Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Proverbs 1:20-23, which read,   v.20, 21 - Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:... Here is an important principle about wisdom, it is not something hidden from us.  Wisdom is shouted; it is lifted; it cries out; and it utters.  Wisdom is in the street, the square, and the gates of the city.  Wisdom is vocally being known and also in the most public places.  It is not to be hidden from us. When we step back from a situation or you are a third party observer to something, wisdom seems to scream at us what is the wise thing to do.  It is talking to us in our minds when making the decision of what is to do next.  Sometimes it is screaming at us in our heads of the godly action that needs to happen. Do you follow it?  The obvious answer from Scripture, do you take it from ...

Today's verses are Proverbs 1:15-19, which read,   v.15, 16 - My son, do not walk in the way with them.  Keep your feet from their path, for their feet run to evil and they hasten to shed blood. Yesterday was the discussion about the enticement that will come from the world of sin.  The path they are following is that it is okay to take advantage of others for your gain and especially to take advantage of the less fortunate.  The call from them is to trust them as they distrust others.  Here is some straight talk wisdom from the parents giving instruction and teaching. Look at how simple the answer is to this temptation.  "Do not walk in the way with them.  Keep your feet from their path."  If you are going to resist this temptation then you need to be active and not passive.  You need to make a choice of where you are walking.  You need to keep on the path that you have chosen.  Just because you have made the de...

 Happy 1000th post today!!! Today's verses are Proverbs 1:10-14, which read,   v.10 - My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. What is the first thing mentioned in the book of Proverbs from the father and mother who are giving instruction and teaching for their children?  What is the first caveat of wisdom to those who are loved by others intensely?  Sinners will entice you to sin.  Those who live a life of sin will endeavor to persuad you to do what they are doing and saying what they are saying.  They will try to get you to walk down the broad road that leads to destruction with them.  The simple 3 word bit of wisdom is "do not consent."   Do not fall for their persuasion.  Do not agree with them that sin is not sin that God has said is sin.   v.11-14 - If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, even whole, as those...

Today's verses are Proverbs 1:8, 9 which read,   Hear, my son, your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching; indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck. To have wisdom takes listening.  It takes listening especially to someone who cares about you on a deep level like your father or mother.  It is actually part of their responsibility to instruct and teach the children they have received from the Lord.  To parent is to dispense of wisdom through the medium of instruction and teaching and part of that delivery is done audibly.  We could not listen and we could forsake it but that would be to our disadvantage.  The instruction and the teaching are described as a graceful wreath to your head and an ornament about your neck.  On your head goes a crown or maybe a winner's wreath.  It signifies something that distinguishes you from others because of this listening.  Not ...

Today's verses are Proverbs 1:1-7 which read,   v.1-6 - The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:  to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; to give prudence to the naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion, a wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. We start this morning our time in the book of Proverbs.  These have been given to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God-breathed, to King Solomon, the son of King David, both kings of the united nation of Israel before it split into two kingdoms of north and south.  There is a list of "to"s here that give us direction on the purpose of the book and what is to come. "to know wisdom and instruction" - a study of what is right ...

Tomorrow I will start our daily devotionals in the book of Proverbs.  The word "proverb" means "to be like."   Most of the Proverbs are attributed to Solomon who asked God for wisdom.  These usually short simple statements give us pictures and comparisons to identify with truth that we need to understand and apply.  Many of them are warnings of what we are not to be like. The book of Proverbs divides into three sections.  The first is general wisdom.  The second are insights from the royal court.  The third is wisdom given from parents to their children.  This wisdom is from God to His children and put in a form to remember by the couplets that we will read.  They were the first refrigerator magnets and Facebook memos that give you the thought of the day to ponder.  Some are very straight forward and do not need much instruction or interpretation while others will take some digging to understand what is being said to us....

