What Was Meant For Evil…

Psalm 110, Proverb 17, Philippians 1

Psalm 110 : 1-7

Of David. A psalm.

1″The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right handuntil I make your enemiesa footstool for your feet.” 2The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3Your troops will be willingon your day of battle.Arrayed in holy splendor,your young men will come to youlike dew from the morning’s womb. 4The Lord has swornand will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever,in the order of Melchizedek.” 5The Lord is at your right hand;he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6He will judge the nations, heaping up the deadand crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7He will drink from a brook along the way,and so he will lift his head high.”

Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my lord (Jesus); ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” WORD FULLFILLED — Hebrews 10:11-14 “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices. Which (Before Jesus) can never take away sins. (sacrifices for sins, the same sins, over and over. Still the same sinful people with the same sinful nature returning to our old familiar sins time after time even today but with ONE difference.) But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time ONE SACRIFICE for sins (that is Jesus on the cross) he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool. For by ONE SACRIFICE He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Sinners accepting Jesus and repenting from sins.)

Proverb 17 : 1-28

1 “Better a dry crust with peace and quietthan a house full of feasting, with strife. 2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful sonand will share the inheritance as one of the family. 3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. 4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. 6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,and parents are the pride of their children. 7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—how much worse lying lips to a ruler! 8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. 9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. 10 A rebuke impresses a discerning personmore than a hundred lashes a fool. 11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them. 12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubsthan a fool bent on folly. 13 Evil will never leave the houseof one who pays back evil for good. 14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. 15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—the Lord detests them both. 16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,when they are not able to understand it? 17 A friend loves at all times,and a brother is born for a time of adversity. 18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledgeand puts up security for a neighbor. 19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. 20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. 21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool. 22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 23 The wicked accept bribes in secretto pervert the course of justice. 24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son brings grief to his fatherand bitterness to the mother who bore him. 26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,surely to flog honest officials is not right. 27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,and discerning if they hold their tongues.”

Proverbs 17:14 “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” See these times as opportunities to ask for forgiveness or extend it. The enemy is at work here trying to destroy something good. Forgiveness stops it in its tracks before it gets out of hand, like breaching a dam.

Proverbs 17:27 “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint (guards their tongue) and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.”

Even-tempered – a calmness of mind

The more knowledge and understanding I gain from the reading of the word the easier it will be to guard my tongue and the more calm and even tempered I will feel in times of trial.

Philippians 1: 1-30

1″Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 “I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

12″ Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.”

Life Worthy of the Gospel

27″ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”

Philippians 1: 12 – 14 “…what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. (God is using something meant for evil and turning it into something that points to Jesus and His message.)As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I (Paul) am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. (Paul’s imprisonment is providing courage and boldness of speech to other believers along with confidence in the Lord. Confidence being a trusting, reliance or assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another in truth and reality. They are also no longer fearful of sharing the gospel as they are seeing the penalty they would receive, served by Paul.

Philippians 1 : 16 – 18 “…I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (This passage is an example of how God can take what is meant for evil and turn it around for good. There are those who sit in church, hear the word and teach on it yet have prideful or selfish motives but God does not care. He can use them to reach people others cant or wont reach out to. As long as His message gets out, that’s all that matters. God will do the rest.

Philippians 1 : 21- 26 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” (This passage is kind of like an inner dialogue Paul is having with himself and the Holy Spirit. He is considering two options: go on living and producing fruitful labor for Christ (new believers in the faith) or giving in to death to be with Christ. In the end you get a glimpse of Paul’s heart, which is to encourage fellow believers and disciples of Christ; so that as many as possible will join the faith and be saved in the end.

Well I’ve tried to make this a bible study that anyone can pull up and read. My hope is that you will read the scripture and find new meaning in the verses placed in front of you. I also pray that you would be brave and bold enough to share them with myself and the rest of the world here on my page. Just drop a comment down below, with the scripture reference and what the Holy Spirit is speaking into your heart. Because God speaks to each and every one of us through His Word and there is a lot we can learn from one another. ———>Walking in Grace, Teresa.

#biblestudy #boldness #faith #sin