Sunday, June 26, 2011

Because God Cares for Us

Today was an interesting day. My Sunday School class was asked to recite scriptures. Everyone was expected to know a scripture to share with the Sunday School. There was a time when I could not commit scripture to memory, but today, the scripture that I had memorized was 1 Peter 5:7 which states, "Give your burdens to the Lord because He cares for you."

Sometimes it is hard to believe the Word of God, but I do know this, that God cannot lie. So if he says to give your burdens to him, you can and should do just that. Some translations say to "carry your cares to Him." Carry or give, I am glad that the Word of God has provided a means by which I can take my burdens to the Lord. Another translation says, "cast all your anxiety on him." I think I like this version better because I have much anxiety. I know I shouldn't and I know that when you do, you are saying you do not trust God. I sometimes walk a thin line, bordering what I know God's Word says and what I have applied to my life.

My Pastor preached about the storms of life and I think right now with the economy being what it is and people without jobs and can't pay their mortgages, we all are going through a storm. The good thing is we are "going through" the storm. We aren't going to be in it forever. God always provides a way out of a storm. We have to believe and trust in His Word which is an anchor for us. Sometimes these storms in our life are to get our attention. God demands our full attention. He is a jealous God that does not want to share our affections with anything or anyone but himself.

Psalm 55:22 says "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall." Again, the Word of God assures us that we can cast our cares on the Lord and He will support us with His mighty hand. God cares for us! The fact that God cares for me is very comforting to me.

Sometimes just look up the words of scripture. In Webster's dictionary, the word, "sustain," says 1) to keep in existence, maintain or prolong; 2) to provide sustenance for; 3) to carry the weight of; support; 4) to endure, withstand; 5) to to uphold the validity; and 7) to confirm; corroborate. I didn't realize that "sustain" could have so many meanings, but again, what is comforting is the fact I can depend on God, and His Word says that I can cast my burdens on Him. Wow! This gets deep.

I have said this before that what God expects of us is obedience. Are you one of God's righteous ones? Are you striving to internalize God's Word in your heart? Are you living to serve God and no one else? Stick close to God and He will stick close to you.

Thought for Today: How great is it that we have a God who cares for us and will uphold us with His righteous hand!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Fruit of Your Labor

Have you ever wondered if all you do is work, work, work, and you never see any results for your labor?

Well, the Bible tells us in Psalm 128:2 that "you will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours." Those who are fruitful and prosperous also fear the Lord and are blessed.

We are always waiting for the payoff, aren't we? Who wants to labor in vain, for nothing? When we've put a lot of effort into a project, we hope to see good results.

The Word of God promises that we will eat the fruit of our labor---that we will eventually experience blessings and prosperity. So, all of that hard work will be worth it. But remember, the joy is in the journey! It's not just in the payoff. Your journey is with Christ; he never promises anything that the Father will not give.

Thought for Today: Look to the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.



Saturday, June 11, 2011

Invest Your Time; Don't Just Spend It

Now that I am older, I think about time much more than I did when I was younger. Maybe because I am getting closer to the age that the Bible says most of us are allowed. (Psalm 90:10 says "the days of our lives are seventy years, and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.") Many people are living on grace; the Lord has been merciful.

I read quite a few devotionals during the week and so I am quoting from one that Dr. Charles Stanley writes. The scriptures he quotes Ephesians 5:15-17 which says, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

We are walking in days that are evil this very moment. Look around you.

"Time is a most valuable commodity. since it's irreversible and irreplaceable, we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days, and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God."

Don't take time lightly. "The fact that time is a gift from God means that we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us.

According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live wisely or foolishly.

First, let's consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord's will and align their schedules and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayers, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern what opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.

But those who are foolish, do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God's purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren't God's will for them, they're wasting their time."

Thought for Today: How you spend your time is important to God. Invest your time wisely.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Turn on Your Lights!

I rarely question the Word of God, but sometimes I do, and that is okay, the Word of God tells us it is okay to question Him, but we may not like the answer we get. Job questioned God and God may it clear to Him by asking Job where was he when God laid the foundation of the earth.

