Walking In Integrity

(Prov 20:23 GNB) The LORD detests double standards; He is not pleased by dishonest scales.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Solomon drives home the message of walking in integrity again. There must have really been a problem with unrighteousness and deceitful practices in society during his time, prompting Solomon to concentrate on this so much.

Like they say, 'the more things change, the more they stay the same,' because unrighteous practices are as rampant today as they ever were. And the unfortunate reality is that unrighteous practices seem to be as commonplace among believers as among non-believers.

Solomon knew that unscrupulous vendors had two sets of scales - one to get more when they were buying, and the other to give less when they were selling - but his point was that the followers of God should be different. If there is no difference between the world and the church, then how will we ever reach anyone? How can we shine as light in the midst of darkness if we accept darkness as the norm?

We live in a society today where we have accepted anything and everything under the guise of political-correctness. No one wants to say that anyone else is wrong. Statements like: "Who are we to say that anyone else is wrong?" and "To each his own," have driven us towards an anything goes society. But God's Word is still the truth and the truth doesn't change.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this reads: "GOD hates cheating in the marketplace; rigged scales are an outrage." The words "hate" and "outrage" are strong words, but those are the types of words God associates with unrighteous practices. If we are going to be called by His name, then we should exhibit His characteristics. In Leviticus, the Lord said through Moses: "You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy" (Lev 11:44). This is not a suggestion, this is a commandment. There should be something clearly different between the way you do business and the way others, with unscrupulous practices, do business. People should know that your yes means "YES," and your word is your bond.

Nothing so completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity himself, than straightforward and simple integrity in another. People will notice when you refuse to fudge a few extra dollars on your expense report. Others will note the way you always seek to do what is right, because it's right, and how you then seek to do it right. That's how you shine as light in the midst of darkness.

In the New Testament Paul said, "Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done... How can light and darkness live together? How can Christ and the Devil agree?... And so the Lord says, "You must leave them and separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with what is unclean, and I will accept you. I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2nd Cor 6:14-18).

So what does this mean to you? It means that God expects you to be different. I know this may not be popular teaching today. Actually, many preachers don't even mention sin anymore, because they don't want to upset their congregants. But God's Word is still true and it is still the standard. While God loves the sinner, He still hates the sin and He expects us, as His children, to walk in the righteousness Christ Jesus died to give us. So be holy, because our God is holy. Don't do anything that would discredit His name, even when you think no one else is looking, because God is always looking!

Father, I thank You for Your standard. Your Word is true and it is the ruler by which I judge my decisions. Christ Jesus died to pay the penalty for my sin and His blood makes me righteous. I declare, by faith, that I will walk in the righteousness Christ Jesus died to give me. I walk in the newness of life. I no longer participate in the unrighteous practices of the world. I am different. I am light and I shine I the midst of darkness. I do what's right, because it's right, even when no one else is looking. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Walk in Love, Not Revenge

(Prov 20:22 GNB) Don't take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the LORD and he will make it right.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - WE are walking through this book that I call the Wisdom of God. Solomon has already taught us a great deal about cause and effect, and sowing and reaping. He has made it clear that God, the Lord of the Harvest, will see to it that everyone reaps whatever they sow.

Let’s go back in chapter 11 were Solomon said, "Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free." Once again, who is supposed to see to it that the wicked get punished and the righteous go free? God is, not us. Today Solomon drives this message home and teaches us NOT to attempt to take God's place in the repayment business. We have all tasted the sting of bad treatment from wicked people. But we, as believers, are called to operate in love, not revenge.

Solomon's teaching here lines up with Jesus'. Several thousands after Solomon's writings Jesus came on the scene and during His now famous 'Sermon on the Mount' He said: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you..." (Mat 5:38,39), and He went on to teach about love. Walking in God's love is our highest calling. And no matter what skewed impression of love some may have today, God's love is always quick to forgive and it never seeks retaliation. God's love is one-sided; it is NOT contingent upon the actions of the other party. One-sided love loves, whether the other side loves back or even hates back. One-sided love is determined and conditioned to love because God said so - PERIOD.

It's interesting that Solomon was teaching this because the Jewish Law was in full effect during his time. The Law permitted retaliation, even to the extent of taking someone's life (see Exodus 21:22-27). I am sure that Solomon was aware of what Moses wrote in Exodus, but he was being led of God to teach us about trust, peace, and love.

In Paul's letter to the church in Rome he taught how we - as Born-Again, Spirit-filled, and Christ-centered believers - are supposed to treat others. He said: "Live in harmony with one another... be willing to associate with people of low position... Do not repay anyone evil for evil... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"(Romans 12:16-21). This is not only sound counsel; it is a 'Biblical Mandate.' When someone comes up against you, pray for them. Their poison can't stop our purpose anyway, so don't concern yourself with their poison; concern yourself with their person. Forgive them as you have been forgiven. Have mercy upon them as you have received mercy. Pray for them, as you have been the beneficiary of many prayers.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you have a Biblical Mandate to walk in love and peace with all men. Paul said, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." This means you must do your absolute best to be a peacemaker and not a peace-breaker. Trust me I am having to deal with this personally right now. Be quick to forgive, walk in love, and never seek revenge. Know that God will protect you from every attack of the enemy anyway, so don't allow their poison to be your concern. If you want to focus on anything, focus your attention on praying for those that are coming up against you, and watch as God not only moves in their lives, but He will move mightily in your life when you show Him that you are committed to walking in Love!

Father, I know that vengeance is Yours and You will see to it that we all reap whatever we sow, so I do not concern myself with attempting to make the wicked pay for their actions. On the contrary, I stand in the gap for them. I pray for my enemies. I intercede for those that come up against me. I know that their poison can't stop my purpose, so I don't have any concern or fear about what they can do TO me, but I do have concern FOR them. I ask You to bless them, to soften their hearts, and to show Yourself strong in their lives. Manifest Yourself to my enemies Father, and continue to perfect Your love in my heart! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Living from Heaven to Earth

Living from Heaven to Earth

(Mat 6:10 KJV) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

This morning I interrupt our current series to share a special message with you. "Living from Heaven to Earth" and I feel led to share a few of my thoughts. I trust you will be blessed.

Jesus' disciples walked with Him for 3 ½ years and the only thing we find ever recorded in scripture that they asked Him to teach them to do was to pray. That is a lesson in and of itself on the importance of prayer, but what I want to highlight is something Jesus said as He was teaching them to pray. He said, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." As the disciples learned to pray they were to pray for God's Kingdom to come (or to be manifested) and for God's will to be done. Where? On earth. How? As it is in heaven. Jesus brought heaven to earth every day and He was teaching His disciples to pray for just that.

As we pray and as we seek to maximize our purpose and potential in Christ we are to live from heaven to earth, from the spiritual to the natural, from God's reality to ours, and not the other way around. When we live form earth to heaven we have the propensity to shirk back or to cancel out what heaven wants to do in our lives. But when we have the faith to live from heaven to earth we believe the seemingly impossible and we are able to see God's best become our reality. Let me give you two quick examples.

