Deductive/Inductive Reasoning

 

A “deductive” method of studying the Bible involves picking a certain topic and then going through the Bible and finding passages that support the topic. This is related to the “topical approach” to Bible study. Another form of Bible study, in contrast to the deductive method, is the “inductive” method. Using an inductive method, students take a verse or a passage, break it down, and examine its details to draw out the meaning. Deductive reasoning moves from the general to the specifics. Inductive reasoning moves the other way, from the specific to the general.

Deductive reasoning starts with a general or universal statement and then goes looking for details to support it in order to make a specific application. So, someone might say, “All men are mortal. Bob is a man. Therefore, Bob is mortal.” The general statement “All men are mortal” is the starting point, and deductive reasoning leads him to conclude, specifically, that Bob is mortal. If the general starting statement and the second statement are true, then the specific application is also true. If either is false, then the specific application is invalid.

Inductive reasoning starts with the details and moves to a general conclusion. To illustrate, suppose a man has a bag full of objects and he pulls out one red stone from the bag. The next thing he pulls out is also a red stone, and so on. After four or five times of extracting a red stone, the man concludes that the bag is full of red stones. He has used induction, taking the specific detail of “a red stone” and applying it to the general case: “All stones in the bag are red.”

Deductive Bible study, then, is simply taking a general statement and then going to Scripture to find details that support (or disprove) it. Inductive Bible study does the opposite. It starts with the details of Scripture and then builds a general or universal statement based on those details.

An example of deductive Bible study might be to start with the general statement, “Sin leads to death.” The student of the Bible must then go to Scripture to find passages that support that statement. He might cite Romans 5:12, Romans 6:23, Ezekiel 18:20, and Jeremiah 31:30. If he finds that Scripture does indeed support his premise that sin leads to death, he can then make a more specific application: we are all in danger of death, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23).

A weakness of the deductive method of Bible study has already been mentioned: if we start with a false premise, then we will not arrive at a proper conclusion. For example, we might start with the general statement, “All angels have wings.” We might even find a passage or two in Scripture that mentions angels’ wings, such as Isaiah 6:2. But if our conclusion is “Michael has wings, because Michael is an angel,” then we are on shaky ground. The Bible mentions Michael the archangel (Jude 1:9), but it never mentions Michael’s wings. In fact, the Bible never says that all angelic beings have wings; some angels do, but perhaps not all of them. Deductive Bible study, to be beneficial, must begin with a universal truth rooted in Scripture. If we begin with conjecture or our own ideas, then we end up with a possible falsehood.

When misused, deductive Bible study takes on aspects of deductive reasoning and biblical eisegesis. In other words, deductive Bible study can facilitate a person’s drawing a conclusion before studying the biblical text or reading into it (eisegesis) his own meaning. Obviously, such a practice is dangerous and irresponsible because the conclusions that one might draw are often premature, subjective, and false.

When used properly, deductive Bible study is the same as a topical Bible study. We take a general topic, such as the love of God, and find all that the Bible (or a book of the Bible) says on that subject. From those gathered details, we can draw a conclusion. In this way, deductive Bible study is a useful tool in studying broad topics of Scripture.

                  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source:  www.gotquestions.org

Christianity and Sin

 

Christianity is not the only “religion” that deals with sin. The concept of sin is present in various religious traditions, including Judaism and Islam, among others. In Judaism, sin is understood as a violation of divine commandments, and there are different categories of sins, such as deliberate sin, accidental sin, and sins committed by those raised in non-Jewish environments. In Islam, sin is viewed as opposition to Allah, rooted in human pride. Additionally, other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism address similar concepts through ideas like karma and moral transgressions. Each religion has its own framework for understanding, addressing, and atoning for sin.

Christianity IS the only “religion” where the remedy for sin is linked directly to Jesus of Nazareth, or more importantly, to His gruesome death on a cross. Saying you know Jesus needs to be that you truly know Him by all means possible. It means you are “all in” on the relationship. Christ needs to be your source for everything. If we allow God to mold you into all He knows you can be, then that is what this Christian thing is all about.

Sin needn’t be a hindering factor in your life. The deeper your relationship goes with the Lord, the easier it begins to become as you walk thru life. Persecution may be ramped up a bit, but that only means you are on the devils radar, and he’d like to snuff you out. Don’t let him. As the pressure goes up, the closer you should be to God. This world has no solutions for the issues Christians encounter. Society tends to be anti-Christ to a certain extent, with exceptions, of course. That all depends on what region of the U.S. you live or what country you hail from. Stand strong in the face of opposition, setting your face like a flint. 

“Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” [Isaiah 50:7 ^NIV] “Setting your face like a flint means to follow in Christ’s footsteps, separate from worldly influences. It also means to be disciplined, being loyal to God and His truth above all else. We’re not oblivious to all that is going on around us, but we make a choice.” ^[1]

                  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

[1]  www.biblestudytools.com

Judging Others 3

            What does the Bible have to say about judging others? It frequently warns its readers against hypocritical & harsh judgment of others. Scripture teaches that we should do some self-examination first. 

            Matthew 7:1-2 says: “Do not judge, or you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Jesus more specifically calls out the sin of judging by appearance alone. John 7:24^{Amplified Bible} ... “Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], but judge fairly and righteously.”

            The Lord illustrates His point regarding judging others with the parable of the speck and the plank when He asks the question, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?".  In other words, we need to spend more of our time making sure our spiritual ship is in order rather than critiquing another.

            The Apostle Paul echoed this, stating, "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things".

            All this begs the question, is it ever okay to judge another person? There is a fine line between judging and “fruit inspecting”. If you see someone sinning, through kindness, presenting the truth, you could show them where they are erring. If they reject you then don’t lose your cool, just politely excuse yourself from the conversation and make it a point to pray for them to see the error of their ways. 

            Many years ago when I was first saved (1979), there was a man in church who referred to using discernment as “being a fruit inspector”. The way situations of that nature should be handled is with gentle kindness. It’s all in the approach and delivery. This is just another reason I always say we should imitate Christ in our thoughts, words, & deeds.

            So judge not, but be a “fruit inspector” instead. When you judge others you are sinning. Even though as a child of God His grace is enough to remove any sin, we should still seek to purge bad habits that amount to sin.

            Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Judging Others 2

 

Thoughts on how to stop

 

“To stop judging others, practice empathy, cultivate compassion, and challenge your own assumptions. Shift your focus from perceived flaws to positive qualities, and remember that everyone is on their own journey. By understanding others and practicing self-compassion, you can reduce judgmental thoughts and build more positive connections.” 

 

1. Practice Empathy: 

 

a.  Put Yourself in Their Shoes: “Try to understand their perspective, background, and experiences. Imagine the circumstances that might have led them to act or look the way they do.” 

 

b.  Consider the other person’s feelings: “Think about how your words or actions might make them feel. Would you want to be judged in the same way?” 

 

2. Cultivate Compassion:

 

a.     Recognize that everyone is flawed: “Just as you have your own imperfections, so does everyone else. Instead of focusing on flaws, try to find their strengths.” 

 

b.     Show kindness and understanding: “Treat others with the same respect and compassion you would want for yourself.”

 

c.     Remember, their actions aren't always about you: “Their behavior is often a reflection of their own struggles or experiences, not necessarily a judgment of you.” 

 

3. Challenge Your Assumptions:

a.    Examine your own biases: “Beware of your own preconceived notions and how they might     

       influence your perceptions.” 

 

b.   Ask yourself what leads you to judge rather than understand a situation or person. 

 

c.      Seek to Understand, not judge.

 

Next we will look at what the Bible has to say about judging others. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.psychologytoday.com

Judging Others

 

What is the root cause of judging others?

                  I thought I would take a deeper dive into the “why’s” of being judgmental to see what the secular world has to say about it. 

 

·       “We judge others as a natural cognitive process, influenced by social norms, personal experiences, and psychological biases.” This seems pretty logical. I tend to agree with this based on my own specific situation.

 

^o     A bias is a “preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.” ^[1]

 

What causes a person to be very judgmental?

“Judgmental attitudes often stem from an individual's own insecurities and low self-esteem. People may find it easier to criticize others as a way to deflect attention from their flaws. This behavior can serve as a coping mechanism, providing a false sense of superiority or control over their insecurities.”  

 

What is the purpose of judging others?

                “People judge others to avoid reckoning with potential feelings of inferiority and shame. Since judging others can never give a person what they really need, they feel like they have to keep doing it. One can choose not to perpetuate the cycle of judgment.”  

 

                  While I don’t feel that being insecure, inferior, or having low self-esteem applies to my judgmental attitude, but it may apply to you. Think about it or better still, pray about it. Ask the Lord to show you how to overcome being judgmental with others. 

I’m going to keep digging to see what else I can find. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] American Heritage Dictionary.

Note: Information on being judgmental is sourced from Psychology Today online.

