Colossians 4:6 to answer that question. The beginning part of Colossians 4:6 (KJV) says, “Let your speech be always with grace”. It doesn’t say, “Be nice when others are nice and be mean when others are mean.” It says, “Let your speech be always with grace”.
We are called to speak with kindness in our heart. When someone says something mean to us, we are called to speak to with grace. We are called to be kind and forgiving. It might be difficult at times to understand why we are called to always speak with grace, but I think we can understand what it means to speak with grace pretty well. However, the second part of Colossians 4:6 (KJV) which says, “seasoned with salt”, might be a little bit harder to understand. What are your thoughts on this? As I was thinking just now and God gave me a thought about how we say, “that leaves a bad taste in my mouth”. We need to speak in a way that doesn’t “leave a bad taste in the mouth of others”. We need to speak in a way that leaves a savory taste in the mouth of others. We need to speak in a way that encourages others in godly ways. It also means that we need to be prepared to answer the why of what we are saying at times. We can’t just say, “because, I said so” and expect that everyone is going to be okay with that. I mean, “who are we”, right? Why We are Called to “Speak with Grace” and “Seasoned with Salt”:
Let’s take a few minutes to think and talk about why we are called to speak “always with grace” and “seasoned with salt”. First of all, we are called to speak in that way, because our God told us that is His will for us. Yet, just as there were practical reasons for Paul to say it to those in biblical times spreading God’s Word, there are also practical reasons for us as well. Most of them are the same practical reasons.
People are less likely to listen to us, if we have a bad attitude while we are speaking. Who wants to listen to someone when they are being rude, sarcastic, and condescending or yelling and snickering? We also do want to be “in their face” or expect them to understand right away where we are coming from, especially if we don’t want to take our time to understand from where they are coming. Yes, it might be difficult to speak to others “with grace” and “seasoned with salt” if they have treated us badly. And, no, there is no more excuse for them to treat us badly than we have to want to repay their bad behavior likewise. However, that is why we are called to speak to them with grace. People may be having a bad day or be hurt themselves and lashed out without thinking. We don’t know. We would want others to give us a break and treat us with grace during such times, right? So, we are called to treat others, as we would want to be treated. (i.e.- Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31) We God's ambassadors on earth and we are called to be role models for unbelievers and new Christians. If we speak harshly, criticize others, or speak in a way others can't understand, what kind of motivation is that for others to get closer to God. After all, if we proclaim to be godly people and treat others horribly, why would anyone else be interested in being godly? However, if we speak with kindness, grace, truth, love, encouragement, and in a way that they can understand, they will be much more likely to want to be more like us and get closer to God themselves. How Do We Speak “with Grace” and “Seasoned with Salt”?:
Sometimes it is easier said than done. So, how do we speak “with grace” and “seasoned in salt”? It helps to know how we are to respond. Reading God’s Word and knowing how to speak is helpful. By reading God’s Word, we also know that we are not always called to come up with the words. For example Mark 13:11 (KJV) says, “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.”
If we are having a difficult time with the words we should speak, we can turn to God. His Holy Spirit will give us the words we seek. This is great motivation for not speaking too hastily. Instead of speaking before we think, we can pause not only to think but to pray as well. Taking that quick minute to pray before we speak could make the difference between speaking with grace and speaking in anger or in foolishness. God’s Word:
To me, the Bible is a great example of speech that is “seasoned in salt”. Have you ever notice how the different books in the Bible are written in such a way that the particular readers would understand? Most of the authors in the Bible “knew their audience”. They could write and speak in a way that would have meaning for their readers. More so, they could write and speak in a way that would encourage their readers to follow God’s will and to take it as truth.
When Paul wrote the words in Colossians 4:6, he was giving direction to early Christians working to spread the gospel. He was giving good advice on how to speak, so that others would be more likely to listen and accept what they were saying. For example, Luke does this when he wants to “prove” to his readers that Jesus is the Messiah. He knew that his audience was big on ancestry and that they were expecting to the Messiah to come from the “house of David”. So, Luke gives his readers Jesus’ earthly genealogy. (Luke 3:23-38) God’s Word as a whole is great at inspiring us and encouraging us to follow God’s will and plan for us. We don’t always follow through, just as our listeners don’t always heed us when we speak. However, in God’s Word, the encouragement and inspiration are there. Let's pray: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your wisdom, your love, and your Word. Thank you for telling us the way we are called to speak. Help us to turn to you in knowing what to say and how to say it. Help us to "speak with grace" and "seasoned with salt" even in the most difficult of times. Help us to treat others as we would like to be treated and to encourage others in your Word, so we can be your helpers in spreading the gospel and enlarging your kingdom. We ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may want to read these similar posts about: *The Power of Words *Encouraging Others Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. As you can tell from the post, I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends, How are you? Today, we are going to talk about salt. Yes, salt. What do you think of when you think about salt? For me, I think the first thought is a nice tasty potato chip. Some say salt is bad for you. Others say that salt is yummy. What do you say? Some Background About the Importance of Salt:
Before we talk about Matthew 5:13, let’s look at some background about salt. In the introduction, I half-heartedly mentioned that salt made me think of a nice tasty potato chip. Some may think that I am a salt-aholic. Some may say that salt isn’t good for you. That is truer for some than for others. However, if you research it, you might find that we all need some salt. I can’t confirm or deny the scientific truth of it, but this post by “Dr. Steven Lin” tells some reasons why we need salt.
Way back in the day, salt was used like money. This post by “Ancient Origins” tells some of the ways in which salt was widely treasured in the ancient world. I found the article really interesting and it even mentions Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13. As a matter of fact, the word “salary” that we use today comes from the word salt. Again, salt was used like money or paid as part of a salary for work back in the day. This post by UnitChefs explains it well and also mentions the Bible. In this case, the book of Ezra is mentioned. I find it interesting when you can learn more about biblical times and it is linked to the Bible. I have also heard that salt is used for healing. Are those “old wives’ tales or is that really true. I can’t remember ever trying it, except to gargle with salt water for a sore throat at times. What about you? Again, I don’t have the knowledge to be able to confirm or deny the truth of it, but this post by “Daily Health Post” mentions many ways in which salt is used for healing or better health. Still, another use for salt is as preservative. Salt helps to preserve the goodness of food and helps them keep longer without going bad. Hmm. That makes sense. That is why so much of the food we buy has salt added. Salt of the Earth:
Now, that we know that salt isn’t just bad for us, and in fact has many good qualities, lets ponder Jesus’ words as written in Matthew 5:13. To put it in perspective, Matthew 5:13 comes after the “Beatitudes” in the Sermon on the Mount, which is relayed in Matthew 5-7. Matthew 5:13 (KJV) says, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
So, what do the words in Matthew 5:13 mean? First of all, since Jesus is mainly talking to his followers, we can infer that Jesus was calling all good Christians the “salt of the earth”. That means that you and I are the salt of the earth. But, what does that mean for us? What does that mean to others? The spiritual connotation and value for salt are much the same as the physical. As mentioned above, salt had financial value in Bible times. It was an important part of trading. So, we can also infer that good Christians are highly valued by Jesus. Of course, he would value his friends and family, right? Don’t we value our friends and family? Yet, our importance as “salt of the earth” goes much deeper than being on Jesus’ “friends and family list”. As we know, salt is also a preservative. How do we fit in with that use of salt? Well, if you think about it, if Matthew a follower of Christ (and other Bible authors), didn’t write down the words they did that formed the Bible, we probably wouldn’t know about them today. As we read the Bible and pass the “Good News” along to our children, our friends, our relatives, and our “followers”, we might help preserve the word and keep it alive and in the hearts of people we touch. God is the only one who can truly “keep it alive”, because they are His Words, and He is all-powerful. We are not, but we can be helpers in that mission. We can do our part by following God’s Word and will for us, and sharing His Word with others. Not Being Salt of the Earth:
If we look at Matthew 5:13 (KJV) again, we see what happens if Christians don’t act in such away as to be the “salt of the earth”, “…but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” That doesn’t sound like fun to me. It is great motivation to keep being a good Christian, living a good Christian lifestyle, and preserving God’s Word and the “Good News” by sharing it with others and testifying about how God works in our lives.
I would not want to be “cast out” of Jesus’ “friends and family” list, nor would I want to be “good for nothing”. However, when we don’t go to church, hear sermons, talk with godly people, read the Bible, pray, or do things that brings us closer to God on a regular basis, we tend to lose our way and our momentum for being good Christians. If we don’t practice good spiritual habits, we may lose them and fall away from God day by day. In essence, we cast ourselves out of God’s family, by not actively participating in it. God’s Word:
God’s Word has many verses that talk about salt. Here are just a few of them in KJV.
*Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye out to answer every man.” *Mark 9:50 – “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” *Numbers 18:19 – “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.” *Leviticus 2:13 – And every oblation of they meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.” *Genesis 19:26 – “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word and your love. Help us to keep our “saltiness”, so that we can do your will and spread your good news. Help us to enrich and help us to keep our “savour” in order to help in building your kingdom and sharing your words to others. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read these similar posts: *About Lot’s wife *Encouraging others Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that God blesses you as you read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. If you feel called to do so, please feel free to comment or contact me at any time. I welcome your comments and look forward to reading them. Also, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or requests for me, please feel free to let me know. Thank you. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with your friends and family. The new share buttons will make it easier for you to do that. Some of your friends and family may appreciate you sharing it, so they can read it as well. As you can tell from the post, I believe that all Christians are called to share God’s Word and encourage others to get closer to God. In helping you with your Bible study, I have a free gift for you. Please, sign up below to receive your free gift and get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations in your inbox each week. Yes, I may include some other “faith” content with the email at times, especially a prayer.
Hi friends,
How are you? I haven’t done this often, but let’s ponder the life of someone in the Bible. I think it helps us to learn from others, especially from those God puts in our path to teach us a lesson. There are many people in our lives and in the Bible from whom we are meant to learn. Today, let’s ponder Lot’s wife. What We Know About Lot’s Wife:
Actually, we know very little about Lot’s wife. The Bible doesn’t even mention her name, nor when she and Lot were married. We do know that she and Lot were living in Sodom, a city known for it’s sinful ways. We also know that she and Lot had at least two daughters.
The Bible talks about how Lot traveled with Abraham and they split ways. Lot, of course, ended up in Sodom. But, Lot’s wife isn’t mentioned during the travels. Can we surmise that Lot’s wife was from Sodom? Since, Lot was brought up in a family who knew God, could we also surmise that Lot and his wife were “unequally yoked”? I don’t know. The Bible doesn’t say. We also know that her story is told in Genesis 19. Again, very little is said about her. However, her story teaches us a great lesson. Lot’s Wife and the Angels Who Visit:
What is the most exciting thing that happened in Lot’s wife’s life? Well, I don’t now about you, but I think it was probably that not only was she visited by angels, but also touched by angels and hurried on her way by angels.
I can only imagine how her last hours on earth went. First, angels come to her house. If that is not exciting enough, their message is that they have come to destroy the city because of its sinfulness and that her family should leave, so they will be saved. How cool is that? Something else happens when the angels come to the house of Lot and his wife. Lot tries to protect the angels from a mob of sinful men wanting to get at the strangers for sexual pleasure. Instead, Lot offers his two virgin daughters. Could you imagine being Lot’s wife and hearing this? Can you imagine your husband trying to protect two strangers, but offering your two young daughters to such sinfulness instead? As a mom, I couldn’t even imagine. I am sure that I would be extremely angry and upset with my husband. The Bible doesn’t say that she questions it or says anything. The Bible doesn’t give her any words at all. However, I would say that she probably had some strong emotions going on during this time. (In all reality, we don’t even know if she heard these words spoken by Lot.) Did Lot’s wife believe that the strangers were angels? We don’t know. It isn’t mentioned one way or another in the Bible. We aren’t told that the angels looked or acted differently than any other visitors, except that after Lot tried to protect them, they protected Lot. They grabbed Lot and pulled him inside the house and caused the mob to be blinded. Does the fact that they blinded the mob and saved her husband make it real for her that they are angels? We don’t know. Again, nothing really is known about Lot’s wife. We are also told that Lot went out to warn his son-in-laws to take his daughters and leave Sodom because it is going to be destroyed. However, the son-in-laws just mock him. This brings up a new question. Did Lot and his wife have more than two daughters? It sounds like they may have had at least four daughters, the two at home and others that were with the son-in-laws. (However, again, that is just conjecture. We don’t know for sure.) I can only guess that Lot’s wife’s emotions were running rampant. Would she have loved ones that wouldn’t be saved? Were these really angels? What is going on? Are we really going to die? I don’t know what she was thinking or feeling, but I can imagine what I might have been thinking or feeling. Lot’s Wife’s Fatal Decision:
In Genesis 19:15-16 we read where the angels tell Lot to get up and take his family and leave the city. The time of destruction is near. We read that Lot “lingers” and the angels take their hand and put them out of the city.
We aren’t told why Lot and his family lingered. Could it be that they don’t want to leave their home, their family, and their friends in the city of Sodom? Could it be that they aren’t morning people and that it was taking them a while to get going in the morning and get things together? Only God knows the answers to these questions. Maybe, it was just that “that first step” is always the most difficult to take. I know I have had many situations where that first step was scary and difficult. I hesitated quite a few times and even missed out, because I hesitated or didn’t take the step at all. Yet, it seemed like God, through the angels, “took” that first big step for them and with them, when the angels grabbed them and put them outside of the city. I would hope that if it were I, I would be so grateful and so appreciative that I would willingly do everything I was told in return after that. However, how often is that not true? How often do we get a health scare and a near death experience and then not be moved by it or show appreciation? In Genesis 19:17 Lot and his family is told to go to the mountains and not look back and in Genesis 19:26 we read about Lot’s wife’s fatal decision. It says in the KJV, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” It could be very easy to question the motives of Lot’s wife. After all, that first big step was already done. Mercy was given to her and at least part of her family. They were already out of the city. Why would she look back? Why wouldn’t she be appreciative and just keep going? Was it heartache? Was it because she wanted one last look? We get some answer to this in the book of Luke. What Jesus Says About Lot’s Wife:
In Luke 17:32 (KJV) Jesus says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Taken out of context, we might not know to what Jesus was referring and why he said it. However, our clue comes in the next verse and the context of the conversation Jesus was having with the Pharisees.
The Pharisees had asked Jesus about when the Kingdom of God was coming. (We read this is Luke 17:20.) Jesus goes on to tell the Pharisees that it isn’t a time when they will know. It will be a time when people don’t know and won’t be expecting it. Jesus goes on to tell them how it was in the times of Noah, when people didn’t know the flood was coming and then it came and people died. He also gave the Pharisees the example of when Sodom was destroyed and people didn’t know it was coming. (Luke 17:26-31) Then, as we know in Luke 17:32 we read how Jesus says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” It is a warning or a lesson to be learned. But, why are we to remember Lot’s wife? What is the lesson? About what are we being warned? The answer comes in Luke 17:33 (KJV) when Jesus says, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” So, it seems that when Lot’s wife was looking back, she in some way wanted to preserve the worldly life she knew in Sodom. It is unclear as to whether she didn’t want to leave it physically, or she didn’t want to leave her family and friends, or she just wanted one last look at it for sentimental reasons or whatever. However, Jesus used her as an example of someone not wanting to give up a past life of sinful ways and paying a fatal consequence for it. Lessons I Have Found in the Story of Lot’s Wife:
I have found several lessons that can be taken from the story of Lot’s wife. Here is a list of some of them.
*God uses even nameless people to teach big lessons. *God is merciful to people found even in the most sinful of places. *Even some of the most “insignificant of decisions” can have fatal consequences. (Who knew that just looking back would get you turned into a pillar of salt? Sometimes people do things more significant than that with seemingly much less of a consequence.) *God is all loving, but it doesn’t mean that He won’t give us consequences. *Every decision we make brings us closer to life (God and His Kingdom) or death (Satan and hell). *We should always be obedient to God. *Nothing (not our homes, not our families, not our past, not culture) is more important or worth saving, when it goes against God’s will. *Heavenly life is better than worldly life. Did I forget any lessons? What lessons do you find in the life of Lot’s wife? God’s Word:
The Bible is God’s Word. Jesus is God’s Word. The nudges we get from the Holy Spirit is God’s Word. The answers we get through prayer is God’s Word. Something God tells us through the words of those around us are God’s Word. In acknowledging that, let’s use the words of Jesus in Luke 17:32 to pray.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. Thank you for your holy guidance. Help us to “Remember Lot’s wife” and the lessons you want us to learn from her life. When we are about to make a wrong decision, a decision that will lead us a way from you, let us hear in our hearts the words of Jesus, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Let those words warn us and encourage us not to make that bad decision, but to make a decision that brings us closer to you. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. 