In the Old Testament, when it was time for the Israelites to take possession of the Promised Land (Canaan), the Lord said to Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites." In other words, heaven already said the land was theirs for the taking. But we know what happened. 10 of the 12 men who went in to explore the land saw things from earth to heaven instead of from heaven to earth. They came back and told the people that they simply could not do it because the challenge was too hard - there were giants in the land and six different tribes of people that they would have to fight or displace. But two of the men, Joshua and Caleb, looking at the situation from heaven to earth and knowing that heaven already said the land was theirs, said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." Unfortunately, millions of Israelites believed the 10 instead of the 2 and they wound up dying in the wilderness because of it.

In the New Testament Jesus asked a man named Simon (later known as Peter) if he could use his boat for the work of the ministry. Jesus needed a place from which to preach a message to the crowd that had followed him to the shore. Simon had been fishing all night and did not even have one fish to show for it. It was morning, he was tired, but he obliged the newly famous preacher and boated Jesus out to where He wanted to preach His message. When the message was over Jesus told Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Why was Jesus saying this? Well, Simon had just invested his time, talent (guiding Jesus into place), and treasure (the resources from his fishing business) into Jesus' ministry. Jesus wanted to give him and opportunity to reap a harvest from the seed he had just sown. But Simon almost missed his opportunity because he was looking at the situation from earth to heaven. Simon said, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything." In other words, he was saying, "Look preacher, I am a fisherman. Fishing is what I do for a living. I have already fished in this spot all night and I did not catch a thing. Fish are just not here, and especially now that is it daytime. You stick to preaching, I'll stick to fishing." But someway, somehow Simon changed his mind even as he was speaking, because the next thing he said was, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Listening to the preacher was one of the best decisions Simon ever made for his fishing business. He had so many fish that his nets were breaking and he had to call other fishermen for help.

To live from Heaven to Earth you need:
1. Someone speaking Heaven's Words into your situation.
2. The audacity to believe that what Heaven said WILL come to pass.
3. The Faith to do whatever Heaven's Words require you to do; even though most of the time it will make no earthly sense at all!

Father, I thank You for stretching me this morning and every day for that matter. I hear heaven's words directly, from Your Spirit who lives in me, and also from my Pastors, who is ordained by You to speak into my life. As I hear heaven's words I have the audacity to believe that they WILL come to pass in my life. And I have the faith to DO whatever is required of me to see the manifestation of Your best in my life. From this day forward I will live from heaven to earth, not from earth to heaven and as I do my life will never be the same! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Can You Stand to Be Blessed

(Prov 20:21 GNB) The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.

Here Solomon goes back to another of his main topics: money. At the time of this writing Solomon was the richest man in the world (the Bill Gates of his time), so he is more than qualified to speak about money. But not surprisingly, Solomon downplays the importance of money over and over. Sure, he does make it clear that money is required to operate in the earth, but money should not be our #1 pursuit. Too many have made the pursuit of money the driving factor of their lives and without realizing it money has become their god. 'You having money' is not the problem, but 'money having you' is a major problem.

What Solomon alludes to this morning is the fact that money is an amplifier; meaning that it simply enables us to do more of what we are already programmed to do. If you give a giver (someone who supports ministry and charitable ventures) a million dollars, they will give more. If you give a ministry that is making a difference a million dollars, they can have a greater impact. But if you give an alcoholic a million dollars, he will drink more. If you give a drug addict a million dollars, he will take more drugs. If you give a womanizer a million dollars, he will attempt to 'run' more women. So this is the problem. An unexpected, and unearned, windfall of money will simply amplify whatever the person is already doing. Since the money did not come incrementally, and since it was not earned by the sweat of his or her brow, the person receiving the unexpected money is not mentally, psychologically, or spiritually prepared for magnified possibilities the unearned money opens the door to. In many cases the results can be disastrous.

The Contemporary English Version of this verse makes Solomon's point painfully clear; it reads: "Getting rich quick may turn out to be a curse." I recently watched a television program about the so-called "Lottery curse." The program chronicled several lottery winners whose lives seemingly spun out of control after winning the lottery. Why did this happen? Solomon knows why. Because in God's system you must prove that you can be faithful over what you have before He sees to it that you are promoted to the next level (financially or otherwise). And once you prove yourself faithful over that level He sees to it that you are promoted to the next, and etc. This way you are able to learn the lessons you require to properly manage the resources the Father places you over at every level. If you get promoted too soon it can be a nightmare for you, and for all those associated with what you have oversight of.

Before I close I want to be clear, the Father is NOT against wealth, not by a long shot. The Lord made Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, and many others extremely wealthy. But He did it His way and when it comes progressively you are prepared to handle the responsibility of the opportunities the money opens you to. In the 10th chapter Solomon explained that when the blessing of the LORD brings wealth, trouble doesn't come with it (10:22).

So what does this mean to you? It means you should strive to be faithful over where you are right now. If you prove yourself faithful over what you have (at home, at work, financially, etc.), the Father will see to it that you get promoted. But if you fail to prove yourself faithful the Father WILL NOT promote you. In His Kingdom people do NOT get promoted just because of the amount of time that has gone by, they get promoted because of faithfulness. Success is achieved daily, but it will not come in a day, at least not in God's system.

Father, I thank You for teaching me the importance of being faithful at every level. I seek to honor You by being faithful over everything You have blessed me to be charge over. As I prove myself faithful I have complete confidence that You will favor me to experience promotion and incremental increase. I am not foolish enough to want something that I am not prepared to handle. Therefore, I gratefully receive all that You believe I can handle and I seek to maximize it. Step by step I will continue to progress in Your Kingdom and You will see to it that I experience Your best. It may not come overnight, but since I am committed to being faithful, it will COME! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Honoring Your Parents

(Prov 20:20 CEV) Children who curse their parents will go to the land of darkness long before their time.

This morning we continue walking in the Wisdom of God through the book of Proverbs. Solomon has already taught us about God's desire for us to live long lives and how sin can lead to premature death.

Back in chapter 3 the Lord, through Solomon, said, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."

That is about as plain as it can be. Solomon continued: "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold... Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor." In chapter 9 he said, "Respect and obey the LORD! This is the beginning of wisdom.

To have understanding, you must know the Holy God. I am Wisdom. If you follow me, you will live a long time." In chapter 10 he said, "If you respect the LORD, you will live longer; if you keep doing wrong, your life will be cut short." And finally, in the 19th chapter he said, "Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die." I could go on and on. This is just what Solomon said about the topic. Believe me, this is by no means and exhaustive list.

In this verse Solomon makes the connection between premature death and cursing (or disrespecting) one's parents. Once again, Solomon is not unique in this teaching. In Exodus 20 Moses taught this principle and in the New Testament Paul quoted Moses when he said, "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth" (Eph 6:1-3).