Jews & Jesus

 

Jews generally do not view Jesus as the Messiah, a prophet, or God incarnate, as he did not fulfill the Jewish messianic prophecies such as bringing world peace or gathering the diaspora to Israel. Traditionally, Jesus is seen as a heretic who led people to idolatry, though some modern Jews view him as a wise rabbi or an ethical teacher. Jews do not believe that Jesus was resurrected, as the Hebrew Bible does not indicate that the Messiah would be resurrected or have a "second coming". The crucifixion is seen as a Roman punishment, and Jews do not believe that any crucifixion is justified. Some Jews acknowledge that Jesus may have performed miracles, but they do not consider this a sign of the Messiah, as false prophets could also perform miracles. The idea that Jews as a people killed Jesus is considered misleading, as the Bible does not teach that the Jews as a people were responsible for his death, but rather specific Jewish leaders and the crowd in Jerusalem at the time. Jews generally do not think about Jesus much, considering him a non-entity or a failed messiah.

 

Messianic Jews

 

The concept of Messianic Jews dates back to the time of Jesus, with His first followers being Jewish. Nicodemus, from the Gospels, would have been considered a Messianic Jew. The first Messianic Jewish community was led by four Jewish men. These individuals were dedicated to the Jewish faith and continued to observe Jewish traditions while following Jesus. The early church, which was founded in Jerusalem, was composed entirely of Jewish believers who maintained their Jewish identity while embracing Jesus as their Messiah.

Until next time walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Is Jesus God?

 

Christianity is considered unique among world religions in that it teaches that Jesus is God. According to Christian beliefs, Jesus is not just a prophet or a great teacher, but the Son of God and part of the Trinity, which includes God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. This belief is central to Christianity and distinguishes it from other religions. For example, in Islam, Jesus is regarded as a significant prophet but not as God, and in Judaism, Jesus is not considered the Messiah or divine.

While other religions may acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure or a moral teacher, Christianity uniquely asserts that Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and that his death and resurrection provide salvation for humanity. This belief is rooted in the New Testament, where Jesus is referred to as the "Son of God" and is depicted as having divine attributes such as the ability to forgive sins and the power to conquer death.

In summary, Christianity is the only religion that teaches that Jesus is God, making it distinct from other major world religions. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

Imitate

“You became imitators of us & of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV

THIS is what we’re supposed to do with our relationship to the Lord; imitate. That says the party being imitated is fully trusted. So Paul imitated Christ with his life & thus we are to imitate Christ as well. Jesus Christ is the only true and consistent example of perfection regarding how to think, say and do that is pleasing to the Father.

It’s interesting how young people typically seek to be like some athlete or celebrity; for boys, the athlete, and for girls, the celebrity. That’s all well and good as long as the athlete or celebrity are a person the parents feel are worthy of being imitated. As believers in Christ, we should strive to gently steer our kids toward good role models. Maybe their dad or mom are their role model.  They may be too young to know to imitate the good and disregard the bad behavior; however, as a parent who has made a mistake, that too can be a valuable life lesson. No one is perfect, only Almighty God.

The only truly safe person to imitate is Jesus Christ Himself. He never makes mistakes and advises thru His behavioral example how to live your life. Imitating perfection will no doubt bring many frustrating moments, but the Lord’s patience and kindness toward us will help us grow our moral / ethical self exponentially.

Make the only choice that has any lasting value; choose to follow Christ and learn how to live from the One who knows you better than you know yourself. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

How to Know ...

            Would you like to know a good way to find out if something you’re about to do is right or wrong? I found a pretty simple way for Christians to know the right or wrong of something. You can simply ask yourself two questions: 1) “What would Jesus do in that situation?”; and 2) “Does this act point me to Jesus and help me glorify God in my life?” 

            If you sincerely want to know the answer to the right or wrong of a situation, then those are two simple questions that should clear things up for you. Insincere motivation will more than likely give you an answer you don’t want to hear. When that happens chances are you will do that thing anyway and dig up some weak justification for doing it. It is never right to do that which is morally or ethically wrong according to God’s Word. Romans 12:2 ^{English Standard Version} tells us “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

            As you can see by the bold text, there is a way to know God’s will for any situation you are faced with. God knows what is best for each one of His children. We think we know but don’t know at all, unless we seek the face of God and the wisdom He freely gives to those who ask. So we CAN know what we should be doing in every situation we find ourselves, if we draw close to our Lord and stay in constant touch with Him. God WANTS to hear from us. Not because He’s checking up on us, but rather because He loves us too much to watch us stumble around and fail. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Lashes

            Have you ever wondered how many lashes Jesus endured at the hands of the Roman guard prior to His crucifixion? I thought of this the other day and thought it would be interesting to look into. Below is what I found out.

