The Truth Will Stand Forever

May 15, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 12:17-20 He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     “Liar, liar, pants on fire, hang them on a telephone wire.” A children’s rhyme of which no one knows its exact origin, and is often changed a bit from place to place.

     One version of its origin was that a man was caught smoking when he should not have been. He thought he had put the cigarette out, and stuck it away in his pocket. When asked if he had been smoking, he emphatically said, “no,” but then was told, “liar, liar, your pants are on fire, hang them on a telephone wire.” The line of putting them on the phone wire was a way of saying, and everyone knows your lying.

    No one likes to be lied to, and most often people can’t stand a liar. There was another old saying that went, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” In other words, you might trick me once with your lies, and deceit. If you do, you should be ashamed of yourself. However, the second time you trick me with the same lies; it’s my fault, because I knew you could not be trusted.

     The truth will always stand forever. Why? Because it is the truth. However, lies have a way of being found out. The only reason people believe a lie to begin with is because they believe it is the truth. Once the tale is exposed as being a lie, the liar is exposed as one with a deceitful heart. Trust is easy to lose, and so very hard to gain back.


THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     What makes us so sure what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, paid the price for our sins? It’s the fact that God says so that makes us sure. Why, because never once has God ever told a lie. Not ever. Everything He has said in the past would come true, has come true exactly like he said it would. We can hang our eternal security on His Eternal Truth.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 15, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Chronicles 27 – 29     /     Proverbs 12:17-20

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  1 Kings 6-7     /      John 5:1-27

To Share, Or Silence

May 14, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 12:13-16 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     Over and over Solomon has made attempts to show his son the difference between the wise, and unwise. The contrasts clearly seen in these verses are set between those whom he calls fools, or wicked, and those recorded as the wise.

     Here we’re told that the words of the wicked will display his heart. He is right in his own eyes, and harsh toward those around. He lashes out and belittles others, hoping that in doing so he might look wise, or mightier. Rather than being a help to an injured soul, he makes things worse with unwise counsel.

     Solomon also says, the wise and prudent man is exactly the opposite of all this. Often being hard on himself, he seeks, and accepts the counsel from those around, knowing there are others wiser than himself. Rather than expose someone, and their faults or sin, he will often accept the ridicule of others, while all the while concealing the hurt for another.

     You remember in Genesis chapter 9 the story of Noah and his sons? Ham went in, and saw his father’s shame. Rather than covering his father, he went to tell it abroad. Behaving as though he thought he was now somehow superior in character to his own father. Shem and Japheth on the other hand, would not look upon their father, but walked in backwards to cover Noah’s dishonor.

     The heart of a person can often be seen by what they will, or will not share with others.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Do you have information on someone that makes for a great story? Ask yourself, if this was told on you, how would you feel? God wants us to help, not hurt one another. Gossip not only destroys others, it destroys others respect for the gossiper as well. Think for a moment, what will say more about you and your Christian character, your sharing, or your silence?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 14, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Chronicles 23 – 26     /     Proverbs 12:13-16

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  1 Kings 3-5      /      John 4:40-54

Dig For Joy

May 13, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 12:9-12 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     Before I was saved, I hung around a crowd who lacked real understanding in life. Life was devoted to the pursuit of what we thought was fun. We wanted nothing more than to always have fun, and party. It never seemed to matter if we were evicted from our homes, lost our cars, were put in the credit bureau for unpaid bills, or owed lots of people money. No matter who was hurt in the process, as long as we were having what we thought was fun, we thought we were happy.

     However, when I received Christ as my Saviour, things changed. Now I was not only concerned about others, but also about my testimony of who Christ was in me. I desired to be a good example to those around me. I found that I was not really having fun before, but rather, my lack of self-control was really masking my frustrations with life with the sins of the world.

     Satan had been giving me a false sense of joy. Alcohol and drugs had numbed me to reality. When the party was over, and everyone was gone, I always felt so alone and empty.