Well, this is where I am going. My Pastor spoke today on "Success Starts with Good Soil." The good soil is Jesus Christ! The Word of God is the soil of success! You can't use miracle grow to get good soil. (see Mark 4:1-20). Good sermon. This is the main thing I got out of the sermon is that you must hear the Word of God with your ears as well as your heart and you must obey once you have heard. If you never hear the Word, how can you get it in your heart? You need a good foundation; good soil.

John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning.

I don't need to say any more; I can stop right here, but I want to go on because sometimes we are like cars that have warning lights on the dashboard that tell us when something is wrong that needs our attention. When one of those lights come on, we can do the wise thing and stop to find out what the problem is, and get if fixed, or we can ignore and smash the light.

Rev. Skip Heitzig wrote in Streaming Faith website that sometimes our spiritual lives are just like cars; we do something wrong, and we ignore the the warning lights. The warning lights come on, the "guilt lights" come on, and we do like King David did, try to ignore them, try to smash them. David arrranged to have one of his soldiers killed because he wanted his wife; he had already slept with her and she became pregnant.

Does this speak to you? Have you committed some sign and are trying to ignore or smash it?

God is very patient with us; He waits to see if we recognize our sin and "fess" up to it. Sin has a way of making a person sick if you hold it in too long. If you remember anything at all about the Word of God, it will speak to your heart and you will want to confess your sin.

Here is the point: we all have a will; we all make choices. Are we making good or bad choices? We have free will; a gift from God. You can go your "own way," or you can listen to God. God has creative ways to get our attention if we don't listen to Him.

God knows we are restless apart from Him. Be ready to be honest and confess your sin. God is always ready to forgive. This applies to Christians and non Christians as well. God does not desire that anyone should perish, but that everyone will come to accept His son, Jesus, and have eternal life.

John 1:4 says, "In him, was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Life is Christ's gift and He is the "light of the world" - He is the wonderful hope for humanity and for the creation.

Thought for Today: The Word was with God and all you have to do is turn on your lights!

Monday, May 23, 2011

An Unspeakable Gift

Recently my church had a three day revival, and one of our guest preachers was Dr. Raphael Warnock, from Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly the church where Dr. Martin Luther King preached. I am not going to try to recant his entire message but his sermon was entitled, "More Than Words Can Say." I said to myself, oh, boy, we are in for a treat! I had no idea what a treat it would be.

Dr. Warnock cited one of the letters which the Apostle Paul wrote: 2 Corinthians 9:15, which states, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (NIV) He said that God's gift of His Son, Jesus, to us was so indescribable that words were not enough to describe Him! Paul was telling the Corinthians not to be stingy in their giving because God gave the greatest gift to us.

I started researching other translations for the same scripture and one translation described Jesus as "inexpressible" gift (Standard); another version said that Jesus was an "unspeakable" gift (KJV) and the New Living Translation said that we should "thank God for this gift too wonderful to describe."

It made me ponder that the words, "indescribable," "inexpressible," "unspeakable," and "too wonderful to describe" were in all these translations. Can you imagine anything or anyone that is indescribable that there are no words with which you could say anything?

The commentary in my Bible said that God is the first giver; He selflessly gives Himself to us in the person of His Son, and all true Christian giving is our grateful response. We are in God's debt for the unspeakable gift of His Son!

Have you ever had a gift that was so wonderful your lips could not utter a description of it? My, My, My! A gift is something you get for free. Our gifts can never compare to God's sacrifice for us. So when you think about giving, think on this scripture that God gave Himself, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." It goes on to say in the next verse that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

I have to admit that John 3:16 is one of my favorite scriptures and really touches my heart that anyone who sacrifice His own Son for my benefit is more than words can say. It is the greatest gift that I could have received.

I am indeed left speechless!

Thought for Today: When you think you have given all you can give, think on God's "unspeakable" gift, His Son.



Sunday, May 8, 2011

The Service of Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day. I hope many of you mothers and grandmothers had a wonderful and blessed day.

I am quoting from Dr. Charles Stanley devotion on the service of motherhood. I found it to be interesting and will share some it with you.

"Children are a blessing from the Lord." I looked in the NIV version and it said that "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." (Psalm 127:3-5)

I had been reading this scripture day before yesterday and then oddly enough, I read Dr. Stanley's devotional this morning. You hear that expression all the time, "children are a blessing from the Lord." It is actually scriptural and biblical. Now I know what scripture from which it came.

