Proverbs 14:10:
10The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
One of the most precious and profound blessings of being a born again believer in Jesus of Nazareth is the fact that the Spirit of Almighty God lives IN us! This verse reveals what we all really know, that no other person can truly share our inner "feelings". Another person can be happy for the joy that I feel, but they can't really feel it with me! It is the same with every emotion that we experience. I can remember what it was like to be sad, but I can't really experience WITH YOU, your sadness. I can be sad that you are sad, but that still isn't the same thing. But the Holy Spirit Who lives IN us can! He understands us completely and knows our every thought and feeling! That's why He is called our Comforter! The Holy Spirit is the only REAL Comforter we have! Others can give us sympathy and compassion, but only the Holy Spirit can truly comfort us! As we get to really know and appreciate the precious Treasure we have inside of us, we will be in a better position to share that Treasure with unbelievers in a way that will cause them to WANT to know Him!
Verse 30:
30A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.
Medical Science continues to prove what the Bible has always stated! More and more reports are coming out about the detrimental effects of stress, worry, anger and bitterness on our physical bodies! That's why God's desire is for us to live in a continual state of "Shalom"! Shalom means: completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord! So when you and I greet someone with "Shalom", we are pronouncing the blessing of all of these good things over them! So instead of "Hello" and "Goodbye", let's be a REAL blessing and say "Shalom"! AMEN!
Galatians 3:1 in the King James Version of the Bible begins: "O foolish Galatians...". Personally, I prefer the Amplified Bible for this! Verses 1-3:
1O YOU poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom--right before your very eyes--Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified? 2Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?] 3Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?
Isn't that a little clearer? What Paul is asking here is why, when you received salvation by faith in Jesus of Nazareth, and His finished work on the cross, do you think you have to add to that by works to try to please God? Remember Philippians 1:6:
6And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.
He is at work in us continually, and will continue to work in us right up until we see Jesus face to face! What we need to do is get to know Jesus more every day so that our confidence in Him will grow. The more we know Him, the more we will begin to think like Him, talk like Him and act like Him! It will be the Holy Spirit working IN us that will change us from the inside out! 2 Corinthians 3:18:
18And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
LET Him work in you as YOU get to know Him!
Galatians 3:26-29:
28There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.
God does not see people the way we see people. There are three groups dealt with in the Bible: the Jews, the Nations and the Church. Once we are born again, we are part of the Church of Jesus Christ. When God looks at the Church, He does not see as we were (Jews, Gentiles, men, women, etc), but as we ARE - spirits recreated in the image of God! Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus of Nazareth! Heirs to the promise of Abraham! We need to stop looking at each other and our differences and see each other as the Father sees us! That's when we can truly work together! AMEN!
I have been wondering two things about 2 Samuel 15-16. The first is from 15:6-7:
6Thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7And after [four] years, Absalom said to the king, I pray you, let me go to Hebron [his birthplace] and pay my vow to the Lord.
My question is how did David NOT KNOW that Absalom was doing this? I've been to Jerusalem, it's not THAT big that he could have been doing this for 4 years and David never have any idea about it! It's a puzzle to me that will have to wait until I can watch the videos in Heaven I guess! The other thing that amazes me is found in 16:3-4:
3The king said, And where is your master's son [grandson Mephibosheth]? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father [grandfather Saul]. 4Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours. Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord O king.
How could Mephibosheth have so quickly forgotten David's kindness to him? His servant was the better man and received a good reward for it! Sometimes we, as believers, can take so much for granted and forget to be thankful for all that He has done in our lives! Make it a point to be grateful and thankful EVERY DAY and you won't find yourself being a Mephibosheth!
Shalom in Him!
