What’s a Remnant? – ZEPHANIAH – Chapter 2e – [8]

November 11, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

“Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” –
1 Kings 19:18

Continuing in Zephaniah, Chapter 2:4-6, we’re told of God’s judgement and destruction of various cities. However, Zephaniah points out that there will be a remnant of people,
The few survivors of the tribe of Judah, a remnant, will pasture there. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will care for them; he will restore their prosperity, fortunes again. – Zephaniah 2:7

God goes on to say in verses 8-11, that Moab and Ammon will be judged and destroyed because they are mocking God-followers. They will receive the wages of their pride, laughing at the people of God. – Zeph. 2:10

God said He would also judge and destroy Ethiopia and Assyria, along with it’s great capital, Nineveh. Again because of their pride. A side note — For Zephaniah to predict the destruction of Nineveh 10 years before it happened would be equivalent to predicting the destruction of Tokyo, Moscow, or New York. Nineveh, like the our current epicenters, were the center for culture, technology, and beauty. Yet the entire city was destroyed so completely that the very existence was questioned until it was discovered, with great difficulty, by 19th-centry archaeologists. – (NLT study Bible notes)

No place, or person, is safe from the wrath of God. But a common tread throughout the Bible is the remnant. A small number, by comparison, of God-followers, who remain faithful to God through the whirlwind of life, and in turn, God promises to remain faithful to them.

Don’t get discouraged if you look around you, and you feel like everyone is “doing there own, selfish, thing”. Instead, trust that God will fulfill His promises. Ask Him to show you other people who desire to follow His ways. He will !! There is always a remnant of God-followers 🙂

Have You Sent Out Your Invitation? – ZEPHANIAH – Chapter 2d – [7]

November 10, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

The LORD is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The LORD protects me from danger — so why should I tremble? For He will conceal me there when troubles come; He will hide me in His sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. – Psalm 27:1,5

Zephaniah’s plea to the people of Judah, and us, was/is to follow God. To allow Him to be the ultimate authority in our lives, Lord of our lives.

For this to happen we need to invite God into every area of our lives. Invite because God will not force you to love Him. He will not force you to follow His ways. But at the same time, He will never stop pursuing you.

The problem we often run into, is that we may trust God’s leading in one area of our lives, but not in other areas. God is trustworthy to take care of _____ situation, but not _____. I rely on God’s guidance when it comes to choosing a college, but not when it comes to who I date/marry. Or, I’m a God-follower when it comes to observing religious holidays, but not when I’m in the workplace or at school.

Here’s the real kicker — God has given everyone freewill (the choice to decide what we want to do or not do). Although we are free to choose our own way, apart from God or with God, we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices.

Keep in mind — Laws, rules, whatever we want to call them, are for our own good, for our protection. It’s Satan who gives us the idea that God’s laws are burdensome, unreasonable, and unfair. It’s Satan who says, if you obey God, your life will be miserable and boring.

Satan uses/has used the same tactics over and over and over since the beginning of time. Why doesn’t he mix things up? Why should he? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

DON’T FALL INTO SELFISH THINKING, PUSHING GOD ASIDE, which is exactly what Satan wants us to do. Instead, trust God, make Him Lord of every area of your life. Allow the creator to guide the creation.

NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO, Do They? – ZEPHANIAH – Chapter 2c – [6]

November 6, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. – Romans 13:1

Is following the Deceiver’s Motto – Have it your way , no one has the “right” to tell me what I can and can’t do , an attitude that benefits me?

I think not. Sure at first glance, exercising the Deceiver’s Motto seems to make sense. I can make my own decisions, I have legit “rights” after all. Seems like an empowering statement. But knowing the sneakiness of Satan, this way of thinking should raise a red flag. A red flag because it’s a lie, although a subtle one, because we do have rights, but they’re within boundaries. We’ll always find that we’re under someone’s authority. That could be parents, employers, teachers, government, and ultimately God. And exercising our “rights” unrestrained, is often a decision of rebellion that result in negative consequences.

