Prayer answers

Wednesday was another simple answer to prayer that gave me a huge lift. I prayed simply that my son would want to go back down to Rocky Mount to work on the house we are flipping. We have been working on the house for five months and as we get closer to finishing, we get distracted so easily. Finally, at 10:00 or so Wedenesday night, he called and said that he and my granddaughter would love to go down to RM Thursday and work. The simple little answers to prayer that God gives us each day motivates us to continue down the path to obedience. We might question, but He will answer and provide if we simply trust.

Thursday was a little dumber on my part, but if we don't reach out, we will always fall short. I asked, simply, that all we did would be successful and work out safely and well. We had a lot of small stuff to get done, and I always forget the limitations that time puts on us.We drove the 90 minutes to RM but it took us115 minutes, so we were off our schedule before we ever got there. Somehow, we sanded the skim coating on the skylight and ceiling in the bathroom, painted 2 coats of Kilz and one coat of ceiling paint. We also painted the doors on the sun room closet, installed the racks and shelves, and touched up scuffs we had made in the previously painted walls. We cleaned up the dryer filter and painted the walls again ( boy, we must have rushed through that the first time), and put a temporary fix on the drain. We (notice how I take credit for all work done) took down the track in the smaller bedroom so we could re-install the folding doors, painted this closet, and tried to install the clothes rack (once again, however, we had not planned for a sloped closet wall). Brittany and her dad painted wood work and identified new places for me to caulk. One of my neighbors had cut 4" limbs off a couple of my pine trees and laid them neatly in my yard; so, I had no choice but to break off the many limbs and put them in the Yard Waste can for Friday pickup (laborious tasks Rose trusts me to do). The four of us stopped on the way home and had Bojangles chicken for dinner, and pleasant conversation and plans for the next time. My shoulder, which I did not mention to the Lord, did not bother me somehow until I lay down Thursday night; sometimes we just don't even see how He helps us without our asking. I am more than pleased with what we got done and can only praise the Lord for minimizing my mistakes and helping us all to stay out of Rose's way as we worked!

Prayer answers

I am going to remind myself of each day's most rewarding prayer answer. In this way I hope to make us all look closer at the little things God does for us every day in answer to our simplest prayers. On Monday my son got a warning ticket for late car inspection and registration; he was waiting until he got his car tax money available. He sent us a quick note and Rose and I said a quick prayer for him. Tuesday he went for his inspection and the check engine light had gone off and he only needed to replace a couple of bulbs in lights to pass. Do you really think we are worried about his registration? Not hardly. God has proven our trust again, and shown us how He cares about our little worries.
Tuesday, we prayed for a special time with our family at dinner. We had an estranged son come and have dinner with us, our granddaughter came with a special attitude, and our daughter-in-law joined us for dinner the first time in over a year. We were intensely proud and praised God for loving family and helping us appreciate Him and them more and more.

Christmas 2012

Wow, what a difference a year can make. My replacement knee is fully effective now and I don't have the recurring pain, but I am still a little uneasy and unbalanced in my walk (notice that I identified exactly where I perceive myself as unbalanced). My son has purchased a foreclosed house 90 miles away and his favorite house flippers (cheap old Rose and I) are doing our best to get the house in order for him. It takes a lot of time, more preparation, and constant review and update. We have spent more time on his house this year than we have with him over the past 9 years (his wife thinks he should spend time with her). We have gotten more involved with the church lately after a period of feeling hurt and left out. I have published 5 e-books this year and just self-published and printed my first of this year by traditional publication. I enjoy this new career even though I don't ever cover my costs; Rose thinks it is some self punishment thing. Cece and her dad Randy have gotten so involved at church this year and we took on a ministry at Carver Living that has given us plenty of opportunities to serve. Speaking of which, my poor guitar playing and singing has spiraled (I still can't play nor sing, but I thoroughly enjoy banging.) My cousin Betty from Texas came and spent a week here; she and Craig always brighten our day. My mom is living with my cousin Eddie and his wife now; his home was more suited to an invalid and Mom continues to enjoy her time while her health just lies dormant. We don't know what to do for her except to try and give her some reason and desire to thrive. Life goes on and we all have our individual problems, but 2012 has opened new chances to serve for my family and I hope we and you will take advantage of all our chances to serve Him. Talk soon!

2013 Daily Devotions for the Good Life

I have published my new devotional on Smashwords; it is available for purchase at my author page on Smashwords: http://www.Smashwords.com/profile/view/Mikerosie458. If you are interested in a printed version, I should have them in my hand the first week of January, but I could not get them printed in time. The price for e-book is $4.99 and the hard copy is $20. Contact me @ Mikerosie458@yahoo.com for availability.This book is an outgrowth from an addiction counseling program in Creedmoor, NC begun in 2009 by may pastor Ernest Ferrell. These are daily studies from Proverbs to help any Christian develope a more perfect walk with Jesus.

Stem the release of anger with positive thoughts.

August 27, 2012

Proverbs 27 4     “Wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous: but who is able to stand before envy?”

            Wrath is an end to a personality flaw which results in cruelty. The wrathful person seethes in his feelings until it must be released in the form of mistreating an animal or person. Anger is a responsive state of mind to some idea of being mistreated by another. Generally, it is spontaneous and quickly forgotten—unless it is allowed to manifest itself as wrath.

            Both anger and wrath can be halted in their place by taking a count of ten and considering what the results and ramification of this action may be. A soft prayer or comforting thought while counting slowly will usually stop the highly volatile response.

            Envy, however, is more like a tick in the back of your leg. You can’t really feel anything happening until the tick has engorged himself with your blood and maybe even infect your leg. Envy is not perceived as a flaw; everyone looks at envy as being justified. We may say that we dislike the respect this person gets so we will underhandedly try to ignore their suggestions and plans and undermine their support. Envy eats away at one’s insides until he can think of nothing else but getting even with the person envied.

