Gen 6:8
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. ESV
- Why did Noah receive favor? It doesn’t say that the reason he was shown favor was because he earned it. It may have been simply an act of grace, but immediately after it mentions his favor, it points out that Noah was blameless in his generation. It goes on in 6:22 & 7:5 to tell us that he did everything the Lord commanded him. Was it obedience, or just his desire to please God that set him apart? I don’t know, but I know I want to be set apart for God. I too want to walk with God.
Prov 24:12
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? NKJV
- Excuses
- Excuses don’t work well with your creator.
- Gen 3:12; Ex 4:10-12; 32:22; 1 Sam 13:11-12; 15:13-28; 16:7; Prov 20:4; Ecc 12:14; Jer 1:5; Matt 6:4; 25:25-26; Acts 7:22; Eph 2:10
- He sees through every excuse we make, He sees our heart. Most of our excuses are insults to God any how. He created us, to say to God “I can’t… “, “But I am not smart enough”, “tall enough”, or “talented enough”…. Is to tell God that He did not make you right and doesn’t know what He is talking about. No excuse will do as we stand before God.
- Lord Help me to live a life without excuse, an excuseless life. Help me to walk in Your ways, and when they seem to big for me help me to go on in Your strength.
- Those that refuse to admit they have a problem or that they made a mistake are doomed to repeat it. Prov 26:11;
- Just because you can justify it doesn’t make it okay. Prov 30:11-12; Rev 3:17; What we justify and what God considers justified are very different Rom 1:32; 14:22; It says to be careful not to condemn yourself by what you approve of. Those who confess their sins find mercy those who don’t are condemned Prov 28:13;
Gen 3:11-12
11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. ESV
- Blame came with Sin. The first sin had the blame passed from Adam to Eve to the Snake. No one wanted to own up to it, they all just wanted to show God it wasn’t their fault. Prov 24:12; Then we see Cain blow it and get questioned in Gen 4:9 he denies his sin. And then claims he can’t handle the punishment. Apparently taking responsibility for our actions doesn’t come naturally. In John 5:1-8 Jesus talks to the cripple by the pool and he blames his lack of help for not being healed. When we refuse to take responsibility for our action, and claim it is someone else’s fault, we don’t change, we don’t get free. As long as it is everyone else’s fault there is nothing we can do to fix it. 1 Sam 13:11-12 shows Saul’s refusal to take responsibility for his actions. Saul goes so far as to say he had to force himself because of everyone else’s mistakes. While David showed us a very different example Ps 51:1-2; and 2 Sam 12:13. David and Saul’s different responses to being told they blew it brought different reactions from God. The one who made excuses received punishment, while the one who acknowledged his sin received mercy as is promised in Prov 28:13.
- Lord, help me to admit my sin and receive your forgiveness. Lord don’t let me make excuses to continue in my sin.
Prov 2: 5
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. NIV
Well I want to understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God! It tells me in the previous 4 verses just how to do that.
Prov 2:1-4
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands with in you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search as for hidden treasure,
So how do I do those things? Well verse 6 says God gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. So, if I read God’s word and accept it for truth, store up His words from the Bible by memorizing scripture, listen for wisdom from the scriptures and from the pastors I listen to at church those should help me. Come on knowledge of God! That is what I need!
Prov 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. NIV
It can be so easy to see myself as wise. God help me to learn from others that are wiser than me and to always be obedient to you.
Fearing the Lord is something that I have had to learn how to do properly. We are not supposed be afraid of God but we are supposed to view Him as holy and treat Him with respect.
Shunning evil seemed to be a pretty simple command yet figuring out what that looks like became complex. If I am to shun evil, then I should run from temptation, be careful of what I am thinking about, and stay away from people who are happily living in sin but calling themselves Christians.
Title: Awaken Conference – 1 Spot left!
Link out: Click here
Description: Who: Girls in grades 6 to 12 – the Jr. High and High School will be separated into different sessions at the conference.
Where: Cornerstone Church in Highland, MI – We will meet at Reslife in the Ground Floor Concourse and plan to leave at 2:00PM. We will be taking a bus to get there.
Cost: went up to $66 plus you must bring $7 cash to give to Amanda on Friday to cover Dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday. The $66 includes the conference, hotel stay, and breakfast. Students are responsible to bring extra money for dinner on Saturday. BRING SNACKS! Snacks will be allowed on the bus. MUST BE PAID BY FEBRUARY 28TH.
Leave Time: we will meet at 2:00PM to load onto the bus and we will leave ResLife at 2:30PM on Friday March 5th.
Return Time: We plan to be home by 10PM on Saturday March 6th.
What to bring: Snacks, a change of clothes for Saturday, toiletries, notebook, Bible, pens, snacks, and a good attitude! No music devices please.
Start Date: 2010-03-05
Start Time: 2:00 PM
End Date: 2010-03-06
End Time: 10:00 PM
Amos 7:2-3
2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out,” Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
3 So the Lord relented.
“This will not happen.” The Lord said.
Whoa! Talk about the power of prayer! Amos prayed (which means he spoke to God) for the nation of Israel and God not only heard his cry but changed things to honor his prayer.
God help me to remember the importance of talking to you and please help me stay sensitive to be able to hear your voice. I pray for our nation, that You will forgive our sins and that You would draw this nation to You and give us all a hunger and thirst for You and for Your word.
Prov 9:8-9
Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
This scripture says that if we want to be wise we have to learn to accept correction and rebuke. That can be a hard thing to endure. God please help me to be wise and to learn from others.
Thoughts from AVK
Title: Fun Fridays!
Location: Charlie\’s Dump in Jension (on the corner of 18th and Rosewood)
Description: FREE! We are going to meet at the sledding hill, drink hot chocolate and have fun! Bring your sled! We will play from 5:30-7:30PM.
Start Time: 17:30
Date: 2010-02-26
End Time: 19:30
Title: Fun Fridays!
Location: Charlie\’s Dump in Jension (on the corner of 18th and Rosewood)
Description: FREE! We are going to meet at the sledding hill, drink hot chocolate and have fun! Bring your sled! We will do it again on Feb 26th!
Start Time: 17:30
Date: 2010-02-19
End Time: 19:30
