Friday Thought -- January 30, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

True friends make each other better.

It’s not always an easy and comfortable process. Sharpening a knife requires friction against the instrument being used to do the sharpening. Often the process of helping someone be better requires friction, too. But in that friction with someone that truly loves us, we are challenged and encouraged to be a better person.

It’s not true friendship if we allow each other to go through life with rough spots that are ignored. The balance to that is that a true friend doesn’t constantly criticize and nit-pick, either. As we have opportunity and with sensitivity as to timing and method, true friends help each other to smooth out the rough spots in our lives.

The goal, then, is to be a true friend to others. It is to find ways to encourage and challenge those you really care about to develop a little at a time into the kind of person God desires them to be. Do it with kindness, sensitivity and love.

The second goal is to allow others to be true friends to you. To respond well to the help they provide to make you a better person, even when it is painful.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 29, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1)

Solomon’s point is that we should hold lightly the plans we have for the future. It’s not that we shouldn’t plan, we should. Even Proverbs pronounces the folly of the person who doesn’t prepare for the future. It is the wise person who plans and prepares for later. Yet, the future is never to be seen as a sure thing. We have no idea what is going to happen in the days ahead, so all plans need to allow for room for them to be changed.

James pronounced the same truth, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13-15)

Make plans for tomorrow, but make them in the realization that God may have other things in mind for us. So, hold your plans lightly, being open to the direction of the Lord.

A sickness or other situation may come that requires you to let go of your plans. An opportunity you had never dreamed of may open up to you. These can be God’s course corrections. Don’t be so set in your own plans or stubborn that you miss the changes that God wants to bring into your life.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 28, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22)

In the Middle East, the nights can be cool, even when the days are warm. Starting a fire each evening when you build camp could be a very difficult thing in the days before matches and lighters. It became common practice for those who were traveling to take hot coals with them from the fire the night before. Often they were carried in a container that rested atop the turban worn on a man’s head.

At times something might happen and the coals you were carrying went cold. Or there could be some reason you were not carrying coals with you. In such a situation it would a great kindness to be given burning coals by someone else.

Solomon is encouraging us to treat our enemies with kindness when they are in need. A hungry or thirsty enemy is an enemy in distress. How you treat an enemy in distress could turn them from an enemy to a friend. What an opportunity would be presented in such a situation to turn a relationship around.

Relationships are always important to God. The New Testament instructs, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18) God longs to see us do anything we can to make right relationships that have gone wrong.

Even with those you would call enemies, look for ways to help them. Perhaps their hearts will be changed … or your heart will be changed … and they will become friends!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 27, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” (Proverbs 24:30-34)

The world wasn’t meant to be a place of hard work, plagued by difficulty in supporting ourselves and our families. God created the world as a place of abundance. But that changed when Adam and Eve sinned. God punished Adam by cursing the ground and saying, “through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:17) There would be no more life of ease for Adam, nor for his descendants. From Adam, all mankind has inherited hard work as our lot.

There is now built into our world a general principle by which it works: life will not be easy and providing for yourself and your family will require diligence and hard work. The flip side comes with that principle, if a person chooses to be lazy, poverty will be the sure result.

It’s not that work is bad. In fact, when our work is productive it brings great satisfaction. Even heaven will include work. Revelation says of heaven, “his servants will serve him.” (Revelation 22:3) We’ll enjoy the work of heaven, it won’t be work just to survive, but perfectly productive work for God.

The toilsome work is the burden of putting food on the table, keeping the house in good repair, replacing clothes as they wear out. It is the routine of what we must do over and over that grows weary. Yet that is our lot in life, the result of Adam’s sin and our sin that confirms Adam’s choice.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 26, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” (Proverbs 24:11-12)

In Germany, before and during World War II, most Germans turned their eyes away from what Hitler and the Nazis were doing to the Jews and other minority groups. That was even true of much of the church. Hitler spoke the right kind of things and so the church did not oppose him. Hitler was so powerful that opposition to him could have brought punishment on the church. Life had become comfortable for the Germans and they didn’t want to rock the boat. So, most Germans, although they didn’t participate in the horror of the Holocaust, sat back and did nothing to stop it.

