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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 7 October 2023:
Ezekiel 39:7 – I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore.
God’s patience doesn’t last forever.
Ezekiel 39:21-23 — And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. The house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt so treacherously with me that I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword.
God will glorify His Name in either positive ways or negative ways depending upon the obedience or disobedience of those through whom He is working. God warns people that they will choose either blessings or curses. God will not be mocked.
Ezekiel 39:29 – And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God.
The Holy Spirit enables you to see God.
Psalm 115:1 – Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory.
God does not share glory. If you are drawing attention to yourself, you are drawing attention away from Jesus. Avoid the personal pronouns of “I” and “me”.
Psalm 115:6 – You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
If you believe in Jesus, then trust in Jesus. If you trust Him, you will obey Him daily.
Psalm 115:17, 18 – The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!
Salvation gives you the spiritual life to praise God for eternity.
Proverbs 7:1 — My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you.
As we walk thorough a life that, like Job discovered, is impossible to fully understand in what God has not revealed, we must remain faithful to what He has revealed plainly. We must do what He has told us in His Word. We must walk in the word, guided by the Holy Spirit, one day at a time.
Proverbs 7:2, 3 — …keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
God’s word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, changes what you care about (heart), what you think about or gaze upon (eyes), and what you choose to do (fingers). What motivates you to do the things you do? There are three levels of motivation: fear (the lowest form of motivation), duty (works), and love (the greatest form of motivation). At first, we might obey God because we are scared not to obey; then we might obey God because we know we should; but as we grow, we begin to obey God because we truly desire to, because of our love. Despite how you might feel, obey, and grow. Note that these verses introduce a warning against adultery. There are many books out there on how to affair-proof your marriage. What does the Bible say?
Proverbs 7: 6, 7 – For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense.
The Holy Spirit will use God’s word to give you a perception in life others don’t have. As you read God’s word and walk in God’s word, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the truth of God’s word in the circumstances and activities that are occurring around you every day. You will begin to see and understand what God is doing in the lives of others around you, and you will have opportunities to help others understand the truth too. When you read God’s word in the morning, God will continue to teach it to you all day long if you keep your eyes and ears open.
Proverbs 7:10 — And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
How you dress reveals much about your character. Your clothing is a public display that always makes a statement, whether intentional or not. In everything you do, do it for God’s glory, including getting dressed to meet the world as God’s messenger.
Proverbs 7:11 – She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home….
The wicked are loud and lawless, true?
Proverbs 7:18 – She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home.
The wicked pursue pleasure in disobedience to God. They deceive themselves into thinking there are no consequences. “Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 7 October 2023: Today, truly meditate upon God’s word and be transformed with the renewing of your mind. Ultimately, you will do what you feel like doing, but you don’t feel a certain way about something before you first think a certain way about something; and the quality of your thinking is determined by the quality of the information you are receiving and how you interpret it. Be informed by the word of God, and let it change the way you think, feel, and act today and every day.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 