Lord, we love You today and seek Your comfort to release feelings of anger that could easily turn wrathful. Help us, Father, to respond properly to things that bother us. Especially, in the cases where we are envious of other’s success, Lord, show us the positive sides and make us respond Your ideas. For Your service, we live.      Amen.

Teach us to comfort, motivate, and heal broken spirits for You.

August 26,2012

Proverbs 26:4.5   “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”

            These verses speak to the same thought but add a twist. We have often been told not to respond in kind to an angry person or one who speaks out of envy, malice, jealousy, or misplaced passion.  We, as Christians, should simply respond in a gentle tone with a soft answer. If the person is simply upset, this will calm him down until the two of you can discuss the real underlying problem.

            Sometimes, however, the angry speaker may be blaspheming God or making fun of your beliefs. If you do not respond at all or softly, it does not correct the person’s talk nor his thinking. Before you respond you must still consider closely what you will say and pray for His guidance. Then you must speak up—sometimes in the same tone of voice as the attacker—and stand up for what you believe.

            Apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith per 1 Peter 3:15. This school of thought teaches that Christians must be able spiritually and verbally to defend God’s Word against not only the erroneous teachings but even against the immorality of the world.

Lord, we love You today and know that the world often speaks incorrectly against You and our faith. Strengthen us, Father, to stand up and defend our faith against false teachers and society evils. Teach us how to comfort, motivate, and heal broken spirits for Your indwelling. For Your service we live.    Amen.

Need forgiveness, forgive; need encouragement, encourage!

August 25, 2012

Proverbs 25:3   “The heaven for height and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.”

            As my pastor says: if you are a born again Christian, your sins are as forgotten as the deepest part of the ocean—they will never be seen nor heard of again--totally obliterated. The hearts of even kings who have been given preemption over the economies of the world can neither explain nor understand this. How can a sin be forgiven and totally forgotten?

            Apart from the sacrifice of Jesus, this sin would stand as a beacon forever. But Jesus knew that they would only serve to show us how weak, frail, contemptuous, and evil we are. Love is not like that—forgiveness will reign supreme if a man is saved.

            Are you forgiven? Is your sin forgotten? Do you actively seek the ones who have wronged you just to forgive them? Should you not?

Lord, we love you today and seek Your forgiveness for our daily failings. Help us too, Lord, to look for ones needing forgiveness and encouragement. Help us be witnesses of encouragement and hope. For Your service we live.     Amen.

Strength is in teamwork!

Proverbs 24:5,6  “A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety.”     Strength is in knowledge and teamwork. When parties share the same goal (e.g. sharing Christ) a multitude of good strategies, plans, and efforts can be coordinated toward that goal. By working together the load is shared and the blessings are split among all participants. The war against evil can be shared and the protection of one another is easier. Understanding of the goal is better understood if made by a team rather than one person. Lord, we love You today and want to pursue Your goals as a team. Let us, Father, look at Romans 12 and see how to incorporate our gifts into the team goal of sharing Jesus with the neighborhood.  In His service we live.  Amen

Keep oneself away from extreme goals or riches in this life.

Proverbs 23:4,5 “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

 We must provide for our families and try to live comfortably. That is normal and reasonable but to seek more and more riches simply makes us a slave to that pursuit. The things of this present world are a sham, a show, and a shadow. Riches, also, are very uncertain, fickle things that make wings for themselves to fly away—and there is nothing we can do to bring them back. Pursuit of riches rather than essential comfort brings grief and strife to the seeker.

Lord, we love You today and seek only what is available from You for a comfortable, safe life. Help us, Father, not to choose extreme goals or riches in life. Allow us to be like Paul—satisfied in what ever situation we are. Let us see and respond to prove our faith in our loving savior.  Amen.

This world is not my home; I'm just a-passing through

Proverbs 22:4  “By humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”

  The conditioned response psychologist Maslov taught that self-esteem is a critical human need. As long as one feels he is the best at what he does, says, thinks, or believes it follows that the person is in control of his own destiny. Perhaps a lot of this is true at it relates to the human world. Proverbs 23:7 tells us that what we think makes us what we are. Christians, however, have a much higher calling than this earth. As the song goes, “This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through.” As Christians we have goals way beyond this stepping stone, training life on earth. Humility and Jesus-esteem are our guides to life here, now, and in the everlasting future.

Lord, we love You today and know that our future everlasting life depends on what we know that You are. Be our esteemed leader until we are together for all time and help us to show our faith in the results of humility and Jesus esteem.  In His service we live.     Amen.

Show your honesty so others will want what you have--spiritually!

Proverbs 21:3  “The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.”

   It seems that 90% of the time I go to a grocery store or a fast food chain, I am either over or under charged or given incorrect change. I always question and return accidental errors, but I typically do not ask for corrected change if the error was to my disadvantage. I do, however, try to advise them so they can be more careful in the future. Many times I wonder if the error was intentional but I never say that. It is time consuming but it is the Christian thing to do. We should make sure that the service personnel realize that as Christians we do not take advantage of errors.

Lord, we love You today and realize that we should repay any monetary errors made in our favor and thereby make a positive statement for You. Let us deal properly with people so that our witness makes them want to be honest like You. We know that taking advantage of any ill gotten gain is robbery. In His service we live.    Amen.

Let us leave it to You!

Proverbs 20:3  “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.”