It wasn’t that the church in Germany in that day was made up of wicked men and women. They were good people. But they made their decision about what to do based on what would be best for them and their church, not upon what was right before God. They turned their eyes away rather than risk their lives and their comfort to stand against what was clearly wrong.

Before we cast too many stones at the German church, realize that most of America reacts the same way. Surveys indicate that a majority of American adults make their moral decisions based upon either what is best for them or best for the people around them that they love. That’s the same motivation what led the Germans to avoid getting involved in the fight against the wickedness of Hitler and his men.

To “rescue those being led to slaughter” would mean putting our own lives and comfort at risk. That is what God calls us to do. He calls us to do what is right and to stand against what is wrong, even if it puts us at risk.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 23, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. ... Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:6, 15)

We all need training. Our natural bent is toward sin and rebellion. We are born selfish and self-centered, interested only in our own needs and desires. Change from that natural bent requires training and training requires discipline. A child is to be gently, lovingly, and slowly taught to respect authority, honor others, and say “no” to his own selfishness.

It’s a sad thing to see an older child who has never been taught these things through discipline. We call them brats. They are unbridled, selfish, and no fun at all to be around. They have a hard time fitting in with other children and getting along in the world. Their parents have done them no favor in allowing them to continue to indulge their selfishness.

It’s an even sadder thing to see an adult who was never taught these things as a child. They become outcasts to society. They regularly have trouble with authority and so have problems at work and with the law. They have trouble finding friends because they have trouble being friends. Their family relationships are strained and sometimes broken. They are a drain on society, not a contributor to it. Their parents meant well. They thought they were showing love by giving in to their child. They were wrong!

Most of us can look back on our childhood years and see how our parents trained and disciplined us. It wasn’t pleasant at the time and we didn’t like it. But from our adult position we can see how important it was in helping us develop into who we are.

Thank God for the training and discipline your parents gave you. Training and discipline are the marks of real love.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 22, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:2-3)

There is a strong temptation for all of us to develop a set of outward actions that represent a right relationship with the Lord.

The Pharisees fell headlong into that trap. They took the ceremonies and rituals outlined in the Old Testament Law and made those outward actions represent being right with God. They went so far that all that mattered was the outward actions, the heart didn’t matter at all. Jesus condemned the Pharisees more strongly than any others with whom He came in contact. The point Jesus was making was that the outward actions don’t mean anything if the heart isn’t right!

Our hearts matter to God most of all!

We face the same temptation the Pharisees gave in to. Church attendance, giving, service to the Lord and to others, daily Bible reading, and a whole host of other outward actions can become the marks of a good relationship with God in our minds. Although all of those things are important, if the heart isn’t right, they don’t matter to God at all. They are only evidences of God’s work in our lives when they come from our heart!

“The Lord weighs the heart.” That is what He is interested in most. If the heart is right, right actions will follow out of its overflow. Ritual and sacrifice, religious ceremony, and good works only count when they reflect the heart.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 21, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later consider his vows.” (Proverbs 20:25)

God expects us to keep our word. When we make a promise, we should keep it.

James taught, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,’ no, or you will be condemned.” (James 5:12)

For a Christian, swearing or signing a contract shouldn’t be necessary. Our word should be enough to be considered binding.

Because God does expect us to keep our promises, Solomon’s point in Proverbs is also important. He counsels us to be careful about the promises we make. We shouldn’t rush to make promises. We should carefully consider whether the promise we are considering is one that we are willing to keep.

The sad thing is that in our time Christians and non-Christians aren’t much different in the way they live. Christians are as willing to back out on their promises as non-Christians are. Christians look for loopholes in the contracts they sign, they make promises they never intend to keep just to get what they want at the moment, they back out of promises without much of a second thought.

