Ever since we received the scriptures about friend of world being enemy of God, I have been keeping a list of facts concerning individuals with whom I deal in Lubbock. Those lists are causing me to look at individual much more truthfully and I have really changed inside as a result. I go out into world now with far more peace since I'm not deceiving myself by people who seem friendly toward me. I feel I am more sober about them and less likely to be deceived by them, thus I'm less fearful and live in far more peace. It is a significant change inside me in about 2 weeks of studying these scriptures and doing these scriptures.
James 4:4 ... know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
James 3:17 ... But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
I Thess. 5:6 ... Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, who are of the day, be sober
I Peter 1:13 ... Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,
I Peter 5 ... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Making lists about facts brought forth concerning people I deal with helps me to be sober about these individuals and helps me to make decisions about dealing with them in this world.
Yesterday, I had the fireplace switched from gas to wood. (personal preference for wood)
I bought 1/2 cord of wood from a wood dealer in Lubbock. He delivered the wood but after he left, God called to my attention several things about this man and I listed these things in my notebook as follows:
Wood man #1
-
Tried to accuse me of missing 1 pm appointment. I pointed
out to him that he told me to call him after the Fireplace Unlimited
people had set up the wood racks. Fireplace Unlimited were scheduled
for 1 pm. He was scheduled for approximately 2 pm. I called him at
1:47 pm (as he asked) to tell him the racks were ready for wood. He
didn't answer. Shows he will be trouble to work with.
-
He said not to keep wood inside house for cat would get on it and
scratch ... He said all cats do that to wood. Reasonable except later I
was reminded that my cat does not have any front claws ... His wisdom
of
himself ...
-
Here is major problem ... He is in strife with idea of changing from
wood to gas on FP ... I told him several people came into the Fireplace
Unlimited wanting to buy gas logs. He said they will be sorry when they
see how much higher gas is than wood. There is no way gas costs more
than wood in Lubbock. This is just not true.
- I ordered oak and pinon ... he brought me oak and pine.
Basically all this shows me to try another wood seller the next time I buy wood. Don't buy wood from this man.
I think I would likely deceive myself about him had I not taken each of the points under consideration and especially had I not written them down one by one. He was a friendly man and smiled at me! Easy to make me think he is nice guy ... But not when I pay attention to that which God calls to my attention and list what I am shown. Then it becomes very clear.
Somehow this causes me to go forth in peace when I have to go into world.
Isaiah 54:17 ... every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Notice the 1st point on my list where he accused me falsely of missing appointment with him. I spoke truth and he backed down.
But I wouldn't want to have to continue to deal with this type of twisting that he will do. I'm far better off to find another wood dealer. There are at lease 4 dealers of wood in Lubbock. I suspect one of them will be workable in peace for me.
Don't continue in problems when you don't have to do so.