Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Proverbs 18:13-16, which read, v.13 - He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him. This is a good proverb because you and I have probably seen it in action or we have done the acting!  How many times have I said something when I should have been listening.  The answer was coming, I was just not patient to wait for it.  I didn't put my focus on the other person and kept it on myself and therefore the answer I got was my own and not a wise one.  As I heard Pastor Jack say in the YMCA Bible study the other day,  "That is why God gave us 1 mouth and 2 ears."   A quick look at the words reminds us that  "hears"  means to listen with the intent to obey.   "Folly"  means foolishness and to be foolish.   "Shame"  means disgrace, reproach, and an insult upon.  When we speak before using our ears and mind to hear to listen, then we are being foolish and it will result in putting us in a very

Today's verses are Proverbs 18:9-12, which read, v.9 - He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys. This proverb adds to the proverbs we looked at Wednesday about the fool and his tongue and mouth.  The talking of the fool leads to a slack in his work that puts him in the category of being kin to outright destruction.  We have seen some of that lately in the news when people act with destructive actions to some disagreement.  Solomon is putting these actions of the lips and slack in work in the same category. The slack in work might be looked at as something that is half-done and left that way.  There is not a completion to the project or the work is done to  "just do"  rather than up to the standard of quality to last.  We probably have all witnessed something done right maybe costing more on the front end but actually costing less on the back end over something done to just get by and then you have to replace it again and again.  Slack o

To share with you an extension of our love to another, here is Taylor Rose!

Today's verses are Proverbs 18:5-8, which read, v.5 - To show partiality to the wicked is not good, nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. To show partiality or to put a prejudice of one over another and that one is the wicked is not good.  To prefer or show favoritism to those who are wicked, who are not following after God, is not good.  To pass over those who are righteous, who are following after God, is also not good.  To push the righteous out of the way when they are giving you what you need to hear and implement in life through judgment is to your disadvantage.  v.6 - A fool's lips bring strife, and his mouth calls for blows. Solomon is giving us some more proverbs about the mouths and lips.  I think there is at least one in every chapter.  The fool's lips bring strife or contention or dispute.  The fool's mouth gets him in trouble to the point of blows or actual fights of strikes.  You can get actually physically hurt being a fool becau

Today's verses are Proverbs 18:1-4, which read, v.1 - He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom. We plot on through this book called Proverbs with a new chapter this morning.  This proverb deals with our willingness to listen to others.  The fool is someone who closes his ears to wisdom.  One tactic is to separate himself from those who are wise.  He or she strategically places himself or herself out of range of those who would speak God's words and ways.  Out of sight means out of mind.  It is not uncommon for someone who has veered away from God's instruction to start attending church less or other spiritual gatherings for the purpose to not be confronted with the truth or to ease the guilt that comes upon the conscience when even in the presence of those who are seeking to follow after God.   Another tactic is to become a great quarreler.  They have some great come backs to the wisdom of God.  They become professiona

Today is an in between chapters devotional and I thought I would talk about some random thoughts about spiritual gifts. One common question that comes up is, "What is the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift?" www.gotquestions.org gives a great summary of this question to put into a possible grid form if you are looking at a talent or a spiritual gift. "To summarize the differences between spiritual gifts and talents: 1) A talent is the result of genetics and/or training, while a spiritual gift is the result of the power of the Holy Spirit. 2) A talent can be possessed by anyone, Christian or non-Christian, while spiritual gifts are only possessed by Christians. 3) While both talents and spiritual gifts should be used for God's glory and to minister to others, spiritual gifts are focused on these tasks, while talents can be used entirely for non-spiritual purposes." Many times we try to make a talent into a spiritual gift. The spir

Today's verses are Proverbs 17:25-28, which say, v.25 - A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. Both parents are mentioned here as affected by the foolish child's actions.  The results are grief and bitterness.  The grief here is something that brings about anger and not just sorrow.  Bitterness is a secondary reaction to something else that has happened.  It is an emotion that usually comes out of another emotion.  Unresolved anger could lead into bitterness.  Another thing to note here is that the grief and bitterness are made into nouns instead of verbs.  The foolish one is not just grieving the parent but takes on the identity of grief and the foolish one is not just bringing bitterness upon the parent but taking on that identity also.  It is like the old type of saying,  "If you looked up grief or bitterness in the dictionary, you would see this foolish child's picture as a physical example."   v.26 - It is also n

Hi all, I am always looking for new music and here is a great new hymn called "Come You Sinners" which takes a cue from the old spiritual "Come Ye Sinners."  Take a listen to this beautifully theological song.

Today's verses are Proverbs 17:21-24, which read, v.21 - He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. We start this devotional with a proverb that is like many others to show the obvious downside of being a fool, someone is not following after God.  Being a fool has its effect on others and especially on those who love us.  Our parents are robbed of joy and live in sorrow because of our actions that do not bring glory to God.  If we could look outside of ourselves instead of the focus of being selfish to think only of ourselves we would see this effect on those who love us.   The two greatest commandments are to love God and love others and in that order.  When I love God, when I follow after Him, then I have the tools to truly love others His way.  When I fear God with a reverent awe of who He is and what He says then my life will bring joy to God and those around me as I live my life to the glory of Him.  The two are connected.

Today's verses are Proverbs 17:17-20, which read, v.17 - A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. There is a distinction between a friend and a brother in this proverb.  The friend loves at all times.  So the friend is there when things are going good and when things are going bad.  The brother is a blood relationship but is there in this proverb only when adversity is upon you, the bad times.  The brother could be there at all times but then the brother would also be a friend.  Sometimes we have friends that are closer than our kin relationships who only show up when things are going bad. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for those kin brothers who do show up when at the bottom of the barrel but I sure need those friends who show up every day.  You are not always on the mountain top and you are not always in the depths of despair as Anne Shirley said in Anne of Green Gables.  You reside most of the time in the middle ground of life and whe

Today's verses are Proverbs 17:13-16, which read, v.13 - He who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. This is a common theme in Scripture, evil for good.  It is a flipping over of the way it should be.  Later in the Scriptures, in the New Testament, Peter records in 1 Peter 3:8,9 something very similar.   "To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing." This proverb bears out that if we make it a practice to return evil for good then a blessing will not come to your home but rather evil will not depart from it.  Another haunting verse that relates to this one is Romans 1:32 which says,  "...and although they know the ordinances of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also giv