Let’s be among those who start a new trend. Let’s be people of our word. Don’t make a promise rashly and when you do make one, keep it.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 20, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.” (Proverbs 19:19)

John McEnroe was a great tennis player. He was quick, strong, and accurate. He was one of the handful of elite tennis players who had the capability of winning any tournament he entered.

But McEnroe had a problem that kept him from enjoying the success that he could have enjoyed and kept him from being loved and appreciated by the fans as much as he could have been. He had a horrible temper. If the officials made a call that he didn’t agree with he would often fly off the handle with cursing, throwing rackets, and ugly displays of behavior.

Have you ever seen a grown man who didn’t know how to control his anger? It’s an ugly sight. The ugliness of McEnroe’s behavior was made even more appalling because it was in front of the whole world. Television beamed his tirades into millions of homes.

I don’ t know much about John McEnroe’s growing up years, but my theory is that his parents never punished him for his angry outbursts when he was young. They let him get away with what to most people would be unacceptable behavior. They rewarded his anger by giving in to it. He got his way when he threw a fit when he was young and expected that same kind of tactic to work as he grew to a man, too.

That’s what Solomon is talking about in Proverbs 19. If anger doesn’t have a down side … if it works to allow a person to get his way, then it will keep being the behavior of choice for the person. The best cure for anger in a child or in an adult is not to let them get their way with their anger. Let them see that anger doesn’t pay, it costs.

That’s good advice for raising children … and a good reminder for adults, too. “Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:20)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 19, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

It’s in bad times that you can tell who your real friends are.

That’s a lesson the prodigal son discovered the hard way. When he had plenty of money and a willingness to share it with others, he had lots of friends. When his money ran out and he had nothing to offer to those around him, they abandoned him. He was destitute and alone. He had no real friends, not in his new land. When he returned home, he found his real friends. His father was there waiting for him with open arms and a willingness to help even when the prodigal was at his lowest point.

There have been many who have discovered that at their lowest point, their family stood by them more than anyone else. Blood truly is thicker than water. A true brother does stand by you, even when adversity strikes the hardest.

You can’t determine how your friends are going to react when you hit tough times. Do your best to choose friends who love the Lord and are of good character. You won’t know how good of choices you’ve made until you hit tough times. Then, thank God for the friends who show themselves as true friends.

You can determine what kind of friend you are going to be to others. Commit today to be a true friend to others. Be a friend in good times and a friend in tough times, too.

Remember, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) His name is Jesus!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 16, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16:11)

You thought gray hair came because of worry and tension -- or because of age! You see, gray hair comes as the result of a righteous life.

Actually, I think Solomon’s intent is to emphasize that long life comes as the result of a righteous life. That’s a principle that is generally true. Those who live their lives in ways that reflect righteousness do extend their lives. Unrighteousness leads to many natural consequences that bring pain and can even bring death. Think about the number of people who die as the result of lung cancer from smoking, liver disease and accidents brought on by drinking, AIDS that comes from sexual immorality, and the scores of other ways that unrighteousness can shorten life.

A righteous life works better. It reduces guilt. It brings less distress in our relationships. It doesn’t bring the trouble and pain to life that unrighteousness does. Righteous living increases the quality and length of a person’s life. God doesn’t command righteousness because He wants to make arbitrary rules to limit our activities. God commands righteousness because of His desire to see us do what is best for us!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 15, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

Every one of us has been and will be again involved in a situation in which someone else gets angry with us. Anger is a natural part of life and we all face it over and over. How we respond when someone gets angry with us will have a significant impact on the situation.

If we return anger with anger the situation will escalate. The other person’s anger will grow more intense and a spiral effect will be started and often ends with damage to the relationship, sometimes great damage.

The Lord gave Solomon the key to putting an end to the spiral effect and moving toward anger control: “a gentle answer turns away wrath.” When we respond to the anger expressed toward us in a calm and gentle manner, the other person will have a better opportunity to get control of his own anger and we can begin to work toward resolution of the problem.