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read these similar posts: *About focusing on God *About guidance Now, it is your turn. I am always happy to hear from you. Oh, how do you like this new format? Is it better than the "old" format? Likes, dislikes, thoughts? Please, feel free to comment below or to contact me. I hope you enjoy the "pin it" buttons and the share buttons. I hope it makes it easier to share the posts with your friends and family. After all, if you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, they may as well, right? If you haven't done so already, you may want to sign up below to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other "faith" content sent right to your inbox. Don't worry, I won't spam you. I send the email once a week. And, if you sign up below, you will get a free gift as my thank you. God bless. 
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
Psalms 31:24 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Have you ever had a time when you just didn’t feel like doing anything? Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of your own way? Maybe you were ill or tired. Maybe you were depressed and uncertain about what to do. Maybe you felt lost or overwhelmed. Often times when we feel at our worst, we don’t feel like we can do anything. It is during these times when we feel like we have no hope and have no courage. We may even feel paralyzed emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We may feel like we may not have an ounce of strength left and couldn’t lift even a finger to do anything. Sometimes, it is a good thing to feel that low. Addicts say that they have to “hit bottom” before they are ready to quit and change. It isn’t until they know that they have to rely on God and the help of those who God puts in their way, that they come to accept and want change. If addicts still feel they can live “their way”, they are not ready to be healed. They aren’t ready to quit and to open up to God. Whether you are an addict or just going through something very difficult and feel very low, it is then that we are called to be courageous. Can you imagine being courageous when you are at the lowest of lows? Doesn’t seem possible sometimes. Have you ever heard of the saying, “God helps those who help themselves”? This saying reminds me of Psalms 31:24. Even though we are feeling low, scared, overwhelmed, ill, weak, or whatever the difficulty might be, we are called to take that baby step towards God. We are called to be courageous even though we may not feel it. Why? Why should we be courageous in our lowest or scariest moments? It is easier to fold under, to complain, to back away, to sleep until we feel better, to push things under the rug and forget about them, or to just ignore them and hope they go away. Don’t you find those things easier than actually facing the problem and having courage? Finding it easier to run away from the problem might be a great worldly technique, but it isn’t really the best technique. The best thing to do, what we are called to do is to take that baby step of courage in God’s direction. Be courageous and have faith that God is there for us. If we take that one simple step in having courage and relying on God, God will strengthen our heart. This is really good news. If we take one baby step towards God, He will take one giant step towards us. Notice that Psalms 31:24 doesn’t say that God is going to solve the problem or cure us. There may be other verses with that sort of message, but this one isn’t one of them. No, it says that for those who have courage and put their hope in God, He will strengthen their heart. God will make us stronger, so that we can have the right attitude and get through the situation better. There is another saying that helps us to understand Psalms 31:24. It is, “Attitude is everything”. We may have heard that a good attitude can go a long way in helping someone heal. For example, we can find that same sort of sentiment in Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) which says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” God knows how difficult it can be for us to be strong during difficult situations. He made us and he is all knowing. So, God gives us verses like Psalms 31:24 to encourage us to have that little bit of courage and rely on Him. He wants us to know that if we take that baby step, He will give us the strength we need to get through it. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your love and compassion towards us. Thank you for being our loving Father. Help us to remember your Word and to have courage in our most difficult times. Help us to put our hope in you, even when we aren’t sure we have much hope left. Help us to know you will strengthen our heart, even when we don’t think we have any strength left. Help us to realize that we can rely on you during all times and to have the courage to take that baby step towards you. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. Reflective questions for Psalms 31:24 (KJV): *What does Psalms 31:24 mean to me? *Of which sayings does Psalms 31:24 remind me? *Of which other Bible verses does Psalms 31:24 remind me? *What does it mean to strengthen our heart? *What is God telling me through Psalms 31:24? *Am I courageous during difficult situations? *What can I do to better heed the words in Psalms 31:24? Note: If you like this post you might enjoy these other posts on hope, strength, and difficult times. Enjoy! Now, it is your turn. If you feel called to comment, I looked forward to reading your thoughts. Please, feel free to comment or contact me at any time. Please, feel free to share the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations with your friends and family. If you find value in it, they may as well. Thank you. 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“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Today’s post is on friendship. Take a journey with me in pondering the meaning of Proverbs 18:24 and what friendship means to us. As with most verses in the Bible, there are many opinions as to the meaning in Proverbs 18:24. Considering that God speaks to us personally and sometimes has differing messages for each of us, it is sometimes okay to have differing opinions as to it’s meaning. Do you have many friends or few? Are you someone who just seems to be surrounded by people? Do have many invitations to go here or there? Are you the life of the party? Are you pleasant to be around? Are you always cracking a joke? Are you the type who feels kind of awkward in the crowd and sort of sits on the sidelines? Do you enjoy being out with one friend? Are you the person everyone comes to when in need? Do you have any friends? I am not trying to make you feel bad if you don’t think you have friends or good if you have more friends than you can count. I am hoping to just get you started in thinking about friendship, so we can better contemplate the meaning of Proverbs 18:24. Next, what do you think it means to be a friend or to be friendly? Is there a difference? Does a friend give you what you want or what you need? Does a friend seem agreeable all the time to you or correct you when you are wrong? Does friendly mean courteous, flirtatious, kind, giving, joyful, helpful, or any number of other things? Now that we are thinking about friendship, friends, and friendliness, let’s look at Proverbs 18:24 and some of the varying meanings I saw as I researched for today’s post. (I will just summarize them in my own words.) Varying meanings for Proverbs 18:24: *Having too many friends will spread you too thin and you won’t be able to be a good friend to anyone, so it is better to have just one good friend. *If you aren’t friendly, you won’t have any friends. *Some friends aren’t really friends, but more of just acquaintances. There are only a few true friends. *Many people who we think are friends will lead us down the wrong path in life, but there is a friend who will lead us down the right path. *We can have many friends, but Jesus is our only true friend. With these meaning in mind, what are your thoughts for Proverbs 18:24? Some of these meanings are similar. Some are quite different. There are even more options than this if you look for them. When I was a teenager, someone told me that it is better to have a few friends that you can count on than many friends that aren’t really friends. I think that is sage advice. Could it be the meaning of Proverbs 18:24? Now, let’s look at Proverbs 18:24 a little closer. The first part of the verse says, “A man that hath friends, must shew himself friendly”. (KJV) In most of the places I looked, people seem to take “friends” as meaning “many friends”. So, in today’s lingo, it might sound more like, “A man that has many friends must always appear friendly.” What do you think? If we think of it in that way, we can see just how tiring that can be. I don’t know about you, but no matter how much I enjoy being with someone and doing things with others, there are times when I just need time for myself. I need time to unwind, regroup, and just enjoy the quiet. I need time to pray, read, and think. I enjoy doing things and being with people, but I also enjoy my quiet time too. If we have too many friends or get involved with too many things, we may not have time for that quiet time. We also may not have time to be a true friend to each and every person. It is especially difficult to be a friend and “be there” for others, when we don’t have time to “be with God”. The second part of Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) says, “and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother”. Is this second part talking about God or that special friend we have on earth, our best friend so to speak? That special friend may be someone different for everyone. I think that no matter whether scripture is talking about God or about that special best friend in our life, God is always part of that special friendship. After all, a true friend wants us to be the best we can be and to follow God’s will for us. They care for our spiritual wellbeing as much or more than our physical and emotional wellbeing. They lift us up in prayer, care enough to tell us the truth whether it hurts or not, help carry our burdens, love us, show kindness, and inspire us to do better. Even if that isn’t meant to be God himself, it sounds like a godly person who is following God’s will. So, God is definitely involved. I think verses like Proverbs 18:24 are good to get us thinking. We can all relate in some way, even if we all have unique understandings. We all want friends. We can understand that we need to be a friend to have a friend, although it isn’t always followed. Deep down, we can still understand it. Most of us have had someone we have called a best friend at one time or another. We understand that we like and enjoy being around that one special person a bit more than being with other people. That one person is special and holds a bigger piece of us in their heart than most people do. It is also a verse that can mean something different to us at different times. Some of our friendships change, get stronger and closer, or fade away. We need a different message at different times in our life. As I think about it right now, to me, it means that it is good to be friendly towards everyone. However, we should really cherish the special friends who encourage us to be the godly people we are called to be. We should always make time for quiet time to be with God through prayer, reading the Bible, meditation, reflection, and even going out with that one special friend whom God gave you to help you be closer to Him. Don’t have so many “friends” that you don’t have time for what is important and you can’t be a true friend for each. Besides, if you have “many friends”, probably most of them aren’t true friends anyway. It is great encouragement for people who don’t feel they have any friends or don’t have many friends. It is encouragement for those who lament over not having as many friends as their neighbor. It is caution about comparing ourselves to others who may have more friends. It may be food for thought about the way to be a true friend. It can be a way to inspire us to keep God as our best friend. It could be telling us not to get too stressed by having too many social engagements. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your friendship, for your love, for your parental care, for the kindness you show. Thank you for your Word to inspire us, to teach us, and to encourage us. Help us to be a true friend to others and especially to you, for you are a true friend to us. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Proverbs 18:24 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 1824 mean to me? *What does being a true friend mean? *Do I have a true friend? *Am I a true friend? *What does being friendly mean? *Do I have many friends or few friends? *Are all of my friends true friends? *What can I do to be a better heed the words in Proverbs 18:24? *What can I do to be a better friend? *Do I cherish my friends? *Do I have time to be a true friend to all of my friends? Now, it is your turn. I hope this post got you to thinking not only about Proverbs 18:24, but also what it means to be a true friend. I pray that you know what it means to be a true friend and to have a true friend. I pray that you have been able to experience both. And, if you haven't, I pray that you will experience it sometime soon. I welcome your thoughts on Proverbs 18:24 and friendship. (Actually, I always welcome your thoughts that would further God kingdom, whether it is about the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, prayer request, ideas, suggestions, questions, etc.) Please, feel free to leave a comment or contact me. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, feel free to spread the value around. Share it! Also, if you haven't done so already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. (Saves you from remembering to check the site for the new post.) 