I looked up the word "mother" and it said that mother means "the origin, beginning." Giving birth is the beginning of life; the origin of life. I thought how profound is that! Another definition of mother says mother is the female parent. Nothing more is said about mother in the dictionary so it is ironic that I took time to read Dr. Stanley's devotion.

"Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families...Sometimes this constant serving can be exhausting and even discouraging, particular for a first-time mother. But we can take real real encouragement from Jesus, who washed the feet of His disciples and showed that the key to true leadership is humility." It is indeed very humbling being a mother as well as a servant.

"Unless you are willing to stoop down and get your hands dirty, you will miss the real riches of motherhood.

It is humility that leads to eternal reward. Many women look upon motherhood as a burden, but as we know, God never puts on us more than we can bare.

In giving us children, God places us in a position of leadership and service. He calls us to give up our lives for someone else's sake---to abandon our own desires and put our child's interest first.

By dying to your own desires and pouring your life into someone else, you become like Christ and create a godly legacy that will carry on for generations to come."

What is very awesome to me is that God allowed women to be the beginning of of life. We carry life in our wombs which are precious to God. For me, it has been both a privilege and an honor.

Thought for Today: Thank God for the blessing of serving as a Mother.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

For Ladies Only

Ladies and of course, Gentlemen, for a long time I always felt the guilt of Eve's sin. I thought she was responsible for the fall of mankind. The book of Genesis is one of my favorite books in the Bible.

My husband and I searched through the scriptures today; it was enjoyable talking to him about the Word of God. Well, of course, after reading the first and second chapter, we concluded that Adam really was the one who messed up and all this time, I had thought Eve was the real culprit. Now Eve did mess up, but God had given specific instructions to Adam. Chapter 1:27 states, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." So let's look at what was read and discussed today.

First, let deal with the word, "command." Webster's New World Dictionary states that command means 1) to give an order; direct, and 2) to have authority over; control.

Chapter 2 of the book of Genesis tells of how God formed man, v. 7 and how He formed the woman, v. 22. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it, v. 15, and the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die, v. 17. In v. 18, the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him. There you have it, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden.

In Chapter 3 the serpent convinces Eve that she should eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, v. 1-5. Eve ate and then gave some to Adam, her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, v. 6.

What happens when we do something wrong and we don't want anyone to know? We try to hide and cover up the wrong, v. 8. The only problem here is that you cannot hide anything from God, v. 9; God is all-knowing and He cannot be deceived.

Adam, not realizing that God sees and knows everything, is hiding and he tells God he is afraid because he was naked. I tell you those of you who are mothers, doesn't this sound like your child or children? God asked Adam how does he know he is naked and He asked Adam this question: "Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

God doesn't go to Eve and ask her what she has done, He goes directly to one He commanded, Adam.

Adam, like most children, wanted to lay the blame elsewhere, away from himself. He tells God, "The woman you put here with me---she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it, v. 12. Now we should know that what from this? God created man; he gave him a helper, woman, but God commanded Adam, the man not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. What does God expect of us, both men and women? He expects obedience.

God has given us free will but this free will must be in the image of God, used with God's intellect. We should use our free will to make good choices. When God directs us, and God is usually very specific, we are to obey his direction. God is our Creator and He is in command, or better said, has authority over our lives.

The Bible has been said by some to be Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. We are blessed to have the Bible to instruct us on how to live this earthly life. God has given us His specific instructions for a good reason and for His purposes.

Thought for Today: God created us for His purpose, and for His plan.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Everything that has Breath Should Praise the Lord!

I am reflecting on the Psalm 150 and I quote verbatim,

"Praise the Lord.

Praise the God in his sanctuary,
Praise Him in His mighty heavens.

Praise Him for His acts of power;
Praise Him for His surpassing greatness.

Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet,
Praise Him with the harp and lyre,
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing,
Praise Him with the strings and flute,
Praise Him with the clash of cymbals,
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord."

Many people don't believe in music in their churches, but the Bible specifically says you can praise God with many instruments. If you can talk, you should open your mouth and praise God! It is a command, folks, that everything that has breath should praise the Lord.