Zephaniah’s purpose was/is to help people recognize their need to repent and turn back to God. To show people how their choices have resulted in their current predicament. To help people realize that it’s better to follow God, as Lord of our lives, our ultimate authority, than to do life apart from God, or without God.

Warning!!! – The Stove is HOT!!!! – PROVERBS – Chapter 1g – 1:29-33 [10 of out 10]

May 6, 2014January 2, 2015buildafoundation Leave a comment

LORD Almighty, blessed are those who trust in you. – Psalm 84:12

29)) Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord,
30)) and they would have none of my counsel
    and despised all my reproof,
31))  THEREFORE, they shall eat the fruit of their way,
    and have their fill of their own devices.
32)) For the simple are killed by their turning away,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33)) BUT whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

We learned from verse 25, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-5E, that – People turn away from all my advice. They wouldn’t accept my warning. And here again in verse 30 we read, they despised all my counsel.
All people are in search of a road that leads to “happiness”. Yet, in verses 29-33, we read that people often end up making choices that take them on a curvy path. Their path ends up being curvy because the choose their own way vs. the Creator’s counsel and guidance – v.30.

The result of following our own way: They’ll GET their own way, for better or worse. Sadly, as verse 32 says, the simple are killed by turning away, by doing their own thing. Instead of heeding the warnings, like the stove is hot – don’t touch it, they proceed to touch, and… Again, it’s not that the person in this illustration was not warned, he was, yet he chose his own way. In this case, and often in our everyday choices, the result was/can be painful.

The result of following wisdom? v.33 – Whoever listens to me

will dwell secure
will be at ease
(will be) without dread of disaster

Ummm, which path would you take, wisdom’s or the simple’s/fool’s?

Does God Laugh and Make Fun of Me When I Goof Up??? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1f – 1:23-28 [9]

May 2, 2014December 18, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – Psalm 107:1

23)) Suppose (IF) you had paid attention to (my) warning.
    THEN I would have poured out (my) heart to you.
    (I) would have told you what (I) was thinking.
24)) But you turned away from me when (I) called out to you.
    None of you paid attention when (I) reached out (my) hand.
25)) You turned away from ALL my advice.
    You wouldn’t accept (my) warning.

26)) So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.
    I will make fun of you when hard times come.
27)) I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.
    I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.
    I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.
28)) “THEN you will call to me. But I won’t answer.
    You will look for me. But you won’t find me.

Wow!! I don’t know about you, but when I read these verses, they kinda scare me. Does this mean when I goof up and don’t follow God that He will laugh at me and make fun of me? And when I call Him and ask Him for help, He won’t answer me and I won’t find Him?

It is easy to replace the words in ( ) with God because when you read these verses it seems that it is a person who is talking. However, recalling from verse 20, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-5e, Wisdom is the (my) and the (I). Remember that Solomon uses personification, and that can sometimes confuse the reader.

God has given us, in fact all people, truth through His Word. It is a guide-book to help people navigate their earthly life. It is when the nasty sin of pride infiltrates our mind, our choices, etc., that we have the attitude, “Yeah, right – God stuff, I don’t think so, my way is better…”

In verses 26-27, it is Wisdom, not God that is laughing and making fun, so-to-speak. Basically, these are the consequences of our choices. It seems harsh, but it is as though you can hear Wisdom saying, “I told you so…”

Verse 28, you call, but don’t get an answer. Meaning the consequences of our choices have been exacted (accurate to circumstance), they can not be changed. If someone gets pregnant, out-of-wedlock, they can “call” all they want, but the consequence of their choice will not change.

You may have asked yourself these questions at some point in your life,

How did I get into this mess?
Why does everything seem to go bad for me?
Did I do something wrong?

The answer – You turned away from my advice, You wouldn’t accept my warning. – Proverbs 1:25

If I Follow “Wisdom”, Then What?? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1e – 1:20-22 [8]

May 1, 2014December 16, 2014buildafoundation 1 Comment

Your word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

In the last section of Proverbs, Chapter 1, Solomon uses personification (giving human-like characteristics to something non-human).
20)) Out in the open Wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21)) on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22)) “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?”

The reason for using personification when writing is to make a word come alive for the reader. It is much easier to relate to a person than an inanimate object.