“Train up a child in a way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? This week’s verse might be particularly important to parents and grandparents. However, if we believe that it takes a village to raise a child, than we can find meaning in the verse for all of us whether or not we have children. We may be teachers, childcare workers, aunts, uncles, supervisors, neighbors, and church members who have influence over children and people we see. After all, Proverbs 22:6 doesn’t say, “train up your child”, but “train up a child”. I have to say, that I thought Proverbs 22:6 would be a relatively easy verse to ponder and about which to write. However, when I was preparing and researching the verse, I found many differing opinions on the actual meaning of the verse. Some people take this verse as an absolute promise to parents that you train your child to have godly values and behave in godly ways, then that child will grow up to have godly values and behave in godly ways no matter what. Some people take the verse to mean that parents should start early in helping a child find his or her “direction in life”. This direction could mean spiritual direction, emotional direction, personal direction, vocational direction, financial direction, or any number of directions. Some feel that Proverbs 22:6 is talking about helping children find their learning styles, talents, skills, and interests early, so that they will be able to learn and live well according to their own God-given personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. I have always thought of Proverbs 22:6 as not a promise, but encouragement to give a child a godly foundation and to be a godly role model. I thought of it as imparting godly wisdom through sharing God’s Word and discussing godly ways, so that the likelihood that the child will grow up with godly ways would be greatly increased. I don’t think of it as a guarantee, because we can control how we act and feel, but we can’t control how others act and feel. As people in the world, especially as parents, we have high influence over the children in the world. We can encourage children, role model for children, teach children, and train children. Out of respect, love, intimidation, or force, we can usually get a child to do as we wish while they are young. Yet, do our efforts really guarantee that a child will grow up to be as we wish? God can certainly change hearts, if He is so inclined. However, God gives us free will. He doesn’t change our hearts unless we want it. It is this free will and God’s willingness to change hearts is what probably makes this verse so important. Giving a child a strong, godly foundation, helps that child have the tools he or she will need to make life decisions and no matter how many times he or she may stray, he or she will still have the tools necessary to find his or her way back to God. Whether or not he or she chooses to use these tools is up to him or her. This is why we must do our part to train up children in a godly manner. Even if it doesn’t stick, there is still hope that they will come back. People can remember strong foundations, even if they wander from them. I used to think that this Proverbs 22:6 just pertained to Bible study, manners, and godly living in general. However, I think there is something to be said in also considering more specific actions such as training children how to recognize and use their God given talents and skills. It could also mean training a child in a way that is unique to them, like through words, through doing and role modeling, or through visual means. It could also mean helping a child choosing a profession. People sometimes tend to do what they know already. For example, if a child grows up on a family farm, they may be likely to be family farmers when they grow up, especially if their parents teach them young to love the animals, appreciate the crops, and be responsible for chores early on. Isn’t that what “training up” means? Doesn’t it mean to teach children right from wrong, godly from worldly, and to make the godly decision? God’s Word has to do with all aspects of life, not just where, when, and how we worship. Knowing God’s Word is a big part of being able to make godly decisions. And, we will have to make decisions in all aspects of our lives, our spiritual lives, our physical lives, our emotional lives, our academic lives, our personal lives, our business lives, our financial lives, and social lives. I now believe that this verse can envelope all these aspects of life. Often, God uses verses at different times in our lives to encourage us in different ways. It isn’t unusual for a verse to mean one thing for us in one part of our life and envelope so much more in other parts of our life. Often things take on new meaning and new importance as we learn, grow, and mature. Heavenly Father, You have put all your precious children on earth for us to encourage and train in your ways. Thank you for the honor and responsibility you have given us to parent and train the children you put in our path. Help us to do it according to your Word and your way, I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Proverbs 22:6 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 22:6 mean to me? *What does train up a child mean? *Do I think Proverbs 22:6 is a promise? *If person strays from God, does that mean a parent didn’t do a good job training a child up? *If I don’t have any children is this verse still applicable to me? *What can I do to better heed the words in this verse? Now, it is your turn. I have covered quite a bit in today's post. There is so much on which to ponder and meditate. If you feel led to leave a comment, please do so. I look forward to reading what you have to say. 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“He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.”
Psalms 15:5 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I hope you are enjoying the Psalms 15 Series by DUO Inspirations. Today’s post is the last post of the series. If you haven’t done so already, please consider taking the time to read the previous posts by clicking on the links below: Psalms 15:1 Psalms 15:2 Psalms 15:3 Psalms 15:4 As you may know, King David asks a couple of questions about who will be close to God in His tabernacle and on His hill in Psalms 15:1. Then, in Psalms 15:2-5, King David gives his answers to his preceding questions. In previous posts we have pondered verses 1-4 of Psalms 15. Today, we end the series and chapter by pondering the words in Psalms 15:5 (KJV), which reads, “He that putteth not out money to usury nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” Psalms 15:5 has three parts. Let’s look at the first part, which reads, “He that putteth not out his money to usury…”. (KJV) In my research, I have found that “usury” seems to take on different meanings to different people. In most cases, this first part of Psalms 15:5, seems to mean that one shouldn’t charge interest to the poor. This part of the verse seems to echo Exodus 22:25 (KJV), which reads, “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.” Maybe King David took his answer from this verse. I am not sure. In my research, most people seem to think that this statement is more about personal lending to the poor from neighbor to neighbor. However, I am not so sure. Wouldn’t it be important that the poor be able to get necessities such as food, drink, clothing, and a place to live without feeling the crunch of extra fees? Maybe there is something in the original text or biblical law that would explain this more fully. Yet, I am not a scholar, so I don’t really know what is meant. It could be one of those verses where God speaks different things to different people. Questions that go through my mind are: Who constitutes the poor? What level of poor is really poor? Does this mean the old and elderly, the crippled and disabled, or working poor who have trouble making ends meet? Does it include just loans from neighbor to neighbor or bank and business loans as well? Does it include loans for just the bare necessities or for things that would help people improve themselves as well? What are your thoughts? Do you know of something that would make the answers to these questions more apparent? Or, do you think it is according to what God is telling us personally at the time? I believe that the middle part of Psalms 15:5 (KJV), which reads, “…nor taketh reward against the innocent” is the clearest part of the verse. It seems pretty straightforward that we are not to take bribes against the innocent. God protects the innocent and doesn’t want any harm to come to them. One way of protecting the innocent is making it wrong to give or take bribes, to give false testimony, or to say anything that would falsely accuse or bring harm to an innocent person. The last part of Psalms 15:5 (KJV) reads, “He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” To tell you the truth, this part of the verse brings up quite a few questions for me as well. For example, does “doeth these things” refer to using usury and taking bribes against the innocent or not using usury and not take bribes against the innocent? Does “doeth these things” refer to the things in Psalms 15:5 or the things in Psalms 15:2-5? In my research, most people seem to translate the last sentence of Psalms 15:5 as those who heed the words and act like the people listed in Psalms 15 will not be “swayed” or “tempted” too far away from God. These people will be able to stand firm in their faith and have a close relationship with God, instead of being tempted away and losing faith. This could be what King David meant, although, I think there is another possibility. I think that “He that doeth these thing shall never be moved” could refer to those people who practice usury and those people who take bribes against the innocent. It could mean that such people, who would do such things, have cold hearts. It could mean that if they practice such things, their hearts will never be moved to compassion and love of another. Therefor, it might be difficult to be moved towards a relationship with God. Before I wrap up the post, I would like to go back to King David’s questions in Psalms 15:1 (KJV), which reads, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Some of us might read that and say, “The way to God is through Jesus. How come King David didn’t say anything about being saved by Jesus?” Well, we have to remember that Jesus hadn’t come to earth yet when King David was asking and answering these questions. Even if any of the prophets had foretold the coming of Jesus by this time, King David probably didn’t know the implications and truth about what that meant for our salvation. Heavenly Father, Thank you for you infinite wisdom and love for us. Thank you for your Word, so that we have a path to you. Help us to understand your Word and take it to heart. Help us to act according to your will. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Psalms 15:5: *What does Psalms 15:5 mean to me? *What does “putteth not his money to usury” mean to me? *What does “nor taketh reward against the innocent” mean to me? *What does “He that doeth these things shall never be moved” mean? *What can I do to better heed the words in Psalms 15:5? *What other Bible verses remind me of Psalms 15:5? Now it is your turn. Thank you for being here. I appreciate your support and kindness. I don’t know about for you, but for me, Psalms 15:5 brought quite a few questions to mind. If you feel led, please feel free to leave a comment. We all learn from each other’s thoughts and prayers. Again, I encourage you not to rely on the word of others though, but to pray and put your trust in God’s wisdom. Rely on Him. If you have found value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, I encourage you to share it with others. My hope is to plant seeds of God’s Word for many people to use in order to grow in their own faith journeys. I hope you will help me and help others to do that. If you haven’t done so already, please consider signing up below to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. In that way, you don’t have to remember to look up the Faith Blog each week, because the link is sent right to you. 
