Your Friends Are A Mirror

May 28, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 13:20-22 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “God works in mysterious ways.” “God helps those who help themselves.” These three phrases can be found in Hezekiah 1:12. Now before you look them up, it’s a joke. There’s no Hezekiah 1:12.

     One of the things my dad said when I was younger was, “you are who you hang out with.” At the time, I didn’t believe it. I thought, “no way, I am my own man. I am who I am, and they are different.” However as I have grown older, and begin to look around, I see he was right. If you want to see the kind of person you are, just look at the people with whom you choose to associate. I’m not talking about the people you’re forced to go to school with, or work with. I’m referring to the times when it’s your choice, who do you choose to spend most your time with. Dear reader, who they are, is a good indicator of who you are.

     I often wondered where my Christian parents came up with all their wisdom. Now I can see, most of their wisdom must have come from Gods Word. Proverbs 13:20 says pretty much the same thing my dad said. If you walk with the wise, they will make you wiser. Being around wise people will cause you to think, and learn. On the other hand, hanging out with a group of people who have no desire to be better at anything, who make foolish decisions, and disregard God and His Word, will make you just like them. So, as you look around at the friends you choose to be around, ask yourself, just who am I?

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Ok, so what if your inspection shines a light on the fact that you may not have the best friend, now what. Well you have two choices. First, if you want to better yourself, find and make new encouraging friends. Secondly, help your old friends become wiser. How, talk with them about the Bible, and God. If they really do not want to become wiser, you’ll not have to leave them. I promise! As hard as it may be to believe, these so-called friends, will eventually leave you.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 28, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezra 6 – 10     /     Proverbs 13:20-22

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  2 Kings 6-8   /   John 10:22-42

Tears Tell The Story

May 27, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 13:17-19 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     As a young boy, I received my fair share of spankings. I know, some of you can’t imagine me getting a spanking, right? Well, then again, if you know me you probably can. When I was disobedient I would get a good old fashion spanking. My dad wasn’t abusive, but he sure got his point across.

     The strange thing is, that with the exception of just a couple of them, I really don’t remember the spankings. I remember getting them, but I just can’t remember the actual spanking. However, I do know this, the lessons my dad taught me through discipline, helped me grow up to be the man I am today.

     Did I like the spankings? Not at the time. I would jump, howl, and scream as if someone was killing me. When I was spanked, the whole neighborhood knew it. Did my dad enjoy spanking? No, I’m sure he didn’t. Still, he felt that it was his responsibility as a parent to correct me, because he loved me.

     As a young teen, I began to follow my friends, and started smoking. My dad had smoked for years, and always told me; “don’t get messed up with these things,” but I did. I don’t remember many spankings, but I remember the day my dad found out I was smoking. I remember how he sat in his recliner and cried. My dad hardly ever cried in front of anyone. He didn’t yell, or through a fit. He cried. With precious tears running down his face he looked at me and said, “I wish a thousand times I had never started smoking these things.” Before He died from cancer, he had quit. Even then he said, “I think I quit too late.”

     Why does that stick in my memory? Because I could visibly see how much my disobedience really hurt him. When I think of God, my heavenly Father, I somewhat see Him this way also. When He has to correct me out of love, I wonder, does He cry?

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

   Oh, God I pray, help me, that I would not cause you to shed even one more tear for my sinfulness.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 27, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezra 1 – 5     /     Proverbs 13:17-19

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  2 Kings 4-5   /   John 10:1-21

Maps Are Made For A Reason

May 26, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 13:13-16 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     It’s almost time for vacations. People love to travel and visit with family and friends. Sometimes they like to go, and see things never seen before.

     Imagine with me that we are both planning a trip to the same place; however, it’s somewhere neither of us have been to before. You’re going to go your own way, and I will take mine. I get out a map, and plan the best route to get there in the safest, and shortest amount of time. You on the other hand say, “Well I know it’s in that direction, I’m just going to head that way, and believe I will get there sooner or later.”

     I call ahead to make reservations for a nice motel in the area. I’ve read reviews from others who have stayed there, and called ahead to check on the availability. This motel has had a great track record in the past for comfortable accommodations in the town to which we’re going. You on the other hand say, “I’ll just wait until I get there, and then pick the first one I see.”

