Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:26-29, which read, v.26 - Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD, but pleasant words are pure. Evil plans are usually made in secret.  They are not made public until they are played out.  They have at their base a plot to do harm to others that will be sprung upon them without warning.  God's people are not to operate this way. Pleasant words are made public.  They are spoken ahead so that any plans made are based on what has been said.  The follower of Jesus will speak the words of Christ so that his or her actions will reflect His direction.  No one is caught off guard because it has been said and lived out in front of them and it is consistent.  It has a purity because it is out in the open and in line with our walking with Christ. v.27 - He who profits illicitly troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live. Cutting corners; this will do; everybody fudges a little bit; and the like produce problems down the

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:22-25, which read, v.22 - Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. The Proverbs tell us in other places that many counselors are a good thing.  This is in stark contrast to our world that stresses so much independence and doing it all on our own.  I am very guilty of striking out on my own when it would have been better to involve others in the process.  When plans go awry, then I stand there frustrated and have no one to share the burden with me or help me to figure out a solution.  If I would have sought instruction from many counselors then I would have support to figure out the bumps in the road that come with any plans implemented. Sometimes we don't ask for counsel because of pride and sometimes because we don't want interaction with others.  We can get it done quicker on our own and our own way to satisfy ourselves.  What a very selfish statement.  There is no  "otherness"

Merry Christmas to you all and blessing on the new year to come!!!  Thanks for reading along with my devotionals and maybe we will complete the book of Proverbs in 2017!!! Pastor Adam

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:18-21, which read, v.18 - A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute. The proverbs paint a picture of true life.  I have seen a hot-tempered man and sometimes I have been the hot-tempered man.  The solution may come but it will not be without strife.  Everyone is changed in a negative way when this technique is used.  The loudest voice may have won on one front but it loses on many others. I have seen the slow to anger man and a few times I have been that man.  You take more in when you are using this technique and your mind and eyes expand to look beyond this immediate crisis.  What comes out of your mouth brings about positive change on a deeper level because it calms the souls of others.   Strife or calmness?  What does your life bring to others? v.19 - The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. If you had a hedge of thorns that you needed to travel

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:13-17, which read, v.13 - A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. This sounds like a Christmas proverb.  A joyful heart and a cheerful face should be some reactions of the Christian at Christmastime and of course the whole year through.  It is also interesting that we are instructed to smile or have an uplifted face when we sing.  It actually changes the tone and helps us to stay on pitch.  The proverb says that it goes much deeper though.  The cheerful face says that something is happening in the heart.  The face can also display the opposite, a broken spirit.  Many times we try to cover it up but as I am perceptive of others, they are perceptive of me too and especially those who are of my local church family.  They can read me and God made it that way so I can get His loving help.  So many times we try to cover it up with the answer  "fine"  but God can override our make-up to reveal

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:9-12, which read, v.9 - The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but He loves one who pursues righteousness. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord is the first part of the proverb.  What the wicked are doing; what the wicked are saying; where the wicked are going; what the wicked are thinking; what is the agenda of the wicked; and how the wicked operate is an abomination to the Lord.  Again, abomination is also described as a disgusting thing.  What do we do when we have an encounter with a disgusting thing?  We turn our heads; we cover our eyes; and we try to erase the image from our minds.   The other half of the proverb is that God loves one who pursues righteousness.  I love that it uses the word  "pursue."   I get the picture of someone who is looking where he or she can serve; one who has a verse on their hearts because they have spent time alone with God today; one who is lost to the others aroun

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:5-8, which read, v.5 - A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible. Another common theme and subject of the book of Proverbs is the topic of discipline.  It ranks right up there with the use of the tongue.  Discipline is directly related to wisdom and the following of it.  If you are seeking wisdom then you are going to need to deal with discipline and reproof. The fool disregards reproof and rejects discipline.  The discipline is coming from his father, his very personal relationship with kin connection.  It is from someone who loves him and has a responsibility to protect and provide for him.  The discipline is not coming from a unfeeling, distant, not connected person.   How do you respond to discipline and reproof from those who love you?   Do you reject it and disregard it or do you see who is giving the corrective instruction and take it in for serious consideration? v.6 - Great wealth

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:1-4, which read, v.1 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. You can't read the Proverbs too long before Solomon will get back to the mouth and the tongue and their power over a situation.  Here is another that is one of those proverbs that is quoted often.  Have you seen it in action?  Have you been on both sides of this proverb? It really is about control in a charged situation.  How will you respond to something that is not the norm?  You have the opportunity to say something probably more natural to our nature that is harsh and feeds the fire or you can go against that human nature and follow after God to say something to allow the fire to die down some.  We want others to give the gentle answer but we expect to hear the harsh word and we are surprised when get what we want rather that what we usually expect.   The proverbs is to be the one in the charged situation that gives the gentle answer.  Be

This is a between chapter devotional with some inspiration from a blog post I read titled  "5 Ways We Stunt Our Spiritual Growth"  by Christel Humfrey.  Let me give you the 5 ways and some of the scriptural references along with some of my commentary before, during, and after. The new year will soon be here and we start assessing where we are in life.  If you are a Christian then part of that discussion with yourself might include your spiritual life.  You might feel like you need to get back into church more; get back in the Bible more; join up with a small group or just be more Christ-like at home, school, work, or play.  You set your mind that things need and should be different but there might be some things in the way that sabotage those good intentions. 1.  Pursuing God is not a priority What other things have crept into the your calendar of life that have taken away time with God?  You have 168 hours in a week.  If we took the principle of the tithe to our