“He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.”
Psalms 15:3 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I hope you are enjoying the Psalms 15 Series by DUO Inspirations. Today, we will ponder the words in Psalms 15:3. Last week, we pondered the words in Psalms 15:2 and saw how King David starts answering his own questions (which he posed in Psalms 15:1). You can read last week’s post here. Like in Psalms 15:2, in Psalms 15:3 continues to answer the questions he posed in Psalms 15:1. In Psalms 15:2, King David lists some traits such people may have in order to dwell in the Lord’s tabernacle. These things include walking uprightly, righteousness, and truthfulness. In Psalms 15:3, King David mentions things in which those people are NOT. Let’s look at it. Psalms 15:3 notes some things that we are not to do to our neighbor. However, the meaning of neighbor here doesn’t mean just the person who lives next door to us or even just in our own town. I believe the word neighbor refers to either all others. Maybe, at the very least, it means all other believers. The first part of Psalms 15:3 KJV states, “He that backbiteth not with his tongue…”. So, we are called not to backbite our neighbors. What does that mean? I believe that backbiting refers to saying mean and cruel things, regardless of whether they are true or not about someone behind his or her back. No matter the true meaning, we can gather that it has something to do with saying not so kind things about others behind their backs. In the second part of Psalms 15:3, we see that are not to do any sort of evil to our neighbors. Hopefully, we know this anyway. Yet, it is good to look at it as part of King David’s thought process here. If we brainstormed some specific ways to not do evil to our neighbors, we might come up with things like: not fighting others, not stealing from others, not cursing others, not cheating others, not causing harm to others, and not ruining any property or belongings of others. In the last part of Psalms 15:3 KJV it states, “…nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour”. I am not quite sure what is meant by this part specifically. However, in my mind there could be at least two possibilities to the meaning. I think the first possible meaning is that we don’t scold or maybe join others in scolding our neighbors. We tend to want to be quick to point out the wrong that others are doing. It might be that King David is saying that it isn’t good to do point out the wrongdoings of others. The second possible meaning might be that we are not to take part in anything others are doing against our neighbors. Neither possibility seems very kind anyways, so we may want to steer clear of either action. The bottom line that King David was saying in Psalms 15:3 is to be kind to others. We see that in so many verses of the Bible. God definitely calls us to love and be kind to others. Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us and showing us the way you want us to live. Help us to take your Word to heart and to heed it always. Help us to not only read your Word, but to ponder it and live it as well. Help us to be kind to our neighbors as you call us to do. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Psalms 15:3 (KJV): *What does Psalms 15:3 mean to me? *What does backbiting mean to me? *What does “doing no evil” to my neighbor mean to me? *What does “taking up reproach against my neighbor” mean to me? *What is the definition of “neighbor” in the verse? *What message is God giving me with Psalms 15:3? *What can I do to better heed the message in Psalms 15:3? *About what other verses does Psalms 15:3 remind me? Now, it is your turn. Thank you for being here. I hope you are enjoying the Psalms 15 Series by DUO Inspirations. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please feel free to share it with others. Also, if you feel called to write a comment, please do so. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I think it is nice to be able to share thoughts about God's Word and learn from each other. However, please, remember that your ultimate teachers are God's Word and God through prayer, as well as Jesus and the Holy Spirit. (We are not called to seek each other, like we are called to seek God.) If you haven't done so already, please feel free to sign up below to get the Faith Blog and other faith content in your inbox. Thank you. God bless. 
“He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart.”
Psalms 15:2 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Last week we pondered King David’s questions in Psalms 15:1 (KJV) which are, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” If you haven’t read the post yet, you can read it here. Think about those questions for a moment. What would your answer be to his questions? This week, we ponder the words in Psalms 15.2, where King David starts to answer his own questions. So, the first part of King David’s answer to his questions in verse 1 says, “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart.” (Psalms 15:2 KJV) Let’s think about these words and let them really sink into our soul. There are three parts or phrases in Psalms 15:2. I think the last one is easiest to address, so I will address it first. If we look at it, it says, “…and speaketh the truth in his heart.” One might think that means that King David is talking about someone who never lies to anyone and always speaks the truth. I think that is only partially correct. I think the words “in his heart”, makes the meaning a bit deeper. Sometimes, we think we are telling others the truth, only to find out that we have been lying to ourselves. I think sometimes we bury the truth. Therefor, when we tell others something, we really feel that we are telling them the truth. Yet, it isn’t the case. It is just what we have been telling ourselves for so long that we know think it is the truth. Or, maybe we only tell a half-truth. We only tell have of the story. We don’t lie about what we say, but we might withhold a small piece of information. We tell ourselves that it won’t matter. However, even if the other person never knows and it doesn’t make a difference to the other person at all, it still matters, because it matters to God. It also matters to us, as Christians, because we are always seeking and finding God. That also means that we are constantly seeking and finding truth, because God is truth. Sometimes “speaking truth in our heart” might mean to really reflect upon our beliefs, our words, and our actions and honestly telling ourselves and God how we are doing as well as assessing our strengths and weaknesses honestly. This can be difficult. Like I mentioned before, this difficulty could be from burying part of the truth for some reason. It could be from memory lapse, especially if we don’t reflect upon our actions regularly. It could also be from lack of understanding or discernment, which is another good reason constantly pray and read God’s Word, so God will give us the understanding and discernment we need. I also believe that we can look at “speaketh the truth in his heart” a different way. So many times, we get in a rut or speak lies to ourselves, which sabotages our lives. We may go with the crowd or listen to common sentiment about what can and can’t be done. However, if we encourage ourselves with God’s Word, I believe that is also a way of “speaking the truth in his heart”. Yet, Psalms 15:2 isn’t just speaking the truth. It isn’t just talking the talk, so to speak. It is about walking the walk as well. We see that we are called to live in truth as well as speak it in reading Psalms 15:2. Now, let’s look at the other parts of Psalms 15:2. I have tried to research it, but I am uncertain of the distinction between “walketh uprightly” and “worketh righteousness”. King David may have had two different meanings in mind as he wrote this verse or maybe he just wrote two phrases with similar meanings to emphasize the importance of living a righteous life. I don’t know. (If you have comments, I would enjoy reading them.) Maybe one phrase might have to do with being truthful, being honest, and having integrity in public life and one phrase might have to do with being truthful, being honest, and having integrity in personal life. To me, it seems that this verse is reminding us that it isn’t just what we do in public that matters, but what we do behind closed doors matter as well. We are ALWAYS called to be righteous and do the will of God, doing right according to His will for us. We are called to not only speak the truth to ourselves and to others, but to live in truth with honesty and integrity as well. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. Thank you for giving us people through whom we can learn your Word and your will for us. Thank you for showing us the way to you, through Jesus and through your Word. Help us to walk in integrity, speak truth to ourselves and to others, and to do everything according to your will for us. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Psalms 15:2 (KJV): *What does Psalms 15:2 mean to me? *Is there a difference in “speaking in truth” and “speaking in truth in your heart”? *Is there a difference between “walking uprightly” and “working righteousness”? *What message is God giving me through Psalms 15:2? *Of what verse does Psalms 15:2 remind me? *What are my answers to King David’s questions in Psalms 15:1? Are the words in Psalms15:2 part of my answer? Why or why not? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I encourage you to read God's Word, pray, and discern these answers for yourself. If you feel led, please feel free to write a comment so others can learn and ponder your ideas. Also, if you feel others would benefit from the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and feel called to do so, please share it. 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“He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”