The message is clear: the Father has a special place in his heart for parents. Just like God will hold parents responsible and accountable for how they raised their children, He holds children responsible and accountable for how they treat their parents. Not only should children respect all authority, respecting parental authority is particularly important because a blessing or a curse is associated with it.

When I was growing up I had never read what Solomon, Moses, or Paul said about this, but I would never disrespect my parents. Many of my friends feared their parents - and I literally mean "feared" - but my relationship with my parents was one of reverential respect and not fear. I did what they asked me to do, not because I was afraid of the punishments (physical or otherwise), but because I loved them and I wanted to please them. Now that I am a parent I attempt to be the example for my children that my parents were for me. If God cares how children treat parents, then we should care too.

So what does this mean to you? It means that the Father expects you to honor your parents. It does not matter how old you are or how old they are, your parents have a special place in God's heart, so they should have one in yours. Now, if you dishonor, disregard, and disrespect your parents you WILL reap what you sow and it will NOT be pleasant; it may even cause a premature death!

Jehovah, I love You, my heavenly Father, and I also love my earthly parents. I honor You and I honor them. I have read Your Word and I see the special place parents have in Your heart. I declare openly and unashamedly that my parents also have a special place in my heart. I don't honor them JUST to avoid a curse. No, I honor my parents willingly and lovingly daily; and I will honor them all the days of my life. Now, since I do honor my parents Your Word tells me that my days will be prolonged in the earth. I look forward to living long and living strong! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Love Never Gossips

(Prov 20:19 NIV) A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

This morning we continue our series in the book of Proverbs. While what Solomon tells us this morning seems like common sense, you would be amazed to see how many people are willing to confide in gossips. We have all met people who 'can't hold their water.' In other words, these people chomp at the proverbial bit to share whatever information has been shared with them, especially if it was shared under the condition of confidence. In Spanish they call these type people "Radio Bembe." The word "Bembe" is a slang reference to a person's lips. The "Radio" reference is to give the idea that whatever you tell this person will be transmitted over his or her own personal broadcast system. The English equivalent would be the nickname "WLIP;" referring to the person radio call sign format. So if you tell this person anything of significance it will be broadcasted over WLIP.

I could go on for the rest of the lesson describing people who do this, but I believe you get the point already. So I would rather spend the rest of the lesson telling you what God expects you to do with confidential information. In the New Testament, when describing the love of God, Paul said, "Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]" (1st Cor 13:7 AMP).

The Greek word translated "bears up" in this text means to protect, preserve, cover, keep secret, hide, conceal. When you operate in God's love you are disposed to do good (and not harm) unto others.

Back in chapter 10 Solomon said "Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrongs that others do" (v.12). Love never seeks to stir up trouble, if anything love is willing to overlook the trouble stirred up by others, in order to maintain peace and harmony. So love would never willingly expose information that was shared in confidence, hurting the other person and making the other person vulnerable. No, love seeks to cover and conceal the flaws of another, in order to protect them - always seeking to help and never to hurt. Peter said, "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]" (1st Peter 4:8 AMP).

Think about that for a moment. The love of God in you can literally help cover the flaws of another. This is the way we should live.

Furthermore, to "bear up" means to literally be able and willing to carry the burdens of another. People should be able to come to us and share their heart (and faults) with us, without the concern that we will broadcast their faults to the world. Love does not transmit or give undue publicity to the flaws, faults, and failures of others. People should know that we have the ability to cover and to carry their issues without ever having to reveal them.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Don't be the gossip Solomon warns us to stay away from.
2. Offer a loving ear to others. We all make mistakes and we all need someone to confide in and share our heart and issues with. Be that person for someone else.
3. You must develop a sense of care and concern for people, to the point where you will not share openly what they have shared with you privately.
4. God's love IN YOU enables you to cover, conceal, and carry the mistakes and burdens of others.
5. If someone trust you as a l ”lighting bolt” you should be honored and hold their cares and concern in confidence.

Father, I am disposed to do good, and not evil, unto others. I am also disposed to hide and conceal the faults and imperfections of others. What I receive in private will remain private. I refuse to transmit or make public the wounds of my brothers and sisters. I seek to minister to them and help them, not to hurt them by smearing their name with my lips. As I bear up my brothers and sisters I find myself strengthened by Your Spirit to be a continual blessing in the earth! They can count on me and so can You! Use me Father to be a blessing to every person I come in contact with today. Use me as a conduit of Your love and light in a dark and selfish world. In Jesus' name. Amen

Deliberating Before Making Major Decisions

(Prov 20:18 NLT) Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without wise advice.

Solomon gives us something very interesting to think about today. We live in a nation that has been at war for over eight years now and much debate has been conducted over whether or not we should have gone to war in the first place. There are some who support the decision to go to war against Afghanistan, but not Iraq. There are others who support both. And then there are those who support neither. I will reserve my personal opinion, but we will all learn from Solomon as he, as a sitting head-of-state, drives home the importance of receiving good counsel and giving major decisions the consideration they deserve.

18th century theologian Adam Clarke said the following when commenting on the fact that heads-of-state should seek wise counsel before going to war: "Perhaps there is not a precept in this whole book so little regarded as this. Most of the wars that are undertaken are wars of injustice, ambition, aggrandizement, and caprice, which can have had no previous good counsel." Clarke said that over 200 years ago and I would venture to say that not much has changed in that regard. Major decisions, especially like those on the level of going to war, should not be made without much deliberation.

In the New Testament (Luke 14), when teaching on 'counting the cost,' Jesus asked: "Who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?" While this seems logical enough, the reality is that many fail to count the cost (or run the numbers), so they wind up wasting time, looking foolish, and mismanaging their people and resources. Now, mismanaging a construction project is one thing, but the decision to go to war is on another level altogether. Jesus went on to ask: "What king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?"

Lives, livelihoods, cultures and legacies are at stake. Wars affect much more than the financial status of the nations involved. Wars leave an indelible mark on the fabric of the nations for generations. The decision to go to war is definitely not one that should be taken lightly. Back in the 11th chapter Solomon said, "Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers" (v.14). Solomon was a national leader, but he understood that even national leaders need many advisors. No leader can accomplish everything by themselves.

Great leaders surround themselves with other gifted leaders and they utilize their resources for the collective good. John Maxwell says, "One is too small a number to achieve greatness." He calls this, "The Law of Significance." Think of anything truly significant that has happened in history and you will find that one person did NOT accomplish it. Maxwell also said, "We tend to think of great thinkers and innovators as soloists, but the truth is that the greatest innovative thinking doesn't occur in a vacuum." "None of us is as smart as all of us!" Yes, there is a certain level of safety in knowing that your plan(s) has been vetted by other great minds.

So what does this mean to you? It simply means that you should give decisions the level of deliberation they require and if the decisions are major ones the deliberation process should include other great minds. This will keep you from reaping unpleasant harvests.