Today marks the last day in the books of Paul in the Bible.  We moved to the Oglesby Union Church in October of 2014 and I started a Sunday morning series on the book of Titus.  It was in January of 2015 that I started going through the book of Romans on Wednesday nights at our weekly prayer meeting.  I also started to cover the books of Paul in these daily devotionals going through them in the order that Paul wrote them.  Today, I finish up Second Timothy and there is a sadness as I feel like I won't hear from Paul again but I know better.  It has been a great journey with him and I hope so with you also. Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:19-22, which read,   v.19-21 - Greet Prisca and Aquilla, and the household of Onesiphorus.  Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.  Make every effort to come before winter.  Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. Paul gives T...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:16-18, which read,   v.16 - At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. Paul is wrapping up this final letter to Timothy and also his possible final letter to the world.  What are some of his last words?  They are continuing to mirror the words of Jesus.  Jesus stood alone and Paul stood alone at times.  Jesus had his disciples desert Him and Paul has a similar thing happen.  Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."   Paul said, "...may it not be counted against them."   Remember Paul was also a witness of the stoning of Stephen who was the first martyr of the faith and he also said similar words. It should not surprise us when things happen to us that also happened to our Savior Jesus.  If we are truly following after Him then what He said would happen will happen and His words coming out of our mouths is what needs...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:9-15, which read,   Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.  Only Luke is with me.  Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.  But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.  When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.  Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.  Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. The great apostle Paul is human.  He is longing for Timothy's presence.  He shares first about the negative that has happened to him.  One of his disciples, Demas, has decided to go back to serving himself rather than serving God.  He has utterly abandoned the mission of the gospel of Christ...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:6-8, which read,   v.6 - For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. These are hard words to read and probably very hard for Timothy to see on the page.  The drink offering was the final offering given after the burnt and grain offerings in the Jewish sacrificial system.  Paul has given all of himself and is near the end of this life of sacrifice for his Savior, Jesus Christ.  The departure has overtones of loosening the ropes that hold a boat to the dock. You release those ropes to go on a departure out into the water and Paul is seeing the release of those ropes that are holding him to this world to head to the next one.  These truly are some of his last loving words to his beloved spiritual son in Timothy.   v.7, 8 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteou...

Today our verses are 2 Timothy 4:1-5 which read,   v.1, 2 - I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. These are the preacher commissioning verses.  A charge is given to Timothy from Paul from his cold dark dungeon cell in Rome.  It is like Paul is saying to Timothy to put his left hand on the Bible and raise his right hand.  He gives who this charge is before, God and Christ Jesus.  Christ Jesus who will judge all, living and dead, and He who will come again with His kingdom to be put in place.  The second coming of Jesus is never far from the telling of the gospel by Paul.  Take note that this is a solemn charge, a very directive command from Paul to Timothy before God and Christ Jesus.  What is Timothy com...

My heart was about to burst yesterday as I looked at a full church from the front to the back.  It was full of love as a viewed a platform full of children singing about Jesus.  I know that the children heard a clear gospel message from many of the VBS staff.  We were open with the message of the cross.  Just like the Ninevites, we need to believe in God and repent of our sins to follow after Christ.  Just like the king, that salvation puts us all looking the same as we take off our royal robes and put on sackcloth.  We are all sinners in need of a Savior.  Just like Jonah, we need to have a heart for what God sees and what God desires.   Our task is not done in the telling which could be done purely out of cold hearted duty but it goes onto the teaching elements of the Great Commission.  Those require us to come alongside of those who have heard about this Jesus and sharing of ourselves with them through discip...