Luke 3:11 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Not long ago, I wrote another post on sharing. You can read it here. That post was focused on how we sometimes tend to confuse “needs” and “wants”. Today’s post is about sharing, but with the focus on sharing from our excess. In Luke 3:11 (KJV), it says, “He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; an the that hath meat, let him do likewise.” Here, John the Baptist is answering a question people have asked about what they must do. As we can see, the message is that we should give from our excess to those who don’t have all the necessities in life. I believe the word “meat” doesn’t just refer to meat, but to all food and drink. John is talking about food that is a necessity. We need food and drink in order to live. It may be the same with “coats”. John may not be just talking about coats, but all necessary clothing. Clothing is a necessity as well. Luke 3:11 reminds me of Matthew 19:21 (KJV) which says, “Jesus said unto him, If those wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Jesus’ answer maybe a little more drastic, but the message to be compassionate and giving to the poor is still the same. One might ask, “Why doesn’t John tell people the same as Jesus did?” I believe there a couple of reasons. The first is that Jesus hadn’t yet started His ministry in the times of when John was speaking in Luke 3:11. I believe the second reason is that God likes to tell us things in baby steps as to not overwhelm us and so we can understand. People who came to John might not have been ready to hear that they must sell everything. God may have thought that they were only ready to hear that they must share from their excess. I don’t know about you, but Luke 3:11 inspires me to think about what I have and what I give or don’t give. It gets me to thinking about how many of us have more coats and more clothes than they could possibly need and others don’t have all the necessities in life. Another thing I think about is that there is no mention of being asked by the poor for anything, only mention of giving to the poor. We are called to lovingly, graciously, and compassionately give to the poor out of excess in daily living necessities. We are called to take the initiative to ensure the poor at least have the necessities in life. What do you think about in reading Luke 3:11? Do you think about how many pieces of clothing you have and how many people could use even one? Do you think of how much food you have and how much gets wasted while others struggle to fine any? Does your heart go out to those who struggle to just get the necessities in life? Do you even think about what that might feel like? I pray that you are blessed by Luke 3:11 to reflect on what you have or need and what you can do to help those less fortunate. I pray we all take that time to not only reflect, but to do something about it, to compassionately and joyously give. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Holy Word. Thank you for caring for all your children, those who have as well as those who have not. Thank you for teaching us to give and share with others. Help us to be, not only obedient to your Holy Word, and give to others, but to give well with a loving and compassionate heart. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Luke 3:11 (KJV): *What does Luke 3:11 mean to me? *Does Luke 3:11 inspire me to reflect on what I have and what I share? *Do I have more food or clothing than I need? *Do I have more possessions and money than I need? *Do I share with the poor and those in need? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I enjoy sharing my faith and my thoughts with you. I encourage you to read God's Word and grow in your own faith. I welcome any comments and ideas you may have so that we can all be encouraged and grow in our faith. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with others. Encourage others to read God's Word and grow in their faith as well. And, if you haven't done so already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. 
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Have you ever wondered why you are going through a difficult time? Have you wondered what you did to deserve such a horrible time? I pray that in these times, your discomfort turns to comfort, even if only through the words in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Sometimes the source of our discomfort is obvious. For example, you touching a hot stove will result in a burn. We know this. We can understand it. It doesn’t help the burn, but at least we know why the painful burn is there. We did something not so smart and we are suffering the consequences. However, sometimes things happen and we are not sure why. We are suffering with something and we are not sure the cause. What did we do? Why are we suffering? Did we do something that wasn’t so smart? Did we bring it on ourselves? Did Satan do it to bring us down? Is God punishing us? At times, these things are good to ask, so that we can reflect on where we are at in our relationship with God. There are lessons we can use from self-reflection and it seems like the lessons come the most through our mistakes and hardships. Although, the “why of it” might not be the best question to ask or even the view to take. Maybe we should be taking it as it comes and asking God for comfort and mercy. More than that, maybe we should be noticing and acknowledging that comfort. One of the reasons I like this passage so much is that it is so comforting and it shows the compassion and love of our Heavenly Father. Now, that we have started wondering the reasons of why bad things happen and why we go through hardships, let’s look at 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV), “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort”. We are called to praise God! As Christians, we know that and do that anyway. However, it is sometimes difficult to praise God during hard times. We feel angry or hurt during hard times, instead of thankfulness and the willingness to praise God. That is why I think we need to not focus on the hardship as much, but on God. I think it is in “focusing on God more” that we will realize that God is our Heavenly Father, that He has mercy on us and comforts us. I think it is then that we can start blessing Him and praising His name, even during hardship, or closely thereafter, as Paul did. After all, this was written just after a time when he thought he would be killed and his daily condition probably wasn’t the best. After being reminded of some very wonderful titles and traits of our Heavenly Father and being called to bless Him, we are reminded of some reasons why we should bless our Heavenly Father. Let’s now look at 2 Corinthians 1:4 (KJV), which says, “who comforteth us in all tribulation, that we may comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” To me, two of those reasons that we might not know about for our hardship might be explained in 2 Corinthians 1:4. Maybe one of the reasons that we have hardship is so that God can comfort us. I don’t mean that God causes hardship, so that He can some in like a knight in shining armor to rescue use and feel good about himself. It isn’t some sort of knight in shining armor syndrome. When God comforts us, it is the real thing. He comforts us as nobody else can. God doesn’t want us to continue to suffer. He wants us to seek Him. We have seen this in Jesus’ personality and ways. We read in scripture how Jesus was compassionate towards those whom he met. We also see God’s compassion and mercy when Jesus says in John 16:7 (KJV), “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” Like any loving father, our Heavenly Father, provides for us and comforts us. I mentioned that there are two reasons for our suffering that can be found in 2 Corinthians 1:4. Again, I don’t mean that God causes suffering, just so that He can comfort us. He may let it happen, so that we can benefit from His comfort and learn from the experience. The second, to me, is that we suffer so that God can comfort us and that we then in turn can comfort others. We are to testify of God’s kindness and comfort for us, so that others can be comforted as well. We are also called to physically and emotionally comfort others, as God has comforted us. In a way, 2 Corinthians 1:4, shows us that we are called to “pay it forward”. God comforts us, so we are called to comfort others. Then, they can comfort others, as God comforted them through us, and on and on. Of what verse does the “pay it forward” aspect of 2 Corinthians 1:4 remind you? It reminds me of Matthew 6:12 (KJV), “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”. Isn’t it wonderful that God gives us examples of the good things that we are do. He treats us, as we are to treat others. Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Heavenly Father. Thank you for your love, mercy, and comfort. Thank you for showing us more and more the love for us. Help us to be thankful for the love, mercy, and comfort you provide. Help us to remember it and “pay it forward” during times when others are in need. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV): *What does 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 mean to me? *Do I praise and bless God in difficult times? *Do I testify how God comforts me and has mercy on me? *Do I “pay it forward” and comfort others? *Of what other verses do 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 remind me? *What message is God giving me through 2 Corinthians 1:3-4? *What can I do to better heed the words in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4? Note: Every once in a while, I like to remind you that I am not a biblical scholar. I didn't go to seminary. I am a Christian who loves our Heavenly Father. I read the Bible to know Him and to know His ways and what I am called to do. I encourage you to do the same. A devotion, such as I offer in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, is a great starting place to get used to reading and thinking about God's Word. It is also a wonderful place for more experienced Christians and Bible readers to read the thoughts of other Christians on Bible verses, and to offer thoughts of their own. *If you want to read another post on comfort, you may also want to read this one. Now, it is your turn. I am so glad you are here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I pray you are blessed by the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and find value in it. I always look forward to your comments, ideas, and suggestions. I want to learn and grow in faith with you. So, please feel free to comment below. Also, if you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with others. "Pay it forward." Let others find value in it as well. Thank you. And, if you haven't done so already, you may want to consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. Get a free gift to help you delve deeper into God's Word as well. Thank you. God bless. 