Father, I know that I will reap whatever I sow and that my life is a grand-sum-total of my decisions, therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will give my decisions an amount of deliberation that is commensurate with their importance. For those decisions that are major, I will involve other great and Godly minds and carefully consider their input. I refuse to make major decisions in a vacuum. My willingness to hear from You and from others will help me make decisions that will bring glory to Your name and peace and prosperity to all those that will be affected by them. Thank You for leading me Father. In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Deceitfulness of Sin

(Prov 20:17 NLT) Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Back in chapter 9 Solomon said, "Stolen water tastes best," making a reference to the illicit desire most have for the forbidden. I believe this all started with Adam. Ever since Adam indulged himself with the forbidden fruit men have been born with a fallen nature. I call this the "Adamic nature." Whenever you tell someone that they CAN'T have something, the Adamic nature feeds a hunger and desire for the forbidden.

You must understand what happened when you gave your life to Christ. When you were Born-Again you received a new nature, spiritually speaking, but then you must submit yourself to the process of mind renewal. While your spiritual birth was instantaneous, the renewing of the mind is definitely a process. You must learn to love what God loves and hate what He hates so that you can grow in godliness. While the Adamic nature may have made stolen bread attractive and sweet in your BC (Before Christ) days, your new nature and new mind will keep you from it; and if you truly renew your mind, you won't even have a desire for the ungodly. But for those that do - who are either carnal Christians who still love what they should not love or straight-up sinners who have a sin nature - whatever enjoyment they receive from the sin will be short lived.

Solomon tells us that stolen bread might start off tasting sweet, but it eventually turns into gravel in the mouth. In other words, the person committing sin might enjoy it for a little while, but when it is all said and done the pleasures of sin have a way of turning rotten; leaving the person unsatisfied and feeling unpleasant.

In the book of Job, Zophar drives home this message loud and clear, saying: "Since the time of creation, everyone has known that sinful people are happy for only a while. Though their pride and power may reach to the sky, they will disappear like dust, and those who knew them will wonder what happened. They will be forgotten like a dream and vanish from the sight of family and friends... Sinners love the taste of sin; they relish every bite and swallow it slowly. But their food will turn sour and poison their stomachs. Then God will make them lose the wealth they gobbled down... Their hard work will result in nothing gained, because they cheated the poor... Greedy people want everything and are never satisfied. But when nothing remains for them to grab, they will be nothing. Once they have everything, distress and despair will strike them down, and God will make them swallow his blazing anger... The heavens and the earth will testify against them" (see Job 20). Wow. Zophar said a mouthful as he painted a vivid picture of the deceitfulness of sin. Sin might seem promising, but the end result is disastrous.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. The more you get into the Word the more you will develop a hunger and thirst for the things of God.
2. As your mind is renewed you will simply desire sin and less and less.
3. Sin might seem enjoyable, but the pleasures of sin are deceitful. What starts off tasting good eventually turns sour and poisonous.
4. Don't succumb to the temptations to sin. Sin will take you where you don't want to go, make you stay longer than you want to stay, and spend more than you can afford.

Father, I know that sin is sometimes alluring and that temptations can be real. However, I declare, by faith, that I get so much Word in me that I experience mind renewal in every area of my life. Once my mind is renewed in a certain area, then I simply don't struggle with temptations in that area any longer. My goal is to renew my mind completely to think as You think, to desire what You desire for me to have, and to live as You would have me to live. This way I will shine as light in a dark world and I will not have to deal with the deceitful consequences of sin. Sin may look sweet, but I know it quickly turns into an unrighteous and unpleasant harvest. I walk, fully, in the newness of the life Christ Jesus died to provide for me. In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Value of Divine Wisdom

(Prov 20:15 NLT) Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs While we, as believers, can endure all sorts of fluctuations in the economy and still come out on top, naturally speaking, we are living in uncertain times. Millions of Americans are concerned about the future. They see constantly shifting gas prices, an unstable economy, a nation closing out one war and still involved in another, and an economy that has not made the expected turnaround many have been waiting/hoping for.

Many that are seeking peace of mind find it in their savings accounts. Their money is their security blanket. But what happens when the money is not there? What happens if the money runs out? What happens if the money is no longer the be-all end-all that many mistakenly thought it was? Is money bad? Of course not, but money is not everything.

Here Solomon tells us that God's wisdom is much more valuable than gold or precious stones. Back in the third chapter Solomon said, "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold" (verses 13,14). Yes, the wisdom of God can bless (profit) us in ways that far exceed the limitations of money. As a matter of fact, the wisdom of God can help us accumulate wealth, but the opposite is not true. All the money in the world cannot buy divine insight.

Job was a man who had both divine wisdom and wealth. He lost the wealth (which he eventually got back), but he never lost the wisdom. This is what Job had to say about the two: "But where, oh where, will they find Wisdom? Where does Insight hide? Mortals don't have a clue, haven't the slightest idea where to look. Earth's depths say, 'It's not here'; ocean deeps echo, 'Never heard of it.' This was Job's way of explaining how humans often pursue spiritual things through natural means. Job explains how you can search the planet from pole to pole, but you will never be able to [physically] find God's wisdom. Nor can your purchase it. Job continues: "It can't be bought with the finest gold; no amount of silver can get it. Even famous Ophir gold can't buy it, not even diamonds and sapphires. Neither gold nor emeralds are comparable; extravagant jewelry can't touch it. Pearl necklaces and ruby bracelets-why bother? None of this is even a down payment on Wisdom! Pile gold and African diamonds as high as you will, they can't hold a candle to Wisdom."

Job's message is painstakingly clear; divine wisdom cannot be found with natural eyes, nor can it be purchased with natural wealth. Job goes on to ask: "So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live?... God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows the exact place to find it" (see Job 18:12-23). That's the key. You must come to God, the author of divine wisdom Himself, and ask for it (James 1:5). If you do, with an earnest heart, He will give you insight, wisdom, revelation, knowledge, and understanding that far exceeds anything money can buy. The Good News Bible translation of this verse reads: "If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels."

Isn't that what you want?

So what does this mean to you ? Well, let me ask you this way: Do you understand the impact divine wisdom can have upon your life? What if I told you that what you are doing right now is one of the most profitable practices of your daily routine? If His wisdom is more profitable than silver and yields better returns that gold, then shouldn't you want it operating in your life? That's why you must make time to take time with God EVERY DAY. If you do, not only will you learn from His Word, receive His insight, and be prepared for the challenges of the day, but you will become the person who knows what he or she is talking about and that - as Solomon says - is more valuable than gold or jewels!

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I now better understand the value of Your wisdom, the importance of gaining divine understanding, the impact it can have in my life, and the doors it can open for me as I become a person who is constantly sought after for counsel. I declare, by faith, that I will spend the time with You DAILY that I need to in order to develop in Your wisdom and understanding. The more I do, the greater impact I can make in the world and in the lives of others. I am seeking to impact, not to impress, and Your wisdom will enable me to do just that! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Being Wise in Business

(Prov 20:16 NLT) Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger's debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.

I have already told you that Solomon was an astute businessman. Here he gives us great business advice that complements what he has already taught us in Proverbs. In chapter six he said, "My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts? Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises? Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you" (1-3).