     Man always is quick to defend himself from remarks that challenge his honor, good taste, or Christian nature. When false rumors are started, we are quick to stand up for ourselves. When our suggestions or recommendations are not met with whole-hearted acceptance, we tend to explain our position and question any other. Wisdom, as shown in Proverbs, often should just state the position and let the speaker’s reputation stand up for itself. If one meddles and tries to convince others, it often leads to resentment and hard feelings. Allow the Lord to work in hearts; present your case and leave it alone.

Lord, we love You today and choose not to be argumentative. Jesus stood up and argued in the temple for His beliefs; He will stand up and defend ours before unbelievers—often at times we will never know about. Help us, Father, to do our part and allow You to do Yours through the Holy Spirit.

In His service we live.   Amen.

Don't let service go lacking; Focus on Him.

August 19, 2012

Proverbs 19:3: “The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart frettish against God.”

            I have seen so many basketball games where the much stronger team takes off from the gate and amasses a 10-20 points lead. They are so proud of their accomplishment that they become lax and then the see-saw battle swings back and forth until the strong team loses focus and throws the game away.

            Very seldom do you see these guys praise the team that kept their focus and won.  Typically they blame the loss on the referees or even luck or God not being on their side.

            We do the same foolish way with our own lives. When we are on top we brag and strut; but, when things turn against us we gloat, complain, and blame the Lord. This is the time of testing the Lord has sent to mature us—don’t waste the chance—Praise the Lord

Lord, we love you today and know that our Bible Study, visitation, and Christian service sometimes go lacking.  Help us to focus at these times on Your steady methods of teaching. Help us to face problems Biblically and not on our own strength. For Your service we live.           Amen.

Don't always believe the actor, just the action.

Proverbs 18:3 “When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.”

   Tears are the simplest test of a convicted heart; a changed life is the result of those honest tears.  Wicked, manipulative people also recognize the appearance of tears to a confessor and may cry crocodile tears to work themselves into a fellowship. This shows the true contempt for the Christian faith, but God has given us a more perfect way to determine conviction. If one is truly convicted, his life begins to show change and this change fills all actions, deeds, and words of the believer. Don’t be confused by the show to determine the changes.

Lord, we love You today and see the results in our churches of changed lives. Help us to understand the effects. Show us how to encourage, enrich, and enlist these lives to Your service. For Him we live.  Amen.

Why not have a "Good Cry" when hurt and needy?

Proverbs17:3 “The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; but the Lord trieth the hearts.”

The refining pot burns off the few impurities of silver and the furnace burns the dross from higher volumes of gold, but only God can refine the heart—only He knows the bad to be removed and the strength added by pressure. I have watched cans being crushed and incinerated to remove the negative. Only a free flowing molten stream remains until dried and molded. This process will work on a heart. Only God creates tears of shame, pride, joy, sadness, guilt, or loss that purifies the heart. I guess that is the reason that sometimes only a “good cry” can draw us near to Him.

We love You, Lord, and understand why our hearts have to repeatedly be tested and tried. Help us, Father, to understand Your unchanging will for our individual lives and team efforts. In His service we live.    Amen.

Proud, positive, and proactive in all we say and do.

August 16, 2012

Proverbs16:3   “Commit thy words unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

            I have heard so many people say things like they weren’t called to preach, speak, nor teach. These same people feel that they have been overlooked by their boss, spouse, pastor, or parents. We all have different jobs, opportunities, chances or just times when we can excel. This verse speaks of work—what it really says is –Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability as if the Lord were right beside you. If we do that, our thoughts will be built up by Him; we will be proud of the work we have done; we will be positive of the results of our work; we will not tire of doing more for Him or taking more responsibilities for Him.

            These thought are success thoughts: if you are proud, positive, and proactive for Jesus. The resulting thoughts will continue building and encouraging in your work for Him.

Lord, we love you today and admit how weak we are when we don’t keep our eyes on You. Help us, Lord, to work to our best ability to bring glory to You. Let our co-workers see You in all we do. Make us proud, positive, and proactive in all we do with You. For Your service we live.    Amen.

Is He speaking to His Father for you?

August 15, 2012

Proverbs 15:3  “The eyes of the Lord are in every place: beholding the evil and the good.”

            When I was an adolescent in Sunday School our teacher would always ell us that Jesus was watching and listening to everything we said or did. Even Santa Claus supposedly knows if we’ve been bad or good. Sometimes you may see a patrol car sitting by a straight stretch of highway, but since we don’t know if an officer is in the car or not, we slow down to be safe.

            I read a book when I was in the fifth grade that told of a pastor challenging the church body to act as if Jesus was beside them watching how they acted in their day to day lives. They made a tremendous change in the congregation work and even personal life. In His Steps has always been a model for me.  In the ‘90’s the same type challenge hit on teens and young Christians—WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) Many young lives were saved and dedicated to His work.

            Solomon uses the same warning in this verse—Are you being more careful? Jesus is beside the father asking His forgiveness for the saved that belong to Him—Is Jesus speaking for you?

Lord, we love You today and realize You know our every thought, word, or deed. Help us Lord to stay true to You and to ask You to live in our hearts forever. For Your service we live.   Amen.

More difficult to be humble than proud.

August 14, 2012

Proverbs 14:3  “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.”

            I see so often in a garden how a bird or squirrel drops a sunflower seed to the ground and before long a small sprout will emerge. If you choose not to pluck this root out of the ground at that time, it will grow to be a 6’ tall rod that holds another sunflower that squirrels can once again climb to get new sunflower seeds to eat. God has created this world so that one small seed can grow into an abundant supply of food/beauty.

            We can see this also in ourselves; a seed of pride can easily be planted in our hearts by Satan If this pride is not plucked from the heart and credit given back to God, we can grow a rod of pride which will overcome all else in our heart.

Lord, we love You today and acknowledge how easily we can get off track. If we don’t speak words of encouragement to one anther, or we try to take all the credit for good things in our lives, we continue to fertilize this pride in us until it takes over our being. Lord, help us to lift others up, lift You up, and humble ourselves. For Your service we live. Amen.

