Guest post by Jeanette Andrade
September 17 Scripture Selection: Proverbs 28
Food for Thought: Prov. 28:5
You can talk and talk to godless people till the cows come home to change their way of thinking, but in their current state, they will never understand the truest concepts of justice* (though it is quite possible for a lost person to be influenced by godly people and adopt much of their way of life). They simply do not have the tools with which to deeply comprehend justice. And sadly, that means their decisions and actions usually will not be based on what is right before God.
However, all is not lost nor hopeless. Anyone can change, but ONLY by the Spirit of God. So, for everyone who is trying to make a person change and stop having a godless attitude about what he/she considers “right”, you must begin at the beginning with him or her, not in the middle. It is useless to insist that the person suddenly have another opinion or way of life. He/she must first be born again and bear the Spirit of God within. Then the Spirit will lead him/her into all truth (John 16:13), and he/she will be able to understand all.
It is, however, a growth process. That is why it is SO MUCH better to instill in our children at a young age the truths of justice and continue discipling them as they grow. But even an adult can be born again and gain understanding of it. I Peter 2:1-3 says, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
Much energy is wasted trying to convince people to do right instead of trying to show them how to be right. When they become new in Christ, their entire being and perspective are changed, and they are righteous and quite capable of understanding justice.
(*Note to my friends who read Gems translated into Spanish: The words justice and righteousness are usually translated using the same word, justicia. However, the distinction in English is that justice is defined as “equity; merited reward or punishment; administration of the law,” and usually as it relates to man’s relationship to others (and also God performing justice where man is concerned), whereas righteousness is “right-standing/position with God; rectitude”–which we understand from Scripture is our condition through Christ, not by our works, though it most certainly is influential in man’s behavior toward others.)
Digging Deeper (What scriptures can further enhance today’s reading?):
Getting Personal (What has God shown you in today’s reading?):
Confession of Faith (Example: Lord, based on Mat. 1:21 and 23, I understand that Jesus is God, and I receive Him as my personal Lord and Savior.):
Important Events on This Day (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.):
suyts space 
Heh! It occurs to me that I don’t believe we ever told the readers here that you’re internationally syndicated!
Jeanette has the Gems translated to Spanish (or do you now translate it yourself? Jeanette is fluent in Spanish) and is posted elsewhere. I don’t think I’ve ever had the link to where it gets posted.
Well, a lady from the church in Cd. Victoria, Tamps., Mexico translates Gems for our church’s Facebook page. And then it is passed on, and on,… All the glory and honor goes to the Father, and the utter amazement (and surprise) is mine. It is far beyond anything I could have, or would have, done on my own.
Opps, forgot to add, great post, sis!
Thanks, Brother! I appreciate your kind words!
Yes great, thank you.
James 5:16
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
If you want to change a person way of thinking, PRAY!
Yes! Prayer is the answer, and there are no impossible cases!
Here is a Prayer I have used a few times with good results.
Lord, send one of your ‘faithful’ to my friend…..
Alfred
that is ‘faithful servants’
Alfred, your prayer is very similar to mine. I often pray, “Lord, send messengers to my friend today, no matter where he is.” And I know He does.
Two days ago a crazy jihadist in Berlin attacled 2 police officers; he stabbed a female police officer in the neck, got shot 4 times by the male officer, one of the bullets hit the woman. Jihadist died, female officer was critical. I begged the Lord to save her. I got immediate confirmation (bliss). Two hours later I got news that she’s stable. So that worked. Thank you Jesus!
Jihadist got released from prison and had to wear electronic beacon. Removed it, causing an alarm. BTW he did NOT wear the beacon to sto phim from leaving the house! He was free to roam where he wanted except a few known RADICAL MOSQUES.
What happens in the Irrenhaus republic Merkel-Germany is so absolutely flabbergasting.
After causing the alarm officers wen to his flat, didn’t find him there, and that was that!!!!
The two attacked officers stumbled across him by accident!!! Berlin is an absolute madhouse! Maybe only topped by Brussels – where Somalis *FIND* AK-47s, walk into a train and start shooting!
German article about the attack in Berlin
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/polizei-justiz/messerattacke-auf-polizistin-in-berlin-spandau-erschossener-angreifer-rafik-y-war-bekannter-islamist/12332498.html
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings and commented:
+10
WOW! How kind, Kim! Thanks!
Dear Mrs. A.
Ummmm… let’s see if I can explain this.
Albeit, I think of myself as basically kind and empathic / compassionate…. It is not out of kindness that I score a post. You consistently score high.
Actually, I’m fairly brutal [ I think ]. 🙂
I do appreciate you acknowledging my efforts.
Have a blessed weekend.
Yes, I think I understand, Kim. But the fact that you take the time to express such positive words is motive for my expression of gratitude. And though I really cannot take any credit for Gems and any good that comes out of it, I feel it is important to acknowledge your comments and that I am glad for your response. By the way, I can’t recall any brutality by you, especially directed toward me. Only kindness. And I truly appreciate your wishing me a blessed weekend (you know what I will be up to :)). Have a blessed weekend, too.
“You can talk and talk to godless people till the cows come home to change their way of thinking, but in their current state, they will never understand the truest concepts of justice* (though it is quite possible for a lost person to be influenced by godly people and adopt much of their way of life).”
The Western atheist tries to be more Christian than the Christian, claiming he arrived at his Christian behaviour without a basis of God Given Natural Rights – as there is no god he claims – but through his own intellectual reasoning – making up principles as he goes. BUT as the Western atheist LACKS a Messiah who died for his sins he adopts a pre-Messianic self-sacrification cult (e.g.: Warmunism; self-punishment by importation of Muslims to “help” them, proving the atheist’s self-worth by self-punishment) – without NOTICING as he lacks thousands of years of recorded experience (the Bible) knowledge!
SO: We Christians are a few thousand years more advanced than todays Western Atheists – simply by knowing what was. He who does not know history is condemned to repeat it. The Western Atheists have regressed (while claiming they know better than we, at the same time falling into pre-Christianic self-sacrifice).
Dirk, both examples (the atheist and Berlin) demonstrate the point of today’s devotional perfectly. How absurd and sad they both are.
I don’t think so at all. The escalating madness around me (in germany, in the EU) is a sure sign that the prevailing system is on its last legs. It’s fascinating to watch. I talk to many people, I can’t post all the mad things that happen, there are much much more. Wherever I go I seem to meet exactly the people that I need to meet. It is a magical time; a time of change.