John 1:1

In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.  

All of our beginnings go back to the Word of God.  We create our lives here on earth (just like God created the world) with our words. The words we choose are grounded in our beliefs, whether positive or negative.  We choose every day, so we must be careful about what we listen to and our focus.  When we choose the bible, it will bring positive thoughts to our lives.  

Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes (boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance), then come dishonor and shame. But with the humble (the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God), there is wisdom and soundness of mind.

Our flesh will puff itself up and push us to speak and do things that we regret.  When we value self-importance over a relationship, we will lose our connections.  When we have a humble spirit and are teachable, we can hear from the Holy Spirit and operate in wisdom.  The more experience we gain in our walk with the Lord, the more we will be able to walk in wisdom.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers (do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith).  For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness.  

Bad influences in relationships, books, media can lead the believer easily out of faith.  Doubt begins like a seed, just like faith.  Doubt is negative faith and starts by deviating from God’s word and believing a lie.  An unbeliever doesn’t have faith nor understands faith in God.  It doesn’t mean we aren’t to associate with unbelievers but not to make alliances that lead us out of faith.  

Matthew 12:39

But He replied and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation (that is morally unfaithful to God) craves and demands a (miraculous) sign; but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah;”

The demand for a sign means that unbelief is present.  A generation that is in sin doesn’t want to see the error of its ways or has faith in God.  Faith makes all the difference in our lives in what we see and believe.  We don’t need to see a sign for faith because we already have the answer by faith in our hearts.  

Exodus 23:7-8

Keep far away from a false charge or action, and do not condemn to death the innocent or the righteous, for I will not justify and acquit the guilty.  You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the testimony and the cause of righteous.  

This world doesn’t understand the justice or fairness of God and its commandments.  God is clear in His word that we are to be just and fair to everyone.  However, sin and the flesh will pervert the cause of justice.  Righteousness and sin will never be able to exist together and have the people thrive.  

Deuteronomy 11:1

Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His precepts, and His commandments (it is your obligation to Him).

When that decision is made to love God, it is easy to want to keep His commandments.  This is made easier when we realize all that God has done to save us from being condemned in sin.  Keeping the commandments of God was never intended to be a burden but a way to keep us safe from the lusts of this world.  

Proverbs 15:1

A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, but harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger. 

How we speak to each other is important because we can cause an adverse reaction from others.  Have you ever noticed when someone is in a bad mood and needs a spark to make them angry?  The person may already have a negative internal dialogue, and when more negative words are spoken to, it gets worse.  A gentle response can put out the fire before it burns out of control.

Jeremiah 23:31-32

Hear this, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their (own deceitful) tongues and say, “Thus says the Lord.” Hear this, I am against those who have prophesied false and made-up dreams,” says the Lord, “and have told them and have made My people err and go astray by their lies and reckless boasting.

As followers of God, it is our job to rightly discern the word from whoever preaches or writes about the word.  We are to be well versed in the Bible to recognize the error in the doctrine that isn’t according to the word.  God doesn’t want us to go astray and be led down the wrong path.  He does, however, want us to be wise so we can’t be deceived.

1 Corinthians 15:54

And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal put on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “Death is swallowed up in victory (vanquished forever). (Is 25:8)

Jesus’s most significant victory on our behalf is to redeem us from eternal death.  Our salvation through Jesus freed us and transformed us into the immortal.  Our lives are more than this earth, and we will spend eternity learning from and living with God in heaven.  

1 Corinthians 10:14

Therefore, my beloved, run (keep far, far away) from (any sort of) idolatry (and that includes loving anything more than God, or participating in anything that leads to sin that enslaves the soul).

Paul sets up a mindset that we should have when it comes to dealing with sin.  Having an action in our minds to run away from sin when it presents itself doesn’t give us time to think about the sin.  We get into trouble when we rationalize the sin before us and think it over before deciding to turn away. We don’t want to let the seed of sin have time to get planted.