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”
Galatians 6:7 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Today, I want to talk about times when people have said, “Don’t touch this or you will be in trouble.” Or, maybe they said, “Don’t cross this line or you will be sorry.” Then, nothing happened. It is like bullies were warning us to get us scared, hoping that we wouldn’t call their bluff. These bullies like to manipulate the truth to get others to do what they want. They want to mock others for being afraid of them. They want to keep us down, so they feel strong. However, when people call the bully’s bluff, they may jeer at the bully, “I touched it. I touched it”, because they touched it and nothing happened. Or, they crossed the line and nothing happened. So, the bully is then mocked. The bully didn’t have the strength or courage to follow through with his or her threats. With this image and frame of mine, let’s now look at Galatians 6:7. The first part says, “Be not deceived.” That is don’t be mistaken. God can definitely follow through with whatever He says will happen. God has infinite power. God does not trick or manipulate people to get His way. God tells the truth. God is truth. The second part of the verse says, “God in not mocked.” In other words, God will follow through with whatever He says He will do. There will be no, “I touched it, I touched it,” from sinners who thought they got away with something. We may “think” we are getting away with things, because our consequences don’t always come immediately. They come in God’s time, not in the time we always think they will come. For example, if we are told we are going to gain weight if we eat something and then don’t gain weight immediately, we may think that we got away with something. However, what we may not know is that it is probably working unseen negative effects on the body and we will end up gaining weight in the long run because of it. Another example might be, if we smoke after being told it causes cancer and we don’t get cancer right away, we might feel like we got away with something. However, what we might not realize is that sometimes it takes time for the effect of the nicotine to take hold and the cancer to start. It might also be that the cancer is starting inside the body, but we can’t see it yet. No matter what the unhealthy action and sin we may do, we must not think we “got away with something” if our consequences don’t come immediately. Our consequences may not even come during our time on earth, but we will be judged on whatever we do. Our consequences or rewards will come eventually, in this life or in eternity. The last part of Galatians 6:7 (KJV) says, “for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” When consequences don’t come immediately, we may forget or not believe that they will come. Yet, again, God doesn’t lie. He tells the truth and is truth. Even if we forget about them, the consequences are coming. It may also be that the consequences are put to us in worldly terms, but the consequences are according to God’s law and not worldly law. For example, we may “steal something” and not get caught. So, we won’t go to jail and “pay” for the crime. So, we may think that we “got away with something”. However, that is worldly law. God still knows that we stole something and He will still give us His consequences. If we do good things and follow God’s Word, we will reap the rewards He promises. On the other hand, if we sin and don’t heed God’s Word, we will reap the consequences He promises as well. Even if we don’t see the rewards or consequences in this life, we can be sure that we will see them in eternity. As it says in the beginning of the verse, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. Thank you for the truth and direction you give us. Help us to heed your words and to remember that consequences and rewards are coming according to your Word, even if they don’t come in the time we may expect. We ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Galatians 6:7 (KJV): *What does Galatians 6:7 mean to me? *About what does Galatians 6:7 make me think? *How can I relate Galatians 6:7 to a situation in today’s world? *What do I need to do to better heed the words in Galatians 6:7? Now, it is your turn. I am so glad that you are here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I feel blessed to write the Faith Blog. I feel God has called me to do so. I pray before I write and trust God to give me the words and message that He wants written. I pray you are blessed by it also. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please feel free to share it with your family and friends. Also, if you haven't done so, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. I look forward to your thoughtful comments. Please, feel free to comment below or to contact me. 
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
Proverbs 16:24 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I hope you are well. There are many verses in the Bible about the power of words. Yet, do we really think about that power in our every day lives? Words must be powerful, after all, God spoke the world into existence. Words can be powerful in a negative and in a positive way, depending on what we say and how we say it. Yet, in the case of Proverbs 16:24, words can make a powerful and positive difference. Let’s look at the first part of Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb…”. As important as words are to God and how powerful He knows them to be, there must be a reason that the word “honeycomb” was chosen over the word “honey”. So, I did some research about honey versus honeycomb. It seems that as one may expect, honeycomb and the honey within it is healthier for you than the honey we buy from the store. It is in its natural element and how God made it to be, instead of processed and extracted. Honey has many, many nutrients and is good for us in so many ways, but honeycomb has even more and is even better for us. When we speak, do we take time to think about whether we are using “pleasant” words or not? Let’s look at the word “pleasant” for a moment. What does pleasant mean? I think we can all agree that hearing a loved one tell us that they love us is pleasant. I think sometimes, other things might get a little cloudy in our mind as to whether or not it is “pleasant” or not. For example, if you tell someone who has on a hat that you do not like, that they have a “beautiful hat” and you like how it looks on them, is that considered “pleasant words”? Some people may say “yes” because the words seem nice, polite, and even encouraging. Yet, is it really pleasant and encouraging when we are told lies, no matter how nicely they are put? I don’t know about you, but I would rather know the truth. I would like it to be said as nicely as possible, but I would rather hear the truth, so that I know that I can trust that person with other things. (Whether or not a hat is liked or not seems like it is of no real consequence, but if someone lies with little things, will they lie about bigger things?) We can dislike something and still say something nice that is honest and more meaningful like, “That hat isn’t my style, but if you like it, I am glad you are wearing it.” (The latter is not only honest, but it also acknowledges that people have different styles, and encourages people to be themselves.) Even if we are rebuked for doing something that goes against God’s will for us in a kindly way, it can be pleasant for us in the most “heavenly” use of the word. We want to do our best for God and to serve Him in the way that He calls us to do so. We want to be close to God and to receive the gifts and love He has for us. To me, it isn’t only the words that are called to be pleasant, but the way we speak the words as well. Words as simple as “yes” and “no”, can be spoken in a nasty tone or demeanor, or a pleasant tone and demeanor. The words still have the same meaning, “yes” means “yes” and “no” means “no”. However, they can help or hurt, in the manner in which they are spoken. For example, in Proverbs 15:1 (KJV), God tells us, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” I think most of us have probably experienced both “soft words” and “grievous words” and can understand the difference. Now, that we have pondered the meaning of “pleasant words” for a while, let’s look at the second part of Proverbs 16:24 (KJV), “…sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Can you imagine that every time you speak, you have the power to bring someone sorrow, hardship, depression, anger, sadness, and even ill health or death or you have the power to bring encouragement, truth, love, kindness, happiness, empathy, or even heath and life? That is a huge consideration and responsibility. Yet, God wouldn’t have told us this if it wasn’t important for us to learn. I know that for me, it makes a difference how and what people speak to me. Encouragement and truth have empowered me and brought me joy, while mean words and lies have hurt and discouraged me. Can you relate? Many of us have heard, “Don’t say things in anger” or “think before you speak”. The words in Proverbs 16:24 is a good reason for these sayings. The question is, “Will we understand the importance and heed these words?” Heavenly Father, Thank you for your heavenly love and direction. Thank you for the message and instructions you gave us through Proverbs 16:24. Help us to understand the power of our words and help us to speak “pleasant words” to each other, so that our words will be “sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Also, help us to realize that when we heed your words, we glorify you. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Proverbs 16:24 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 16:24 mean to me? *Do I think before I speak? *Do I speak “softly” and with “pleasant words”? *Do I understand the power of words? *How can I better heed God’s words in Proverbs 16:24? Now, it is your turn. I am so glad you are here. I pray that God is encouraging you and making the words in the Faith Blog to be "sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" for you. I also pray that these words help you to read and ponder God's Word for yourself. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please consider sharing it with others. Your friends, family, and church members may be happy you did. Also, if you haven't done so already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. You will also receive the free gift of "5 Reflective Questions to Delve Deeper into God's Word" as my thank you gift. I look forward to reading your thoughts, comments, prayer request, prayers, questions, and suggestions. Hopefully, they are said in "pleasant words", but I look forward to them. Feel free to comment below or contact me. Thank you for your support and kindness. I appreciate it. 
“Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.”
