Spiritual Training

Spiritual Training X2

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June 30 - Morning

"My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight."

- Proverbs 3:1-6

Wisdom WITH God is NOT the Same as Wisdom WITHOUT God


True wisdom and knowledge cannot be separated from the Lord. Wisdom and knowledge without knowing, trusting and fearing God are not the wisdom and knowledge that leads to discernment and the divine presence.

Wisdom and knowledge apart from God are:
  • corrupt
  • divisive
  • rude
  • rebellious
  • merciless
  • unjust
  • hypocritical

Wisdom without the divine presence cannot produce the fruits of righteousness in a man’s life as was promised in Proverbs 2:5-11. There is no life in wisdom apart from God. James writes in his letter to the early church:

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” - James 3:17-18

The benefits of the teaching and commands of wisdom are:
  • Life
  • Peace
  • Prosperity

The fruit of wisdom that will manifest in your personal character are:
  • Love
  • Faithfulness

With wisdom in your life you will receive this response from others:
  • Favor
  • Good Name
N’s (Hb) – disdain (Eng) - The Hebrew root word n’s means “to disdain,” “denigrate,” “scorn.” Jeremiah uses it when he quotes YHWH in Jeremiah 33:24:

"Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms he chose’? So they despise my people and no longer regard them as a nation."

In
Proverb 15:5 a fool n’s his parent's advice. In Proverbs 1:30 and 5:12 Wisdom uses the main meaning of n’s to mean “to fail to perceive,” “misjudge the significance of something.”

Isaiah 52:5 YHWH’s name is n’s by the people and n's is translated as “blasphemed.”  The idea is that YHWH’s name is scorned or disdained because a person misjudged the significance of who YHWH was and failed to perceive his greatness.
Am I trusting the Lord with all my heart? Am I submitting all my ways and ideas to Him?



Bible Reading Descriptions Here

Narrative

Complete Text

General Text




Personal

Safety on roads

Church

Avoid compromise
Political parties
India



Suleiman's Pool or the Sultan's Pool located west of the Jerusalem's Old City in the Hinnom Valley. (Details 1, 2)
This is a map detailing some information concerning Jonah's prophecy that was fulfilled in Jerobaom II's day in 2 Kings 14:23-29.




Someone to Quote

"Sin adds to your trouble, subtracts from your energy, multiplies your difficulties, and divides you from God."

Something to Ponder

Affects of Sin No one sins in a bubble or in isolation. Adam’s sin affected him, his wife, his unborn sons, the next generations and the entire human race. Likewise, our sins affect these things:

1. Human Destiny – Sin affects the eternal destiny of both believers and unbelievers. It causes the loss of eternal rewards for believers (2Jn 8) as well as opportunities and blessings in time.

2. The Human Will – Jesus came to set the captive free. The captivity he referred to was the bondage of the human will, not physical bondage (Lk. 4:18).

3. The Human Body – Not all sickness is from personal sin but some of it is (John 5:14; 1 Corinthians 11:30).

4. Other Humans – much of the suffering in the world can be traced back to the sin nature of man.

Here’s a Fact

1 Kings 22:39 mentions King Ahab’s royal palace adorned with ivory located in Samaria. Remains of governmental buildings constructed by Ahab have been excavated in Samaria. Discoveries include his palace and the fragments of carved ivory that remain from his decorated palace. (Details 1, 2)

Proverb

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." - Proverbs 30:5-6

Coach’s Corner

Obviously there are certain things we need to change about ourselves. But, at the very same time, there are things about ourselves that we should stop trying to change. Some things do not need to be changed, but, instead, they need to be identified as strengths and used more efficiently.

2 Samuel 8
New International Version (NIV)
David’s Victories
In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.
David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.
11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
David’s Officials
15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
Jeremiah 13
New International Version (NIV)
A Linen Belt
13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.
Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.
Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
Then the word of the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! 11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’
Wineskins
12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’”
Threat of Captivity
15 
Hear and pay attention,     do not be arrogant,     for the Lord has spoken.
16 
Give glory to the Lord your God     before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble     on the darkening hills. You hope for light,     but he will turn it to utter darkness     and change it to deep gloom.
17 
If you do not listen,     I will weep in secret     because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly,     overflowing with tears,     because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.
18 
Say to the king and to the queen mother,     “Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns     will fall from your heads.”
19 
The cities in the Negev will be shut up,     and there will be no one to open them. All Judah will be carried into exile,     carried completely away.
20 
Look up and see     those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was entrusted to you,     the sheep of which you boasted?
21 
What will you say when the Lord sets over you     those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you     like that of a woman in labor?
22 
And if you ask yourself,     “Why has this happened to me?”— it is because of your many sins     that your skirts have been torn off     and your body mistreated.
23 
Can an Ethiopian change his skin     or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good     who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 
“I will scatter you like chaff     driven by the desert wind.
25 
This is your lot,     the portion I have decreed for you,” declares the Lord, “because you have forgotten me     and trusted in false gods.
26 
I will pull up your skirts over your face     that your shame may be seen—
27 
your adulteries and lustful neighings,     your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts     on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, Jerusalem!     How long will you be unclean?”
2 Chronicles 22-23
New International Version (NIV)
Ahaziah King of Judah
22 The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.
He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing. He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram.
Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded.
Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom.
Athaliah and Joash
10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. 12 He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
23 In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem, the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God.
Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son shall reign, as the Lord promised concerning the descendants of David.
Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors, a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the others are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the Lord. No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe the Lord’s command not to enter. The Levites are to station themselves around the king, each with weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions. Then he gave the commanders of units of a hundred the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of God. 10 He stationed all the men, each with his weapon in his hand, around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the Lord. 13 She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: “Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not put her to death at the temple of the Lord.” 15 So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.
16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
18 Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the Lord in the hands of the Levitical priests, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the Lord as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered. 19 He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.
20 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the Lord. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.


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