Yesterday we gave an invitation to the children of VBS out of the true story of Jonah.  God sent Jonah to the Ninevites to tell them of the doom that was going to come upon them and their city if they didn't turn from their wicked ways.  The Ninevites first had to believe in the God that Jonah was telling them about and then they responded to that belief with confession and repentance.  They admitted their wrong and they agreed with the God they now believed in and they asked for forgiveness to turn and live a new way, God's way. God sent another messenger years later to us and His name is Jesus, God's One and only Son.  Jesus came to tell us about the direction of our lives if we didn't listen and obey the words and ways of God.  We are called to believe that Jesus did come from God to live and die on a cross for our sins and then rise again.  If we believe in God, the God who sent His Son Jesus, then our response is to confess and repent ...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, which read,   All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Yesterday Paul introduced this subject of the importance of Scripture to Timothy.  What he has been taught from childhood and seen in others to convince him has been there for the purpose of pointing to salvation through and in Christ Jesus.  Now Paul goes even further to speak of the importance of these "sacred writings," the Bible, just called plainly "Scripture" here will a capital "S."   Let's look at it word by word. All - not some but all Scripture - the Old Testament and the New Testament is inspired by God - literally "breathed out by God" or "God breathed" and profitable - this is very valuable information for action for teaching - divine instruction be...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:14, 15 which read,   You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Paul, writing or dictating from his cold dark dungeon cell in Rome waiting for his execution, is wrapping up some thoughts to Timothy, his spiritual beloved son, who he hopes he will see before his death.  He has been making a huge comparison between those who follow the truth and those who do not.  The verses that we are looking at today bring it home for Paul as he directs his strongest words to Timothy with words like "you, however" and "I charge you." Timothy is instructed to continue in the things he has learned and these things he has learned he has been convinced of.  He is convinced of them because of one ...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:10-13, which read,   v.10, 11 - Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happen to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Paul gives Timothy another list.  Paul must have some small slips of paper in the cold dark dungeon cell where he is gathering these last thoughts for Timothy to know or to do.  This is a list of reminding Timothy of what he has experienced as he traveled with Paul. Timothy heard Paul's teachings and then compared that with Paul's conduct.  Paul's conduct gave credence to Paul's purpose and his purpose was in line with the faith given to him by God.  Paul's faith showed Paul's patience for people to hear and respond to the Gospel message and Paul's patience showed Paul's love for Jew or Gentile to know of God's grace through ...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:6-9, which read,   v.6, 7 - For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, lead on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Paul gave Timothy of a list of characteristics of people that he is to avoid getting tangled up with.  These are people who are lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loves of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they denied its power.  That is quite a list and now Paul gives Timothy one of their tactics as they promote this "other" gospel that is not based on Jesus. They will take advantage of people who are spiritually weak.  They are weighed down by their sin an...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:1-5, which read,   v.1 - But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Paul turns his conversation to the last days meaning this time before Christ returns again.  We are in the church age, the time before the return of Christ and the end of what we know and the re-creation of heaven and earth. These will be difficult times because...   v.2-5 - For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these. Paul, the master of the list, gives Timothy another from his cold dark dungeon cell.  This one is not a pretty one.  He is describing what happens to us when we follow...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 2:23-26, which read,   v.23 - But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. Paul is instructing Timothy from his cold dark dungeon cell in Rome to cleanse himself from "these things."  The first was youthful lusts and now it is foolish and ignorant speculations.  This is the third time that Paul has spoken to Timothy about resorting to arguing with the false teachers.  The point is that it just leads to more quarrels.  If we get stuck on a discussion if Adam and Eve had belly buttons then we are not talking about a God who sent His One and only Son to die on the cross for our redemption.  What should the servant of God do rather than quarrel?  Paul answers that in the following verses. v.24-26 - The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God ...

Today's verses are 2 Timothy 2:20-22, which read,   v.20, 21 - Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.  Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. It would be good to remind ourselves that Paul is at the end of his life in a cold dark dungeon cell in Rome waiting his execution.  He is there because of his unrelenting confession that Jesus is Lord and not Caesar.  He is writing to Timothy, his beloved spiritual son with some last words and hoping Timothy can make it to Rome before he is killed for the sake of the gospel.  He has been instructing Timothy on some last things and also encouraging him to stay strong in the faith. Paul's word pictures just keep coming.  He previous has introduced the soldier, athlete, and farme...

My anniversary present:  a homemade muffin made by my muffin!