Make us thoughtful servants.

August 13, 2012

Proverbs 13 3  “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth is life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”

            The old saying goes, “Measure twice and cut once.” Many times a careless measurement has been caught and a big waste of material and time eliminated by simply eliminated by simply measuring a second time. By the same token, a lot of embarrassment and guilt can be stopped by simply thinking before one speaks. For many of us it is “open mouth, insert foot.”

Lord, we love You today and seek to be good witnesses of Christian faith. Help us, Father, to carefully and scripturally think through any negative thoughts to our responding to a situation. Many words can not be taken back or opportunities to minister regained if we don’t think first. Make us thoughtful servants. In His service we live.  Amen.

No grudges; just forgiveness.

August 12, 2012

Proverbs 12:3    “A man shall not be established by wickedness: the soul of the righteous shall not be moved.’

            I am not a supporter of social religion; I am not a humanist. Man has created a new religion of self-pride and pushes it on Christians as the only true way Christ would want things done.

            This verse however makes me stand up for integration. I truly believe that God loves us all equally—regardless of race, gender, religion, or character. His son died for ALL to have availability to Him.

            Misunderstanding, over the years, has caused many groups to segregate themselves from ones who look, act, dress, or worship differently. Of times the segregated groups truly believe in the same triune God, but with miniscule differences.

            I applaud the way that most Christians have banded together that worship Jesus. I applaud the fact that true Christians stand up for their faith and will not be moved. Character remains the true choice.

Lord, we love you today and take responsibility for the years of oppression and repression. As long as we confess this, Lord, You are faithful to forgive and we can move on. Help us, Lord, not to hold grudges and be unforgiving. Help us, Lord, to freely share the life altering “Good News” You have given us. For Your service, we live.   Amen.

To be examples of His love, we must first be honest.

August 11, 2012

Proverbs 11:3”The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness shall destroy them.”

            This verse gives us an understanding of honesty. Very simply, the honest man has fixed principles and certain rules of conduct; he is sincere and does not change his goals as the wind blows. His primary goal is to keep his mind foremost on Jesus and that keeps his actions inline with his goals.

            The dishonesty of a man will be his own ruin., His lies will catch up with him, his half-truths will be exposed, his manipulating character will be obvious and he will ultimately be destroyed.

Lord, we love you today and seek only Your will in our lives. It is difficult to remain honest; sometimes we crush other’s dreams, hurt people unintentionally, or exalt ourselves in error. Help us be examples of Your love to all we meet. For Your service we live.     Amen

Use what we have to challenge/encourage each other.

August 10, 2012

Proverbs 10 3  “The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but He casteth away the substance of the wicked.”

            We have a long row to hoe and we often lose that fact. We pray for riches to give to the church or the needy. We complain about the wealth accumulated by many and wonder “How fair is this?” We may not get the riches we ask for because our gift may not be mercies. If we don’t have the gift of mercy and give what we can from what we have now, how can we know that we would give fairly from our riches?  Thank goodness, God knows what would happen.

            Some people accumulate due to stealing and cheating, but many others accumulate because of planning, preparation, hard work, and dedication. It is unfair of us as Christians to ask from God what He does not feel we would use properly. It is just as unfair for us to question God’s distribution of wealth and talents.

            What really counts is the final call—Have you been found worthy of the wealth and talents you have? Have you exercised them for His glory? Your real victory or loss depends on that!

Lord, we love You today and want to share both our wealth and our talents properly. Help us, Lord, to effectively use what we have and to challenge and encourage each other to meet their potential. Lead us to Your throne in worship and praise. In His service we live.   Amen

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

August 9, 2012

Proverbs 9:6    “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.”

            Who are the foolish? Obviously, they are not believers. Since wisdom is to be sought, it cannot be with the foolish. In order to be born again Christians who are seeking the available understanding, we must put off the old man and anything to do with this old man.  Negative thinking, poor attitude, demeaning habits, and friends that exhibit these must be totally shunned! A basket of good apples can not lie around a rotten apple, because all will be ruined.

            All the characteristics of the foolish person must not only be eliminated, but new, fresh Christian characteristics must be learned and instilled. We must present ourselves as sacrifices, die to the old and, accept new training—which cannot be done while we associate with the old crowd

Lord, we love You today and realize that it is difficult to give up the ways of |Satan; but, if we replace the desires from Satan with the promises of You, we can succeed. Grant us wisdom to understand and courage to stand up for You and against the ways of the world. For Your service we live.      Amen.

No excuse. Turn your thoughts to Him.

August 8, 2012

Proverbs 8:4-5  “Unto you O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.”

            Solomon is very specific about Wisdom. He does not speak to the angels; they don’t need it. The many animals of the world can not use it. Only man can build his knowledge into wisdom. Understanding is only for the ones who can be saved! The naïve or simple can understand wisdom by reading the Word and applying it to their own situations.

            Even the fools who have no desire for God or His wisdom have access through feelings. These feelings that often mislead us can also turn us to God by applying the lessons gleaned from our conscience. When we look at nature we can see God; when we look at heartache we can often see God as the only escape from ourselves.

Lord, we love You today and pray that all men have open access to You. Regardless of men’s thoughts our minds can be turned to You. Lead us, Lord, to discover and share Your ways always. For Your service we live.     Amen.

One can only hold up truth,honor,love, and peace through Bible knowledge.

August7, 2012

Proverbs 7:6-10    “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house, In the twilight in the evening, in the black and dark night: And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.”

            When anyone goes out into the world without the proper training from God’s Word, he is like a sailor setting out on a voyage without a compass, life jacket, or means to bilge out water taken onboard. So many of our young people face this today; their parents could not, would not, or were not able to convince the young people what they will face in the world.

