Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:9-12, which read, v.9 - It is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman. We think of roofs a different way than they were then.  The roof was another living space.  It was typically flat and resembled a patio space.  So the person in this proverb is using just a corner of the living space that is available and exposed to the elements.  The house proper provides more shelter and space but it also contains a contentious woman and of course we could change this proverb around to be the other sex.  Being contentious is the point. The word  "contentious"  comes from a root word that means  "firm, strong, lord, and master."   On top of that you add another word that means  "to judge, content, and plead."   Putting them together you get the description of someone who produces strife and discord with the constant judging as someone superior than that other.  Are you a conten

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:5-8, which read, v.5 - The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. Have you been too hasty at times?  I have.  I have witnessed this proverb too many times.  I have jumped the gun or I have acted on something when I should have waited just a little longer.  I was poorer for it.  I didn't put in the time or prayer before making the decision and therefore instead of being at an advantage I experienced poverty. The diligent make plans and therefore they have sat down and thought out or referred to others about what is in front of them before acting.  The hasty one acts on instinct and usually just within themselves.  No one or thing is consulted before jumping forward.  The diligent many times waits while the hasty hardly ever do.  The Scriptures say to wait upon the Lord and yet how many times have I ran away from Him calling for Him to catch up to me rather than following after

May you have a blessed time in God's house with believers gathered to worship Jesus, the Christ, the Risen Lord!!! Adam

A rap that I can understand the words!!!  Another focus on the reason for this weekend of services. Adam

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:1-4, which read, v.1 - The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. It is amazing how the speaking previously of an earthly king was about the justice they were to perform and therefore a power that they held but now we put that human power up alongside of God's power and it is nothing.  God can turn the king's heart whichever way He wants it to go.  It is God who is in control.  Let's look at some examples of God over the kings. Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:23:   Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. Cyrus in Isaiah 45:1:   Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Nebucha

Here is a great resurrection teaching video from Southern Seminary.  A good look at why we celebrate a risen Lord!  --Adam--

"How Many People Go To Your Church?"  is the title of the blogpost by Tim Challies that you can read here:  https://www.challies.com/articles/how-many-people-go-to-your-church  This question that I have heard over and over and maybe asked myself is the inspiration to answer some of his other questions about the church that I serve. It is a question that flies around pastors' conferences and church gatherings of Christians from different churches.  We size each other up by the number of people who gather on a Sunday morning.  We gauge our effectiveness by the record numbers that we can pull in to fill the pews.  Many times it is a time to inflate the number to impress someone else about how great we are or how we are a blessing to God.   The fact to grab ahold of is that the health of a church is not based solely on its size.  You can have a very unhealthy church that is very large and you can also have a very unhealthy church that is very small.  I really like th

Today's verses are Proverbs 20:26-30, which read, v.26 - A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them. This proverb is another version found in verse 8 which reads,  "A king who sits on the throne of justice disperses all evil with his eyes."   The wise king is one who deals with justice and doesn't sweep it under the rug.  He faces the evil of the world and takes an active role to hold the standard.  To winnow is to disperse, cast away, or scatter the wicked from their settled place in the community.  The threshing wheel is very heavy to crush the grain.  Those that God ordains for the roles of justice have a very important role in our society and need our prayers as they administer holy justice of scattering and crushing evil. v.27 - The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the innermost parts of his being. The spirit or the breath of man is light or what is revealed about the man to the Lord.  The Lord se

Today's verses are Proverbs 20:21-25, which read, v.21 - An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning will not be blessed in the end. Does this proverb remind you of the parable of the prodigal son?  He asked or demanded his inheritance hurriedly or ahead of time.  His father was still alive.  What was the outcome of this hurriedly inheritance?  He wasted it and came up with nothing.  He came back to the father with nothing but his life.  I wonder if Jesus took this proverb and developed that story that had a different ending because the focus went off the getting a physical inheritance to receiving a spiritual inheritance by coming back to the father? v.22 - Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the LORD, and He will save you. Don't ask for your inheritance ahead of time or by unjust methods and don't take matters in your own hands that are reserved for God to take care of.  We are also given other passages that say the lesson of this pro

Today's verses are Proverbs 20:17-20, which read, v.17 - Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. When we don't pay for bread, we steal it, it may seem like we are getting something for nothing but we are not.  We are getting something, it just comes a little later.  We are tasting that sweet soft bread for the moment but later our same mouths will be filled with gritty hard gravel that does damage and we just want to spit it out.  Solomon so loves the word pictures. When we are deceptive or trying to cut corners or not being wise to follow God's honorable ways there can be some instant satisfaction.  Sin has got to have some excitement and pleasure otherwise we would not participate in it so much.  But following that pleasurable sin is the consequence that hurts us in the long run.  We are hindered by sin to use our mouths for something productive or nourishing because they are full of the effects of si

Today's verses are Proverbs 20:13-16, which read, v.13 - Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. Solomon is speaking to us again about being lazy.  Another way to escape the responsibility of this world is to never get out of bed.  Sleep, of course, has its place in our lives with restoring our bodies but then comes the time to rise and exercise what has been resting.  Physical problems come to light when we don't get enough sleep and when we get too much sleep. This picture is of someone who is not just sleeping too much physically but also spiritually.  We get poor in the Lord when we figuratively  "sleep"  through those times that we could be focused with eyes open on His food for us.  We get up and get dressed to meet with Him for breakfast and live our lives in the glory of Him so that our rest in the evening is sweet in His assurance of hope.  The point is to not start loving things that hinde