Sometimes we don't want to praise God when the going gets tough or the tough gets going. God communicates with us and, we, with him, through our praise.

Praise God that we have victory over sin and temptation, and praise God that Jesus made it all possible that we have victory over Satan and all his evil powers. Psalm 147 tells us that it is good to sing praises to our God; it is pleasant and fitting to praise Him.

God doesn't change; we change; God doesn't move away from us, we move away from Him. All He wants is our praise. Get a song in your heart and in your spirit.

Thought for Today: God appreciates our praise; if you don't have an instrument, use your voice to stand up and praise God!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

How to Listen to God (corrected version)

Strange thing, I don't consider myself a very good listener, but this subject of listening to God came to mind.

Listening to God is like listening to anyone. Before you can hear Him, you must be ready to listen. This is what happened to me. I had to get my heart ready to listen to God by learning and studying His Word.

Just as in a conversation, you cannot hear the other person if you are talking or if your mind is distracted. So it is with God. If you want to hear Him speak, you must be quiet and focused on what He is saying.

Regular conversation with God starts with prayer, and regular conversation can transform your life. Consider identifying a place and time to meet with God every day.

Psalm 143:8 says "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."

Listening to God requires a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos around you and focus your thoughts. Is God someone you hear? The Bible says He is, and the Bible is one of the main tools through which He speaks.

We live in a world of noise. Almost everywhere we go, we find sounds competing with our minds. Hearing God's voice means not listening to the noise of the world around us.

King David, author of most of the book of Psalms, gave us a model for meeting with God in Psalm 143:8. He sought God's direction in the morning, at the beginning of the day. Like a general in God's army, he wanted to hear from his Commanding Officer before he entered into battle.

Every day we step out our doors, we enter the battlefield. Be prepared and have on your armor, the Word of God.

Thought for Today: Listening to God takes effort, find a quiet place.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Temptation

Sharing with you one of my favorite scriptures to reflect upon when I am tempted. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." This is a mouth full right here. Isn't it amazing that God knew before hand that man (woman) would be tempted and would have this particular scripture incorporated in His HOLY Word! Wow! He knew that both Adam and Eve would be tempted and he knows it about me and about you. Temptation in itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted. (Mt 4:1) Yielding to the temptation is sin. Giving in; not resisting is sin. God enables us through His power and His spirit to say "no." Have you ever wondered what gets you in trouble? It is the "i" in sin that gets people in trouble. It is thinking about yourself and caring the the consequences later. What is encouraging about temptation is that God will make a way of escape for you. It has been said that "God always makes a way of escape and sometimes the way of escape is the king's highway and a good pair of heels." In other words, let the Devil see your heels---run as hard as you can to get away from the temptation! Idolatry was a temptation during the Apostle Paul's day as he went to minister to the church in Corinth. Idolatry is still a form of temptation today. There are so many types of idolatry that it will take another time to discuss them. Beware that the Devil seeks to destroy humans by tempting them and humans are sometimes aware and sometimes unaware of the temptation. But you have been put on notice! God is faithful and gives you a way of escape. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. Thought for Today: Prayer helps temptation. Go from mine to thine. Keeping your focus on Christ.

Monday, April 4, 2011

I apologize for how the Blog is being posted

Dear Friends, I apologized for how the Blog is being presented. I separate the paragraphs but lately it all runs together. I hope you can get the gist of the message. Joy Terrell