Youthful lusts particularly get God’s children caught up sneaking around, with the wrong crowd, and putting themselves in harm’s way. Sure enough, we can expect Satan to show up in the same way he did in Eden---subtle and deceiving.

Lord, we love You today and know that Satan seeks to lure and trick us into falling away from You. Help us, Lord, to hold up truth, honor, love, and peace to those we meet. Keep us safe from the wrong crowds and their teachings. For Your service we live.  Amen

Count on each other but only depend on Him!

August6, 2012

Proverbs6:4-5     “Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.”

            As we learned in the previous three verses, Solomon warns against co-signing a loan or vouching for someone you don’t know intimately well. Here in these verses, Solomon tells us that it is so important by telling us not to even go to sleep without trying to put an end to such an agreement.

            Why is this so important to business dealings?  Does this relate to more than the deal itself? In business dealings as well as personal relationships, it is critical not to have parties dependent on one another solely. In my business life as a contract administrator, it was a requirement that no more than 10% of a company’s gross income could come from my company---Why? If the other company was so dependent on my business to make their payroll, I could negotiate a positive deal for us that would force them to eventually go out of business. On the other hand, I could become so dependent on them for their product, I may be forced to pay exorbitant prices.

Lord, we love you today and realize in business and in life, we must only be dependent on You. Your rewards have been guaranteed and our trust insured to make a partnership that cannot fail.  Help us to count on each other but to only depend on You and Your Word. For Your service we live.    Amen.

Satan's ever changing temptations can keep us from the unchanging God.

August 5, 2012

Proverbs 5:5-6    “Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Let thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are unmovable, that thou canst not know them.

Whether it be the flirty whore or the ever changing religion whore that perverts God’s way, we need never lose hold to the fact that Satan is behind both. Satan uses the seductive ways of a prostitute as well as the tickling ear to “new age religion” to turn us from His way to the self way.”

Satan knows that if we sincerely ponder what his disciples are teaching we will flee.  Satan therefore can not stay stable in what he uses to tempt us; he must be ever-changing to keep us from the unchanging God of the Bible.

Lord, we love you today and realize you bring stability to a life. You provide all that is needed and give us free will to accept You or some cheap imitation. Keep us ever mindful that Your grace, love, peace, and redemption are absolutes to which we can cling. For Your service we live. Amen.

Give me that Old Time Religion!

Proverbs 4:3    “For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.”

            There is a strong lesson in today’s verse. Solomon was given supernatural knowledge, wisdom, and understanding from God, but the main lessons he learned were at the feet of his mother and father. Solomon knew the pitfalls and traps of new beliefs and practices; he honored the “Old Time Religion” (What caused Solomon to trip was that he forgot this he had learned.)

            We have been warned to beware of new religious instruction; we have been told to run it by the Bible and the Spirit to determine the truth of the matter. I can’t help but think of the “Old Time Religion” of which we sing.:

The Old Time Religion is good enough for me,

It was good for our mothers,

It was good for our fathers;

It will take us all to heaven.

It’s good enough for me.

            What is this Old Time Religion?  Belief in original sin, virgin birth, Christ’s temptations, the inerrant, inspired Word of God, His death, burial, and resurrection as an atoning death for us and our sins, and His sitting at the right hand of God intervening for us. Period. If it denies any of this or puts any emphasis on self, it is wrong. If it leads anyone away from Jesus, it is blasphemy.

Lord, we love You today and strive to maintain the Old Time Religion. You make improvements in each of us, but Your Word remains true and unchangeable. Help us, Lord, to always stand up for Your Word. For Your service, we live.   Amen

Dedicate your life to this verse!

August 3, 2012

Proverbs 3:5-6:    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path.”

            I have a friend whose entire life is in dedication to these verses. He always looks to the Lord’s leading in his life.  He then qualifies this leading by God’s Holy Word. Once he has trusted the Lord’s leading and then confirmed the leading by His Word, he responds to the leading, knowing that his path is protected and guaranteed. He may have hiccups in his way, but as soon as he asks direction, the path is clear (or cleared).

            We have talked repeatedly about WWJD as a group; we have spoken of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. These are all keys for the trust all of us must exhibit to grow in the Lord’s Will.

Lord, we love you today and want to depend on You as we meet our day. Teach us trust, faith, wisdom, Your Word, and prayer to follow Your lead.  For Your service we live.    Amen

What kind of knowledge do you seek?

August 2, 2012

Proverbs 2:6  “ For the Lord giveth wisdom : out of His mouth, knowledge and understanding .”

            Knowledge is the first step to wisdom; we are told over and over in school to seek knowledge –for some the human knowledge and for others spiritual knowledge. Human knowledge is considered so important by some that lotteries are helping pay for it (Right).

            Solomon teaches us also to seek knowledge of Him and His word so as to gain understanding. Wisdom is not historically given to students or the human knowledge proponents. Wisdom is a gift from God; He personally speaks to the person through His Word.

            What kind of knowledge do you seek? What kind of knowledge do you support? What is your responsibility to God and His human brothers and sisters? Are you learning what you should and applying it to your life?

Lord, we love you today and realize that there are many false gods of knowledge , understanding, and wisdom. Help us, Lord, to speak out where we should so as to influence one person positively. For your service we live.   Amen.

All He asks is a little respect for us to gain all knowledge.

August 1, 2012

Proverbs 1:7  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instructions.”

            We laugh at Bill Cosby when he says, “I brought you into this world; I can take you out.”  But we have a God who brought the world itself into being. He brought the perfect garden of Eden where all was good. He brought regeneration and growth to our world. He brought the seasons of the year, life, and continual examples of the rise and fall of mankind. He knows all, sees all, feels all, experiences all through Jesus, and provides hope to continue on to all.