     Our text today said; “He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.” Now as I live to be a good testimony of Christ in me, God also has brought so much joy and satisfaction to life. Real Joy, Real Life.


THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Some will treat Bible Study the same way. Not willing to dig into the Word, they can’t understand why they get little joy from its pages, while others around them find such happiness in the study of the Word. Do you remember your childhood, and the sandbox? Digging was half the fun of being in the sandbox. Get into God’s Word, begin to dig, and you will find the treasures buried there. It’s a little work, for a lifetime of joy. LET’S DIG!

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 13, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Chronicles 18 – 22     /     Proverbs 12:9-12

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  1 Kings 1-2      /     John 4:1-39

What Are You Thinking About?

May 12, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 12:5-8 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     Sometimes people wonder, why it’s important to guard what we see, and hear. As a Pastor and friend, I have recommended that people listen to Godly music which will ministers to their heart, I get, “Oh preacher, it’s just music.” When I suggest reading, or watching something more wholesome than some novels, or some TV programs, I hear “But I really like them, I’ve been watching, or reading them for years.”

     Why is what we see and hear important? Well ask yourself, is what we watch on TV, or read in romance novels better or worse today than it was years ago? The obvious answer is worse. Why is that? It’s because we have learned to accept, or tolerate more and more garbage over the years of watching, and reading. Our minds have become conditioned, and contaminated by the world’s escalation of filth.

     Our verses today say the thoughts of a righteous man produce right words, and right actions, thus receiving right rewards. Part of that reward is that other people trust honest upright people. However, it also says the thoughts of the wicked produce poor advice, corrupt actions, and questionable lifestyles. They too eventually receive a just reward. Part of which is that nobody wants to be around someone who lies, or is always trying to hurt, or destroy someone else.

     What we feed our minds is as important as what we feed our bodies. Our thoughts and behaviors are being developed daily by what we feed mind.


THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     In the computer world, there’s a saying, “garbage in… garbage out.” Meaning, if you put the wrong information into the computer, you’ll get bad information out as well. Your results will reflect what’s put in. In speaking about the greatest computer the world has ever known, our mind, God said it this way in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: …” What are you thinking about?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 12, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Chronicles 14 – 17     /     Proverbs 12:5-8

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  2 Samuel 23-24   /   John 3

Fire, Fire

May 11, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 3:27-29 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     On TV, I saw a raging fire on the west coast of the US burning out of control. The firefighters were actually not trying to stop the blaze; they were concentrating on making sure it did not spread much farther. They realized it was out of control, and were busy trying to control the amount of damage it would do. To do so, they ignited a controlled fire around the blaze, large enough to burn everything in its path. Their hope was that when this raging inferno reached that point, it would no longer have anything to burn, and that the pre-burned area was too large for the flames to leap over. Fortunately, it worked. Yet, to control the fire, everything around it had to be destroyed.

     Often people who believe they are right, and will not listen to counsel, are just like that fire. No matter what the facts say, no matter what the evidence of God’s hand at work says, no matter what, they believe they’re right. It’s not until everything around them is destroyed that they begin to realize, in their unwillingness to learn, they destroyed themselves. There’s nothing left to consume. No one left to complain to, or listen to them and their ideas. People avoid the destructive fire of a stubborn heart.

    The word “brutish” in today’s verse means eaten up, or self-destructive. Just as the fire was destroyed by fire, so will people who are unwilling to receive instruction, destroy themselves by destroying relationships all around themselves.


THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     You might be asking, if I realize that’s me, and I’m in the middle of it, how do I change? Reach out to the mighty hand of God to pull you free. Ask Him to open your heart to the truth. Don’t try to get God to get on board with what you’re doing. Find out what God’s doing, and get on board with Him.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 11, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Chronicles 10 – 13     /     Proverbs 12:1-4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  2 Samuel 21-22   /   John 2