The Bible doesn't explicitly state the exact number of lashes Jesus received, but it does mention he was scourged (flogged or whipped) by the Romans. According to eBible.com, a Roman scourging was an excruciating punishment where the victim was stripped, tied to a post, and beaten with a whip called a flagellum or flagrum. Each flagrum had up to 9 thongs that had lead and bone pieces embedded in them designed to cause deep bruising and tear the flesh. The severity of the punishment was such that victims often died from it, even before crucifixion.  

Some sources, like Feed the Hunger and WordPress.com, mention 39 lashes, referencing a Jewish practice of limiting floggings to 39 lashes to avoid exceeding the Biblical limit of 40 lashes. This practice, described as "40 lashes less one," is also mentioned by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:24 when describing his own experiences of being beaten.  

However, it is important to note that Jesus was scourged by the Romans, who were not bound by the same Jewish laws or traditions. According to Quora, there was a 40 lash maximum in Jewish law, and they always stopped at 39 in case they miscounted. But the Romans had no rules and were very unlikely to follow a rule that prevented them from imposing maximum pain on somebody. Some sources suggest that the number of lashes Jesus received could have been significantly higher, as Roman floggings could be extremely brutal and often led to death. 

Ultimately, while the exact number of lashes is not definitively stated in the Bible, it is understood that Jesus endured a severe Roman scourging that involved a considerable amount of physical suffering. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

What is worship?

 

Would you be surprised to know that it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with music or singing? It can, but the main thrust of worship is revealed below ...

In ancient Greek culture, proskuneo referred to showing devotion and reverence to God in worship. We bow, kneel, draw near, or even kiss the hand and foot of the one you highly love and honor. The word "worship" originates from the Old English word "weorthscipe," which means "worthiness" or "worth-ship."  This etymology* indicates that worship, at its core, is about attributing value or worth to something, particularly a deity or divine figure. 

 

Worthy or Worth - The root meaning focuses on the concept of something being valuable, deserving of respect, or possessing inherent worth. The word "worship" evolved to signify the act of showing or demonstrating this worth through various actions and rituals. 

            In the Bible, words like shachah (Hebrew) and proskuneo (Greek) are often translated as "worship," but they carry the idea of bowing down, prostrating oneself, or showing deep reverence, reflecting the act of attributing worth to God.

            So this is how you worship God in all situations. You keep Him at the forefront of your life and your life decisions. You think of Him with respect and reverence. 

            Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time

OXYGEN

 

“Your blood oxygen level (blood oxygen saturation) is the amount of oxygen you have circulating in your blood. It is essential to life; our bodies need a certain amount of oxygen to function properly. Oxygen enters your body through your nose or mouth when you breathe (inhale) and passes through your lungs into your bloodstream. Once in your bloodstream, the oxygen then goes to cells all over your body. All of your cells need oxygen to create energy efficiently, and your body needs energy to fulfill all of its processes, such as digestion and even thinking.

Once your cells use oxygen, they create carbon dioxide. Your bloodstream then carries the carbon dioxide back to your lungs, and you breathe it out (exhale it) through your mouth or nose.” ^[1]

 

            Psalm 139:14 ^{[New Living Translation]} “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Our bodies are pretty impressive. To think that our bodies just happened on their own is foolish thinking. Because of all the intricacies built into our bodies, it would seem logical that we were constructed by someone greater than we are.

                  We are given a free will to think and believe whatever we’d like. It’s too easy to blow off things we don’t understand for many things require research. Many folks are simply too lazy to take on that challenge. They don’t see looking into it as important or necessary. However, isn’t it better to acquire as much knowledge as possible on a given subject than just forget about it. 

Without oxygen we cannot live. Christians believe God provides everything we need to live, which means He provides us with oxygen. As it says above, “oxygen is ESSENTIAL” to living on earth. Without it you would suffocate and die. 

                  People are willing to believe many things without proof because it just sounds right to them. But believing that a god who is above all created us and watches over us is too out there; too unbelievable to comprehend.

                  In my estimation it requires more faith to believe in the THEORY of evolution than to believe in the existence of God. There is no proof that man came from amoebas or anything of the like.  Just a bunch of unproven theories and speculations. Believing in God is a faith thing. You cannot prove God exists. A person’s belief is based on the writings found in the Bible, a chronicled account of the creation of living beings, their history, their sins, and God’s plan to save His creation from themselves. That is a basic understanding of what the bible has in it. There’s definitely a lot more to it, but that’s essentially it in a nutshell.

