Tag: bible

Trust in the LORD (Proverbs 29)

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Pro 29:17-20, 23, 25 NKJV Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. (18) Where [there is] no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy [is] he who keeps the law. (19) A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not respond. (20) Do you see a man hasty in his words? [There is] more hope for a fool than for him. … (23) A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. … (25) The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Dear Son, whenever we set out on a trip our destination determines our path. We set out to go somewhere. So many in life are cruising through life with no clear destination in mind. They just hope to get somewhere someday. They react to the winds of culture and change course at the drop of a dime. We start out in one direction only to turn, turn, and turn again, the next thing you know we are just headed in circles. We are reminded that the Lord directs our paths. We always have a purpose and a direction to head.

When there is no clear destination, people cease to follow leaders. A man hasty with words brings about his own destruction because he is always backtracking and changing his mind. Trust the Lord. Sometimes you might not know the next step, but you will know who is going to get you there. There may be moments you don’t know how, but you can trust that where the Lord leads you, he will provide for you.

There is a way to begin a journey trusting in the Lord and end up afraid of men. Commit in your heart early that you will follow the Lord’s direction and no other. Walking in the fear of man will only bring about more anxiety, not less. Trust God. He will guide you.

Father, thank you for the grace of parenting my kids. I pray they follow you all the days of their life. I ask that they would earnestly seek you and your direction for their lives. I pray their decisions will be directly influenced by your word. I pray that they would seek you with all of their hearts and find fulfillment and satisfaction in you. Keep them from being afraid of what men may think and cause them to be confident in your word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Walk Wisely (Proverbs 28)

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Pro 28:1, 6-7, 9, 13, 23-27 NKJV The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion. … (6) Better [is] the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse [in his] ways, though he [be] rich. (7) Whoever keeps the law [is] a discerning son, But a companion of gluttons shames his father. … (9) One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer [is] an abomination. … (13) He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes [them] will have mercy. … (23) He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue. (24) Whoever robs his father or his mother, And says, “[It is] no transgression,” The same [is] companion to a destroyer. (25) He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. (26) He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. (27) He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

Dear Daughter, I went walking several years ago and walked down a big path covered over by trees. I looked back and saw that just where I had walked was a giant rattle snake coiled up. I must have walked within just a few feet and never saw it coming. On the way back I was sure to give the serpent lots of room because I didn’t want to be bit.

The bible says that for those who walk righteously that we don’t have anything to fret or worry over. We can walk boldly as a lion through life. We’ve dealt in truth and so our lies haven’t gone before us as snares. We’ve trusted God and His promises are sure. We’ve kept good friends, listened to our parents, and honored the Lord in all things. Our steps are guided.

As foolish as it would have been to try and walk back by the snake as close as I could, so some people walk through life intending to do things wickedly (or near wickedly). You can’t go through life with that sort of deceit in your heart and not expect to get bit. Be sure your ways and your path will find you out.

Father, thank you for the grace of being a dad. I ask for my children that they would walk wisely. I pray that they seek to honor you in all things. I pray that they are bold as lions on the path you have set them on. I ask for your grace in confessing their sins and walking in integrity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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A True Friend (Proverbs 27)

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Pro 27:6, 8-10, 14, 17 NKJV (6) Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful. … (8) Like a bird that wanders from its nest [Is] a man who wanders from his place. (9) Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend [gives delight] by hearty counsel. (10) Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better [is] a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. … (14) He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him. … (17) [As] iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Dear Son, It’s been said that if your five closest friends are millionaires, you’ll be the sixth. If you five closest friends are dirt poor, so will you be. The kind of folks you hang around will shape your character and you will shape theirs. It’s a good idea to hang around with smart folks. It’s a good idea to hang around folks who do good in this world.

If you ever wondered who your real friends are, they are the ones who will stick around when the sky is falling. The are the ones you will stick beside when something goes wrong. You’ll be over at their house with food. You’ll listen to them in their den and on their porch. You’ll watch their kids when they are struggling. You will go out of your way to bless your friends and they will go out of their way to bless you.

Pick good friends in this life. No one may have ever told you that you can do that, but you can sit down and list the folks who you choose to be your friends. Be a blessing, show yourself to be friendly and you’ll be surprise at how people respond.

Speak the truth to your friends and expect them to do the same for you. A word of correction in the mouth of someone who cares about you is higher praise than a stranger who pays you a compliment. Your friends want the best for you. Pick good friends and your friends will be there to pick you up on the day of calamity. They’ll be there to encourage and bless you and you will be there for them.