Justice and Truth

Our lives should be examples to our children and grandchildren,models to which they can look for patterns of living. Because others are watching us, we can't afford to allow any room in our lives for injustice and dishonesty. How important it is, then, that our own model be the life of our Lord. The Bible tells us that only by faith can we live just lives. When we walk in the light of our faith, then our families will see in us examples of justice and truth. Oswald Chambers is quoted as saying, "Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself." Romans 1:16-17 states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." The Bible spells everything out for us if we only take time to pick it up and study the scriptures. Look for righteousness in yourself! Don't worry what someone else is doing or could be doing. Just you be the example. My husband shared with me that his teaching leader told them that Christ never joked or smiled. I never much thought about it, but then on reflection, I don't remember reading in the Bible if Christ every joked or smiled. Christ always seem to know His purpose and His purpose was always to be obedient and serve the Father, God. Proverbs 20:7 says that "the just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him." God tells us in Hebrews 10:38 that "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." What is integrity? The dictionary tell us that integrity is honesty, and sincerity and another meaning says it means completeness. The Bible says that a just man walks in his integrity. How deep is that? His children are blessed after him, will find God's favor, God's holiness. When you are blessed you are happy; you are fortunate! The just live by faith. The same faith that Abraham had; he followed God not knowing where he was going, but God told him to go and Abraham was obedient. Jesus was obedient even to death! The Word of God is for the people of God. Those who are highly favored; those who are obedient, and those who will go where God tells them to go. Until I started studying the Word of God, I didn't understand what it meant to be favored, faithful, obedient, or to be blessed. You think about people saying "bless you" when you sneeze but you don't really understand what it means to be blessed. Thank God that His word is clear and if you just dig out His word, it will be very clear to you. If you don't understand what you read when you are reading the bible, search for a bible teaching church or a bible study course by a reputable preacher/teacher The Bible says that only those who have faith can live just lives. Thought for Today: Live your life in a way that pleases God.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Bible Versus Cell Phone

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you treated your Bible like you do your cell phone? What if you carried it around in your purse or pocket? What if you flipped through it several times a day? What if you turned back to get it if you forgot it? What if you used it to receive messages from text? What if you gave it to your children or grandchildren as a gift? What if you used it when you traveled? What if you used it in case of an emergency? What if you carried it with you to work, table, bed and even the bathroom? Is this something to make you stop and think about the two? One more thing, unlike your cell phone, you don't have to worry about your Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. The Author has been texting you for a long time. Have you read your text messages from God lately? Actually, there are enough messages to fill 66 books. There is information on many topics, a few history lessons, a few books of poetry, some laws and many, many promises. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Copied from Crossties, a newsletter of Woolsey Baptist Church) Thought for Today: God's Word will not return to Him void. Try it!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Part II - When to Keep Your Mouth Shut

As promised, I wanted to share some more scriptures about when we should keep our mouth shut. We don't realize how words can hurt, but the Bible instructs in those areas. We should take heed to the Word of God which is instructive and for our good. We should keep our mouth shut:

11. When you are tempted to tell an outright lie (Proverbs 4:24)
12. If your words will damage someone's reputation (Proverbs 16:27)
13. If your words will destroy a friendship (Proverbs 16:28)
14. When you are feeling critical (James 3:9)
15. If you can't speak without yelling (Proverbs 25:28)
16. When it is time to listen (Proverbs 13:1)
17. If you may have to eat your words later (Proverbs 18:21)
18. If you've already said it more than one time (Proverbs 19:13)
19. If you are tempted to flatter wicked person (Proverbs 19:13)

Our focus in this life should always be on Christ and what would He do. We are often guided by our own motives and sometimes those motives are for bad and not for good. Let's look at a couple of these scriptures.

Proverbs 16:27 (No. 12) says: "A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire." When we intentionally speak words that will damage a person's reputation, we are a scoundrel. A scoundrel is a mean, immoral evil person that plots evil. Every word he (she) speaks is meant to cause serious infliction on the person of whom he (she) is speaking. A scoundrel is an immoral person and his speech is inflammatory and destructive. (James 3:6)

We should always speak words that are encouraging and kind. The bible says, "pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the sould and healing to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24)

Proverbs 16:28 states that "a perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. Often times we repeat things we hear and spread them like a wild fire, but again words should encourage and be kind. When we spread lies about a person, not only does it damage their reputation, but often it destroys friendship. Gossip is contagious and is like a disease. The bible says that a friend is closer than a brother. A good friend is hard to find, so guard your tongue when you start spreading gossip. Ask yourself what is the purpose of your words; who will they hurt, and how do you benefit from them.

It is just as easy to say something nice as it is to say something ugly about a person. Words can cause life or death. Chose life. Proverbs are good for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; doing what is right and just and fair. (Proverbs 1:2)

Thought for Today: Jesus is our standard and God's word imparts wisdom.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

When to Keep Your Mouth Shut

Often times in my life, I have failed to abide by this title. I wanted to speak when I should have just been quiet. That's the nice way of putting it, but the scriptures direct us to when we should just keep our mouths shut. Wisdom comes from listening rather than speaking.

