"Word of God Speak"

November 13, 2011 (Job 39-40; 1 Corinthians 13-14)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “For we know in part and we prophesy in part;” 1 Corinthians 13:9 NASB

Observation: All the knowledge and understanding we obtain in this life is in part at best. We often see only what our perspective has to lend. If what we know is in part, how can what we preach be otherwise? What we know and what we preach is in part, but one day we will see and know clearly.

Application: This is a good scripture to memorize. Hopefully next time you think you’ve got it all figured out God will bring this scripture to your remembrance. A true Christian knows that all understanding has not been revealed to all people yet. We know and can understand enough about Jesus to be ready when He comes. Question is, are we acting on what we know and understand at this point?

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for failing to act on all the things I know and understand that You have revealed already. Forgive me for asking for more from You when I don’t use what You’ve already given. Help me know and understand what I need to do, think and live in order to please You. In Jesus name, Amen!

November 12, 2012 (Job 37-38; 1 Corinthians 12)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” 1 Corinthians 12:6 NLT

Observation: God does many things in many different ways using many different people or things. He waters the ground using rain and warms the earth with the sun. He delivers a strong message of repentance through one, while a tender message of grace through another. He uses strong and courageous men to fight wars and win battles, while using sensitive and intelligent men to perform tedious surgeries. God is not bound in any capacity. He can use what He pleases, when He pleases, how He pleases. All creation belongs to Him and is ultimately under His control. Although He uses many different tools, He’s still the one that performs all the work.

Application: When is the last time you heard someone boast of the great work they’re doing for the Lord? Probably last Sunday. The Word of God teaches us that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So the words we choose, reflects the feelings within our heart. Far too often, I believe, we misunderstand our position in Christ. We become boastful and prideful so easily without even realizing it. We hold our head up high and look down our nose at those that are called to a more lowly work than us. We are a better worker, that’s why God chose us to do great works, while others He can only use to accomplish small task. We forget that it’s Him that’s doing the work in, and through, us. We are merely tools He privileges to be involved in the process. Much work gets done in many different ways, but it is the same God that performs all the work and He deserves all the praise and glory!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your blessings. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for the work You do and the privilege You give me to be involved. Remind me to always give You the credit and glory for what You do. Give me wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. In Jesus name, Amen!

November 11, 2011 (Psalm 122; 1 Corinthians 9-11)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:21 NASB

Observation: When you belong to Christ you are in, or out. There’s no drinking from the Spirit on Sunday at church, after drinking with the devil at the bar on Saturday. There’s no breaking of bread with Christ in communion, while being connected to the lucifer buffet lifestyle. A real Christian will forsake the sinful desires of satan and cling to the disciplined life in Christ. Your master becomes who you are a slave for.

Application: Many people profess with their mouths that they are a “Christian” but I think, most people don’t know what being a Christian really means. You can’t post on facebook how great the church service was, and how great the sermon was, and then with your next post slander and abuse someone. That’s wanting people to think you’re a Christian, while being a demon. The real Christian suffers harm without seeking revenge, knowing that vengeance belongs to the Lord and He repays better than anyone else ever could!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me I pray drink from Your cup and eat from Your table. Forgive me for the times I’ve drank and ate from the cup and table of demons. Help me become the Christian You would be well pleased with. Provide a clear vision for me that I can understand and strengthen me to walk in it regardless of what others do. Help me love even my enemies the way You teach me too and may I leave vengeance in Your hands, in Jesus name, Amen!

November 10, 2011 (Job 35-36; 1 Corinthians 7-8)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know” 1 Corinthians 8:2 NASB

Observation: Those who act as if they have the scriptures all figured out and refuse to receive further understanding prove that they do not know as much as they think they do. The knowledge we receive in this life is incomplete and imperfect at best. Therefore we should be careful to learn and receive as often as God provides.

