Making God Your Opponent

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Making God Your Opponent

Isaiah 5:24

"Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel."

One of the sins that caused God to judge Israel was their ill treatment of His Word. According to the verse above, Israel "cast away" God's Word. In other words, they set God's Word aside even though they knew It to be right. Most likely God's Word did not fit their lifestyle or agenda, so they set It aside as if It wasn't important. Furthermore, they also "despised" God's Word. God was saying that His Word became something that they hated being around. God's Word became something that they loathed. In other words, God's Word became like the phone call that you don't want to answer because you know who is calling. God's Word became to these people just like preparing and paying your taxes is to you. What a tragedy that these people perceived God's Word this way.

The repercussions of their attitude towards God's Word led to God becoming their opponent. Verse 25 says, "Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them:..." Because they mistreated God's Word, they pitted God against them. Their treatment of God's Word brought heartache to Israel, for He considers His Word of extreme value.

Your treatment of God's Word will determine whether God becomes your opponent or ally. When we attack the validity of God's Word, we make God our opponent. When God speaks to us through the preaching of His Word and we don't respond to what He says, then we make God our opponent. When God speaks to our heart through the voice of the Holy Spirit of God and we quench that voice, we then make God our opponent. It is very important that we don't treat God's Word in an adverse manner if we want God to be on our side.

Christian, don't be guilty of making God your opponent by not making His Word important to you. Don't set God's Word aside because you don't like what It says. Don't be guilty of giving the world's education a greater value than you do God's Word. When the world's philosophies and ideas differ from God's Word, always stand on the side of God's Word.

Every preacher needs to be careful about attacking the Word of God. Preacher, if you don't want God to be against your ministry, then don't ever stand against His Word. Don't ever defend those who attack the inspiration and inerrancy of God's Word. They may be a friend, but your friend cannot defend you when God is your opponent. I have watched many good men of God stand on the wrong side of God's Word only to see God make their ministry of no importance. Whatever you do as a preacher, always stand on the side of defending God's Word. This will guarantee that God will be your ally in the ministry.

Finally, any nation that wants God's blessings upon it needs to stand in defense of His Word. The nation that kicks the Word of God out of their school rooms, court houses, government buildings and society is a nation that will find God fighting against it. Every political leader needs to do what they can to keep God's Word in society.

Your treatment of God's Word will determine whether He becomes your opponent or ally. If you want God to fight for you, then you need to fight for His Word. Life is hard enough without making God your opponent. Make big of God's Word and God will be on your side.

Makings

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Makings of a Godly Child

Judges 13:8

"Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born."

There is a lot that goes into rearing a godly child. Most Christian parents want their children to turn out to serve God. However, what it takes to rear a godly child is often made too complex for parents to follow. The parents of Samson seemed to have the desire of rearing a godly child. Manoah, Samson's father, asked God to "...teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born." He was like most parents who desire to rear their children for God, but he didn't know how to do it. I find in this story what it takes to rear a godly child.

First, it takes spiritual parents. Manoah and his wife knew how to walk with God. It wasn't just one parent who served God, but it was both parents serving God together. You will rarely rear godly children when both parents are not spiritual. Far too often you have one parent who is serious about serving the LORD, and the other parent fights against it. This only creates confusion in the child. It is necessary for both parents to be spiritual if you want your children to be godly. Both parents need to have a daily walk with God. Both parents need to have a desire to serve God. When both parents are on the same page spiritually, then you have a better chance of rearing godly children.

Second, it takes teachable parents. You will notice that Manoah asked God how to rear the child. First, they had the right mindset of wanting to rear the child how God wanted that child to be reared. They realized that the child was not theirs, but God's. As a parent you should want to rear your child how God wants you to rear them. Secondly, you must have a heart that is willing to learn how to rear godly children. Let me ask you, have you ever read any good books on child rearing? No parent has all the answers, but there are some good books written by Christian authors who have reared godly children. You ought to read their books to learn how to be a better parent for your child. Probably the best book I have read on child rearing is Parenting Skills written by Dr. Bob Gray Sr. I think it is important that you read books that are written from authors who are independent, fundamental Baptists.