A gentle answer doesn’t guarantee the other person’s anger will be brought under control. Some people are out of control as soon as they get angry and nothing you do can effect that. However, the general principle is true that a gentle answer can help in a situation in which anger has been stirred up.

This principle can help in marriages, in workplace relationships, between friends, even with strangers. It’s a hard principle to follow because the anger in someone else often stirs up our own anger. Ask God to help you keep control of your anger, even when those around you don’t have control of theirs. Put this principle to the test and see how God’s Word provides practical advice for life that really helps.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 14, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” (Proverbs 14:31)

God cares for the needy and He cares about how we treat them.

The ministry of Jesus is marked by compassion for those in need. He looked at those who were spiritually needy and wanted to lead them to the Father. He looked at the sick and handicapped and healed them. He saw the hungry and fed them. He saw the frightened and calmed their fears. He cared for those in need and He moved to meet their needs bringing all of His resources to bear upon their problem. And the needy followed Jesus is great numbers.

As Jesus left the world and turned the carrying on His mission over to those who follow Him, He asked us to do as He had been doing. We are to preach the Gospel, build the church, and care for the needy. Caring for the widows and orphans, and all those in need, is to be a part of our task. (James 1:27)

God could take care of the needy in ways other than through His followers. God has the capability of removing all need. God allows need for the benefit of the needy. Need draws men and women to God. It makes them aware of how much they need Him. God also allows need for the benefit of those who help them. Caring for the needy softens our hearts, and it demonstrates the condition of our heart. Caring for the needy provides one way we can demonstrate how much we love God. It is a way to put our love for God into action.

God cares for the needy and He calls His followers to care for them, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 13, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.  There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:11-12)

There are times when sin seems so right.

After all, doesn’t God want us to be happy. Many a man has used that excuse for leaving his wife for another woman. Their reasoning is that God wouldn’t want them to stay in a relationship that doesn’t make them as happy as they could be. It seems right, but it is a decision that is rooted in blindness and leads down a path that is wrong.

Taking something that is not mine from a huge corporation can seem like a right decision. After all, they’ll never even miss it and it will help make my life better. At least that is an excuse that has been used many times to justify stealing. It seems right, but it is decision that is rooted in blindness and leads down a path that is wrong.

Sin can seem right sometimes. The devil wraps temptation in such pretty wrapping paper. It is so enticing. We are so good at justifying what we want to do. But following our own way instead of the way of God is never right. Making choices that contradict righteousness never leads to a righteous outcome.

The key is not to make decisions based on our own thoughts and feelings, but on God’s Word. After all, our minds are so easily deceived and our hearts are so terribly wicked.

Follow His direction and it will always lead to the right path.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 12, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

There is no more powerful part of a person’s body than the tongue. Solomon provides several tidbits of advice about the tongue in Proverbs 12.

“The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.” (Proverbs 12:6)

Words have the power to hurt or to help those around you. Words aren’t harmless and innocent, they are powerfully destructive or amazingly helpful. God’s desire is that His children be among those whose lips bring encouragement, help, peace, and comfort to others, not hurt. How do your words affect the people around you?

“An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble. From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.” (Proverbs 12:13-14)

Your words not only affect those around you, they affect you, too. They can get you into great trouble or they can bring you great reward and happiness. Your words can fill you with guilt and dissatisfaction, or they can bring you a sense of accomplishment and pride. How do you feel about the things that your words do for you?

“A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” (Proverbs 12:17-19)

Sometimes we get the idea that a lie can get us out of trouble and make our lives better. It may work sometimes. It may work in the short-term. But in the long-run, lies always get us in trouble! Is the pattern of your words often untruthful, or is it always characterized by truth?

