Acts 1:6

November 16, 2011

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”

We always have to know every little detail.  It is ideal for our whole day, week, or even life to be planned out ahead of time.  We ask God a thousand questions and get angry when the answer isn’t to our liking or expectations.  We can’t always demand timing from God.  Sometimes it is just in our best interest to go with the flow of everyday live and not always worry about what the future holds.  Matthew 6:25 says, “’Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?’”

In applying this I will strive to become content with where the Lord has me and not always inquire of the things of tomorrow.

Acts 1:5

November 15, 2011

“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

John the Baptist went before Jesus and told of our Savior and baptized those who believed.  We are also here to come before the second coming of Christ, and share His’ story and the gift of salvation and eternal life with all.  With all the technological advances and all these new forms of communication that have come out, we have no excuse for not sharing the gospel with those who have not yet accepted God’s gift of eternal life.

In applying this I will not become slack in this situation and continue to share with friends who are still walking in sin.

Acts 1:4

November 14, 2011

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;”

Like the early church we are sometimes also told to wait.  Wait for what?  Wait for our Father’s timing which just so happens to be completely different from ours.  He has a completely different view of the world than we do, He knows the guy that is going to cut us off in traffic, what neighborhood it’s in front of, and He even knows the choice words we will utter under our breath out of frustration.  Knowing that, I’m much more comfortable trusting His discernment and judgment concerning timing, or anything else for that matter.  Living in such a fast paced society it really is hard to wait, but it is always better than rushing in prematurely and doing things our way.  That is a recipe to fail miserably. 

I know I do not want to fail by any stretch of the imagination, so; in applying this I will continued to pray for God’s continued direction in my life and not get frustrated because I don’t witness a clear cut path.

Proverbs 31:7

November 11, 2011

“Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”

Those in misery and hopeless situations often do not see a way out unless it happens to be by the bottle.  I really do not understand why Bathsheba seemingly condones the use of intoxicating beverage to ease the pain of those suffering.  It almost seems as though she looks down upon those in such a situation and says because Solomon is better than those people he shouldn’t be taking apart of those actions.  Which reminds me of what Pastor G and Margaret have been reiterating all week, “Because we are Christians, we have the freedom to not drink”.  Not saying we are better than those who have yet to accept God’s gift of eternal life, but we have a freedom they do not have.  We are not enslaved by the snares and traps of addictions that litter this world with broken marriages, friendships, and lives.  We have been purchased by the blood of Christ and all these worldly practices no longer have a grip on us. 

In applying this I will never allow anything to possess my life in the form of an addiction seeing as it will only hinder my walk with God.

Proverbs 31:6

November 10, 2011

“Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart.”

The only people in a society who should be administered strong drink are those who are dying or are experiencing intense pain.  It should not be used as a solution for people to irresponsibly “escape” their problems.  Unfortunately that is what it is most commonly used for today, people look upon it as a way to get away from their issues in life…NEWS FLASH…those problems are still there the next day!  We, as Christians, especially should not partake of alcohol for this purpose, but we also should not be partaking in such a degree that a significant level of impairment sets in.  We should never run from our problems or try to cover them up, they will only become more daunting and difficult to face.  God will never give us something we cannot handle, we never have to run from our problems and we can take peace in that fact.

In applying this I will never attempt to run from my problems in life and through prayer and God’s help I will be able to handle anything that is put on my plate.  Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Proverbs 31:5

November 9, 2011

“Lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted.”

As one consumes an alcoholic beverage, first the judgment is to go flying out the window, next is the basic motor skills, and then stuff such as vision impairment.  When the judgment of an authority figure goes whack, the standard of living for those who are governed under the leader who chooses to be given to alcohol goes straight to the gutter.  Those in a position of leadership should not be given to strong drink.  It is stumbling to most and is just downright irresponsible.  If a leader is to drink and be drunk they are bound to go that much quicker to their demise.  They find themselves in situations that they would have never gotten in if they would have been of a sober mind. 

In applying this I will pray for discernment and wisdom in all actions I commit that I might not give way to compromise in any area of my life.

Proverbs 31:4

November 7, 2011

“It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink;”

Well the age old debate of whether or not Christians should be able to drink seems to be settled here.  However, the text specifies that royalty should not drink alcoholic beverages.  I personally do not see a problem with Christians drinking an alcoholic beverage; it is definitely a touchy subject that is debated by people on both sides of the spectrum until faces turn blue.  We do have certain freedoms in Christ, but we need to be sensitive to what might cause another watching us to stumble.  I don’t see it a wise decision to go hit the bars and have to call a cab just because you aren’t responsible enough to control your intake of a substance.  I believe the decision should be left to an individual and not one verse in the Bible, because that would lead to seeming contradictions.  The decision should be taken into consideration of all those around who might be watching you. 

In applying this I will be sure to pray and think about the people who might be watching me or who I might cause to stumble in my actions that I take every day.