Your choice!

A good Word from the Lord as we head into the new year!



Proverbs 22:1

1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 



We make the choice! How we treat people. How we do business. How we do our job. How we live our life! We make our name either good or bad. As the old saying goes, it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only a second to destroy it! God tells us here in this verse that a good name is much better than being rich. You can have all the money in the world but if you don't find loving favor from others what good is all that money? It is worthless. If we treat folks like Jesus treated folks our lives will be fulfilled to the utmost.



So my friends as you hear into 2011, you have a choice....a good name or not!



Have a great 2011 and may God bless you greatly!



Tom

No match for the Lord.


This verse explains life pretty well!



Proverbs 21:30

30 There is no wisdom or understanding

Or counsel against the LORD.



No matter how smart man thinks he is, we are no match for God. It amazes me how mankind tries to prove that they know more than God. It makes no sense at all. God created all and thus we are no where close in comparison with him. If all of mankind would just surrender their lives to God and worship Him for who He is....can you imagine what this world of ours would be like??? This verse is also another plug from the Bible about how important it is to be reading our Bibles because this is where we gain our wisdom, our understanding, and our counsel from the Lord!



God's way is the right way don't ever question that!



Tom

We are to work!

Proverbs 21:25 (New King James Version)

25 The desire of the lazy man kills him,

For his hands refuse to labor. 



This verse really hits home with me this morning when I look at what our society has become. Way back when Adam and Eve sinned God told us that from then on we will have to work! We have allowed ourselves as a nation to allow folks to live off handouts from the government and individuals. Now let me be clear I have no problem with helping those who are in need or have lost their jobs. What I do have a problem with is helping those who are capable of working but choose to be lazy and not work because they can get free handouts! I believe there are many verses in the Bible to back up my belief including this one today! The desire of a lazy many is just that...to be lazy and do nothing. The lazy one refuses to work. Folks I am a firm believer that the Bible has the answers for all of life and if we would follow God's Word we will be much better off than we are now!



Thank you God for giving us the guide book to life!



Tom

Follow our Example!

Proverbs 21:21

21 He who follows righteousness and mercy

Finds life, righteousness, and honor. 



When I read this verse, the first thought I had was Jesus Christ. All of theses descriptive words describe Jesus. Jesus calls us to follow Him. When we follow Him correctly we will have righteousness because of Him. We also will be merciful to others as He commands us to do. When we follow Christ we find true life, this is why so many are unhappy these days because they have not put there trust in Jesus. One day we will have honor as joint heirs with Jesus in heaven...oh what a day that will be!!!



Take time to think on this verse this morning. Then ask yourself...am I following the perfect example of Jesus!



Tom

Are your ears open?

Proverbs 21:13



13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor

will also cry out and not be answered. 



Wow what a verse for us to think about right after Christmas when we have spent so much money on ourselves and our kids who already have everything under the sun. In this verse God makes it very clear that we need to help the poor. During Christmas we see all kinds of stories about how folks are helping those in need which is awesome. The bad thing is it seems to stop right after Christmas. We should always be ready to help those who are in need out of the blessings God has given to us. The later part of this verse should really grab our attention. For if we are not open to helping others God informs us here that when the time comes that we are in need our cries will not be heard! That is God's way of telling us what goes around comes around!!!



So stop and think this morning...when is the last time you helped someone in need? We had better make it a daily habit!



Tom

I am right!

Proverbs 21:2

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts. 



Pride is a very dangerous thing before the Lord. God's Word warns us many times not to be prideful. We need to be humble. Part of being humble is being able to admit we are wrong sometimes. In today's world man has a very hard time admitting he is wrong or has done wrong. The main reason we need to admit our wrong ways to the Lord is answered in the second part of this verse. God knows and weighs our hearts. He knows when we do right and He knows when we do wrong and you know what? So do we!!! So why do we try to convince everyone we are always right??? God knows so be honest with Him and with man. It really is the best policy! It makes our heavenly Father very happy when we are able to humble ourselves because it shows we are becoming more like our example of humbleness...Jesus Christ.



So do you always think you are right even when you aren't? If you do you better get in God's Word and find out how to correct that for God is weighing our hearts!



Tom

Who tells you how to walk?

A great verse to think on this Tuesday!



Proverbs 20:24 (New King James Version)

24 A man’s steps are of the LORD;

How then can a man understand his own way? 



So who is directing your walk this morning? Really it comes down to two choices. Either you are or God is. As the second part of this verse implies we are lost if we are trying to direct or own walk. We are not wise enough on our own to direct our own walk....we must rely on God. When we have God leading our life will be in line with what He desires for each one of us who are serving Him. Of course on the other hand if we are directing our own steps we will not be where God wants us to be in our walk with Him...it is that plain and simple!