God wants to help us get control of our tongues and turn them from instruments of hurt and pain, to instruments of peace and help. Will you ask Him today to help you control your tongue? It’s a tough battle, in fact, there is none more difficult, but it’s worth the effort!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 9, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” (Proverbs 11:14)

I know you think you are smart, and, no doubt, you are. But here’s something you may not want to hear: you don’t know everything! No one does. The smartest person in the world doesn’t see all of the angles of a situation and doesn’t know all of the possible solutions to a problem.

That’s why it makes sense to seek advice when you are facing an important decision in your life. Wise counselors can help you gain new perspectives. They can help you overcome blind spots that you aren’t even aware of. They can see the situation without the emotional attachment that you may have to one of the choices and provide a more objective point of view. Their perspective will be helpful in making a wise choice, a choice that honors God.

What kind of counselors should you look for?

Wise people, people who already have some experience in making decisions and have demonstrated that they know how to make good choices. You don’t want to seek counselors among those who continually make the wrong choices in their own lives.

People with a strong connection to the Lord. After all, every wise choice is a choice to follow the Lord’s direction. Finding counselors who are sensitive to Him will help you discern His will.

People who really care about you. You wouldn’t ask an enemy for help because they may seek to turn you in a direction that will bring harm to you. Seek people who have your best interest at heart, not their own.

We need each other. We don’t have to face life and its decisions all alone … and we shouldn't.  Listen to the advice of others, weigh it carefully, and see if God will speak through others in your life.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 8, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Proverbs 10 contains several verses that teach the same principle: choosing righteousness over evil brings the best results in the long-term.

“Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 10:2)

“The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” (Proverbs

10:7)

“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9)

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Proverbs 10:12)

“The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them

punishment.” (Proverbs 10:16)

“The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.” (Proverbs 10:21)

“When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” (Proverbs 10:25)

“The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.” (Proverbs 10:28)

The temptation is sometimes strong to choose to do something that we know is wrong because we think that we will benefit in some way from it. We think that the wrong choice will make us more prosperous. We think the wrong choice will bring more pleasure. We think the wrong choice will get us ahead in our jobs or in some other circle in which we want to get ahead.

Those things may be true from a short-term perspective, sometimes it seems like the wicked to prosper, but that is just the short-view.

From a long-term perspective the choice of integrity and righteousness is always better! Righteousness leads to eternal benefits. Righteousness brings greater help to the people around us -- the kind of help that will really benefit them. Righteousness makes our own lives better.

Many times a day we are faced with the choice of doing something wrong or making righteousness our choice. Don’t let your eyes stay on the short-view -- take the long-view and choose righteousness.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- January 7, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” (Proverbs 9:7-9)

How we handle correction has a great impact on how well our lives go. We all make mistakes and have blind areas in our lives in which we do not understand the wrong things we are doing and the wrong directions we are heading.

It takes courage to bring rebuke and correction to someone else. Most of the people around us don’t have that kind of courage. They are content to allow us to continue to make our mistakes and walk our wrong paths. But there are a few good friends, those who care for us deeply, who are courageous enough to confront us with what they see.

Of course, not every critic knows what he is talking about. There are critics who make their judgments based on the wrong criteria or with blind eyes of their own. But wise critics, those who see clearly, and lovingly and gently speak correction into our lives are to be listened to and their words carefully considered.

If we ignore all correction or turn in anger on those who correct us, then we will miss some of the things the Lord wants to teach us. The Lord can speak through the correction of others. So, listen carefully to correction, weigh its validity, and respond appropriately – that’s a key to living a wise life and a life pleasing to the Lord.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- January 6, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” (Proverbs 8:17)

The Bible contains a paradox -- actually, it contains several of them, but here’s one: those who seek God will find Him, but no one finds God by seeking Him.

Read these verses that declare the first truth:

“If you seek him, he will be found by you.” (1 Chronicles 28:9 -- spoken to Solomon)

“If you seek him, he will be found by you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2 -- spoken to Asa)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:25)

“He who seeks finds.” (Matthew 7:8)

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him.” (Acts 17:27)

“He rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Yet, Paul declares the other side of the paradox:

“There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” (Romans 3:11)

The truth is that no one does seek God of his own initiative. The only ones who seek God are those who are responding to God’s work drawing them toward Him.

Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44)

But, God draws many who do not respond. Only those who respond to God’s work drawing them to Him, only those who seek Him as He draws them, come into a relationship with Him.

God has drawn us into a relationship with Him -- salvation is always at God’s initiative -- it is always about His grace, about His work in our lives. Thank God for His work.

Recognize that those around you have the opportunity to respond or not to respond to God’s work in their lives, to seek Him or to turn away from Him. Encourage them, as much as you have opportunity, to seek God. And let’s continue to seek God ourselves, as He continues to work in our lives.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- January 5, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

God doesn’t hate people, but He does hate the sins that we often give in to. In fact, God’s love for people can be seen in the sins that stir the deepest feelings in Him. The seven sins Solomon mentions in this list are all sins that affect other people.

Haughty eyes -- pride says that I’m more important than someone else, that my needs and desires come before theirs. That’s never the way of the Lord. The way of the Lord is in humility. Paul reminded us, “In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

A lying tongue -- God is the God of truth, not lies. In fact, the devil is the “father of lies.”  Jesus said of the devil, “When he lies, he speaks his native language.” (John 8:44) When we give in to the temptation to lie, we follow the path of the devil, not the path of the Lord.

Hands that shed innocent blood -- God protects the innocent and He calls us to the same commitment!

A heart that devises wicked schemes -- The plans God has for us are not for harm, but for hope. The plans we are to devise should have that same characteristic.

Feet that rush into evil -- Paul encouraged Timothy to “flee temptation.” We are to run away from evil, not rush toward it.

A false witness who pours out lies -- There must be something doubly troubling to God about a lying tongue for Him to mention it twice in this list.

A man who stirs up dissension among brothers -- God loves unity and hates dissension among people. God pours out His blessings when brothers live together in unity. (Psalm 133) He longs to see people get along and asks us to do everything in our power to get along with those around us and to be peacemakers among others.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- January 2, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:6-11)

The Bible is filled with practical advice that when followed makes life work better. Sociologists can demonstrate how Judeo-Christian principles can turn an entire culture around, not only changing the moral climate, but other aspects of the culture, too, even the economic climate.

Here Solomon teaches the principle of hard work. Not hard work because it is forced by some superior power, but hard work that comes from the heart and commitment of the individual. The ant doesn’t work hard because it is under forced labor. It works hard because it knows that is what it takes to survive and keep from need.

As with almost every biblical principle, there is a balance to what is taught. The Bible doesn’t teach hard work to the exclusion of every other aspect of life. The Bible doesn’t encourage workaholism. We aren’t to work so hard and long that there is no time for family, taking care of ourselves, worship, service and other aspects of life. However, the Bible does teach that we are to work hard, to give a good measure of time and effort to the labor of providing for ourselves and for those for whom we are responsible.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- January 1, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.” (Proverbs 5:15-18)

The old adage says, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” Solomon talks about that principle in this proverb as it applies to marriage. At times, someone else’s wife or husband can seem so much more desirable than your own! As you gaze upon that person, what you see is your fantasy about them, all their good points and none of the difficulties of a relationship with them. When you compare that fantasy with the real struggles you experience in your own marriage, it often looks better on the other side.

Solomon’s challenge is to be faithful to your own marriage. “Drink water from your own cistern.” Don’t go seeking satisfaction in places that are not yours!

That’s a principle that must be applied to marriage. It’s also a principle that can be applied to many other aspects of life, too.

Someone else’s career looks better than yours.

Someone else’s house is more desirable than your own.

Someone else’s family is more of what you dreamed your family would be.

Someone else’s intellect or beauty is what you want.

We fantasize and dream of other situations that would bring us greater happiness and satisfaction. If only!

But don’t live your life in the “if onlys”! Drink water from your own cistern. Live in the reality of your own life and allow God to show you satisfaction there!

His, by Grace,

Steve