For your consideration, I am sharing the following scriptures. Take some time and look at each one. It is a bible study in itself.

Don't open your mouth:

1. In the heat of anger (Proverbs 14:17)

2. When you don't have all the facts (Proverbs 18:13)

3. When you haven't verified the story (Deuteronomy 17:6)

4. If your words will offend a weaker brother (1 Corinthians 8:11)

5. If your words will be a poor reflection on the Lord or your family or your friend (1 Peter 2:21:23)

6. When you are tempted to a make light of Holy things (Eccelesiastes 5:2)

7. When you are tempted to joke about sin. (Proverbs 14:9)

8. If you would be ashamed of your words later (Proverbs 8:8)

9. If you words would convey a wrong impression (Proverbs 17:27)

The book of Proverbs is a very powerful book in the Bible and the proverbs are good for teaching and learning, especially your own children. Perhaps you are teacher or a Sunday school teacher, the above can be a useful source of training for your class.

Stay tuned, I will share No. 11-20 later because there are more instances when you should keep your mouth shut.

Let's just look at a couple of these and then on your own time, look at the others with a bible commentary. If you are not a church goer or you don't attend Sunday School, or go to bible study, you might be interested in going to a Christian book store and get a bible commentary and dictionary to help you understand the Word of God better.

Proverbs 14:17 says, "a quick tempered man acts foolishly, but a good man will be satisfied from above." Both the quick tempered and those of wicked intent are fools; wise persons shun them so that they are not involved in their folly.

I tell you that a fool is not just a nuisance; he is a hazard to the soul. Folly is not just an unpleasantness; it is a jeopardy to life itself. Only the fool courts disaster by playing with folly.

Stay away from quick tempered people who act foolishly and do things without stopping to consider the consequences. He slams doors, throws whatever is handy, yells, curses, and insults, breaks furniture, and walks out in a rage. But if we had to choose, we could tolerate him more easily than the man of wicked intentions. Everyone hates this man for his cold-blooded treachery.

Proverbs 17:27 states "He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit." Here is example of when restraint in speech is a mark of wisdom. This cuts against the expectations we have. We usually look for the wise person to speak, not for him or her to listen. He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of calm spirit. Rash speech and quick temper betray a shallow character.

The book of Provers provides universal principles for living. Written mostly by King Solomon, with portions written by Agur and King Lemuel.

Wisdom is universal, not national. In all your understanding, get wisdom! May God continue to bless and keep you.

Thought for Today: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

It is A Love Thing!

I have a number of devotions that I read from time to time and I am reading one that has a message about "When Royalty Comes to Town." I also read an article today by Evangelist Billy Graham that I hope I can tie it in with this message.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19, it says that "Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own."

When we accepted Jesus as Savior, there was a day when royalty arrived in your heart. Many people celebrate Valentine's Day and it is suppose to be about love and the heart, but true love comes from God who has a heart for His people.

As the Apostle Paul put it, our body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit
." A reality that has huge ramifications. Jesus' residence in our life is intended to transform us to live in a way that brings glory to Him. Our relationships and everything in our lives should reflect the wonderful reality that royalty lives within. Jesus is King of King and Lord of Lord; He is royalty.

Jesus paid the price. His love for us caused Him to sacrifice His life for our sins.

It is a Love Thing!

Has anything changed since King Jesus came into your heart?

If so, everyone who meets us should know that we serve God above; and that His Spirit dwells within our hearts and fills us with His love. If Jesus has taken up residence in us, the world should notice a lasting change.

Now to get to Evangelist Graham's article. A person wrote him and told Mr. Graham that he was tired of religious people telling him (or her) what they could or could not do with their body. The person expressed how they were free to do whatever with their body and was not going to listen to anyone telling them "it's immoral." That was their decision as to whether what they did was moral or immoral.

We can't make any person do what they don't want to do. God didn't tell us how to live, but He did give us rules to live by because He knows what is best for us and He wants us to be happy.

It is a Love Thing!

