Patience

Romans 5:4 NASB

4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

Even though it is tough to be patient sometimes, this is one of the benefits.  We are taught patience (perseverance) through our trials.  I know, we all want to fix the problem quickly, but if we are patient, God will give us the answer in our time of need.  No, God will not do everything for us; that's why He gave us a brain!  However, we are to trust him FIRST.  The old saying, "God helps those who help themselves", is not in the Bible.  The often quoted phrase came from an episode of "Little House on the Prairie".  We are to trust in Him first, not ourselves, not other people, nor the situation.  "Seek Ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  THATIS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS!  Does this mean that God will let us
have anything we want?  No, it means that He will provide for all our needs according to His perfect and Holy will for our lives. O:-)

Interpretation

 I know that it has been an awful long time since I have posted anything here on my blog.  I know that it is a lame excuse, but sometimes life gets in the way.

Today's blog topic is scriptural interpretation.. I am not the expert on the subject, as no one is except God.  There are many ministers, counselors, and physicians who deal in this areas of all of our lives.  My question is this:  How do we decide on where to go for the absolute truth in Biblical interpretation?  There have been many ministers who have been shunned by their congregations, as well as communities for misguiding others with misinterpreted messages that they have given their congregations.  The only solution that I can think of is to follow the Bible and strive to use it as a guideline for one's life.  In with that, we all need to ask for God's guidance through the Holy Spirit to help us understand His Word.  Yes, pastors, teachers and prophets have their own gifts as God enables them, but as the Bible says, we are to test the spirits to see if they are from God.  That being said, when we study the Scriptures, we need to earnestly ask God to open our spiritual eyes when reading them.  If we read them through just the natural senses, we can often get confused, and get some of our own human ideas in there that conflict with the Holy Spirit.  For the Bible says that we are to "trust in the Lord thy God with all thine Heart, and LEAN NOT on thine own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct thine paths".  O:-)  Scripture interpretation is a spiritual thing, not a mankind thing.