            Atheists and other fools neither understand God’s world nor His way. They despise hope, God’s wisdom, and God’s riches. Holding these things in contempt, these fools have no understanding of His will either—unless we continue showing the results of hope until the Lord changes their hearts.

Lord, we love You today and totally respect Your understanding ways. We may not fully understand Your workings, but we respect and trust Your ways not to be our ways.  We trust You,  Lord, with our present dilemmas and our future Blessed Hope. Help us to show it to all Your children we meet. For Your service, we live,       Amen.

Place any temptations at His feet!

July 31, 2012

Proverbs 31: 1-3  “ the words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.  What, my son?  And what, the son of my womb?  And what, the son of my vows?  Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth Kings.  “

            A mother’s teaching is sometimes different from a father’s . The father intends to teach the son the ways of success and how to reach the goals he seeks. The father speaks of the word, knowledge, wisdom, education, experiences, and training which are all very important for a leader—especially a Christian example.  But the mother is more concerned with what will bring a man down and make him of no further use to God, his followers, or even himself. 

            This mother speaks out for justice and reminds her son that some women are simply fortune hunters out to get what they want at any cost to the possessor.  She also warns that promiscuous women can shipwreck leaders who don’t show purity.  Solomon himself was ruined by marriages to two women of differing religions which led to his downfall. 

            Lord We love you today and pray for our leaders. It is so easy to be led by astray by pride, obliging, and unconcern. Help us Lord, to see our temptations and place them at your feet.  Help us Lord, not to think ourselves capable of overcoming temptation.  For Your service we live   Amen

Look for and proclaim Jesus until His second coming.

July 30,2012

Proverbs 30:4      “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?  Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is his son’s name, it thou canst tell?”

            Old testament believers expected the Messiah to be the Son of the Blessed. (In Mark 14 the High Priest asked Jesus, Art thou the Son of the Blessed One?)  In Proverbs also he is spoken of as a distinct person thought not yet named. This particular verse spells out Jesus in all His majesty, power, and honor. No one has ascended into heaven prior to Jesus. Jesus gathered the wind in his fist on the lake when Peter showed temporary faith. The flood of tear water was bound up in the garments left behind at the resurrection.  The ends of the world have been established as the time when Jesus returns! We now know the names IAM and Jesus. The Wisdom of all times is shown in this verse—Jesus is proclaimed and promised here!

Lord, we love You today and know Your Word tells us to look for and proclaim Jesus until His second coming. Allow us, Father, to be faithful to the charge and proclaim Jesus and His work. Use us to spread Your words of promise and hope to the ends of the earth and time as we know it now. For Your service we live.     Amen.

Discipline is God's best learning tool.

July 29, 2012

Proverbs 29: 1   “ He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.  “

            Some people simply cannot take discipline.  The Lord however has established discipline as the best learning tool.  If the Lord tells us that sparing the rod will ruin a child, how can anyone with any common sense at all not see that this is more true for all His children.  Even self discipline helps people train themselves to be punctual, consistent, trustworthy, dedicated, and dependable.  But typically wicked people are simply stubborn and refuse to take instruction, advice, or discipline from others. 

            The second clause in this proverb reminds us of the unforgiveable sin. If one continually refuses the suggestions of the Holy Spirit—instructions, guidance, advice, discipline, and partnership—this person is in danger of being forever lost and with no opportunity to be saved.  This is scary!  Think—1000 years before Jesus ascended to the Father, Solomon realized there would be a holy spirit sent to be the last of many people. 

            Lord, we love you today and worship your eternal presence.  We thank you, Lord, that you continue to show us in Your Word that provision has been made for our eternal life also.  We must not relax our efforts; there are many of our family, friends, coworkers, in Your earthly family that still have not met You, Lord, to carry your message of hope and salvation to them. 

For your service we live.                     A men

Have you made the decision above all decisions?

July 28, 2012

Proverbs 28: 1     “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.  “

Felix questioned Paul about Jesus and what salvation was, but he was so confused, he sent Paul away until a later time.  Felix was never persuaded and; as far as recorded, was never saved because he put it off.  We cannot be like Felix or Festus and just proceed along just like opportunities will always be available to consider Jesus’.  We must first and foremost accept Jesus as our Lord and savior.  After that single most important decision is made we can be free to plan our future as He leads. 

A guilty conscience will destroy a person’s health— physical and spiritual—as well as any relationship.  We fear any movement or responses and we are fearful of what can or may happen.  But, if the decision about Jesus has been made, we can rest assured and confidently proceed. 

Lord, we love you today and worship you for the security promised us.  As we take You as our personal Lord and savior, we know that our future is in your hands and obediently work for Your kingdom. 

For your service we live.        A men

Do you praise or are you proud?

July 27, 2012

Proverbs 27:2:  “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth,; a stranger and not thine own lips.”

            Pride is what makes humans tick and as long as that pride simply builds self-esteem, it is even Christ-centered. But boasting of what we have done, who we are, or how important we are comes directly from Satan’s lies.

            No one is, has done, or will be without the blessing of his maker. It is easy to tell the lost ones, because they take credit for doing everything. Encouragement comes when we praise others and envy comes when we praise ourselves. Even if we don’t consider ourselves prideful, it is using our bragging to tempt others to envy us.

Lord, we love you today and see our prideful selves. We are quick to tell all the great things we do but are slow to encourage others who are working so hard. Help us Lord to realize the importance of encouragement and the futileness of Pride. For Your service we live..                Amen.

If you are where the Lord wants, Proceed!

July 26, 2012

Proverbs 26:2   “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying,so the curse causeless shall not come.”