We have rules so that we won't self-destruct. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

Jesus paid a big price so we would be free, and freedom is not cheap!

As Mr. Graham explained to the person, "you may think you're free right now, but in reality you have become a slave---a slave to your own desires and appetites." But God doesn't hate you; God loves you. He loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal Love. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)

It is a Love Thing!

God loves us so much that He doesn't want us to wreck our lives by ignoring Him. When we ignore God's rules and live any way we want, we end up hurting ourselves, and sometimes others. In Proverbs 16:25, it states "there is a way that seems right to a man (or woman), but in the end, it leads to death."

"Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). God created us for Himself and we are not free to abuse the Temple of God, which is our body.

It is a Love Thing!

Thought for Today: Your body is the Temple of God and you are to glorify and honor God with your body.



Saturday, January 29, 2011

In Whom Do We Receive Comfort?

In my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class, we are studying the book of Isaiah, which is not a very easy book of the Bible. I am amazed by this book, simply because I must have skimmed through it earlier and not fully grasp everything that was being said to the people of Israel or to me.

It is a book that all believers should study at some point in their lifetime. It is a love story between God and his people. God is a god who loves His people and will not leave them alone or to their own devices. He promises never to leave or forsake His own even when we don't believe that He is true to His promises.

A couple of scriptures I would like to share with you. A friend shared today one from the book of Psalms, chapter 130, verse 5, which reads, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word, I put my hope." Another friend shared Isaiah 40:31 what says, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

There is a whole lot of waiting in these two scriptures and I must confess that waiting requires patience. My patience comes and goes; not sure about yours. I know that as a Christian I am suppose to possess the fruits of the Holy Spirit and patience is one of those fruits. I am not good at waiting. I have a hard time sitting still. I want to move around and do things, find things to do. But these scriptures say to "wait," and waiting requires patience.

There are three stages of Christian growth: (1) the young Christian shall mount up as an eagle; (2) the adult Christian shall run; and (3) the mature Christian shall walk. Regardless of who you are, if you are going to move with God through this earth, it will cost you something. One thing for certain, God will furnish you strength in whatever your condition might be. If you need strength to walk, He will give it to you. If you need strength to fly, He has that for you also. If you need strength to run, God will give you that too. God is our Comforter and the scripture in Isaiah reveals God as our Creator, as our Savior, and as our Sustainer.

God is our everything. He is our all and all. Whatever you need, He can provide it. There is a catch. We must have faith. We must trust Him. Mostly, we must be obedient to His word.

God is not going to leave any of His creation alone, to go it on their own. We must rely on Him. We cannot align ourselves with any one else but Him. Don't go to your friends or even your family to give you some relief in this walk called Life. God is our only ally. As I often tell my children, don't come to me, don't go to the phone, but go to the throne of God, and offer up a prayer. God does hear you and He will provide an answer, in His time. Don't expect immediate results. God's timing is not out timing. But wait...but wait on the Lord, and put your hope and trust in Him.

A person of faith takes God at His Word and realizes that God is committed to His Word. A person of faith knows that God honors His Word above His name and has settled in his heart that God intends to bring His Word to fulfillment. A person of faith remains confident in God's promises and takes His warnings seriously.

God wants to receive the glory and He can only be gloried if we believe in what His Word says. When we wait on God to do what He says, we demonstrate that we have some patience.

Thought for Today: Remember that God intends good for His people to give them hope. Wait, I say, wait on the Lord.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Amazing Grace

I was twiced blessed today, two reminders on this Martin Luther King Day celebration and the sacrifice that Dr. King made so that we can enjoy the freedom and privileges that we now have.

My Pastor, Rev. Dr. Cleopatrick Lacy, preached an excellent sermon and someone emailed the history of the song, Amazing Grace, definitely a favorite of mine.

I wish I had that beautiful voice of Wintley Phipps; he really sings this song but I am going to encourage you to go to http://www.youtube.com/ to view Amazing Grace History by Wintley Phipps.

If you want to hear a dynamite preacher preach and teach, you can contact my church and get a CD of my Pastor, Preacher and Teacher, Rev. Dr. Cleopatrick Lacy, an annointed man of God, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 321 East Taylor Street, Griffin, GA 30223, (770) 228-1927.

