Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.1 Peter 4:19

In the previous verses, Paul has explained to us his appointment as a preacher, apostle, and teacher of the Everlasting Gospel. In verse 12, he begins by explaining that this gospel is the cause for which he suffers. But he’s not ashamed, for he knows in whom he has believed and is persuaded that God is able to keep him until “that day”.

What day is Paul talking about? Let’s look at a few references:

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;Joel 2:1

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.Malachi 4:1

Our Saviour, Christ the King, will soon be returning to this earth to claim His people. At the glorious trumpet sound, the dead in Christ shall rise first and those who remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Then, in His justice and mercy, the Lord will destroy the wicked who remain alive upon the earth.

Paul looked forward by faith to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was the apostle’s hope that Christ would return in his day and, had the church remained faithful, he could have. But they went into apostacy and, not long after, John, by Inspiration, penned the prophecies of Revelation, which foretold the dark ages soon to come and that there would be many hundreds of years yet before an opportunity would arise again for Christ’s return.

But Paul wasn’t discouraged. For those who die in the faith, with their life committed to and hidden in Christ, will rest asleep in the earth until they hear the trumpet sound. For those who are asleep in death, this will be as but a moment. So, with courage in his heart and faith in the promises of God, which he knew to be sure beyond all doubt, Paul committed his life into the hands of God and pressed onward to finish the good fight of faith.

Call To Action: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and commit your life into His loving and faithful hands. Lean not on your own understanding and put not your confidence in the things of men. Acknowledge God in all your ways today, look forward by faith to the great things He has promised, and, as you continue to place your trust in Him, He will direct your paths. As you walk through the darkness that life’s trials and challenges sends your way, He will be with you and comfort you, He will protect and sustain you, and whether you are laid to rest or are alive on earth at the coming of Christ, you can be sure that the fight has not been fought in vain and victory, in His strength, has been won.

“Whereunto I am appointed..”

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus..2 Timothy 1:1

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.1 Corinthians 4:9

“..A preacher..”

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.2 Timothy 4:2

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!Romans 10:13-15

“..And an apostle..”

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,Romans 1:1

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…1 Corinthians 1:1

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)Galatians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;1 Timothy 1:1

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Peter 1:1

“..And a teacher..”

..Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.Ezra 7:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Psalms 51:10-13

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.2 Timothy 2:2

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesians 4:11-13

Call To Action: Let us each study God’s word, through much prayer, to show ourselves approved unto God, that we would be faithful workers for God with no cause for shame. Search the Scriptures daily as for hidden treasure. Share the good news within with those you come in contact with and instruct them, not by your own words but by God’s, in the way of life everlasting.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.Titus 3:5-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.Ephesians 1:3-4

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.1 Thessalonians 4:7

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;Titus 1:2

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called..1 Timothy 6:12

For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us.1 John 1:2

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.John 14:6

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.John 17:3

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.1 John 5:11-13

The Scriptures declare their Author, who worked through the hearts and minds of men to pen these precious words of Inspiration. In the Scriptures, we find Christ, not simply His life on earth as declared in the four gospels, but all throughout. In Christ, we find eternal life which, by faith, we may take hold of, not because we are worthy but because God has promised it to those who believe on the name of His Son (John 3:16). In God’s promises we may find strength, for we may know, beyond all doubt, that what He has said, He will do, and the work He has begun in us, He is able to finish (Philippians 1:6) and, as we rely on His strength, looking up by faith, He is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24).

Search the Scriptures diligently with prayer. Write down the things you find, each and every morning, and, with a childlike faith, take hold of God’s promises. Present your trials and your challenges to your Father in Heaven. Search the Scriptures for council. Then, asking God to give you the will and the strength to obey, follow His councils and choose to do what’s right, walking forward each day along the straight and narrow path. Thus you will grow in the grace and knowledge of God and take hold of eternal life.