To better understand what Solomon meant by that passage we need to understand the credit system in his era. In Solomon's time the Phoenicians seemed to have discovered the value of credit. The previous credit system was relatively fair. However, the Phoenicians started lending at unusually interest rates. This caused several people to be locked into bad deals and others could not qualify for credit at all. This forced them to look for a surety (someone who could guarantee the loan). In today's terms a surety would be a co-signer. Solomon tells us that if we allow our words to trap us into something (like co-signing a loan) that we did not completely think through, then the best thing to do is to swallow our pride, admit our mistake, and attempt to get out of the deal. It's not that Solomon was against generosity, but he was surely against foolish decisions.

Some even went to the extent of co-signing a loan for a complete stranger. This is hardly ever a good idea and for the believer it is even worse because we are commanded by God to meet the obligations we commit ourselves to. In other words, for the believer failing to pay is NOT an option. A person of poor character may enter into a loan without the intentions of paying it back, but we must never do so. Our word must be our bond. But don't be naïve enough to believe that everyone will live up to that high standard.

Solomon was not naïve and he was no fool (not by a long shot). Solomon fully understood that if someone with good credit guaranteed the loan of a total stranger with bad credit, that the deal had a high probability of going bad; and the person with good credit might realize his or her mistake and attempt to back out of the deal. This is why Solomon tells us to get collateral, even if the co-signer has good credit, because no one with good sense should co-sign on a loan for a complete stranger. This way, even if the person with bad credit defaults and the person with good credit attempts to back out of his or her responsibility, at least you have the collateral and you will be able to recover your investment.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. The Father expects us to be wise in business. Being a Christian, and loving people, does not mean that we should be gullible and stupid.
2. There is a difference between being generous and making a poor decision.
3. Don't allow your emotions to take you where your bank account can't keep you. This is great advice in today's credit-laden society.
4. Count the cost. Think things through, prayer over them, and make sound decisions.
5. If you make a mistake, don't allow pride to keep you in it. Get out as soon as you can.
6. God is not obligated to bless your mess, so be careful what obligations you take on. Where He leads, He feeds. Where He guides, He provides. If it's His will, then it's His bill! But if you take on obligations without seeking God, and knowingly ignoring His counsel, then you are going to have to reap the harvest of the bad seeds sown.

Father, I thank You for walking with me daily. You lead me in the way that I should go. I declare, by faith, that everything decision I make is a decision that is birthed out of my prayer life. I make decisions that line up with Your Word, will, and way. I am a blessing to others and I give to those in need. However, I am led in my giving. I don't overextend myself and endanger my family by making poor decisions. You lead me in the area of my finances and in every area of my life. I pray, I think things through, I count the cost, and I make sound decisions - BY FAITH! This way I am able to experience divine success in business and in everything I put my hands to do. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Refusing to Take Advantage of Others

(Prov 20:14 NLT) The buyer haggles over the price, saying, "It's worthless," then brags about getting a bargain!

Solomon gives us an interesting proverb this morning. When I first read it I did not know what to make of it. I had to read this verse in several translations and also read what commentators had to say before I was able to understand what Solomon is teaching here. I can now see that this verse flows in the same vein with those that Solomon has taught us about integrity, honesty, hard work, and respect.

As I have been teaching you all we know that Solomon was a major businessman, running a nation with a multi-billion dollar surplus. Solomon knew that his nation was blessed because the hand of Jehovah was on it. He also knew that integrity, especially in business matters, was a key facet of keeping the hand of God on Israel. If you read Chronicles you will see Israel go through a proverbial roller coaster ride. The nation went up and down, based upon the quality and character of their leaders. When Israel had leadership who honored God the nation was blessed, when they did not, they were not. It's that simple. God is not going to bless mess. He expects us to walk in His Word, will, and way.

This leads us to Solomon's lesson for us this morning. Solomon teaches us that when we buy something we should pay a fair price. In Solomon's day people would haggle over an item, very much like we to today. Haggling, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. However, Solomon explains that some shoppers clearly recognized the value of an item, but unscrupulously belittled/disparaged the item, just so the seller could bring the price down. And as soon as the seller would, the unscrupulous shopper would buy the item, knowing good and well that they purchased it below the fair market value, only to later brag about the deal. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse makes it clear; it reads: "The shopper says, "That's junk-I'll take it off your hands," then goes off boasting of the bargain."

This reminds me of my parents they had a nursery and many time they would go to the Flea Markets to sell their wares…and many people would haggle with them for a better price. This would really upset my mom because the prices that they had was already very low, and many time she would say “this is the price take it or leave it”. My parents were just trying to make a living just like everyone else and this is what upset my mom. She felt that people were trying to take advantage of them.

To be quite honest, when I read this verse I was convicted. I used to do just what Solomon describes, especially while perusing the garage sales back in the day. I actually furnished an entire house once by going to multiple garage sales. I know that I would surely boasted whenever I received a deal that was better than market value. Wow that's really Solomon's message. Now that I am a believer, and I love God and His people, I can't go around looking to take advantage of people. At the end of the day, the merchant is trying to make a living just like everyone else. As a child of God we should go around being a blessing, not a curse. Now, I am not saying that we should pay ABOVE market value, but we should simply pay a fair price. When we pay a fair price everyone wins. We get what we wanted and the merchant is able to make the desired profit, in order to stay in business and to make his or her own living.

So what does this mean to you? It means that God expects you, as a believer, to walk in integrity in every area of your life. Yes, God cares about little things like the price you paid for something. Don't think that you can go around taking advantage of people and still retain His blessing. And is it really worth it? Is saving a few dollars on a purchase worth losing the blessing and favor of God over? Absolutely not!

Father, I thank You for blessing me to be a blessing to every person I come in contact with. I walk in integrity in every area and facet of my life. I honor You with my finances and You cause me to walk in Your best financially and otherwise. I have more than enough to meet the needs of every situation. Therefore, I have no need, nor desire, to take advantage of others. I seek to maximize my income by not overpaying for items, but I also refuse to willfully and dishonestly deceive others in order to underpay. I do what is right, because it's right, and I seek to do it right - every time. This way I will continue to honor You and You will continue to bless me. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Developing Your Children

(Prov 20:11 GNB) Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. People say one thing and do another all the time. That's why in the New Testament Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves." Jesus knew that many would come after Him who would say godly things with their lips, but would only do so with the intentions of leading people astray. These people may have had God on their lips, but He was certainly not in their heart.

Anyone can claim to be righteous, holy, godly, and etc.; but we have already learned in this series that 'claiming to be' and 'actually being' are not always the same. So what is the answer? How can we truly judge a person's character? Jesus goes on to say, "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act."

