“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph. 5:15-17 ESV)

God’s wisdom defined

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 ESV)

Ask God for it

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 ESV)

Act wisely by hearing and doing God’s Word

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matt. 7:24 ESV)

Therefore…

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” (Col. 4:5 ESV)

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13 ESV)

The late Flip Wilson was famous for his, “The devil made me do it” routine. But, as funny as it was, God’s Word makes it abundantly clear that we do not ever have to obey the devil when he temps us to sin. Christ’s death on the cross has enabled us to live lives without the power of sin’s control over us.

New lives in Christ

”… And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” (Rom. 6:4b NLT)

No longer slaves to sin

“We know that our old sinful lives were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.” (Rom. 6:6-7 NLT)

Consider yourself to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:11 NLT)

Do not let sin control you!

“Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Rom. 6:12-14 NLT)

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Hab. 2:3 ESV)

There is a time for every matter

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Eccles. 3:1 ESV)

Wait for the Lord

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

A time for everything

“For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him.” (Eccles. 8:6 ESV)

Don’t grow weary of doing good

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9 ESV)

In all your ways acknowledge Him

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Prov.  3:5-6 ESV)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:89 ESV)

A future and a hope

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.” (Mark 11:23 NIV)

God calls into being what does not yet exist

“As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.” (Rom. 4:17 NIV

Keep up your courage and believe God’s Word

“So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” (Acts 27:25 NIV)

Believe with faith, no matter how hopeless the situation may look

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be.” (Rom. 4:18 NIV)

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom. 11:29 ESV)

Irrevocable: that which is unalterable or irreversible, beyond recall, binding, changeless, definite, final, firm, fixed.

When God gives his children spiritual gifts and callings, they are permanent!

God doesn’t remove or take them back! If, for instance, you have received the gift of teaching and have been called to teach, you will continue to have that gift and calling all your life. God expects you to use your gifts and calling responsibly and in a worthy manner.

There are a variety of gifts from God

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:4-7 ESV)

Walk in a manner worthy of your gift and calling

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-3 ESV)

You are expected to “stir up” your gift

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” (1 Tim. 1:6a KJV)

Use your gift to serve others and to glorify God

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11-12 ESV)

 “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.” (Prov. 24:16 NASB)

The Lord upholds the hand of the righteous man

“Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:24 ESV)

He is able to keep the righteous man from stumbling

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” (Jude 1:24 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” (Eph. 6:13 NLT)

Quote:

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Sir Winston Churchill

 “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” (Prov. 4:20-22 NIV)

A doctor’s report

Sometimes a doctor will give a negative report, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the final answer! God’s Word is very powerful and was sent by Him to heal and to rescue! I recently heard the testimony of a woman who had been diagnosed with fast-acting, incurable cancer, and was sent home to die. She decided, however, not to accept the doctor’s death prognosis, but rather, to believe God’s promises in His Word. So, she did four important things.

• First, she looked up every verse in the Bible she could find about healing.

• Secondly, she wrote them down.

•Thirdly, she posted them all around her house, on the bathroom mirror, on the fridge, and on her walls, so the verses were constantly before her eyes.

• Fourthly, whenever she was near a verse, she quoted it out loud, personalizing it. For instance, she said, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” (Psalm 118:17). And, “With long life you will satisfy me and show me your salvation.” (Psalm 91:16), and, “Behold, you bring to me health and healing in abundance.” (Jer. 33:6). At first she didn’t feel any better, but she did not get any worse as the days went by. She continued her new routine everyday, and after sometime, she began to notice she was feeling better. She continued to grow stronger and healthier day by day, until finally, her doctor could no longer find any trace of the cancer in her body. She had gotten completely well!

The scripture passage at top says to do four things...

1) Pay attention to what God’s Word says

2) Listen to the Word of God

3) Keep God’s Word before your eyes

4) Keep God’s Word in your heart

And, the following two things will result…

5) God’s Word gives life to you

6) God’s Word gives health to your whole body

God’s Word heals and rescues

“He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” (Psalm 107:20 NIV)

“…but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.” (Jer. 9:24 NIV)

God delights in those who are  blameless in their walk

“The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight.” (Prov. 11:20 NIV)

God delights in those who deal faithfully

“Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Prov. 12:22 NIV)

He rescues you

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (2 Sam. 22:20 NIV)

 “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Gen. 2:7 ESV)

A negative proclamation to take a stand against

Recently I had a cat-scan and was looking over the images with the physician in his office. Then he said, “You’re about to die! In fact, I don’t know how you’ve continued to stay alive this long!” I thought he was joking! Because, who would actually say such a thing to a patient without telling them to first sit down? But, he was serious! And he proceeded to show me the “problem area” from multiple cat-scan angles, from the top and from all sides! Apparently, according to the scan, my breathing passage is so restricted that I shouldn’t be able to breathe through it at all.  Then, he continued to explain all the negative effects of this condition, as though the prognosis of “death” wasn’t bad enough. After the appointment, I told my wife what the doctor had said. As we began to process the information, I was in a bit of shock. But I quickly recovered and on the drive home we decided to get in agreement with Scripture (Matt. 18:19) rather than to be in agreement with the doctor’s “proclamation of death” over me. The scripture, in fact, has a lot of great promises to claim on the subject of breath. Here are a few.

God’s breath gives me life

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4 ESV)

Say to the breath, “Thus says the Lord God!”

“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God…” (Ez. 37:9a ESV)

“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.” (Ez. 37:5 NASB)

Choose life!

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deut. 30:19 NLT)

Therefore...

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 159:6 ESV)

“I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done.” (Psalm 118:17 NIV)