Sunday, September 4th
Psalm 31:17-18
17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
Contempt (Noun):
- The feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn.
- The state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace.
- Open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body.
Arrogant (adj.):
- Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance.
- Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others.
Righteous (adj.):
- Morally upright; without guilt or sin.
- In accordance with virtue or morality.
So, it’s like the wicked dislike the righteous, because the righteous are just that, morally upright. The wicked have this self-worth over others, they feel superior, and so they feel justified by treating others with disrespect and inferior. I never really looked at it like that before, and wonder if I still treat people like the wicked do. I am sure in some aspect I am guilty of it, but I really need to stop and reflect, who I am doing it to, why I am doing (search my feelings), and resolve it quickly. Anyway, this is it for today. I will be posting some other information later today or tomorrow (with my QT some other studies I am working on). Thanks so much. Johnny Out.
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Paul and his company, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to go into Asia or into Bithynia to speak the word, passed by Mysia and came to Troas. There Paul saw a vision in the night which led him to believe that God called them to preached the gospel in Macedonia. Therefore, he, Luke, Silas, and Timothy took a boat and sailed to Neapolis. Thence they went to Philippi. (Acts 16:6-12)
Apparently there was no synagogue in Philippi. "And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted
thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." (Acts 16:13-15)
Please take note of the following:
1. Though Lydia was a business woman she was a worshipper of God, and on the Sabbath while others were working she was spending her day in worship.
2. She heard the gospel preached by Paul.
3.Then the Lord opened her heart, and she gave heed to the things which were spoken by Paul. This simply means she put into practice the things Paul had taught.
4. We know that as Christ commanded, Paul always directed
those who heard the gospel, to believe, to repent of their sins, To confess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and to be baptized (immersed) into Christ (Rom. 6:3) So if Lydia "gave heed" (ASV) to the things spoken by Paul, we know she believed, repented, confess, and was baptized. And verse 15 states specifically that she and her household were baptized.
5 The simplicity of the turning (conversion) of Lydia to Christ. The gospel was preached, she and her household heard, the Lord opened their hearts, They believed and obeyed the gospel and Jesus added them to His church, His body, His Kingdom.
6. How does your turning to Christ compare with Lydia`s conversion? Can you say the same thing she said to Paul and the others? "If you have judged me to faithful to the Lord come into my house and
abide there."
Powerfully said. I appreciate the encouragement to give. Crucifying selfishness is a noble and worthy task, and we have been given a great opportunity to do so by the emergency presented along the Gulf coast and surrounding areas. During this time, I am also battling bitterness against our government, and find myself complaining instead of helping those in need. Thank you for this wonderful charge to help those who have much greater needs than myself right now. Prayer is the start and is the only thing that is going to melt my heart and soften it right now. No amount of talking and giving my opinions and "assessment" of the situation compares to prayer. Thanks for reminding me how to get back on the path. It is a narrow one indeed.
Good news though. I am clean and sober and physically keeping pure. That is a victory I don't want to give Satan in these stressful times.
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