God gives Grace to the Humble
Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 (NKJV) God created us to live and walk with Him and that's only possible if we can live and walk like God. But we can't do that in our own human strength and effort. In Christ Jesus God came to live in us, and live through us. Grace is God living in us, working in us, walking in us. In order for God to do that we have to let Him by giving up our own human efforts and totally depending on His ability. This is what it means to be humble, this is how we receive and live in God's Grace. But when we refuse to depend on God and insist on relying on our human strength and effort then we are scornful towards God. Because human works are imperfect and dead works, they can't please God, depending on your self-effort is scorned by God. We can't live right by sheer determination of avoiding sin. But when we believe that Jesus took our sin, gave us His righteousness - 1Peter 2:24, so now we are righteous, we end up living righteous effortlessly. Now God is living His Righteous Life in us. We are now rightly living and walking with Him. This is Grace.
Read More
Always Practice Doing Good
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do [so.] Proverbs 3:27 (NKJV) God is the one to whom good is due. He is the one from whom we shouldn't withhold good. Now God who created and sustains everything isn’t served by human hands as if He needed anything Acts 17:25. So the good we ought to do to God we should do to people. We do good to God by doing good to people He created in His image. Loving God is tied to and expressed in loving people. Whatever God has placed in your power to do, go ahead, do it to help and empower others. Whatever good deed you can do, now is the time to do it. Don't keep on postponing doing what's good, right, and helpful. Proverbs 3:28 (NLT) If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you." Do not withhold giving, serving, forgiving, helping, supporting, and encouraging. Don't put it off to later or into the future. Do it now.
Read More
The Lord is Your Security
25You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Proverbs 3:25-26 (NLT) When we read that disaster or destruction comes upon the wicked, we may ask that what about the good people, the young innocent ones to whom also disaster and destruction come? Are they also wicked some way? Another translation says do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes - Proverbs 3:25 (NKJV). So not only does disaster or destruction come upon the wicked but it also comes from them. It comes from the chief of wickedness, the devil. But thank God we don't have to be afraid because the Lord is our security. He's our protection and defense against all evil. Know that the Lord is your security, have confidence in the Lord your security, declare that the Lord is your security, expect Him to keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
Read More