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If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth,…  ( Click for more )

"Two men went up to the temple complex to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: 'God, I thank You that I'm not like other people--greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.' "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, 'God, turn Your wrath from me--a sinner!' I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone…  ( Click for more )

Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. - Matthew 12:34 HCSB

As we previously saw, Jesus used common, everyday language to deal with people and purposefully eschewed the use of “religious language”, unless pitching His teachings to a group of rabbis. Jesus was often very sarcastic and did not mind insulting the powers that be. He was more than willing to call them fools and deride them for hypocritical behavior. Once, when Jesus was railing on the Pharisees, a teacher of the Law spoke up…  ( Click for more )

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the place of his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? - Matthew 3:7 HCSB

For many Christians who were raised on King James English, our church can be quite a shock. They may be used to culturally irrelevant sermons preached in rancidly sweet tones. They are used to (at best) heated discussions over whether women should wear pants or (at worst) smooth, silver-tongued addresses on daisies, puppy dogs and butterflies.

In contrast, we use blunt language to discuss…  ( Click for more )

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching, for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck. - Proverbs 1:8-9 HCSB

A rich, godly man had a rebellious son who caused him much grief. All the son ever wanted to do was party, drink and run around with wild women. Though the father repeatedly tried to teach his son the advantages of righteous living, the son never listened. He was too caught up in his pleasures to hear what his father was saying.

Finally, the father called the son to his bedside and…  ( Click for more )

God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit. - Psalm 51:10-12 HCSB

A king enjoyed playing chess with one of his officers. Now the king was very good and nearly always won which frustrated the officer to no end. One day, while the king was distracted, the officer cheated by removing one of the king’s knights. Sure enough, the officer managed to win shortly thereafter. However, his sin beset his conscience…  ( Click for more )

Now the end of all things is near; therefore, be clear-headed and disciplined for prayer. Above all, keep your love for one another at full strength, since love covers a multitude of sins. - 1 Peter 4:7-8 HCSB

We often hear “love covers a multitude of sins” quoted as a suggestion to overlook sin. However, when taken in context, the true meaning of the verse is that if we pray for others in a disciplined and clear-headed manner and work at loving each other, many of OUR OWN sins will be covered in Hashem’s eyes. This fits very neatly with the principle of…  ( Click for more )

"Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers until he could pay everything that was owed. So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart." - Matthew 18:32-35 HCSB

The parable of the unmerciful slave shows just how sinful an unforgiving heart is. The king forgave one slave a tremendous amount, more…  ( Click for more )

“Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." - Luke 17:3-4 HCSB

If there was ever a man who should rightfully have been bitter, it was Joseph. He had been scorned by his brothers, manhandled, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, lied about, falsely imprisoned and forgotten. Yet, Joseph found it within himself to forgive his brothers and treat them kindly.[1]

Jesus commanded us to forgive others.[2]…  ( Click for more )

"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 HCSB

Jesus has extended a loving invitation to the weary and the sin-burdened.[1] You may feel that you have gone too far, broken too many rules or acquired too many scars to be able to receive forgiveness, but there is hope for you. God forgives and saves all kinds of sinners no matter how bad they are;…  ( Click for more )

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. Let the wicked one abandon his way, and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive. - Isaiah 55:6-7 HCSB

God calls sinners to seek Him and promises them forgiveness when they repent. However, though He is patient, there is a limit to His patience. We must not presume upon His grace.[1]

The prayer for forgiveness be timely and accompanied by clearly demonstrated repentance. Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, prayed…  ( Click for more )

Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. - Genesis 25:28 HCSB

Like many marriages, Rebekah and Isaac’s started out idyllically[1] but soon degenerated into a mutually apathetic relationship. It diverged even further into reciprocal frustration and antagonism. What started out as a story book marriage ended up as a text book case of favoritism run amuck.