            Fear of what is next always worries people . We’re always afraid of the empty threats of bullies , bosses , or spouses and children. We are often worried about what may happen to us, but in most cases these ungrounded fears never materialize and we have been both worried and ineffective in our daily lives.

            Joseph’s brothers threatened him, Goliath threatened David , Nebuchadnezzar threatened Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendeo as well as Daniel , Pharoah threatened Moses, but none of them had fears that came to be . But the threatened ones did not fear because they knew that their steps were prepared. They were where the Lord let them be and were not afraid of causeless threats .

Lord , we love you today and trust where you have put us. We ask Your favor to guide us in what we say and do with no fear. Since we all are aware Who You are, we can know You have something for us to do. Help us to recognize the opportunities you present, the talents and gifts we have, and the nerve to respond per Your will. For your service we live.  Amen.

Even with wasted years, we can always have a chance to bless.

July 25, 2012

Proverbs 25:1  “ These are also proverbs of Solomon , which the men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied out .”

            This verse tells us that this is a later collection of Solomon’s proverbs  Even though this is a later copy, it makes it into the Bible. This reminds us that even if we may feel we have wasted a lot of good years or may have thrown away a lot of years, we still have an opportunity –through Jesus –to make the rest of the time a blessing to others.

            Isn’t it funny that Hezekiah’s servants are the ones copying these parables down for wisdom in God’s Bible? Hezekiah had neither wasted his life nor his time, but he realized there was much more to be done. He prayed for more time and the Lord gave him fifteen more years from his deathbed.  If you had fifteen more years and to your life, what could you do for Jesus. Hezekiah did a lot with his fifteen years and possibly the best he did was to allow his servants to copy from Solomon’s proverbs for God’s people.

Lord, we love you today and know that we have been allotted time here on earth to do Your Will. Help us to take every chance to tell someone about you. Help us to see how meaningful the time we have can be. For your service we live.    Amen

Knowledge,Wisdom, and Understanding effect transformation.

July 24, 2012

Proverbs 24:3-4   “Through wisdom is our house builded; and by understanding it is established:  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

            Once again we see the message of Proverbs in these two verses. Knowledge, derived from the Word of God provides all the planning and preparation needed to face a situation. The wisdom earned from knowledgeable experiences will allow the believer to build a strong, fortified house and the understanding brought about will totally establish and uphold the household.

            In the same way we must use the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding given us to build the church He wants. Are you in the Word? Are you growing in the experiences? Are you using these talents and skills to lift up His bride?

Lord, we love you today and continue to see that Your Word, our experiences in the Word, and the shared understanding within Your church effect complete transformation in Your people. Keep us focused on You and Your Church. For Your service we live.       Amen.

What is your identity? Something of the Someone?

July 23, 2012

Proverbs 23:3      “Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are a deceitful meat.”

            Coveting just sneaks up on us. Before you know it the admiration you have for something someone has grows to jealousy (I wish) and pride (Why not me?). That is the way it is with many young people; they see things that others have and want it so badly they would do anything to have it.

            “Things” is one of Satan’s biggest tricks to turn our heads. As Shawn Saunders, director of Converting Hearts has said, our identity becomes the “thing” and we must have it. Once we have it or worse lose it, our identity is gone. We must then seek some other “thing” to be our identity. Chasing the wrong goal or god is not the answer. There is only one absolute and His name is Jesus.

Lord, we love you today and know that our identity should only be in unchangeable, perfect, You.  We often chase wrong goals and desires, Lord, but we pray that you keep us focused on what really is the only thing that counts—our relationship to You. For Your service we live.      Amen.

Facing life's hailstorms? Come inside to Him.

July 22, 2012

Proverbs 22:3  “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple goes on and are punished.”

            The Lord has been warning people of His many judgments throughout eternity, but different people respond differently. Whether it be a direct warning from God or simply a cloud in the sky, a careful man will see the warning and take action to stay clear. In Moses’ day the people were warned of the hailstorms coming and the believers came inside with their servants and cattle, but the unbelievers took no steps of protection.

            The hailstorms come—still today—after the Lord’s warning. Are you properly protected or do you think your own strength will protect you?

Lord, we love you today and know that still today you send warnings to all people—both individually and collectively. Help us, Lord, to remember that You dictate times and seasons. We have to watch the signs and be prepared for earthly and heavenly hailstones.  For Your service we live.    Amen.

Are we building temples to God without God of the Temple?

July 21, 2012

Proverbs 21:1   “ The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord , as the rivers of water; he turneth withersoever He will .”

            Today’s verse reminds us of two important truths found throughout Proverbs. First, if the man is a Christian then, his heart belongs to God. No matter what the man has decided in his mind, the Lord’s plan, purpose, and will shall be done. Many men, like David, have wanted to build temples to God, but it is so easy to work on the temple of God, that we forget the God of the temple.

            Secondly, I wonder if the word God is really a verb rather than a noun. James tells us that faith in God is impossible without works. God has people who pray, minister, visit, and work diligently for Him. God is an action word; if we want His perfect will done, we have to do it.

Lord, We love you today and seek only to honor You in all we do . We realize how easily we can get caught up in doing until it becomes an end in itself. Help us to remember that You are the End and our responsibility is to meet you there. For Your service we live.    Amen

Satan mocks with addictions.The only recourse is Jesus.

July 20,2012

Proverbs 20:1  “ Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging ; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise .”

            I am sure that most of you could give examples of what wine, strong drink , and drugs can do to a person . A couple of things I do know is that:

1) Beneath all addiction is a control issue

2) Addiction hides the true issue

3) Addictions-even soft addictions like TV viewing-try to avoid reality

4) Personal growth is often hindered by a soft addiction and is used as a tool to avoid or procrastinate

5) Even religious work can be used to cover personal reality; and covers the pain of one’s spiritual reality

            Think about this –God’s supreme creation –you and I are deceived by Satan into thinking these little trips away from reality are in time and --but I am telling you they line the road to hell.  Get real, folks, trust and depend on the person Jesus .