Jesus is teaching us to give more credence to a person's actions than their words. Why? Because you can temporarily hide behind deceitful and deceptive words, but eventually who you really are will come our in your actions. You might be able to 'fake it' for a while, but what's in you abundantly will come out of you eventually. Jesus kept going and asked, "Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" The obvious answer is no. So if a person claims to be an apple tree, wears apple tree paraphernalia, puts an apple tree quote on the bottom of their email signature block, and hangs an apple tree logo from the rear view mirror of their car, but spends all day producing oranges, then the reality is that this person is an orange tree. You can claim apples all you want, but if all you produce is oranges, then 'orange tree' is who you are.

Jesus closed out the conversation by saying, "A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit" (verses 15-18). That's about as plain as it can be.

With that understanding we can get to Solomon's scripture for us this morning. While what I just shared with you is not new revelation, most people don't apply it to children. Solomon tells us, however, that we should. Even children, Solomon says, are known by what they do (their fruit). This can apply to the development of their character and to the identification of the gifts the Father has placed down inside of them. Let's talk gifts first. The future engineer is seen in the little handicraftsman of two years old. The little doctor is seen in the three year old walking around with a stethoscope around their neck. The future major league baseball player is often recognized before preschool. So in that sense it is incumbent upon us, as parents, to carefully observe our children and to develop the God-given desires they possess.

Now let's talk character. From a character development perspective we, as parents, have a Godly responsibility to feed the positive character traits we see in our children and to correct the negative ones. If our children are producing oranges today, and we want them to be apple trees, then it is our responsibility to cultivate the desire and development of apples in their lives.

So what does this mean to you? It means that we, as parents, must do what Solomon instructs us to do later in Proverbs: "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it" (22:6).

Father, I thank You for giving me the grace and perception, as a parent, to identify those things in my children that I should feed and nurture, and also those things that I should condemn and correct. I want my children to maximize their purpose and potential in life and I am committed to doing all I can to ensure that happens. I will do my part and I am convinced that You are committed to doing Yours. Together we will direct my children on the right path and when they are older, I am believing You that they will not leave it. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Your Part in His Provision

Prov 20:13 NLT) If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

Solomon was a fan of hard/diligent work and a clearly not a fan of laziness. Solomon taught that laziness leads to poverty and diligence leads to wealth. He refers to laziness as "sleep" and diligence as "keeping your eyes open." This is not the first time he has brought this up. Back in chapter six Solomon said, "But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber" (9-11). In the last chapter he wrote, "Anyone who doesn't want to work sleeps his life away. And a person who refuses to work goes hungry" (19:15). Those are references to laziness, which leads to poverty. On the side of the equation, in chapter 10 Solomon said, "He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth" (v.4). In the 12th chapter he said, "Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense" (v.11) and "If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune" (v.27).

Solomon teaches that if you are too lazy to work you will find yourself with scarcity, lack, and poverty, and it will NOT be God's fault. In the New Testament, in Paul's second letter to the church at Thessalonica, he said, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat" (2nd Thes 3:10). Paul had received word that some of the members of the church in Thessalonica were more focused on being busybodies, than being busy. He went on to say, "Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living" (verses 11,12).

It's easy for someone to say, "God is my source," and He should be, but that is no excuse for laziness. God will not overlook laziness and bless you with abundance. The Father will reward what put your hands to DO, but that's the point, you must put your hands to DO it. If you don't DO anything, then you are not giving Him anything to work with. The lazy reap what they sow - NOTHING!

Our heavenly Father does not want His children to suffer in poverty, but He is not going to send down checks from heaven. What the Father does is teach us what to do in order to prosper in the earth. For example, our God is against laziness, idleness, dishonesty, deceit, stealing, addictions, haphazardness, lack of focus, and etc. People who practice these things are susceptible to poverty.

On the other hand, God is for hard work, honesty, integrity, diligence, dedication, giving, a sense of purpose and focus, vision, clarity, freedom from addictions, love, peace, a sound mind, a strong body, and etc. People who live this way - who faithfully honor the Father in every area of their lives - open themselves up to God's best and before they know it, they are living strong, stable, and secure lives.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you have a part in God's provision for your life. Don't blame God for everything. Take an honest look at your financial situation and at the overall condition of your life. You know God was not solely responsible for it. Whether good or bad, up or down, rich or poor, you had something to do with it. Does God have a part? Absolutely! But God is going to either bless or reject what you DO! So determine today to do all the things that promote a good and Godly life.

If you do your part, God will do His!

Father, I thank You for teaching me in Your Word and by Your Spirit to walk in Your best. I declare, by faith, that I am not lazy, I have a strong work ethic, I am diligent, dedicated, honest, and purpose-driven. I walk in integrity, love, joy, and peace. I am free from all fear, bitterness, strife, and the power of addictions. I honor You with my finances and You bless me to continue to BE a blessing to others. I do my part and You do Yours. I walk in the Blessing of Abraham, which is natural, and the Blessing of Jesus, which is Spiritual! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Slowing Down long enough to Praise God

(Prov 20:12 NLT) Ears to hear and eyes to see-both are gifts from the LORD.

This morning Solomon takes us back to the basics. It seems like we are all busy in today's society. Kids' schedules are often as busy as their parents', between school, sports, and other extra curricular activities. Parents have to juggle the kids' schedule, work related responsibilities, and managing their home; not to mention the fact that they must also take care of themselves (physically, psychologically, and spiritually) and somehow make time to keep the flame in their marriage burning. Wow that a lot of work!! We have work email, personal email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and all sorts of other online activities that we interact with on our multiple multimedia devices. While technology was supposed to make life easier, one can definitely make the case that it has made life more hectic. But we embrace our busy schedules, all the while attempting to make room and time for God.

Even as you read this email (on your computer or phone), most of you are doing so with 'just a few minutes to spare.' You are reading this quickly so that you can get on to your next task. Some of you have my emails on your daily checklist, so you are trying to hurry up so you can check it off.

But the message this morning is to SLOW DOWN and think about the goodness of God. Allow God to take you back to a time when your life was a lot simpler. Solomon reminds us of the true blessings we take for granted. We have ears to hear and eyes to see, both are gifts from the Lord. It is a liberating experience, at least for me, to spend a few minutes thanking God for who He is, what He has done, and How He has richly blessed me - and not with an emphasis on "things," but rather with an emphasis on LIFE.

If you are reading this email, then you are still in the land of the living. There were many people who did not get up this morning, but you did. There are many today who cannot read this email, because they cannot see, but you can. Let's get back to the basics and simply THANK GOD in all things and at all times.

James said, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father" (1:17). While that is definitely true, it is something that we often overlook and certainly something that we fail to thank God for. But let's thank Him today.

Solomon's father David said, "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him. I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad!" What an attitude! David was committed to praising God and so should we be. And David was not content with just praising God by himself. In an attempt to take it from a solo to a symphony David said, "Proclaim with me the LORD's greatness; let us praise his name together!" (Psalm 34:1-3). Will you accept David's invitation?

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should take a few minutes to 'un-plug' from your busy schedule and your multiple electronic devices long enough to PRAISE GOD for the basics - you are alive, you have the activity of your limbs, you have breath in your lungs, blood is flowing in your veins, and the Father still wants to use you for His glory. Isn't that awesome?