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, old enough to be set in his ways and to be condescending to a young (possibly teenaged) bride. Twenty years passed by and Rebekah…  ( Click for more )

Stay awake and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. - Matthew 26:41 HCSB

Temptation and compromise are often so subtle that it’s best to not even start down that evil path. The Psalmist noted the common progression, and described it for us. First, we listen to wicked advice, then we take a wicked path and finally, end up being one of those who mock God’s Word![1]

Gradual compromise is what destroyed Lot’s life. At first, he hung out with righteous Abram[2], but started edging toward the worldly influences…  ( Click for more )

Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. - Genesis 3:6-7 HCSB

My wife has a nasty side. She will reach into the fridge, pull out the milk, sniff it suspiciously and after making horrible faces and nearly gagging, she’ll call out “This…  ( Click for more )

The result of humility is fear of the LORD, along with wealth, honor, and life. - Proverbs 22:4 HCSB

An elderly man was once asked by a friend what was the secret of his longevity. “Is it vegetarianism? Vitamins? Wine? Abstinence from wine? How did you grow to be so old?”

The old man smiled a wrinkled and nearly toothless smile, “Ah! Life is very tough! It comes with many difficulties.”

“Yes I know!” the friend replied, “Everyone knows that life can be very hard. It has many stresses that wear us out and break our spirits. That’s…  ( Click for more )

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. – Genesis 1:1-4 HCSB

Our God is a consuming fire.[1] It is no small wonder, then, that His first act was to bring light into existence. The apostle John wrote concerning the Son of God, “All things were created…  ( Click for more )

Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them, and have come to share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree, do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag--you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you. Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not…  ( Click for more )

Indeed, a king will reign righteously, and rulers will rule justly. Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the rain, like streams of water in a dry land and the shade of a massive rock in an arid land. Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The reckless mind will gain knowledge, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently. A fool will no longer be called a noble, nor a scoundrel said to be important. - Isaiah 32:1-5 HCSB

Many feel called to leadership but few are actually chosen by Yahweh.[1]…  ( Click for more )

I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. - Jeremiah 3:15 HCSB

We get the leadership we deserve! A nation or a church that does not hold itself to high standards shouldn’t be shocked when the leader that rises among them and is chosen from their number is equally without character.

When we are loyal to Hashem, He personally leads us to green pastures and still waters along the paths of righteousness,[1] and also provides us with leaders who can take us to greatness.[2]

“It takes one to know one,”…  ( Click for more )

Know that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands. But He directly pays back and destroys those who hate Him. He will not hesitate to directly pay back the one who hates Him. So keep the command--the statutes and ordinances--that I am giving you to follow today. "If you listen to and are careful to keep these ordinances, the LORD your God will keep His covenant loyalty with you, as He swore to your fathers. - Deuteronomy 7:9-12 HCSB

God is extremely loyal. His…  ( Click for more )

"Show loyalty to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom. "Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the LORD: 'I will never kill you with the sword.' So don't let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood."…  ( Click for more )

What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, Judah? Your loyalty is like the morning mist and like the early dew that vanishes. This is why I have used the prophets to cut them down; I have killed them with the words of My mouth. My judgment strikes like lightning. For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. But they, like Adam, have violated the covenant; there they have betrayed Me. - Hosea 6:4-7 HCSB

Sometimes one culture will have a concept with the matching vocabulary that simply doesn’t exist…  ( Click for more )

Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. - Romans 13:13-14 HCSB

It seems that almost every commercial out there is selling sex. Every drink is sold by showing images of wild, loud parties filled with beautiful, scantily clad young men and women. Even the argument for buying a men’s deodorant is that women will not be able to keep their hands off of you. The loss of virginity is…  ( Click for more )

So generally, what specific characteristics should you be looking for?

A good mate should already be demonstrating the character and loyalty that is so vital to a successful marriage. If they have a roving eye now, do you actually think that a marriage license, a piece of paper, will make them faithful?

They should take marriage very seriously[1] and their commitment to it must be absolute. It takes a lot of character to resist the world’s temptations. A potential mate…  ( Click for more )