So how does God direct our path? We need to be spending time with Him to find out! Bible reading, prayer, Church, Sunday school, and talking and listening to those who are strong Christians!



So ask yourself this morning....who is directing my steps....God or me?



Tom

Just a reminder!

Proverbs 20:12


12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,

The LORD has made them both.



This morning God is giving us a little reminder about a couple of things. First He is the Creator. Not only did he creat your eyes and ears but He created everything around us. I was thinking the other day that when we pray we pray to the Almighty God, the Creator of the universe...just stop and think about that for a moment. It is awesome isn't it? Second God gives us ears to use. Are you listening to Him? He wants us to have a relationship with Him and that includes listening to Him not just asking for things like we tend to do! He also wants us to use those ears to listen to others! We are to be servants and to be a good servant we must listen to others and then try to meet their needs. Thirdly God has given us eyes to see. Not only can we listen but many times we can see what we can't hear. I see many folks who are in need of the gospel. I see many folks who are hurting in various ways. I see my family and friends who I am to serve. What do you see? No matter what you see the next question is what are you doing to show them the love of Christ in your life? Remember we are here to be representatives of Jesus!!!



So this morning how are you using them eyes and ears? God gave you them for a purpose...are you fullfilling that purpose?



Have a great day and stay warm!



Tom

Never to young to start!

Great verse for our young folks this morning!



Proverbs 20:11

11 Even a child is known by his deeds,

Whether what he does is pure and right.



I am not sure where the mind set came along that we can live wild in sin for a certain amount of time and then when we get older we will settle down and start living for God. God makes it pretty clear here that our reputation starts when we are children thus we need to be living for God when we are children. I have tried to teach our youth this principle....it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and only one mistake to ruin it. In other words make wise choices! As parents, grandparents, family and friends we need to be in constant prayer for our children. They face more temptations than ever before and we need to do all we can to protect them in the hedge of prayer.



Let us be doing our part parents by being goo examples of the faith!



Tom

Only with Jesus!

Take a moment to think on this verse:



Proverbs 20:9 (New King James Version)

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,

I am pure from my sin”?



So many today want to point us to their good works to show us they are in good standing with God. This verse although it does not give us the answer points us to the answer.....Jesus Christ. We can do all the good works we want but if we have not accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we are not clean before God. Only the shed blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin...nothing else. God tells us in His Word that our righteousness is like filthy rags before Him. Thank God He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sin and to makes us righteous before the almighty God. Nothing we have done but a free gift from the God who loves us so very much!



Thank you Jesus for giving me a clean heart and making me pure in the sight of God.



Tom

Set the example!

Mom and dad....take this verse to the heart and hold it close.



Proverbs 20:7

7 The righteous man walks in his integrity;

His children are blessed after him.



This verse for us today is very simple but yet very important to us parents. When we walk in integrity our children will be blessed. Let me define integrity for you. Integrity: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. If we as parents represent these values as described here as integrity and can instill them in our children, our children will blessed! Why will our children be blessed? Because we will be examples to them in our walk with God and they will follow our example! I hope and pray it is all of our desire as parents that our children walk with the Lord very closely and thus have integrity as a part of their lives. Now parents let me say this. We must be an example to our children. They watch us very closely to see if our words match our deeds! But our children are individuals and they will have to make their own choices. The reason I say this is to warn you that sometimes you can be a person of integrity and follow after God very closely but your child may choose not to follow God. We can't beat ourselves up over that. Yes it hurts but if we are doing our part in bringing our children up in the Lord and be good examples ourselves, the rest is up to the individual child! If they wonder from God though don't ever give up on them....keep praying and keep after them for they may be like the prodigal son and come home one day!



So how are you doing as the example? If you are doing well Praise the Lord! If you need work there is no better time to start than today!



God bless and have a great week!



Tom

Stop before it starts!

Another wise teaching from the Lord this morning:



Proverbs 20:3

3 It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,

but every fool is quick to quarrel.



It is so easy to get a argument started isn't it? Why is it so hard for us to hold our tongue? Pride has quit a bit to do with it as we want to think that we are always right. Even if we are right God is giving us a clue here on how to keep honorable in his eyes. He tells us in this verse to avoid strife. It is pretty simple really. We have one of two choices when we see an argument starting. The first thing we can do is shut our mouth. It is pretty tough to argue when our mouth is closed! The second is walk away. If you are no longer around the person you are having an argument with it is also hard have an argument! Remember God says to avoid arguments is honorable! Look at the other side of this. The second part of the verse says a fool is quick to quarrel! In other words, we are a fool if we stand their and argue! I just had this thought come to mind....how many times in a heated argument do we change the other persons mind? Not very often.



So as God tells us this morning stop the argument before it starts! Have a great day in the Lord!



Tom