God's Way or My Way?

1 God’s Way or My Way???  “Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!”   (Rom. 12:21 (NKJV)   Today will I trust in the Lord…and lean not on my own understanding. (Prov. 3:5-6) or will I give in to my own flesh and fight back?

Honor God in your responses!

1.      As the new school year begins make a decision to handle conflict in ways that honor God not in the ways that you may be tempted to respond to others.   Prov. 3:5-6  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Oh Be Careful Little Hands What You Do..

Ponder This: Don’t do evil! Oh be careful little hands what you do….

Proverbs 4:23–27 (NKJV) 23Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

When faced with conflict, many will resort to sinful words and actions. This is NOT removing our foot from evil, but instead, sticking it right in!

Focus your direction!

Ponder this: Where are you going? Oh be careful little feet where you go…..

Proverbs 4:23–27 (NKJV) 23Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

If your ways don’t change what will be the result?  Get back focused on how God wants you to live! What will be the result if you don’t change your ways? NOW is the time to make a change and focus on the way God wants you to live!

Keep the Heart and Control the Mouth!

Keep Your Heart! 

Ponder this: Stop your deceit and cursing! Oh be careful little mouth what you say….

Proverbs 4:23–27 (NKJV) ²³Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. ²⁴Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. ²⁵Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. ²⁶Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. ²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. 

God’s commands for the bullied and the bully.  Our mouths must remain in control!

God's Wisdom or Mine?????

Ponder this: The standard of wisdom: you or God?

Proverbs 3:7–8 (NKJV) 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

We often think we have it all figured out. Yet, if we will listen and obey (fear the Lord), God’s principle is that we will have a blessed life. Unfortunately, many in their pride are too wise to listen and obey… and therefore miss His blessings.

Trust God, Not Emotions!

Ponder this: Trust God, not your emotions!

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

When it comes to bullying and bully retribution, your emotions tell you to fight back, but that is not what God has told us to do. Trust in Him to the point of obedience. In doing this, you will allow Him to direct your paths through life and avoid many a pitfall.

When we’re hurt, many times our emotions tell us to fight back. However, that is not what God has told us to do in His Word. He tells us to trust Him, which also means obedience to His Word. When we trust God, we’re allowing Him to direct our paths through life and will avoid many a pitfall.

Seek God's Favor!

Seek God’s Favor!

Ponder This: God cares about our actions!

Proverbs 3:3–4 (NKJV) 3Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

Hang on to mercy and truth.  Bullying others or retribution to bullies is not showing mercy and does not find favor with God or man.  It is time we have individuals begin to seek favor with God!

Spiritual Heart Scan!

Speech reveals the heart.

Matthew 12:24b "For our of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

If it is coming out of their mouth it is in their heart. If the heart condition is not addressed the mouth cannot truly change. This gives us the challenge to check our own hearts by listening to what is said, and it gives us the opportunity to recognize what is in the heart of those we are hearing communicate.

Control Your Mouth and Your Thought!

Ponder This: God is concerned with both our thoughts and words.

Psalm 19:14 (NKJV) 14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

May our prayer and our habits reflect David's desires.

Find The Common Denominator!

Who is the common denominator in my difficulty with other people?

Ponder this: Is my attitude the source of strife in my situation?

Proverbs 29:22 (ESV) 22A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Discipline Pays!

Ponder this: The discipline we give our children to train them pays great dividends.

Proverbs 29:17 (ESV)  17Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

If we fail to discipline our sons and daughters what does that bring?

Integrity Pays Dividends!

Ponder This: Train our kids to walk with integrity, so that they can enjoy God’s protection. 

Proverbs 2:7 (ESV) 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

We train both by teaching and modeling.

LOOK FOR WISDOM!

Ponder this: How hard are you looking for God’s wisdom?  Don’t give up, he promises that you will find it!  

Proverbs 2:1–6 (NKJV)1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Time For A Treasure Hunt!

Ponder this: How hard are you looking for God’s wisdom?  Don’t give up, he promises that you will find it! 

Proverbs 2:1–6 (NKJV)1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Listen and Learn!

Listen and learn!

Ponder this: Are you willing to learn? 

Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV) 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Young and old alike are often to proud to listen to wisdom and instruction.  In their pride they are then what God calls a fool.

An Abomination to God??

Ponder this: Don’t attack those who have not done hurt, and don’t wish you were like them.

Proverbs 3:30–32 (NKJV) 30Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. 31Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 32For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright.

An abomination - one who is detestable to the LORD.  A great reason to focus being "at peace with all men."  Rom. 12:18

Blinded With False Wisdom

Ponder this: Be humble and listen…

Proverbs 3:7–8 (NKJV) 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

8  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

A great reason to listen to God’s principles and commands for life.