Father, I thank You for blessing me to get up this morning. I know many people died last night, but I was not one of them. It is only because of Your goodness that I can breathe my next breath. I can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell; and for that I say THANK YOU. I will enjoy this day because I am going to slow down long enough to notice things I don't normally notice. This is going to be awesome. I have been busy, but today I refuse to be too busy to give You PRAISE. Like David, I will always thank You and I will never stop praising You. My attitude of gratitude will unlock peace, hope, and confident expectation in my heart and my infectious hopefulness will rub off on all those I come in contact with today! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Walking in Integrity

(Prov 20:10 NLT) False weights and unequal measures-the LORD detests double standards of every kind.

Here Solomon goes back to another reoccurring theme in his teachings: integrity in business. In Solomon's day the two main sources of income were flocks and fields. Most men were either farmers (working the fields) or herdsmen (working with animals); some did both. Scales and measures were used (and are still used today) in the marketplace. So in this type of business the scale/measure is a key tool, determining how much customers pay. It was a common practice for unscrupulous vendors to altar their scales or measuring tapes so that the customer would pay more for an item than they should, giving the vendor an unfair advantage and ill-gotten profit.

In Deuteronomy the Lord told the Israelites to avoid this practice, saying: "Don't try to cheat people by having two sets of weights or measures, one to get more when you are buying, and the other to give less when you are selling" (25:13,14).

In Leviticus the Lord says it again, but adds something at the end: "Don't cheat when measuring length, weight, or quantity. Use honest scales and weights and measures. I am GOD, your God. I brought you out of Egypt" (19:35,36).

What the Lord added at the end was a reminder of who He is and where He brought them OUT of. The Lord's point was that unscrupulous practices may have been accepted in Egypt, by a people who did not acknowledge Jehovah as Lord, but the Israelites were supposed to be different. The Lord had brought them OUT of Egypt, but He knew that some of His people were still doing what they had observed in their old land. In other words, it is one thing to bring someone out of Egypt, but it is something else to get Egypt OUT of them. The Father was saying, "I have moved you physically, but now you must move mentally and spiritually. When I look at you I don't want to see your old ways."

You may not have been delivered from Egypt, but you still had and old life that you need deliverance from. See, when we come to God we do so with a set of ideas, beliefs, values, convictions, and etc.; along with many years of formal and informal education. I would like to say that you we come to God with a clean slate, but that is simply not true. Our slate, by the time we come to Jesus, has been filled with knowledge, experiences, and decisions. When we accept Jesus as Lord we are Born Again. At that moment our spirit is regenerated by God's Spirit and it is a wonderful and everlasting experience. The problem is that we, like God, are tripartite beings. God is Father, Son, and Spirit, we are spirit, soul, and body. Once we are Born Again our spirit is "saved," but not our soul or our body. I like to say that our spirit was saved instantly, our soul must be saved progressively and our body will be saved eventually.

So if our spirit has already been saved and our body will eventually be saved, then what should be our focus today? You got it! The salvation of our soul. Our soul is comprised of our mind (the way we think), emotions (the way we feel), and will (the way we choose). When we come to God our soul is already conditioned to think, feel, and choose a certain way. Most of us came to God with a soul that was not conditioned to think, feel, or choose in ways that are pleasing to Him.

I would like to say it this way new man in an old body needs a new mind!

So what does this mean to you ? It means that cheating in business, fudging 'the numbers' on transactions, or omitting income on your taxes may have been acceptable before, but it cannot be acceptable now. You are a child of the Most High God. Walk upright before God and man and you will have a clear conscious and clean hands.
Father, I know You care about every area and aspect of my life. You brought me out of the world and now You want to get the world out of me. I declare, by faith, that my mind is being and shall continue to be renewed by the Word of God. I put Your Word in me so much that it becomes the overwhelming influence of my life. You are a God of integrity and I am Your child; therefore I am a person of integrity. I walk upright before You all the days of my life. I don't do anything, in business or otherwise, that will devalue, discount, or discredit Your name. I bring honor to You and Your name in all that I do. In Jesus' name. Amen!

A Sinner in Need of a Savior

(Prov 20:9 NIV) Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

Here Solomon poses a rhetorical question. Sure, people have said it, but no one (outside of Jesus) could ever make this statement and it be true. Every one of us was born a sinner in need of a savior.

Paul preaches this powerful message (the Gospel) in all his letters. In his letter to the church at Rome Paul made it clear that every human, unequivocally, has sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Why? Because we were all born with a sin nature, a sin conscious, and a sin-induced death sentence. In addition to the fact that Adam's sin left us an inheritance of iniquity (causing us to be born into sin), Adam's sin also transferred to us a sin nature. This means that we were all born with the tendency to do wrong. I heard a preacher once say, "I have lived all these years and I have never heard a baby say "yes" first." Why is that? Because of the inheritance of Adam.

All of us are born sinners. In Ecclesiastes Solomon made this message very clear by saying, "Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins" (7:20). Both Solomon and Paul taught this message, however, Paul had a message Solomon never heard and that is the message of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. That is why Paul could go on to explain that God, by His grace, made a way for every human to receive salvation from sin and that is: through the saving power of God's Son, Jesus the Christ (see Romans 3:23,24).

Solomon was writing as he looked forward: in hopes of a coming Messiah. Paul was writing as he looked back: at a Messiah who had already come into the earth, had lived a sinless life, suffered all manner of suffering, experienced a crucifixion on Calvary's cross for a debt He did not owe, and conquered satan, hell and the grave by being raised from the dead with all power in His hand! That is the message we preach. Solomon's message was incomplete. Paul's message tells us the rest of the story.

John, like Paul, also preached the saving power of Jesus Christ. John's New Testament letters are chock-full of the gospel message. In his first letter John said, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." If we stop there we feel like there is an un-crossable gulf between a holy God and fallen man. However, John goes on to say, "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." That tells us that we can have fellowship with God (in whom there is no darkness at all), just as long as we walk in the light and receive the cleansing power of Jesus' blood.

However, without understanding the whole of counsel of God's Word it sounds like we would have to be sinless to walk with God. So I am thankful that John goes on to say, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (see 1st John 1:5-10).

So yes we, as believers, still sin, but we quickly confess our sin, repent, and move forward by faith. It's not that we are sinless, but since we are committed to walking with God we definitely sin less!

So what does this mean to you? Simply put, it means that you were born a sinner in need of a Savior. The Father provided that Savior in His Son; Jesus is His name. Once you accept Jesus as Your Lord you are to walk in the light, as He is in the light, so you can shine as divine light in a dark, dying, and decaying world.

Father, I thank You for sending Jesus, Your Son, to die in my stead. Because of Adam I was born in sin and with a sin nature. Sin was common to me and I was in dire need of a Savior. I heard the gospel message that Your Son paid the price I could not pay for a debt He did not owe. Without Him and You I am nothing. I could not even breathe my next breath without You. I am forever grateful for Jesus and what He did to pay the penalty for my sin. I declare, by faith, that I will walk in the light, as You are in the light, and together we will shine in the midst of darkness and impact all those we come in contact with today! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Our Righteous Judge

(Prov 20:8 NLT) When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.