..I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.Romans 1:16

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.Mark 8:38

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.Psalms 25:2

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.Psalms 119:80

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.Romans 10:11

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.2 Timothy 3:12

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.Romans 8:35-37

[God] comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.2 Corinthians 1:4

When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.Deuteronomy 4:30-31

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.John 16:33

There was a time when I was ashamed of Christ. If asked point blank, something inside me would arise and I might defend my faith as feebly as I knew how.. but when the decision was mine and I had time to think, I was quick to shy away from the proclamation of the truths of God’s Word. By God’s grace, though I am still weak and feeble, I am no longer ashamed of my Saviour, for I know He lives and makes intercession for me. He has given me a work to do in this world and with my hand to the plow, in His strength I will never turn back.

Call To Action: Let us never be ashamed of our Saviour. In my life, shame arose because I knew little to nothing of His love for me and the great sacrifice He made on my behalf. Acquaint yourself with God, go humbly to Him in prayer and ask for wisdom and understanding that you would begin to grasp and comprehend the glorious truths of His Word. Then, as the truth sinks in, your mind will be quickened, your heart will be lifted up above the things of this world, and you will have no cause for shame, for you will know beyond all doubt that there is a God in Heaven, that cares for you and loves you.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

My dear fellow students, let us please make no guesses or rely on any preconceived notions about what the “gift of the Holy Ghost” is. The Bible needs no one to interprete it and through prayer and study a solid, Biblical answer can be found that brings to light all the texts in the Scriptures without any contradictions. Until then, let’s continue:

..Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.2 Timothy 1:2

God has given us His grace, which is His power to overcome sin through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who is with us in Christ’s stead. He gives us mercy, because He loves us. And He blesses us with a sound mind, which brings with it a peace, even in the midst of life’s greatest trials, that passes all understanding.

What’s a Scriptural definition of the power of God? See 1 Corinthians 1:24

Christ is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

How did God express His love toward us? See 1 John 4:9

God manifested His love toward us by sending “His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9. God is love (1 John 4:16) and as Christ is a perfect image of His Father, God, in giving to this fallen world His Son, Has given us His perfect love.

How does God’s gift of peace come to us? See Philippians 4:7 and Romans 5:1

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Romans 5:1

Therefore, we are given all these things: the power of God, which is His grace; the love of God, by which He shows us mercy; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding; all these are given to us through Christ Jesus, the perfect gift of God.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 6:23

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Ephesians 2:8

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephesians 4:7

Call To Action: The Bible offers us many more verses that provide still greater insight into the scratch of the surface we’ve made today on the subject of God’s gift to us. Each verse adds a greater field of depth and dimension to the picture that, throughout all eternity, we’ll be able to study and appreciate in deeper and still deeper ways. As you continue reading through the Scriptures, take note of all the references to “gifts” from God. Make no guesses as to what each verse means, but rather continue seeking and line all the verses up together to let them explain themselves. Pray for wisdom and discernment and continue your search by faith, remembering and believing that if we ask of God and our request is according to His will, we shall receive.

There is much to dwell on within these few verses. Paul found in Timothy, though still a youth, an able and faithful companion in the gospel of Christ. Timothy, by trusting in God’s strength and not his own, exercised a faith set on a firm foundation that no trial or tribulation could overcome. As both young and old, we can find encouragement and strength in Paul’s inspired instructions to Timothy.

This morning, we’re going to dwell on faith. May God’s Holy Spirit guide us into all truth.

What is faith? See Hebrews 11:1

Faith is, in the Apostle’s own words, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is believing that what God says, He will do. It is the substance, the assurance, that the things we hope for, the promises of God, are unbreakable. Faith is the evidence that proves to us, beyond all doubt, that there is a God in heaven who loves us, that there is a better land. By faith we can see that better land afar and by faith we can hear God lovingly and tenderly calling us to come home.