Third, it takes yielded parents. Manoah and his wife were yielded to God's plan. Likewise, you must be yielded to God's will and lifestyle for your child if you want them to be godly. If you fight God's will for their life, then you will push your child towards the world. If you follow the world's lifestyle in dress and philosophy, then you will not turn out godly children. Parents who are yielded to what God wants for their child and will live according to His lifestyle have a better chance of turning out godly children.

Fourth, it takes yielded children. Please don't miss this! Samson had godly parents who did right, but he wasn't yielded to God's plan. Parents, you can do everything right, but it ultimately comes down to your child having a yielded heart. You can't force this upon them for this is something they must do themselves. Yes, rearing godly children rests a lot upon the parents, but one of the important keys for your child to be godly is for them to have a yielded heart. Every parent should earnestly pray that their child's heart will stay tender towards God. However, every child should not fight their parents and God by thinking they know better, but they should yield their heart and life to do whatever God wants them to do.

Honesty

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Honesty is the Best Policy

Proverbs 21:6

"The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death."

Have you ever bought something used and walked away hoping that what you bought was a good product? The reason you felt that way was because you either heard about someone who bought something from someone who was dishonest, or you purchased something in the past from someone who didn't tell you the truth about what you purchased. This is what the verse above is talking about when it says, "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro..." God is teaching us in this verse that we need to be honest in our business dealings. Let me give you several principles that you need to follow when you are conducting business.

First, remember that you will see that person again. Whenever you perform business with someone, you need to be sure that you would not be ashamed to see that person again if they purchased something from you. Most likely you will see them again, and you don't want to become a person who has to avoid them because of your shady business dealings. If you are honest with them about everything you know, then you won't have any problem with seeing them in the future.

Second, remember they will tell others about how you do business. The one thing I like about the internet is that you can find reviews about a company or product. Others who have done business with a company or have purchased a product in the past will place a review to help others know what they are getting. Be sure to do business with others in such a way that they would write a great review about you.

Third, don't withhold important information about the product you are trying to sell. I would rather not sell something that has problems than to sell it and have someone find out that I didn't tell them everything that was wrong. Christian, you have your testimony on the line, and it is not worth ruining it just to make a few extra bucks. If there is something wrong with a product that you are selling, then be sure to disclose that to the person trying to purchase it. You may not be able to make as much money as you want on that product, but you will find that your honesty will help you to sell more in the future.

Fourth, be sure to fulfill your side of the deal. If you promised that you would do something, then be sure to do it. Don't promise something and then come short. There is nothing worse than having an almost finished product. You will hurt your name greatly by not fulfilling what you promised. Don't just fulfill what you promised, but go beyond what you promised. This will help others to want to do business with you again.

Fifth, always have paperwork. Whenever you do business, you would be wise to have everything written down. This will keep both sides honest. Just because they are a Christian does not mean they are honest. Some of the worst people I have done business with are Christians. Write down everything you expect so that there are no misunderstandings.

Last, make it a win-win situation. When both sides come out of the deal feeling like they won, then you have done good business. There should be something in every deal that both sides feel like they won. If you conduct your business with this policy, then you will be able to conduct business for a long time. Be careful about how you do business. Always remember that honesty in business is the best policy. This keeps your name good, and will cause people to want to do business with you again in the future.

More

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I Want More

Joshua 17:16

"And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel."

The children of Joseph had one of the same problems that many people have today and that is they wanted something for nothing. They wanted Joshua to have everyone else go and conquer their territory, and then give it to them without them having to do anything. They wanted to enjoy pleasures without the responsibilities it took to acquire those pleasures. However, Joshua was wise in telling these people that if they wanted more than what they had, then they needed to find a way to get it and not to depend on the rest of Israel to help them.

