Proverbs 22:4 says, The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches, honour and life. I love the Enduring Word definitions of humility and fear of the Lord.
Humility = proper view of self Fear of the Lord = a proper view of God. Often we have an unhealthy view of ourselves, we think or behave like we are God's gift to the world. We focus on our wants and desires, and not those of others. Sometimes, the opposite is true where we think that we are nothing. This isn't a helpful attitude to have either. The truth is that God made us and loves us, but he wants us to love others, not just ourselves. We often have an unhealthy view of God too. Sometimes we are too serious and see God as an angry judge who will punish us if we sin. Sometimes we are too casual and see God as our best mate. Both are true to a point. John 15:15 says, Now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me. Acts 17:31 says, He has decided on a day when he will judge all the people in the world in a way that is fair. So have a healthy respect for God and a healthy view of yourself and he will bless you with riches, honour and life.
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In the video Yan made a bookmark but you could easily make a card or artwork instead. Proverbs 21:21 says, Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
I love this verse in the NIV because pursue is such a strong word. It doesn't say 'have righteousness and love,' or 'get righteousness and love,' but 'pursue righteousness and love.' The word pursue implies diligence, persistence, commitment, enthusiasm, etc. To be able to pursue righteousness, we have to know what it means. Righteousness is speaking and acting rightly from pure motives. God is the only truly righteous being. Righteousness is speaking and acting in a Godly way; in a way that lines up with what the Bible teaches. Pursuing love is self-explanatory. It's not pursuing romantic love, but loving other people, especially those who are hard to love. The rewards for doing this are: Life - life that is full of purpose and meaning, peace and joy. Prosperity - this is sometimes translated righteousness. If you pursue righteousness, you will get righteousness. You will get a right reward. The ultimate reward of righteousness is eternal life with God. Prosperity means plenty, or an abundance. Honour - you will enjoy a good reputation and respect. People pursue a lot of different things: money, fame, possessions, praise, success, etc. What are you pursuing? When I was a young adult, I agonised over what God's will for my life was. I was reluctant to make a decision on anything, in case it wasn't God's will. I have since learned that a lot of things fall into God's will. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. According to this passage, God's will is:
1.Rejoice always - be cheerful about your earthly and spiritual blessings such as the Holy Spirit, the Bible, salvation, and eternal life. 2. Pray continually - pray throughout the day. 3. Give thanks in all circumstances - have an attitude of gratitude in the good times and the bad. These verses help us to understand what God's will is for our lives. We'll look more at this topic in the next few weeks. |
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