In these verses, Solomon presents a cause/effect relationship. IF people pay attention to the Proverbs, following Wisdom’s direction and guidance, THEN they will become wise (when they apply the knowledge they’ve obtained).

We will also see, throughout the Book of Proverbs, the words simple and fool. These words do not refer to people who are academically challenged, but rather are deficient in their character. The simple/fool are challenged to recognize right from wrong.

In verse 22, Solomon questions, “when are you going to learn that your choices are messing you up?”

It is wisdom (applying knowledge) that helps us recognize that the path we’re on is destructive. And wisdom that confirms the path we’re on is healthy and God-honoring.

Choices, Choices, Choices??? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1d – 1:10-19 (b) [7]

April 30, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

You can hold on to the hope that I, The Lord, will not change what I have promised.
Hebrews 6:17-18

So what does Solomon want us to take away from the confusing verses of Proverbs 1:10-19? http://wp.me/p5nZpi-2I
First, Solomon wants to remind and warn us, that sin can be very attractive. The danger in following unwise choices, vs. the truth, is that they will then become our compass, what directs us in our everyday interactions.

Secondly, acting on sinful choices will not enable us to reach the goals we hope to achieve. What may look “good” at the onset, may end up trapping us in an unhealthy lifestyle. Solomon warns us not to comprise our values and ignore God’s guidance, following what “man” deems as success.

Often times the enticement of promised friendships, the allure of being “part of the group”, moving up in our job, etc. overtakes our better judgment.

Solomon warns not to get caught up in the temptations around us, DON’T follow them. STAY AWAY, verse 15.
Solomon uses an analogy of a bird in verse 17. A bird, which certainly does not have the intelligence of a person, yet instinctively recognizes a trap and STAYS AWAY. Sadly, when we choose to venture out into the world “on our own”, without God and His principles, we set an ambush for ourselves; – v.18, which will end tragically.

Lastly, THE KEY is to think beyond the here and now. To consider the future consequences of our present choices. Short-term choices vs. Long-term effects. We have free will to make choices, but not the freedom to choose our consequences.

Come Join Us …. Ummm, Should I? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1c – 1:10-19 (a) – [6]

April 30, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

… “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:32-33

10)) My child, IF sinners entice you, THEN
         turn your back on them!
11)) They may say, “Come and join us.
         Let’s hide and kill someone!
         Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12)) Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;
         let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13)) Think of the great things we’ll get!
         We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14)) Come, throw in your lot with us;
         we’ll all share the loot.”
15)) My child, DON’T go along with them!
         Stay far away from their paths.
16)) They rush to commit evil deeds.
         They hurry to commit murder.
17)) IF a bird sees a trap being set,
        it knows to stay away.
18)) BUT these people set an ambush for themselves;
         they are trying to get themselves killed.
19)) Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
         it robs them of life.

Verses 10-19 may seem a bit confusing, even scary. Since we learned in the introduction of Proverbs that we are to discern and apply the principles of the proverbs to our lives, what then, does Solomon want us to take away from these perplexing verses?

What’s Our Source of Direction, Guidance, and Instruction? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1b – 1:8-9 – [5]

April 29, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation 1 Comment

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. – Psalm 28:7

Proverbs 1:8-9

8)) My child, LISTEN when your father corrects you.
DON’T NEGLECT your mother’s instruction.

9)) WHAT YOU LEARN FROM THEM WILL crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.

Verses 8-9 are pretty straight forward. They remind us that our main “earthly” source of direction, guidance, and instruction is from our parents. Following their “godly” teaching will develop godly character in us. God’s character will be reflected, and noticed by others around us.

I Can Have Wisdom, Knowledge, and Discernment!! – PROVERBS – Chapter 1a – 1:1-7 – [4]

April 28, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation 1 Comment

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours… – 1 Chronicles 29:11

From the first verse in the Book of Proverbs, Solomon is very clear with the reader. He states in verse 1 that he is the author, he is King of Israel, and why he wrote the Proverbs.

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
    to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
    to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
    knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
BUT fools despise wisdom and discipline.