There are many in our society who seem to want something for nothing. One of the ways many presidential candidates win people's vote is to promise them that when they become president they will have the government pay for certain luxuries. As good as this may sound, this is wrong. If a person wants to have something, then they need to work for it. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

Christian, be careful about becoming someone who always has their hand out. It is nothing more than murmuring about God not meeting your needs when you whine about what you don't have. God says in Philippians 2:14, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings:" A Christian is to live their life without begging people to help them. If you want to beg someone, then beg God and not man. God tells us in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" God is the only One Who is capable of meeting your needs. If God wants you to have something, then He will be sure to impress upon someone's heart to give it to you.

Moreover, if you want something, then have the initiative to go find a way to get it. Learn to be creative and find ways to get what you need. One of the greatest assets you have is your mind. So, become creative by using your mind to think of ways to get what you need. Don't expect anyone to give you something, but find ways to get it yourself. If you live with the mentality that you will get what you need, then you will not be disappointed if someone doesn't give it to you.

Furthermore, parents need to teach their children to work for what they get. Just because your children want a new pair of shoes doesn't mean you should go directly to the store and purchase it for them. If their shoes are in good condition and they want better shoes, then tell them to find a way to earn the money to purchase the shoes themselves. Teaching your children at a young age to work for what they get will help them to appreciate what they have. If you give everything to them as a child, then they will expect society to give everything to them as an adult.

Be careful about not becoming like the children of Joseph who wanted others to give them what they could get themselves. If you want something, then find a way to get it, but don't become a Christian who whines and begs for everything. God promises to supply your need, but He didn't say that your need would always come from others, most of the time He will supply your need by having you working to get that need met.

Confidence

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Building Others Confidence in You

Joshua 1:5

"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

There is no doubt that Joshua needed a confidence booster that God would use him. Moses was a great man of God, and Joshua was the one chosen to fill his position. That was a very big position to fill, but Joshua still had the same God of Moses. Because Joshua had a big position that he had just filled, he needed his confidence built that God would use him. Twice God said, "Be strong and of a good courage:..." God said this because Joshua needed confidence that God would use him. The verse above shows three things that are needed to build someone's confidence in you.

First, get involved with what they are doing. God told Joshua, "...so I will be with thee:..." The word "with" means, "to be beside." In other words, if you were to paraphrase what God said to Joshua you would say, "So, I will be beside thee." What a great confidence booster! Knowing that God would be right beside him had to help build his confidence.

If you need to build someone's confidence in you, then you need to prove to them that you will be right beside them in all that they do. The greatest way a parent can build their child's confidence in them is to be there for them when they need you. Many children lack confidence in their parents because their parents are too busy to be there for them when they need them. Likewise, a spouse needs to be with their spouse in times of need. You will build your spouse's confidence in you when you are right beside them as they go through tough times. Furthermore, if you need to build someone's confidence in you in the ministry, then you need to be sure that you will be with them when they go through tough times in their life. If they are in the hospital, then visit them. If they are in suffering the death of a loved one, then be there for them. You will never build someone's confidence in you if you are absent in their time of need.

Second, being dependable will build someone's confidence in you. God told Joshua, "I will not fail thee,..." In other words, God was telling Joshua that he could always count on Him doing what He said He would do. If you want to build someone's confidence in you, then follow through with everything that you told them you will do. Dependability is a great confidence booster. If a person learns that they can depend on you more than they can anyone else, then they will certainly have great confidence in you.

Last, don't forsake them. God told Joshua, "...I will not...forsake thee." It didn't matter what Joshua was going through, God promised him that He would always be there. If you want to build someone's confidence in you, then be there for them in the good and bad times. When they disappoint you, be there for them. When everyone else leaves them, be there for them. When they fall into sin, be there for them. When everyone else is gone, then you be the one who is still standing by their side.

Is someone in your life with whom you need to build their confidence in you? The three things that God does to build our confidence in Him will also build other's confidence in you. However, once you have built someone's confidence in you, be careful that you don't break that confidence. You worked hard to get it, so work just as hard to keep it.