Application: As Christians our actions must be based on love towards God and others. If love is our determining consideration we will refuse to engage in or encourage activities that might lead even one to stumble and head toward eternal ruin. When we share our knowledge with another it should be in an effort to keep them from going astray, not help them to. When love for another is the motive that truly drives us, our knowledge can be embraced and received providing help in times of distress.

Prayer: Dear Lord, teach me Your ways and show me the path You have for me to walk. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may continue to learn and understand Your word. Thank You for Your goodness, mercy and grace that provides and protects me from evil. Help me use the knowledge You’ve given to help others. May sincere love for others become my hearts desire, in Jesus name, Amen!

November 9, 2011 (Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4-6)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.” 1 Corinthians 5:3 NASB

Observation: Paul was a leader in every since of the word. Even though he was not physically there he was still leading. He had passed a righteous judgement on a man who professed to know Christ and was attending church, while engaged in a sexual relationship with his stepmother! Paul told the church just what to do with such a person as this in verse 13, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” Stern leadership, don’t you think?

Application: I guess Paul didn’t get the modern day church memo against judging sin in the church. Today, Paul would be labeled as a self righteous hypocrite that has no right to judge another. Yet I believe Paul was right on target with what God wants from His church. Sin must be eradicated from the lives of those who proclaim Christ. Such sin as this was no mistake or accident. It was a deliberate choice made to commit wickedness and then act as if it should be accepted by the church as okay. When’s the last time you’ve seen deliberate sin allowed in the church? When’s the last time you’ve seen a person removed?

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I come to You this morning with praise on my lips and thankfulness in my heart. You have protected and provided better than I could have ever hoped for or imagined. Thank You Lord, You are the awesome God of heaven that has an abundance of love and mercy for Your people. Help us Lord hear and understand the importance of what Paul was teaching in these verses of scripture. Sin allowed to go without reprimand will only breed more sin, help us have the courage to stand like Paul did, in Jesus name, Amen!

November 8, 2011 (Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1-3)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,” 1 Corinthians 3:2 NLT

Observation: Paul called the Corinthian church a bunch of infants. He had to feed them with the milk of God’s truth because they were not spiritually healthy enough for anything stronger. They were still being controlled by their sinful nature. They were jealous of one another and constantly quarreled with one another. Within the Corinthian church was a struggle for superiority and the best way to get on top was to pull someone else down. Division was the main theme of the Corinthian church. Paul did not cuddle them and allow them to stay in their present condition; he urged them to grow up!

Application: As Christians we have the responsibility to grow in our faith. We are expected, and required, to grow spiritually continuously. Just as our natural bodies grow and mature so should our spirit. We must put aside foolishness and get serious about our spiritual growth. If we continue to only consume the milk of God’s word, we will become unhealthy and unsatisfied. I believe this to be the number one factor in the high number of “church dropouts”. We are so concerned about peoples “feelings” that we have neglected to provide them the spiritual nourishment that they need to grow healthy and mature. Christian infants need milk, but growing Christian’s need more nourishment than milk can provide.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day You have made. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for the milk of Your word that satisfied me as an infant, and thank You for the meat of Your word that nourishes me today. Give me the wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. In Jesus name, Amen!

November 7, 2011 (Job 31-32; Galatians 5-6)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:7 NASB

Observation: Many of the Galatians started off running well, but false doctrine was already creeping into the church causing confusion. Some were saying you had to be circumcised in addition to having faith in Jesus Christ to be born again. Paul warns them of people trying to have confidence in the flesh so they can boast of their works and he asked a simple question, who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Application: False doctrine still infiltrates the church on many occasions. We must be careful to base our beliefs on the word of God and it alone. Feelings and emotions will lead us to believe things that are not true. Before long we will be having faith in what we’ve made up to be true instead of what the word of God says. God’s word is truth we can trust and believe in. More times than not, we hinder ourselves from obeying the truth when we yield to our feelings or emotions. Therefore the answer to Paul’s question is, you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me stop hindering myself from obeying Your truth. I want to run well and finish strong. Protect my mind from false teaching that is contrary to Your truth. Reveal to me truth I can trust in and stand on. In Jesus name, Amen!