Many unsaved people practice astrology (i.e., horoscopes) and other unscriptural use of the signs in the heavens. Believers should reject these practices.
God is particularly interested in what is going on within the heart of man. Specifically, He seeks for, and desires to find, TRUTH.
God has a calling on each man’s life. Furthermore, He enables men to fulfill their appointed work. Man, however, must be strong and DO the work.
Most people view sin as a private or earthy matter. Yet, every sin is against the Lord. In truth, men can sin against the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
In the Bible, jealousy, similar to anger, is closely associated to a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalm 79:5; Ezekiel 36:5; Ezekiel 38:19). As man provokes the Lord to jealousy, the Lord responds with judgment. At times, that judgment may be the consumption of the one who provoked the Lord. At other times, that consumption may be directed toward the very thing that the man put before the Lord. Either way, God’s jealousy is a consuming fire (Zephaniah 1:18; Zephaniah 3:8). In one biblical instance, the zeal of a man named Phinehas stopped the consuming fire of God’s jealousy (Numbers 25:11). Men should wisely seek the Lord today in hopes of delaying the fire of God’s wrath and anger upon their nations and homes.
The steward is not distinguished for his own possessions but, rather, for the care of another’s possessions. This is true of the life and ministry of every believer. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ and claims nothing as his own. If he has a family, his family is a blessing from God still belonging to God. If he has any ministries, they too belong to God. Even his own spirit, soul, and body belong to the Lord and not to himself (1 Corinthians 6:20). Understanding these truths makes a steward prosper in his walk with the Lord and in his service to the Lord. He recognizes and accepts that life is not all about him. He knows that every aspect of life should revolve around caring for each of the possessions of his heavenly Master.
Basically, a steward is one who oversees someone else’s possessions. The scripture shows stewards overseeing the substance and possession of the king (1 Chronicles 28:1) or administering the oversight of labourers within a vineyard (Matthew 20:8). The life of a steward was devoted to his master’s needs, wants, and demands. The job description was broad and comprehensive. Eliezer, Abraham’s steward (Genesis 15:2), ruled over all that Abraham had (Genesis 24:2) but also went forth to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 24:9). The master’s needs became the responsibilities of the steward. Simply put, the steward was responsible for what the master had placed under his care and supervision.
Only a foolish man thinks he can hide anything from the Lord. This includes his thought life. The Lord knows all man’s thoughts (1 Chronicles 28:9) which includes the good (Malachi 3:16) and the bad (Psalm 94:11). David expressed this truth to the Lord when he said, “Thou knowest . . . my thought afar off. . . . For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether” (Psalm 139:2-4). The Lord Jesus Christ often exhibited this capability during His earthly ministry (Matthew 12:25; Luke 5:22; Luke 6:8; Luke 9:47; Luke 11:17). Even the written word of God reveals this ability by being “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Reading commentaries offers varying opinions concerning the definition of purity. However, the Bible offers some exacting details which give the right definition. Today's passage speaks of the “pure blood of the grape.” In other words, nothing was added to the juice—it was pure. There are several other substances in scripture identified as pure: gold (Exodus 25:39), olive oil (Exodus 27:20), myrrh (Exodus 30:23), incense (Exodus 37:29), and language (Zephaniah 3:9). Each instance emphasizes that nothing exists to corrupt the nature of the original. These substances are not combined with other materials to dilute or defile them. In essence, purity demands the absence of any substance that corrupts, defiles, or taints in any way.
As we have seen, courage comes from a strength of heart. On the contrary, the Bible likens discouragement (the opposite of courage) to a melted heart (Joshua 2:11). In other words, discouragement takes place when a man’s heart loses strength. The Bible reveals that discouragement comes through various avenues of life. Men become discouraged because of “the way” (i.e., the circumstances of life) (Numbers 21:4). Discouragement also results from fear and unbelief (Deuteronomy 1:28) and the magnitude of a task (1 Chronicles 28:20). Ultimately, discouragement rears its ugly head as a result of a lack of faith in God and His word. Since discouragement and a lack of faith go hand in hand, a discouraged man cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).