How do we get faith? See Romans 10:17

Faith comes to us by hearing the Word of God. The Scriptures have been given to us as an agency for the transformation of our characters into the perfect character of Christ. Christ pronounced a blessing to those who “hear the Word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28. As we search the Scriptures daily for hidden treasure and as we apply the things we’ve learned to our own lives, a change begins to take place. As we reach out by faith, regardless of our feelings, God takes hold of us and lifts us up from captivity to sin and, so long as we maintain our hold on Him, we can know that He will never let us go. This knowledge and the evidence that we see in our lives each and every day, strengthens our faith and strengthens our hold on Divinity.

..Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.Isaiah 27:5

By faith, believing that what God says He will do, we may reach up to the outstretched arm of Infinity and find strength in Him to endure the trials that threaten to overwhelm us. And so long as we maintain our hold, calling out to Him in our weakness, He will give us His peace that passes all understanding and we will have a calm within our hearts, no matter the storms that rage around us.

Call To Action: Let us exercise an unfeigned faith today and ever onward. Regardless of what we feel, let us each reach out by faith and take hold of God’s already outstretched hand. His promises are sure and His love for us goes beyond the deepest depths of our finite understanding. Search the Scriptures daily, mark God’s promises as you find them and, in a simple and childlike faith, trusting God with all your heart, ask for God to fulfill His promises in you, knowing that when you ask according to His will, you will receive and that when you seek, you will find, and when you knock on heaven’s door, it will be opened unto you.

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.Titus 1:4

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.2 John 1:3

What is “grace”? This word appears 170 times throughout the Old and New Testament and there are many clues as to its meaning. Here are a few:

Facts About Grace in the Bible:

• Given in Christ, before Creation - 2 Timothy 1:9
• Christ Jesus has grace within Him - 2 Timothy 2:1
• Grace can be given to us from our Father - Ezra 9:9
• Grace was poured into the lips [words] of Christ - Psalms 45:2
• Grace is given by God, for nothing good is withheld from the upright - Psalms 85:11
• Instruction is an adding of grace - Proverbs 1:9
• Sound wisdom and discretion bring grace - Proverbs 3:22; Proverbs 4:9
• Grace is given to the lowly - Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5
• The pure in heart have grace upon their lips - Proverbs 22:11
• Grace is poured out upon God’s people - Zechariah 12:10
• Christ on earth was full of grace and truth - John 1:14
• Grace and truth came to us by Christ - John 1:17
• Great grace accompanies the true outpouring of the Holy Spirit - Acts 4:33
• There is a word of Grace - Acts 14:3
• God’s people believe through grace - Acts 18:27
• We receive grace and apostleship by Christ - Romans 1:5
• Grace comes from our Father and from Christ - Romans 1:7; 2 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 1:3
• We are justified by grace through redemption in Christ - Romans 3:24
• To righteousness by works, the reward is not of grace but of debt - Romans 4:4
• Righteousness is of faith, by grace - Romans 4:16
• We have access by faith through Christ into grace wherein we stand - Romans 5:2
• We receive an abundance of grace/righteousness by Christ - Romans 5:17
• We are saved by grace, through faith - Ephesians 2:5, 8

There are still many more verses on the subject and I encourage each of you to take up, through prayer and diligent searching, a deeper study of this subject. Though I can’t yet recall where, I once heard a definition of “grace” that, after reading through these verses again this morning, was impressed to my mind and, so far as I’ve seen, is supported by the weight of scriptural evidence.

“Weight of Evidence” Definition: “Grace is God’s unmerited favor“. We can do nothing to earn grace, it is bestowed freely upon us and was manifested to us through the wondrous gift of God’s Son, whom the Father gave to sinful humanity that we might be redeemed. Grace is not freedom from obedience to God’s law for, if so, why did the justice of the Father require the great sacrifice of His Son? (In the greatest stretches of our imaginations we fail to grasp the depth of what was risked and given on our behalf ) - The perfect law of God, the law of liberty, expressed to us in the Ten Commandments (which was a perfect shadow of the character of Christ, who kept the law perfectly), requires obedience, not that we would be in bondage, but rather that we would be free! For transgression of the law is sin and sin brings with it misery and bondage. Christ died to free us from captivity to sin that, by God’s grace, by His unmerited favour, through faith in the righteousness of Christ, we might be forgiven of our sins and enabled to live a life here on this earth and throughout eternity to come, completely free from sin, living in perfect and blessed obedience to God’s holy law.

…Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.2 Timothy 1:2

Grace, mercy, and peace, come to us from God the Father and from Christ Jesus, our Lord. Grace is unmerited favor. God’s mercy grants us forgiveness for our sins. And when we surrender our evil hearts to God and let the righteousness of Christ wash us clean and fill us, we are given a peace within that passes all understanding.

Call To Action: Go forward this morning with the prayer that God would grant you grace that you may bestow His grace upon others. Spend time in God’s word, in thoughtful prayer and meditation, so that by beholding you may become changed, and as you are changed and your character is transformed to reflect the perfect character of Christ, go forward and reveal Christ’s love, through your words and deeds, to those around you. May God’s grace, His unmerited favour, rest upon and be with us all. Amen.

Paul was an apostle by the “will of God”.. this morning, we’re going to look at scriptures dealing with the subject of “God’s will”.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.Ephesians 5:17

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.John 6:39-40

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.Matthew 18:14

Who [God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.2 Peter 3:9

It is God’s will that all be saved. Why is it, then, that many people have died without hope? Some would say that they will be given another chance, yet the Bible clearly teaches that our probation is for this lifetime alone. The answer is in our “freedom of choice” - Contrary to what many in this day may tell you, we as human beings have been blessed with the freedom to choose whom we will serve. God does everything within His power to influence and persuade us, but never will He employ force or fear to gain an acceptance of His love. Such a love is beyond our comprehension, yet He offers it to us and speaks to us of it all throughout His word. God is a just and fair God and cannot tolerate evil, but knowing our weaknesses He has provided a way through the indwelling of His Spirit made possible by the Sacrifice of His Son that we might overcome the sins that bind us captive and live, rather, to His honour and glory.

Let’s continue this morning by looking at a few other expressions of God’s will as written in His word:

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.Matthew 21:28

God calls us to work in His vineyard.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:1 Peter 2:13-15

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.1 Peter 3:17

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.1 Peter 4:19

Let it be very clear that the Bible means exactly what it says here and we are not to try and interprete what it might mean. What if a law was passed requiring a violation of God’s law? Are you to obey that? No, we are to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). Therefore, we are to submit our will to the ordinances of man, so long as they are not in conflict with the will of God.

Let’s take a look at two more examples:

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.1 Thessalonians 5:18

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:Galatians 1:3-4

There is so much to be said on this wonderful subject and as God blesses each of us with opportunity, it will be my prayer this morning that we would take that opportunity and dive deeper into a study of His word. For deeper study on the subject of God’s will, I suggest first looking at the conditions for a knowledge of and obedience to God’s will. Then, I suggest looking through the Scriptures for more on the results of such a knowledge and obedience. To get you started, here are some of my student notes:

Scripture References on the “Conditions” for a knowledge of and obedience to God’s will: Romans 12:2 (Psalms 51:10); Ephesians 6:6 (Ephesians 3:17, Philippians 2:8); Colossians 4:12 (1:9, Romans 1:9-10); James 4:15

Scripture References on the “Results” of a knowledge of and obedience to God’s will: 1 John 2:17; Matthew 7:21; 1 John 5:14-15 (Romans 8:27; Hebrews 10:35-36); John 7:17; Hebrews 13:20-21 (1 Peter 4:1-2); Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35

Happiness comes through a knowledge of God and an obedience to His will. Paul, the author of 2nd Timothy, was an apostle of Jesus Christ according to God’s will. Paul accepted the call to work in God’s vineyard and, through righteousness by faith in Christ, he held fast to that call and fought the good fight of faith.

