Proverbs 18: 1-3:
1HE WHO willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment. 2A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself. 3When the wicked comes in [to the depth of evil], he becomes a contemptuous despiser [of all that is pure and good], and with inner baseness comes outer shame and reproach.
This is the picture of people who have no desire for the things of God. They make a conscious choice to go opposite of God's Word. It can be an almost blatant "in your face" attitude to God. What to do about a person you care about who is in that position? Pray, asking the Lord of the Harvest to send the RIGHT laborers across their path. The RIGHT laborer will be one that is able to reach them where they live and cause them to question everything they believe! Only the Holy Spirit knows who those particular laborers are! Two Scriptures to stand on:
Luke 10:2b:
2... Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
And 1 John 5:14-15:
14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
You KNOW that you are praying according to God's will when you pray this way because 2 Peter 3:9 says:
9The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
AMEN! And then Proverbs 18:21 says this:
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].
We have the privilege of choosing what kind of results we get in life! Remember that God WANTS you to choose Life! (Deuteronomy 30:19) So do it! Watch that you only speak what you REALLY want to accept into your life! Spend whatever time in the Word of God is needful for YOU to understand the promises and then don't settle for anything less! And don't ever SPEAK something you don't want to happen because, as we just read in verse 21, THAT is what you and I will have to be satisfied with!
Ephesians 1:1 says:
1PAUL, AN apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the divine will (the purpose and the choice of God) to the saints (the consecrated, set-apart ones) at Ephesus who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus:
I love that Paul KNOWS that God chose him! He wasn't called an apostle because of "lots" that were cast, but by the divine order of Almighty God! Get familiar enough with the calling of God on YOUR life that you will be unshakable in your commitment to fulfill it! Ephesians 1:17-23 is an inspired prayer that you can and should pray daily over the people YOU want to see born again and growing up in the things of God! The Word WORKS and PRAYING the Word ALWAYS works! AMEN!
In 2 Samuel 23 we see the names listed of all of David's mighty men! God was so faithful to appoint such men to care for, fight for and protect David! Any one of them would have given their life for him! That is one of the reasons that David's sin against Uriah was so egregious! Uriah would have given his life for David, but David had it taken from him. It cost David his own son. Watch that you never try to cover up your sin at the expense of another! God will ALWAYS forgive when you confess your sin, but their WILL be natural consequences if we go against God's Word and go your own way. Go to 1 John 1:9 and get rid of the effects of sin! AMEN!
In 2 Samuel 24 we see David again getting involved with sin and this time it cost the people dearly! Anyone in a leadership position is responsible for the choices that they make and how those choices affect other people. David repented again because he was "after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22) and got back in fellowship with God. Make sure YOU do the same thing! Don't "wallow" in self-pity! Don't feel sorry for yourself! Get back up, repent (change your thinking to agree with God) and move on in the right direction! God has never been taken by surprise over our mistakes, but in order to be pleasing to Him we MUST get back up and move on! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