     Which one of us do you think will have the least amount of troubles on our journey? Me, with directions mapped out, and a reservation. Or you, who found yourself stopping every so often to ask where to turn next, and also found many of the motels in the area booked full, and ended up at a less desirable location. Most people would probably rather catch a ride with me.

     That’s a similar picture in the difference of living life with God’s road map, the Bible, or just living it as you desire. Many of life’s trials, and troubles could have been avoided by just followed the directions that God made available in His Word.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Oh, how about the place you’ll stay when you get to the end of life’s journey? I have called ahead, and made reservations in Heaven at the end of this life. If you didn’t make reservations, what do you think your accommodation might be like?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 26, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  2 Chronicles 33 – 36     /     Proverbs 13:13-16

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  2 Kings 1-3      /     John 9:24-41

Is God In The Gambling Business?

May 25, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 13:10-12 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     In the late 1990’s there was a man on the news who won a large amount of money from the lottery. His newspaper comments, if they are accurate, said he thanked God for helping him pick the right numbers, and was giving a lot of the money to his church.

     Several people I know commented, “Oh how I wish that could have been our church.” I know they meant this in an innocent, and loving way. While we were in the midst of a building program, the thought of having all the money we might need to complete the structure would have been nice. However, wait a minute; didn’t he get all that money by gambling? Didn’t thousands upon thousands of people who really needed their money foolishly wager a bet, and have to lose it for him to become rich? Some people bet their rent, while others will let their children go hungry because of their addiction to gambling.

     Do you think for one minute God really had anything to do with it? The same God who says in Proverbs 13:11 “wealth gotten by VANITY shall be diminished.” The word vanity means emptiness, or “like a breath,” or nothing there. This man gambled, and received this money from doing nothing to earn it. It would be interesting to know what he had done with the money in the next couple of years. It’s commonly reported that many of these folks who come into sudden wealth, end up broke in a very short time.


THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     As we look at the wealth of the world, the idea of gambling becomes enticing to say the least. Especially knowing we could use the money for so many great things for the Lord. We must know though, it’s always better to wait upon the Lord with His timing, and His plan, than to cave into the vices of sin, and of man. As the second part of the verse says, “he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” Let’s just do things God’s way, shall we?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 25, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  2 Chronicles 29 – 32     /     Proverbs 13:10-12

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  1 Kings 22     /     John 9:1-23

Weekend Review

May 23 & 24, 2020

Proverbs 13:7

There is that maketh himself rich,
yet hath nothing: 
there is that maketh himself poor,
yet hath great riches. 

Work Week Devotions
Through the Book of Proverbs

      As you know by now, with WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS, we only publish our Devotional Thoughts on Monday – Friday. On Saturday we suggest you re-read the entire chapter we have been studying this past week, and if we will be going into the following chapter the next week, we encourage you to read that chapter as well.       

There are never Devotions on Sunday. 

Thank you for joining us as we
journey together
Through Proverbs in 2020.

WEEK 20 – Day 6

     On Saturday, we suggest you re-read the Proverb we have written from this past week and the week to come.

Proverbs 12-13

WEEK 20 – Day 7

     Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastor’s heart. Whatever Scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS

May 25, 2020     2 Chronicles 29 – 32     Proverbs 13:10 – 12
May 26, 2020     2 Chronicles 33 – 36     Proverbs 13:13 – 16
May 27, 2020     Ezra 1 – 5                        Proverbs 13:17 – 19
May 28, 2020     Ezra 6 – 10                      Proverbs 13:20 – 22
May 29, 2020     Nehemiah 1 – 5             Proverbs 13:23 – 25
May 30, 2020     Proverbs 13 – 14
May 31, 2020     No Passages Assigned    

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY

May 25, 2020     1 Kings 22                   John 9:1-23
May 26, 2020     2 Kings 1-3                  John 9:24-41
May 27, 2020     2 Kings 4-5                  John 10:1-21
May 28, 2020     2 Kings 6-8                  John 10:22-42
May 29, 2020     2 Kings 9-10                John 11:1-37
May 30, 2020     2 Kings 11-13              John 11:38-57
May 31, 2020   No Passages Assigned

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY

    MAY 23, 2020     1 Kings 20-21  /     John 8:31-59
    MAY 24, 2020     No Passages Assigned