I got to plug both this Sunday. It was God's amazing grace that I got up after feeling poorly all week. I got up and got to church. I still have the same aches, but my spirit was fed. I was obedient to the call of Christ, and as my Pastor said in his sermon, that we all should have a song in our heart. He reminded us of the song of Moses (Exodus 15: 1-18) and he reflected on a song we all have know since we were children, "Jesus loves me; Yes, I know, for the Bible tells me so." I know many of you have sung that song; most of us learned it as a child. It is still relevant today.

The Word of God is replete with scripture that reminds us that God loves and cares for us. Look in the concordance in the back of your Bible.

I have to leave you with two of my favorite scriptures 1 Peter 6:7, "Give all your worries to Him, because He cares about you." God cares for us. He says it in Word. He cannot lie, right? He is God and God does not lie.

John 3:16 says that "for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." God loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins. This reminds me of another song, that goes, and "That's love" and I think Vickie Winans sings it. I am not sure that is the title, but she sings it throughout the song. She reminds us of the love that God has for us because of His son's sacrifice on Calvary.

I have written before on the sufficiency of God's grace and it is this amazing grace that we have that gives us assurance of God's love for us. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. Be encouraged and keep a song in your heart! God's amazing grace is sufficient.

Thought for Today: Think on the goodness of God's amazing grace.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Book of the Law

It is funny many people do not favor having to follow or be guided by a book of laws. However, God had a purpose for giving his chosen people a Book of Law by which they should follow and be guided.

We have laws in this country that people are guided by, especially, laws about speeding on highways. There is a reason for a speed limit; your safety and protection and for others.

There is a reason for the Book of Law that was given to the chosen people by Moses from God. It was for their safety and protection and for the safety and protection of others.

I am reminded of the scripture in the book of Joshua that states, "Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

It is amazing when you think that God chose Joshua to led 2 million people into a strange new land and conquer it. I can't think of leading 2 people around the block without getting lost. Joshua, Moses successor, was appointed by God; he was an eyewitness to the Egyptian plagues and the exodus from Egypt, he was Moses personal aide for 40 years of wandering in the desert, and he was one of two spies who searched out the land that God had promised the chosen people and came back with a good report.

Because Joshua had assisted Moses for many years, he was well prepared to take over the leadership of the nation. Every new job is a challenge and God must have felt that Joshua was up to that challenge. Without God it can be frightening. With God it can be a great adventure. Just as God was with Joshua, He is also with us as we face our new challenges.

God promises to never leave or abandon us. By asking God to direct us we can conquer many of life's challenges. Let's look at what Joshua is asking the people of Israel. He is saying to not let the Book of Law depart from your mouth. Constantly read and study the Book of Law--God's Word. Meditate on it day and night. Be consistent, think about it all the time so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Obey God's law and by doing so, you will prosper and be successful.

Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that for Joshua to be successful, Joshua would have to be strong and courageous because the task ahead of him was not easy; he would have to obey God's law and he would have to constantly read and study the Word of God.

To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua; you may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes, and his opinion lasts forever.

Thought for Today: Success and prosperity are obtained by following the Word of God and being guided by the Holy Spirit.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Intimate with Jesus

True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and spirit.

The whole experience of life is designed to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His Word, but do we really know Him?

In John 14:9, "Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?'

Jesus is the visible, tangible image of the invisible God. He is the complete revelation of what God is like. He is the Son of God.

Hebrews 1:2 states, "the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word. When we know Jesus, we have all we need to be saved from our sin and to have a perfect relationship with God.

Jesus explained to Philip, who wanted to see the Father, that to know Jesus is to know God. The search for God, for truth and reality, ends in Christ.

Jesus is the Way to the Father. Many people and religions have problems with Jesus being the same as the Father, but the bible is clear, He is the Son of the living God and if you see Him, you will see the Father.

Colossians 1:18-20 says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or power or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him. He is the head of the body, the church."

Jesus is not only equal to God , but He is the exact representation of God. He not only reflects God, but He reveals God to us (John 1:19). This is one of the strongest statements about the divine nature of God found anywhere in the Bible.

Thought for Today: Get to know Jesus personally. He will lead you to the Father.