Father, Thank you for the grace of being a dad. I ask for wisdom in raising my children. I pray that they’d all love and honor you. I ask that you’d bless them to have great friends and that they’d prove themselves a blessing to their friends. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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To Smart to Work? (Proverbs 26)

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Pro 26:12-19 NKJV Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? [There is] more hope for a fool than for him. (13) The lazy [man] says, “[There is] a lion in the road! A fierce lion [is] in the streets!” (14) [As] a door turns on its hinges, So [does] the lazy [man] on his bed. (15) The lazy [man] buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. (16) The lazy [man is] wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly. (17) He who passes by [and] meddles in a quarrel not his own [Is like] one who takes a dog by the ears. (18) Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, (19) [Is] the man [who] deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”

Dear Daughter, I’ll never forget an article I read several years ago about a man who died in India trying to take a selfie. He stood on a ledge to get the perfect social media post and fell off to his demise. The article sited that a staggering number of folks died each year taking a selfie. Selfies in and of themselves aren’t lethal, it’s when the person taking them begins to imagine that the laws of physics or laws of the jungle don’t apply to them. They are “wiser in their own eyes” than the warning sign. They think they have it handled and under control… until they don’t.

There is no reasoning with someone who is wise in their own eyes. They will come up with reasons not to work, “that job is too dangerous, there is a lion in the road so I can’t get to work today.” They think they are the smartest person in the room and they will help you feel it too. They’ll even try to solve someone else’s problem by inserting themselves into a situation that doesn’t belong to them. They’ll criticize harshly and then say they were just joking… all these are the luxuries of a man who is always right in his own eyes. These narcistic lazy men are always right and can’t be corrected. If you find one, run! Don’t go on a date with one and don’t bring one home. He won’t be content to destroy his own life! He’ll destroy yours too if you let him! Men Boys like this aren’t to be given the time of day. Life has enough drama without them.

Father, thank you for the blessing of raising my children. I pray you watch over them today. I pray that you keep them from becoming lazy and that you would keep them from people who are always right in their own eyes. Lord, I know this culture seems to be shifting. I pray though that you would turn the tide. I pray that there would be enough folks who recognize the insanity of the current philosophies being absorbed into our culture to turn the tide. I pray that we would once again be an industrious nation filled with producers. In Jesus Amen.

Join us in reading a Proverb A Day through the Month of May (or any month you want)

God is Sovereign (Proverbs 16)

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Pro 16:2-3, 9, 33 NKJV All the ways of a man [are] pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. (3) Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. … (9) A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. … (33) The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision [is] from the LORD.

Dear daughter, Often I’ve prayed and tried to tell the Lord what to do. One of the most humbling exercises I do from time to time is to read my old journals from the days before I dated your mother. I have the advantage now of flipping through and seeing days, weeks, and years pass by at the flip of the page. On one page I wrote out a prayer and I asked God to cause so-and-so to like me because I thought she’d make a great wife. Several pages later I wrote the same thing with a different girl’s name. The point is, I thought I had it all figured out and I was trying to tell God what to do, but the LORD didn’t need my help. He brought your mom into my life at the exact right moment.

There is beauty in affirming that God is sovereign. The LORD is in control and He knows what He is doing. When I had an infection in my heart, God was sovereign. When I was sick with covid-pneumonia, God was sovereign. The day I was born God was sovereign. The day I die, God will be sovereign. We may not understand sometimes why things work out the way they do. We may not grasp why some folks are healed and others die untimely deaths. There will be a lot of mysteries this side of Heaven I’m sure. But one thing is not a mystery, God is in control.

So we should pray and trust Him. Trust Him when His hand of providence greets us as we’d expect and hope. And trust Him when things don’t turn out as we’d dreamed. By his grace we’ll see why he let things fall the other way. We may not see it in this life, but we’ll see it one day none-the-less.

