Behavior Standards

 

A believer’s behavior comes from standards in the Bible. If not, something is very wrong. A panoply of sins in Romans 1:28-32 (TLB) and 2 Timothy are very specific, but the theme is consistent throughout the Bible. These behaviors serve no one. Sin is destructive and no one wins. 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (TLB) 3 You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. 3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church, yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear. Don’t be taken in by people like that.

2/23/2025

Lord, help!

 

This world is full of homeless, addicts, very sad stories, criminals and those who can hide their membership in these groups. They are exiled in plain sight of God. He has been with them all along and will gather each one up when asked. God is all loving-kindness and goodness.

Psalm 107:3-9 (TLB) 3 He brought the exiles back from the farthest corners of the earth. 4 They were wandering homeless in the desert, 5 hungry and thirsty and faint. 6 “Lord, help!” they cried, and he did! 7 He led them straight to safety and a place to live. 8 Oh, that these men would praise the Lord for his loving-kindness, and for all of his wonderful deeds! 9 For he satisfies the thirsty soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

2/16/2025

The Darkness and Shadow of Death

 

Until you cry out to God, you reside in the darkness and shadow of death.  You still think your solutions to your dire situation will work.  Self-reliance is with God, not without him. He rescues you when asked and gives you what you need to break self-inflicted chains. 

Psalm 107:13-14 (TLB) 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their troubles, and he rescued them! 14 He led them from the darkness and shadow of death and snapped their chains.

2/9/2025

Happy is the Man

“But happy is the man who has the God of Jacob as his helper…”  God’s people see things differently than those who do not know him. Men are fallible, God is not.  Trusting him for all things can be a struggle, but something worth struggling for.

Psalm 146:3-8 (TLB) 3 Don’t look to men for help; their greatest leaders fail; 4 for every man must die. His breathing stops, life ends, and in a moment all he planned for himself is ended. 5 But happy is the man who has the God of Jacob as his helper, whose hope is in the Lord his God— 6 the God who made both earth and heaven, the seas and everything in them. He is the God who keeps every promise, 7 who gives justice to the poor and oppressed and food to the hungry. He frees the prisoners 8 and opens the eyes of the blind; he lifts the burdens from those bent down beneath their loads. For the Lord loves good men. 9 He protects the immigrants and cares for the orphans and widows. But he turns topsy-turvy the plans of the wicked.

2/2/2025