Monthly Archive for December, 2008

Be Strong Josh 1:6-7

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 18, 2008
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Josh 1:6

6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. ESV

- Four times in Josh chapter 1 Josh is told to be strong. (1:6, 7, 9, 18) He is specifically told in verse 9 not to be discouraged or afraid. He is told the Lord God will be with him. Much of life is too big, it’s well beyond what we can handle but God never intended us to do it on our own strength.  His answer to Josh was the same as he gave to Moses and Gideon (Ex 3:11-12;  Judges 6:16)

See vs 7

Josh 1:7

7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. ESV

- Here we find a principle sandwiched in the middle of a thought. In this verse, the verse before, and the verse after we see Josh being told not to be afraid or discouraged but to be strong. The strength that is needed is to come from the Lord who promised to be with us and never forsake us. In this verse we are told what Josh most do and what our roll is in operating in God’s strength. The strength that saves will not be his but he most obey God’s directions to receive their benefit. “Do not turn from them THAT you may be a success wherever you go.” He is told to meditate on God’s word, AND to do what it says, then the promise of success comes in. God’s commands are not a chain of bondage but the secret to success. Are you relying on God’s strength and obeying his ways or are you trying to do life on your own? Col 1:29

The Power of Words, Prov 12:18

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 15, 2008
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Prov 12:18

18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. NIV

- Prov 18:21  What do your words bring? Do they leave a bloody trail of devastation or a trail of the healed and restored? Prov 3:34

- Prov 11:12; 15:4;  16:27;  26:19 & 28; 29:20; Acts 20:2;

How to find fulfillment in life. Ecc 1:2

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 12, 2008
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Eccl 1:2

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”  says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” NIV

- This is the cry of a man trying to find fulfillment via the world’s system. The world’s system looks at itself and tries to gratify all its desires, God’s system looks to Him Matt 6:33. The problem is that most people assume the thing they are searching for is just higher on the ladder. Everything here is vanity a chasing of the wind, “when I get … then I will be…” Solomon climbed more ladders to the top then probably anyone in history and he tells what ladders he climbed and what he found on the tops.

- He climbed 1. Knowledge Ecc 1:13, 17; 2. Pleasure 2:1; 3. Wine/ alcohol 2:3;  4. Accomplishment 2:4;  5. Shopping vs 7; 6. Stuff vs 7 7. Money vs 8;  8. Collectors items vs 8; 9. Entertainment vs 8 10. Sex vs 8; 11 Fame vs 9; 12 self gratification (anything his heart desired) vs 10 13. work vs 10

- At the end of his list of ladders he climbed he gives us his conclusion Ecc 2:11 he tells us this was all in vain, it was like chasing the wind with a cup. He ends the book in chapter 12: 13-14 telling us to live to please God for this is our purpose and for that we will give an account.

Don’t Flirt with Sin Ps 7:14

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 10, 2008
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Ps 7:14

14 He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. NIV

(My paraphrase) He who became intimate with sin, those who nurture, feed and dwell on evil soon will give birth to disillusionment.

-          This verse is showing us that those who get close to sin feed and grow a lie. The devil paints a picture that just isn’t true. They press forward looking forward to it’s expected in, but when they get there they find not the happiness and fulfillment they expected but disappointment and emptiness. It is the end of the illusion it is disillusionment. Prov 17:19 Are you flirting with sin? The more you flirt the better it looks, but the reality never changes. It is still sin; it still produces sin and death in your life. Run Prov 5:8; 7:25 Do not go near; flirting with sin is the process of swallowing the hook.

What do you Desire? Rom 8:5

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 8, 2008
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Rom 8:5

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ESV

- Where is your mind set? What are you living for? The goal and purpose of your life determines the outcome of your life. You are restrained by your own desire. (Prov 29:18) Life is always going to be a battle of desires, there will be good, bad, and natural desires, desires to eat, desires to sleep, desires to get in shape, desires to sin, desires please God, desires to play desires to study. The Things you have set your mind on things you have decided are the most important to you will be the things that you end up doing. Lord, help me to make you my number one desire. I want my desire for you to be so strong that it drowns every other desire I may have. I want to live for you what ever the cost.