                  Too many people in this world find it is much easier to ridicule or attack people of faith than to try to understand their beliefs. It’s a shame really, but we live in a war zone every day of our lives. The enemy of our souls ramps up his attacks regularly. We must wear the spiritual armor God provides for us thru scripture. Stand up for truth as you believe it and never stop trusting and living on behalf of our God. And also remember that every breath you take is courtesy of your Heavenly Father, who loves you with an eternal and unconditional love. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22447-blood-oxygen-level

 What is Christian Atheism? 

Christian atheism, also called non-realistic Christianity, is a bizarre form of quasi-spiritual philosophy that keeps the forms and practices of Christianity while denying God’s existence. Christian atheists attempt to “de-mythologize” Christianity, doing away with all belief in the supernatural yet maintaining liturgies and corporate worship experiences as meeting humanity’s need for socialization and the communication of lofty ideas.

Christian atheism has roots in the 1960s’ “Death of God” movement, which claimed God actually did exist at one point, but died. According to “Death of God” proponents, when God became incarnate and died on the cross, God ceased to exist as a being independent of the universe. This was the position of Thomas Altizer, one of the earlier proponents of Christian atheism. Modern adherents of Christian Atheism generally believe in a more literal atheism in the sense that they disbelieve that God has ever existed. Of course, in Christian atheism, Jesus is not divine.

Christian atheism, like most esoteric* spiritual approaches, can be difficult to explain in brief terms. There are multiple interpretations and no particular definition to bind them all together. In broad strokes, Christian atheism is a spiritual approach using the teachings and example of Jesus while denying the existence of a literal God. As a result, Christian atheism is entirely focused on earthly concerns and earthly justifications. Religion is a purely human endeavor, and God is simply a projection of a person’s mind. Belief in an afterlife is incoherent within a Christian atheist framework. In fact, Christian atheism generally holds that Christianity, like all religions, is nothing more than a “benevolent lie,” a fiction that makes life easier to understand and control.

All of this is interesting in theory, but, in practice, Christian atheism is really just atheism. Christian atheism is a non-religious, non-spiritual, and non-Christian worldview that borrows biblical terminology and ideas without actually believing in them. Non-realistic Christianity is not really Christianity at all.

What is concerning is the surprising number of people who identify as orthodox Christians yet hold beliefs similar to Christian atheism. It is easy to find clergy who do not believe that Jesus was actually God. Many churches teach that Jesus was merely a good example. Some churchgoers participate in religious practice while openly doubting that God exists. It seems that Christian atheism is not an uncommon approach today, and non-realistic Christianity has made inroads into the church.

The Bible warns against those who, in the last days, possess “a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:5). Christian atheism denies the Father and the Son, a rejection of truth that brings a stern scriptural rebuke: “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22; cf. 1 John 4:2–3).

Christian atheists see themselves as intellectual sophisticates who are smarter than your average churchgoer, who might actually believe that God is real and that the miracles in the Bible happened. But what Christian atheism rejects as “fairy tales”the Bible calls “many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3). And what the Christian atheist considers an intellectually superior position the Bible calls foolish (Psalm 14:1).

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

 

*Esoteric is intended for or understood by only a small group, especially one with specialized knowledge or interests. A synonym would be: mysterious. Ex: “an esoteric philosophical doctrine.”

Trusting the Lord

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” – Proverbs 3:5-7

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart" is a biblical instruction found in Proverbs 3, which encourages individuals to place their complete trust in God rather than relying solely on their own understanding or wisdom. This verse emphasizes the importance of surrendering control and acknowledging God's authority in every aspect of life. The concept is further explained as trusting in God's plan, even when it is not fully comprehensible, and recognizing that His ways are higher than human ways.

In practical terms, this means inviting God into every decision, struggle, and dream, and allowing Him to guide the way forward. It involves a posture of trust rather than self-reliance, and it is often accompanied by a recognition of God's faithfulness and guidance in one's life. The verse also highlights the promise that God will direct one's paths when they are willing to submit to Him. This principle is not limited to spiritual matters but extends to everyday life, encouraging individuals to seek God's will in all they do and to rely on His wisdom rather than their own. It is a call to let go of control and to trust that God has a purpose and plan that is greater than what one can comprehend.

Verse 5 is a complementary pair of commands. We are told, positively, to trust the Lord and, negatively, not to trust our own understanding. Those two things are mutually exclusive. In other words, if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing.

Every person must make a decision whether to live his or her life according to personal preference or according to the unchanging Word of God. We often will not understand how God is causing "all things to work together for good" (Romans 8:28), but when we trust Him with all our hearts, we know that He is. He will never fail us (Psalm 119:142; Philippians 2:13).

 

“Trusting in the Lord means every decision you make is done with Him in mind.” – rlkeller

 

                  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org