Lord, we love you today and want to remember that Satan mocks You with addictions. He throws us and our addictions into Your face. Praise Your name for sending Your Son to show us the way home . Help us to throw off anything that takes our eyes and minds off of You. For your service we live.     Amen

Focus on the foundation stones to wisdom today.

July 19,2012

Proverbs 19:1    “ Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity , then he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.”

            What is the real difference between integrity and perverseness? Integrity, as in buildings, means complete our entire , but in humans it means moral soundness, To be perverse is to be stubborn or willfully erring.  One who is perverse knows he is wrong but refuses to accept any other alternative. To show integrity is to look at all other facts or possibilities, weigh them against a perfect standard – Jesus –and choose to accept His way.

            We have been looking at the qualities of Wisdom in Proverbs over and over ; I came across a Zig Zeigler quote on wisdom I would like to share for your consideration : “ There are six foundation stones to wisdom : honesty , character , integrity , faith , love, and loyalty .” Focus on these six today and see what the Lord shares with you .

Lord , we love you today and we choose to follow the path Jesus made out for us . Help us to maintain the six foundations of Christian living. Help us to strive for the target of wisdom and become Your disciples. For your service we live.   Amen

God does not need loners, but teammates.

July 18, 2012

Proverbs 18:1    “ Through desire a man , having separated himself , seeketh and intermeddleth with our own wisdom .”

            Pastor Ferrell counsels us all the time about being a Christian loner. Though sometimes a Christian must separate himself from others for inner reflection (as Jesus often had to do ), we should not regularly separate ourselves from our Christian community of believers .

            When I am separated for my own purposes –even if it is to write or visit –I often feel the inadequacy I have . Granted , it makes me depend more on the track from God , but  I really miss opportunities to share , be encouraged , or help someone.

            If God had wanted loners, he would have left Adam by himself . God and man me the opportunity is to praise , perform , pray , and worship together the !

Lord , we love you today and want to be a team for Your kingdom growth . Help us , Lord, to know that we can do so much more by relying on our brothers and sisters than just by ourselves . For your service we live .     Amen

Serve me the meal of the day--time with the Lord!

July 17, 2012

Proverbs 17:1         “ Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife .”

            I may be mistaken but I’m pretty sure that my son would tell you his favorite time of his growing up was around the dinner table. People today don’t spend enough time around the table. Everyone is sitting in front of the TV watching whatever is happening to other or imaginary people. After a relaxed meal –whether sandwiches or steak –was our family time. We have continued that tradition with our granddaughter.

            We talked about my work day experiences, people I interfaced with, Rose’s day and the people who came over to have sewing done, and finally about Carl’s day at school and later at work.   We only had two rules: first, every one gets to share without interruption, and second anyone can make comments or recommendations about the circumstance but no one can make fun of the teller or is allowed to give expert advice.

            It didn’t matter what we shared for dinner the dinner conversation was the meal of the day.

We love you today, Lord, and we are so thankful that we can come to you freely with our problems . We know that You will listen, empathize, and speak to our hearts, Lord, without condescending, irritated responses. We know your patience allows us to learn our lessons the best and easiest way if we give our problem up to You and listen for Your still, small voice telling us how to approach the problem and receive Your answer—yes , no , or wait a while. Thank you for such love to give us free will. For your service we live.     Amen  

Our planning dependson Your plan for us.

July 16, 2012

Proverbs 16:1   “The preparations of the heart is in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord .”

            We made our plans as we prepared to play the heavily favored team from Miami. We realized how much shorter than we they were but their outside shooting was a bomb. Miami would easily advance tonight and we would play them for the championship tomorrow morning. We chose not to watch the game; we knew enough about them that they could easily defeat us from every position but under the board. We worked hard to be able to check the shorter men from outside giving them a little freedom to drive or shoot. Defense was our key and our big guys concentrated on blocking out and covering man to man outside. We had an excellent game plan, were well practiced , and very confident to play at 11:00 the next morning .

            When we got to breakfast the next morning, the paper announced that the sharpshooting number one seed had lost the evening before to a much taller team . Our entire strategy was lost, our hope destroyed, and our loss guaranteed because we had made our plans based on our ideas rather than simply playing our game to our best and giving to God His will .

Lord, we love you today and realize that our planning may not count if we haven’t run it by You. No future plans we can make sure never exclude Your will. Help us, Lord, to realize just how dependent our future is on Your grace. Help us to depend solely on You for direction and insight, not on ourselves only. For your service we live.      Amen

Why do we respond agrily when corrected?

July 15, 2012

Proverbs 15:1   “A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.”

            I have heard this quote a hundred times, but as I asked the Lord for insight this morning a new response came to me. Wrath and anger are synonymous to each other and both mean hurt - based retaliation. I checked on 25 occasions of anger in the Old Testament (excluding the anger of God) and found that 25 of 25 cases show the response to some one being corrected.

            Jesus advises us in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) that meekness is not a weakness but standing up with a silent witness. Mahatma Gandhi won India’s rights by passive resistance. Martin Luther King won black equality by passive resistance and not being moved. In this verse we see what they saw. To destroy anger and vengeance stand up for what you believe and quietly, no shame, state your position.

Lord, we love you today and realize how far your creation has gone from your intention. We know that rape, murder, lies, and stealing were not your design for our lifestyle. We also know the Savior You sent for our salvation and earnestly pray that we can meekly--with strength – speak up for Your position on how far we have slid then. For your service we live.        Amen