Father, thank you for the blessing of being a dad. I pray that my kids would know and love you. I am grateful that in the moments where we feel like life is the most out of control that we can rest in the confidence that you are in control. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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A Companion of Fools Will Be Destroyed (Proverbs 13)

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Pro 13:20,NKJV He who walks with wise [men] will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

Dear Son, There were a few years of my life when I lived in rebellion. My parents often didn’t know what I was up to and I would stay with a friend and we’d go drink. The stupidest thing I ever did was to ride in a car with an older man who would drive us around while he was drinking. One night I had too much alcohol and threw up all over my friends. They ended up putting me in back of pick up and driving me around for hours shirtless on a cold January night. I started blacking out and so they ended up propping me up on a strangers dirty toilet where I spent the rest of the night. Looking back, I had most of the symptoms of alcohol poisoning and I really needed medical attention but my friends were all underage and ignorant of what was happening.

I look back and think that there was a night that I was so close to death, not just because of what I had done, but because my friends were fools. They didn’t have enough sense to really help me when I needed it. Instead they threw me in the back of a truck until I had (or nearly had) hypothermia only to prop me up on a strangers dirty toilet. I’m grateful that I never really got all my memories back from that night, but one thing I do remember is that my friends would have been my downfall.

In college I became intentional about making friends. I tried to find the guys and girls who were making good grades, who were honoring the Lord, and making a difference in the world. Through their peer pressure I did crazy things like study, feed the homeless, get out of my comfort zone and go to another country to share the gospel and so much more. Many of those friends still remain my friends today and have reached out in real and tangible ways when I have needed them.

Who you chose to be your friends matter. Choose good and godly friends. Avoid foolish friends.

Father, Thank you for the grace of being a dad. I pray for each of my kids and ask that they would form real and lasting friendships with godly young people. I pray that they are an encouragement and blessing to their friends. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Don’t Waste Time on Swine (Proverbs 11)

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Pro 11:22-23 ESV Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. (23) The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

Dear son, When we think of a pig’s snout we don’t think of gold rings. You could put a gold ring in a pigs snout but it would be misplaced. Pigs put their noses in the mud! You might put a common metal ring in a pigs nose to help steer them out of the mud, but you wouldn’t give them gold! It would be a waste.

There are some folks who seem trustworthy but they aren’t. There are folks who may look good, but they aren’t good. Just like a gold ring might look nice in a pigs snout. It won’t be long until the nature of the pig comes out and it runs its ring through the mud… that’s just the nature of the pig! There will be people on this earth who lack discretion and aren’t to be trusted with your most precious thoughts, time, or treasures. Don’t give something that is sacred to someone who is profane.

Mat 7:6 NKJV “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

This isn’t just to warn you of the type of people who are out there. You must also decide what type of person you will be. Will you be someone who displays discretion and honors others? Or will you make light of others and their struggles? Will you seek the good or will you stir up hatred and strife? Will you be a producer or consumer?

Father, thank you for the privilege of raising our children. I pray that they would all follow hard after you. I pray that they would become men and women of character and integrity. I ask that they would have discretion and honor those who are worthy of honor. Keep them from profaning the holy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Be Humble and Learn (Proverbs 9)

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Pro 9:7-10 NKJV “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked [man only] harms himself. (8) Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise [man], and he will love you. (9) Give [instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be still wiser; Teach a just [man], and he will increase in learning. (10) “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One [is] understanding.

Son, My freshman year of high school we got a new basketball coach. He was hard. He believed in conditioning. I lost 20lbs in just three weeks of practice with the new coach! He also had a different style of coaching. He lead us through a series of drills and plays evert practice. Seldom ever did we just scrimmage like we had in the 8th grade. Some of the guys didn’t like him. They thought practice should be more fun and more like a game. They whined and complained about the new coach. Some never even bothered to learn the new offense or techniques that the coach was teaching us. Those who really listened to the coach and put in the extra effort earned key spots on the team. The guys who critiqued everything and put forth minimal effort either quit or were cut. The difference was in the attitude. Those who became key players were willing to humble themselves and learn, those who got cut, failed to learn from the expertise of the new coach.

Life is a lot like that. I pray that you are one who seeks out correction, learns from others, and is wise. I pray that you won’t be a prideful fool who just criticizes others. Anyone can criticize, but it takes a real man or woman to humble themselves and learn.

You will come across all sorts of folks in life. You may even be in a position to lead people one day. Learn the caliber of the people you lead. Those who are scoffers and criticize aren’t worth much of an investment. They will criticize you, but the problems is with them. Don’t let them get in your head and don’t imagine that you will fix them. Until they humble themselves to learn, they will never change and you’ll be wasting your investment in them.