Proverbs 24:27 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Are you a planner? Some people like to plan and some people do not. However, we are often called to plan. Let’s look at Proverbs 24:27 for an example. It seems to be instruction on literally making a house, which it could possibly be. Yet, I believe it is good advice for many situations. The first part of Proverbs 24:27 (KJV) says, “Prepare thy work without”. In a physical sense, like in building a house, you have to do some of the preparations before you can even bring the materials to the home site. You have to cut the trees, mill the lumber, make the floor plans, and things like that before you can even think about starting to actually build a house. (We may not cut down our own trees and mill our own wood any more, but it still fits.) We can look at it in a spiritual and emotional way as well. We often have dreams and ideas that we find desirable. Sometimes, though, we leap before we look. Before we get all excited to the point of really, really wanting something, it is good to do some thinking and some research. Once we internalize things and feel passionate about it, we often do not want to turn back or listen to reason. We just want it. If we look at the second part of Proverbs 24:27 (KJV), it says, “and make it fit for thyself in the field…”. In our house building experience, that is in keeping with milling, cutting, and planing the lumber before you bring it to the house site. There are reasons not to bring it to the house site first. There are practical reasons, such as it belongs at the mill or you don’t want to spend extra gas money bringing to the house and then taking it to the lumber mill. You may also not want the lumber under foot while you are digging and pouring the foundation. The same considerations can be made in our spiritual and emotional examples. For example, we want to keep things in their place. We want to keep work things at work and home things at home and not let stress build up between them. We can also think about what fits for our life and our situation at the moment. Just because someone else does it one way, doesn’t mean that it is the way we need to go. Our “fit” might not be the same as someone else’s “fit”. This is the same for physical fit, emotional fit, financial fit, spiritual fit, social fit, time fit, talent fit, and other kinds of “fit”. So, before we take on things we may really want to do or are asked to do by others, we need to consider our “fit” for it. Now, let’s look at the third part of Proverbs 24:27 (KJV). It says, “…and afterwards build thine house.” Does this sound a little like, “don’t put the cart before the horse”? Or, maybe it sounds like, “There is a time and place for everything.” All these verses are not only good advice, but biblically based, which is what we want in our life. Whether we are building a house or reading God’s Word, or anything in between, we can heed the words in Proverbs 24:27. We talked about the building of the house and that we need to research what it entails, make the plans, draft the floor plan, and get the supplies ready, before we even start to build the house. It is the same with reading God’s Word. We need to sit quietly, prepare our hearts, make sure we have time to read, and then read, study, and pray God’s Word. It is then, that we are ready to internalize it and accept God’s gift of making it a reality in our life. Maybe that last part is the point when we ask God for something that seems good, but we don’t seem to get it. We may “WANT” something, but God may know that we are not ready to accept His gift of it. We may need to “prepare our work without and make it fit for ourselves in the field” first. Before I close, I want to consider another way we can think of these words. We know that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. So, let’s consider that as “our house”. Wholesome food is grown in the garden and not in a laboratory. We prepare a field for gardening and make sure the soil is fertile. We plant the seeds and work the gardens. We also harvest the food and wash it, before we end up eating it so it can nourish us. We can’t eat it before we do all the other things and we shouldn’t eat it, if it isn’t from God, like the wholesome foods from a garden. After all, the verse doesn’t say, “prepare it in a laboratory”. I don’t know. It might be a reach to look at it in this way. However, I pray before I write and God brought the thought to my mind. I think it can fit. Does it “fit” for you? Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Heavenly Father and for loving us the way you do. Thank you for giving us guidance in the way we should live. Help us to take time to plan things out, research, and set a firm foundation, before we internalize it and go forward with our plans. You know what is a “fit” for us and when, but help us to lean on you and to follow YOUR plan instead of our own in your timing. Help us to ready ourselves to receive and accept your gifts, instead of just getting impatient if we don’t get what we want right away. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Proverbs 24:27 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 24:27 mean to me? *What does “prepare thy work without” mean to me? *What does “and make it fit for thyself in the field” mean to me? *What is God trying to teach me with Proverbs 24:27? *How can I better live my life to heed the words in Proverbs 24:27? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful you are here. I pray that you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. I value your thoughts. Please, feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. If you do find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends, family, and church family members. Let us all strengthen each other in God's Word. Also, if you haven't done so already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content. If you do, you will also receive a free gift as my thank you to you. I appreciate your kindness and support. 
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Today’s verse, 2 Chronicles 7:14, is a long one with many parts to it. In researching and praying about the verse, I have found that there are many interpretations of the verse. As always, I pray that you read God’s Word, pray, and research yourself for the meaning of the verse. However, I would like to give you some food for thought. First of all, it is interesting to notice that this is an “If/then statement.” We read, if this happens, then that will happen. It is one of those times when we are called to know and understand that even though God has unconditional love, His actions and answers to prayer are not necessarily unconditional. Out of His unconditional love, He tries to discipline His people and teach them right from wrong, so that they will seek Him and do His will for them. The first part of 2 Chronicles 7:14, says, “If my people…”. And, actually, that first part of “my people” is clarified further by “which are called by my name...”. I have noticed in my research that there is disagreement among interpreters as to who is meant by “If my people, which are called by my name…”. At the time, it was meant for God’s chosen people, the Israelites. However, since God’s Word, like God himself, transcends all time, and since God opened up his Word to everyone to have the opportunity to believe, I think it is meant for all believers and followers of God. What are your thoughts? Another thing to point out about 2 Chronicles 7:14 before I go much further is that this isn’t the only time that God has said these basic words. He has warned and encouraged His people time and time again with these words. And, this isn’t the first time God has said these words. There had been other times in history where these words were said and things were good for a while, but then the Israelites turned away from God and His commands and started worshipping idols, so God brought the famine or exile or promised consequence until His people listened to His message to “humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways”. We are called to do four different things in 2 Chronicles 7:14. We are called to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek God’s face, and to turn from our wicked ways. Let’s look at that first one, especially. I think to humble ourselves is difficult for all of us, because of our human nature. What does it mean to humble ourselves? I think if we were to put it simplistically, it would mean to not think that we know it all, because we don’t. To humble ourselves might mean to apologize, even though it may seem like we are making ourselves look weak or wrong. In a way, being humble is being honest and kind. We don’t know it all, God does. So, if we are honest, we will show that in our words and actions. If we are kind, we will care about others and be honest, take responsibility for our actions, even our mistakes and apologize. We wouldn’t want to hurt someone or do something wrong without making amends and helping the other feel better. Being humble is showing that we don’t think we are bigger, stronger, more important, smarter, or better than anyone else, including God. Once we realize these things, it seems easier to pray, to ask God for forgiveness, to be honest, to admit our faults and limitations, to turn to God and to seek Him, as well as to ask God for help and for guidance. As we turn to God and get closer to Him, it will be easier for us to turn from our wicked ways. Isn’t it wonderful that God loves us and gives us a schematic in the way we should go!?! It is such a blessing that God loves us so much to be not just our Creator, but also our Heavenly Father. He cares enough to be a loving parent, to teach us right from wrong, to reward us if we do right, to show us the way to go and what is best for us, and to love us like we have never been loved before. There is one other point that I want to bring up. Right now, we are going through a pandemic. People are fighting about rights. There are arguments about whether or not we should get vaccinated and whether or not we should be required to wear masks. There are people struggling, losing life, losing money, losing jobs, worrying about loved ones, working under pressure, and many other things with this pandemic. I wouldn’t hesitate to say, that no matter which side of the arguments or theories we are on, we are probably all tired of the pandemic. So, it might be interesting to look at the pandemic in light of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and other similar verses. Does that mean I am saying that God created the pandemic? NO! I am not saying that at all. I don’t know whether God created it or is allowing it or what. Are we being called to learn a lesson from the pandemic? Are we being called to humble ourselves, to pray, to turn to God, and to turn from our wicked ways, so that God can heal our land? No matter our thoughts on the pandemic, it might do us well and to show God our love to humble ourselves, to go to Him in prayer, to seek His will for us and His guidance in this situation, and to turn from our wicked ways. I know. It is difficult at times to think that anything we do is really wicked. However, that isn’t the point. It is good to know that we are sinners and big or small, sin is sin. So, no matter how good we think we are, we can still learn from this verse. Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Creator and our Heavenly Father. Thank you for loving us and guiding us. Help us to put our trust in you and to follow your will for us. Help us to live according to your Word. Help us realize your love and be thankful for it. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV): *What does 2 Chronicles 7:14 mean to me? *Do I understand that God truly loves me, even enough to discipline me? *Do I understand the difference between unconditional love and unconditional doing things for others? *Do I understand that showing our loved ones the difference between right and wrong is a wonderful form of love? *What is God teaching me through 2 Chronicles 7:14? *Is God teaching me something through the pandemic or other hardships? *How can I reframe my thinking to better understand 2 Chronicles 7:14? Now, it is your turn. Thank you for being here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I look forward to reading your comments and ideas. What are your ideas and comments in regards to 2 Chronicles 7:14? What is God trying to teach you through those words? Do you think we can relate those words to the pandemic? 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Hi friends!
This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. Archives
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