Call To Action: Search through the Scriptures and learn what God’s will is for your life. Don’t settle on one or two verses here and there, but search diligently and deeply. In my study here, I’ve only scratched the surface and I encourage each of you, my fellow students, to take up the study through prayer and a diligent seeking for treasure. Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.Proverbs 23:17

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.Proverbs 14:30

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.Proverbs 3:33

The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.Proverbs 12:7

Surely He scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly.Proverbs 3:34

..God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.James 4:6

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.Proverbs 3:35

According to Webster, envy is: 1. To feel uneasiness, mortification or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to repine at another’s prosperity; to fret or grieve one’s self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account.- Envy originated in Heaven when Lucifer, the then “light bearer”, became jealous of the special privileges bestowed by the Father onto His Son. His envy grew and consumned him until it lead to open rebellion against God. His rebellion caught hold of the angels, all of whom were free moral agents that could choose to serve whomever they would. Satan and and a third of the angels (Revelation 12:4) were then cast down from Heaven and the great controversy has continued to this very day.

Envy is a fruit of rebellion against God, a characteristic orginated and propogated by the enemy of souls. As humans, we are born into this world with a propensity to sin (but not born sinners, because sin is a choice, a willful transgression of God’s law) and as such, to envy has become very “human”, something that, without God, we will naturally do. But we don’t have to remain in a sinful condition..

Call To Action: Let not your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the Lord and depart from evil. Those who rejoice in their sins and revel in their wickedness, though they may appear happy and fulfilled, cannot be so. Sin is as a disease that can never be satisfied until everything it comes in contact with is consumned. It will not rest until those in whom it has found a haven are destroyed. We cannot break the hold that sin has in our lives. Rather, our hope is in calling out to Christ, who conquered sin in our behalf that we might be free. If we call out to Christ, admitting our helplessness and asking Him for forgiveness, He will set us free, and we will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.Romans 13:7-8

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.Galations 6:10

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.James 4:17

It is worth mentioning, in regard to this particular verse (James 4:17), that while it certainly applies within the context of Proverbs 3:27, there is a deeper meaning to be found as well. What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). What is good? The law, God’s commandments (Romans 7:12, 1 Timothy 1:8), they are good. Therefore, to know to do good, to obey God’s commandments, and to do it not, to disobey, is sin, for sin is the transgression of the law.

And in the context of Proverbs 3:27, we are reminded of Christ’s own words: “..thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 - To love God is to obey the first four commandments and to love your neighbor is to obey the last six. For Christ said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.Proverbs 3:28

In business, I’ve been blessed to work with a number of very talented freelance developers (people who make websites and who are able to do many other things). Often, when taking on a large project, I will divide the work upon among several individuals to make sure it’s finished in time. Sometimes, for whatever reason, even though the job is done, the client ends up being slow in paying for it. Since my freelance friends have already done the work, they should be paid for it. Now, there are times when there’s nothing I can do about it and I simply have to wait, but, when it’s in the power of my hand to do something, Proverbs 3:27-28 come to mind and as the Lord has blessed me, the least I can do is work to be a blessing to others. Bringing them into the project was my responsibility, so I pay them out of my pocket and wait for the client to return the funds to me.

Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.Proverbs 3:29-30

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.Proverbs 4:14-17

Call To Action: Consider those that you have made promises too. Have they all been fulfilled? Consider those whom you’ve simply had ideas for, or perhaps simply mentioned a possibility in passing. If there is something good that you’re able to do, do it. Seek no reward for your efforts, but rather seek to be a blessing as you have been blessed by God. If there are things that you’re not yet able to do, make sure that you’ve measured and balanced your responsibilities and then seek to free up time so that you can do the promised good. If nothing comes to mind, ask God to reveal it to you, asking in faith and knowing that whatsoever we ask according to His will, He will do - not because we’re worthy of it, but because He loves us and He has promised.