On the other hand when you find folks who are willing to submit to authority and learn. Invest heavily in them. Their attitude will take your organization far. I’d rather have a teachable team of novices than a well versed team of malcontents any day. Jesus said it like this in Mathew chapter 7:

Mat 7:2-6 NKJV “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. (3) “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? (4) “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank [is] in your own eye? (5) “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (6) “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Father, thank you for my children and the blessing it is to parent them. I ask that they would be humble enough to learn. I pray that you keep them from pride and malcontent. I pray that they would be quick to examine their own lives and be ready for change. I pray that you give them wisdom in leading themselves and others. I pray that you guard their attitude from becoming someone who scoffs. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Real Friends Give More Than They Take (Proverbs 6)

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Pro 6:1-5 ESV My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, (2) if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, (3) then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. (4) Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; (5) save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Dear Daughter, growing up I was always large for my age and most of my friends were smaller. In 8th grade I was the new kid at school and one of the first guys to befriend me was small and skinny. We weren’t friends long before he asked me, “Do you have my back? Like if we get in a fight or something, do you have my back?” I didn’t want to offend him. I thought this was like a best friends kind of sentiment. I thought he was a pretty alright guy and I really hadn’t made to many other friends yet, so I pledged, “Yes I have your back!” The next thing I know he started running his mouth and hurling insults at this guy he didn’t like! Before I knew it he was yelling at me, “you have my back right?” Somehow he had picked a fight that I was supposed to fight. Thankfully I had enough sense to say, “You started this mess, you finish it.”

I found out the hard way that my new friend was only my friend for my size. He was really a jerk that just wanted me to fight his battles for him. He thought that if he had a big friend that he could run his mouth off at people he didn’t like. My pledge to have his back was bigger than I had imagined. I had his back, but he certainly didn’t have mine or eh wouldn’t have picked a fight.

Choose your friends wisely. One of the best ways to get yourself in trouble is to have friends who will leave you with all the responsibility. When your friends ask you to take a risk for them that is not your risk to take, they are not your friends. Let me be clear. When they ask you to lie for them, they are not you friend. When they ask to cheat off your homework, they are not your friend. When they ask you to hold on to something that is illegal or forbidden, they are not your friend. They just want to take big risks and leave you being responsible for their irresponsible actions.

Some people in your life will set traps for you like this. They’ll pretend to be your friend in order to get something from you. Real friends give more than they take. Real friends won’t put you in situations where you will get in trouble or in danger. Lose the friends that always seem too needy. Don’t be the friend that is always putting others in an awkward spot to cover for you.

Father, thank you for my children. I pray that you would watch over them today. I pray that you would guard them from predatory “friends” who would seek to use them or take advantage of their friendship. I pray that they would be good friends to others. Watch over their relationships. Let the all seek after you in all they do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Join us in reading a Proverb A Day through the Month of May (or any month you want)

The Beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 1)

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Pro 1:7, 28-29, 33 NKJV The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge, [But] fools despise wisdom and instruction. … (28) “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. (29) Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, … (33) But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Dear Daughter, We all have choices about what we let influence our lives. We choose to listen to some folks or give more weight to what they say than other. We live in a day and age of echo chambers where if we don’t like the news (or the spin on the news) on one station we turn the channel to another. If we don’t like the politics of folks on one social media feed, we find a different feed, app, friends, etc. You have a ton of options on who you listen to, however there is only one place that you will find true wisdom and knowledge and that’s the LORD.

A reverent respect for God and His Word is where true knowledge and wisdom begins. There are mainly two different paths in life. The one who follows after God and the one who goes her own way. In Proverbs the one who goes their own way instead of following after God is called a fool because she has forgotten that she was made by God, for God and that her greatest purpose is in the hands of God. Fools suffer because of their foolishness.

God has a purpose and a plan for you, but you’ll only find it out when you seek after Him. Fools often despise God’s wisdom because they are looking only for short term gain. But what feels good in the moment can cost them more than they might expect. Remember Esau sold his birthright for a pot of stew. Don’t miss out on Godly wisdom because of bad advice from the wrong crowd. Seek, Find, and Listen to God’s Word, you won’t be let down.

Father, Thankyou for loving us enough to give us knowledge when we come to you in reverent respect. I pray for my children today that they would grow in wisdom and knowledge as they seek after you. I pray that you would keep their feet from the path that leads to destruction. Guard their way. Make them ever vigilant to drink from the stream of your wisdom. Give us grace as parents to teach them your word and to honor you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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