- Vs 18

Trust in God, Prov 3:5-6

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 7, 2008
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Prov 3:5-6

Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall make your path straight. NKJV(a)

-         Prov 16:3;  16:20,25; 28:26;  Isa 55:9; Ps 37:23;

- I just found some old notes I wrote after a conversation with a friend on trusting the Lord. So here they are.  It is sometimes really easy to know what we should do. It is sometimes really hard to do that. Some times I think we need to take a step back and ask ourselves the question do I trust God. Do I trust that he loves me and wants the best for me, do I trust that he is smarter than me? Do I really trust him or do I just say that I do. Because if I really trust Him I will do it his way even when it doesn’t make sense because I know that he is smarter than me, he loves me, and wants the best for me. The verse goes on and states that if we will acknowledge Him, if we trust in him and do things his way he will make our paths straight or smooth. It is so cool that we have a God that loves us and wants to help us. I really don’t know what I would do with out Him.

- I know for me it helps some times to ask some of those simple questions it just makes it easer to do life God’s way even when I don’t want to. Be blessed and have a great day. 

The Law is a map

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 6, 2008
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Rom 2:12

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law. NKJV

- It is not the law but our own hearts that condemn us. “As many as have sinned without the law are judged without the law.” Vs 15 tells us there own thoughts accuse them. Rom 3:23 tells us all have sinned. Rom 2:1 tells that we judge another we condemn ourselves by showing we know it is wrong. The law is there not to condemn us but to show us that we were already condemned. Only when we recognize our sinful condition will we look for God’s forgiveness. The law then is an act not of judgment but of mercy. It is a map, it shows us that we are lost. It never made me lost but helps me recognize my state so I can back on course.   Rev 20:12-15;

What if tomorrow never comes…

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 4, 2008
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Acts 26:28

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” NIV

- Perhaps Agrippa went away thinking on this and became a Christian later but I doubt it. I think here he was handed the easiest opportunity that he would ever have and he looked and said not so quickly, (maybe tomorrow). What if his tomorrow never comes. James 4:14; Prov 27:1; Tomorrow is the day that never comes it is always a day away. I think so many leave everything God has for them in that unreachable day. Tomorrow they will get that straight tomorrow they will… but tomorrow never comes. Lord don’t let me wait for a day that doesn’t come let me respond immediately. (Heb 3:7-8;) Don’t let me put off until tomorrow what you told me to do today. (Prov 3:28)

What would someone say of you?

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Daniel Vander Klok
on December 2, 2008
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Prov 27:19

      19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. NIV

      - Prov 27:21;  23:7; 4:23; 17:3;

- a man’s life will reflect his heart, one can not separate the heart of the man from his life any more then one can separate a man from his reflection, or the shadow he gives off.

Prov 27:21

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him. NKJV

·     A man is valued by his reputation. His reputation is built on what people say which is built on what he does.

·     The amplified brings out another point as well. It ends the verse saying that a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boast.

·     1 Thess 5:21 Prov 27:19; 17:3; 20:11; 22:1 Matt 12:33; Rev 3:10; 1 Cor 3:13-15; 2 Cor 2:9; 2 Cor 13:5;  Gal 6:4;  James 1 ; 1 John 2:3-5

What test must we all pass?

1.              Fruit test Matt 12:33, Prov 20:11; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:3-5;

2.              light test 1 john 1:6

3.              love test 1 john 2:11;  4:7-8, 16, 20-21; John 14:15, 15:17;

4.              Word test James 1:26, Matt 12:34-37;

5.              Obedience test 1 john 2:3-5; James 1:22;

6.              Reflection test 1 john 2:6; Rom 2:24

- What are you reflecting? Eph 5:1; 1 Cor 11:1; 2 Cor 5:20;

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      1. Faith test Jn 6:6; 2 Cor 13:5