Today's Thought From The Word - Discernment

DISCERNMENT

Synonyms are words that better aid in knowing what a word means and how to use that word. Some synonyms for Discernment would be:

Insight

Perception

Comprehension

Understanding

Wisdom

The Bible tells us that 'to discern' is to understand; consider carefully, gain understanding; pay close attention to; investigate. So, let's investigate.

The dictionary tells us that 'to discern' is to be able to distinguish one object from another, whether that object is intellectual knowledge or physical knowledge. 

For example, intellectual knowledge is the ability to make decisions based on what we know. While physical knowledge is how we obtain what we know through the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. 

We can discern what is right from what is wrong through obtained wisdom, which an only be found in the Bible, the Holy Scriptures. Wisdom comes from God and we need only ask for it. As Solomon did when he became King of Israel and had this conversation with God, so to speak:

God: "What shall I give you? Ask."

Solomon: "Give me an understanding heart, that I may judge Your people, that I may discern between good and bad."

God, who was pleased with Solomon's request, replied: "Because you asked for this and not long life, nor riches for yourself, nor the lives of your enemies, I will give you wisdom and so much more."

We are living in uncertain times and we need this same wisdom that King Solomon asked for. We need to be able to discern the times in which we live and make wise choices, judgments, for ourselves. Knowing right from wrong, common sense from crazy  sense.

God also promised Solomon that if he would walk in God's ways, keep God's statutes and commandments, then God would also lengthen his days. This promise is for us, too. We need to walk in God's ways, keep God's commandments and live accordingly. However this cannot be done on our strength. We need Christ in our hearts to bring us to God and we need the Holy Spirit in our hearts to make us presentable, holy, that we might stay for ever in God's presence. All we have to do is ASK.

And God will give us what He promises  He will give us. 

Battle Cry

As written in my journal from August 23, 2000

 I will not be defeated

I will never back down

I will go into battle

Defending my crown.

I will go into battle

Praising my Lord

Raising His Banner

Wielding my Sword

One in my left hand

There's another in my right

The flame of God

Cuts thru' the night

I can run thru' a troop

Leap over a wall

By my God

I can do it all!

All for His glory

And none of my own

I will go into battle

Defending my crown.

I will not be defeated

I will not back down

I will go into battle 

Defending my crown

I will worship 

And thank Him

All of my days

Giving Honor and Glory

To His Holy Name! 

The Soul Winner's Walk

I walk 

thru' the night

Reflecting the Light

of Jesus

To a lost and 

dying world.

More precious than silver

More costly than gold

I carry a burden

to win Him

more souls.

How To Walk With Jesus

• Deuteronomy 5:33 In all the ways which the Lord God has commanded us to walk , that we may live
• Psalm 26:3 Walk in His Truth
• Psalm 26:11 Walk in my integrity
• Psalm 119:45 Walk in liberty (freedom), for I seek Your precepts (mandates, 
• Proverbs 28:26 Walk wisely
• Micah 6:8 Walk humbly with my God
• Isaiah 33:15 Righteously, Uprightly; despising the gain of oppressions, refuses bribes, refuses to condone murder, closes his eyes to evil
• Isaiah 43:2 Walk through fire and not get burnt
• Jeremiah 6:16 Walk in the old (concealed, ancient, always) paths
• Matthew 4:19, 20 Obediently and willingly
• Luke 1:6 Walk in all the commandments
• Acts 9:31 Walk in the fear of The Lord
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 Walk by faith
• Galatians 5:16, 25 Walk in the Spirit
• Ephesians 5:2 Walk in Love
• Ephesians 5:15 Walk circumspectly (watchful cautious, prudent; conscientiously, deliberately)
• Colossians 2:6, 7 Walk in Christ; rooted, built up in Him, established in the faith, abounding therein with thanksgiving
• 2 John 4 Walk in Truth 

Jeremiah 6:16 

Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’"

• Stand in the ways, the crossroads
• See the direction of the ways (one forks to the left, one to the right)
• Ask the way, for the old (ancient and concealed) paths
• Walk in the ways, the old paths
• Find rest in the way, the old paths

Color of Worship-Purple

MUREX

Exodus 25:4 "And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair."

This verse is part of the offerings that The LORD told Moses the people needed to give willingly, from the heart (V. 2). 

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God Is one LORD. And thou shalt love The LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Mark 12:30 "And 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."
Deuteronomy 10:12 "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,"
Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

     All worship must be from our heart to God's heart. It must be real. It must be sincere. It must be willing. And you cannot hide your heart from God, because that is where He looks when He is looking for worshipers. 
     When our hearts are filled to the brim with love and adoration for Him, we simply must praise and worship The LORD our God. We bring an offering of praise. We bring it willingly, lovingly, obediently; according to His Word.
       The seashell pictured here is a murex. The yellow liquid that is excreted from the seashell turns purple when exposed to sunlight and this purple is what is used to dye fabric purple, just as in early Bible times.  Because small amounts only were able to be obtained in this manner, this purple dye, also known as Tyrian Purple, was extremely costly and only the very wealthy could afford to wear it. 

Majesty

Ferrell's Travel Blog

RAW AMETHYST

On the breastplate of the priest the tribe of Issachar was represented by amethyst. Issachar was the fifth son Leah gave Jacob. 

The worship we give to God will also be costly. Because the born-again believer's life is a life of worship, a life that is sanctified, set apart unto God, the life we live will be more than different. To the world around us, which includes our family and friends, we will be seen as crazy or extreme or fanatical. It is not that we exclude them from our lives, merely the opposite: they exclude themselves.

We who are living a different lifestyle after we get saved and Spirit-baptized know from our studies that we no longer 'blend in'. Now we have a target on our backs. This target keeps us near the throne of grace and close to God. What happens the closer we get to God? The more our hearts pour out in worship. We love Him and only desire to tell Him so. 

Every time we come to God we bring an offering of praise. An offering is going to cost us something, whether we purchase it from another to give to God, or whether we draw out of our own wealth to give it to God. But we know that Jesus paid the debt we owed to God, therefore to be in God's presence is to know and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

And in order to stay there, for ever in God's presence, we need to know and acknowledge this fact now, while we still draw breath in this life. For after death it will be too late. Yes, you will still be able in death to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, but it will be too late. Now, today, is your day of salvation. 

What do you need to do to be saved? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 16:31 And because we who have heard the Word spoken to us, we bring those within our households, both family and friends, strangers and foreigners, to Jesus, with the hopes that they, too, will believe after hearing this Word spoken. 

Worship God with our lives, lift Jesus up wherever we go and whatever we set our hands to do and every time we open our mouths. This worship sets apart from all other religions, as well. Because the Spirit of God is working on us, sanctifying us, making us holy, we will be outcasts in the religious atmosphere of our towns and cities and nations. 

This worship is rare and beautiful and glorifies God.