Here Solomon teaches us about the importance of righteous judgment. Similar to our court system today - which allows for a case to be elevated to different levels - the court system in Solomon's day was hierarchal. If the case warranted it, it could actually be tried before the king himself (e.g., Solomon, 1 Kings 3:16-28). While a sitting king definitely had many matters of state to deal with, he still took it upon himself to personally oversee the administration of the law. And this was not just a practice during Biblical times. I am not sure if the court it is still exercised, but the British constitution does reserve a court for the king (or queen), called the King's Bench, where a sitting king (or queen) can hear a case.

Solomon tells us that when a king gets involved in a case he weighs all the evidence and he has a knack for distinguishing the bad (exaggerated, overstated, embellished) from the good. The English Standard Version translation of this verse brings the out; it reads: "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes." A just king could detect (or winnow / sift out; cross ref. Prov 20:26) evil motives and actions.

The point here is that a king's involvement brought fear to the guilty, because kings did not arrive at the throne by mistake and they were not easily fooled. This reminds me of the selection of David. When the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint one of his son's as the next king of Israel Jesse lined up seven of his eight boys before the prophet. David, Jesse's youngest, was still out tending to sheep. The prophet Samuel did not know that one of the boys was missing and while he was a prophet, he did not hear from God about the selection. Samuel's natural man took over and the prophet attempted to make the selection with his head and not his spirit. Samuel saw Jesse's eldest boy and since he was the oldest, handsome, and strong, he thought, "Surely this is the one." However, the Lord Himself stepped in and said to Samuel, "Pay no attention to how tall and handsome he is. I have rejected him, because I do not judge as people judge. They look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart" (1st Sam 16:7). The Lord has a way of looking past our outward façade and seeing deep down into our heart; into whom we really are.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. You serve a King - actually, the Kings of Kings - who is a righteous judge that personally gets involved in the cases of your life.
2. Your heavenly Father has a way of winnowing (sifting through) your outward façade and seeing the truth, whether you want to present it or not.
3. You may be able to fool others, but you will NEVER be able to fool God.
4. Bow before God (your King) today, ask Him for forgiveness and grace, and enter this day with the confidence of knowing that He is on you, in you, with you, and for you. God is not only there to judge you, but He will also judge every person that comes against you. He is on your side, so get excited about today!

Father, I thank You for being my righteous judge. You sift through my external façade, the person I portray to others, and You know who I really am. I thank You for judging me, but for also applying the Blood of Jesus, Your Son, to my life. Because of Jesus You forgive me, cleanse me, and grace me daily. As I enter this day I do so with the confidence that You are on me, in me, with me, and for me. You are on my side, who can be against me? You correct me when I am wrong and protect me when I am right. Your involvement in my life is comforting and it gives me confidence. I am excited about today! Let's go make a difference together! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Generational Blessings and Cursings

(Prov 20:7 NLT) The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.


Here Solomon teaches us about the impact we can have on our children. Quite honestly, whether we know it or not, the decisions we make today can actually impact our grandchildren, whether we are alive or not.
This is the spiritual aspect of this verse. But before we get too deep in the spiritual, let's discuss the practical aspect.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children." Okay, on a practical level, we all know that our children emulate us. Consciously or subconsciously, our children pickup on the things we do. So when we live lives that are godly, upright, with integrity, and striving towards righteousness, we are setting the right example for our children and our example WILL rub off on them. If you don't want you children to do what you are doing, then you probably should not do it, because your actions - even on a practical level - have a way of showing up in theirs.

Now let's get to the spiritual aspect of this verse. In Exodus chapter 20 the Lord, through Moses, when admonishing the Israelites to stay away from idol gods, said: "You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected-even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me" (v.5). The Lord said something similar in Ex 34:7, Num 14:18, and Deut 5:9.

This is heavy stuff and it is real. Unbeknownst to me One of my family members committed many transgressions in life that I needed to be delivered from. This was definitely a spiritual thing, because this person has little practical influence on my life. As I grew up I realized that I had a natural inclination to do some of the things I later found out he was prone to doing. It was only after I was Born-Again that I asked my heavenly Father to fully deliver me from any negative spiritual (or otherwise) influences of the past, so that I could fully become the person He desired for me to be. Now, I run into people all the time who say that they don't believe in generational curses, but a failure to believe in something does not negate the fact that is real, and Biblical.

The good news is that while generational curses are real, so are generational blessings. The Lord, trough Solomon's father David, said, "But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear Him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments!" (Ps 103:17,18). The Lord said something similar in Gen 45:10, Prov 13:22, and Eze 37:25. If the decisions we make will affect our children and their children (and they will), why not make the decisions good ones? Just like cursings can be passed down, so can blessings. I have made a conscious choice to live right before God. The Blessing of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus is flowing in my life and it SHALL flow in the lives of my descendants. I made a course correction in my family line that will have ripple effects long after I am gone!

So what does this mean to you ? It means that your decisions are VERY important. Not only do your decisions impact your future, but they will also have an impact on the lives of your born and unborn descendants. So live your life in such a way that you will:
1) be a practical example of righteousness for your children that is worthy of emulation and
2) leave a spiritual inheritance that will positively impact your children's children and beyond.

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I now realize the importance of my decisions and actions. The life that I live will still be impacting my descendants long after I am gone. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that my life will be a life of faith, love, peace, mercy, forgiveness, and divine adventure. I shall leave an inheritance of righteousness for my children and children's children that will give them a Godly advantage in life. They will not have to start where I started. They will have a head start because of the decisions I make and the path I take. The Blessing of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus is on me and it SHALL be on my descendants. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Bringing Out the Best in Everyone!

(Prov 20:5 GNB) A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Solomon paints a vivid picture for us in a form of a parable. He explains to us that a person's true self, their inner-man, is like water in a deep well. As a subconscious form of protection most people put up a barrier that only a select few are allowed past. This is the barrier to their soul, to their most inner self, to who they really are. While God searches the heart with relative ease that is not the case for humans. Only those with true wisdom can search deep into the heart of another, bringing out those things they guard as precious.

This is the challenge of the pastors, counseling psychologists, mentors, and counselors in general. Having a one-on-one interaction with someone else, with the goal of searching deep inside of them and bringing out whatever is required at the time, takes tremendous skill. However, there is a difference between skill, gifting, and the anointing. The Father can certainly anoint someone - gracing them with supernatural ability - to be able to get out of a person whatever needs to be brought out at the time.

18th century theologian John Gill was so eloquent when commenting on this text that I decided to simply share with you what he said:

A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well: "Pure and undisturbed, but secret, hidden, and hard to be come at: such are the things of the spirit of a man, the thoughts of his mind, the devices of his heart; which, though easily known by the searcher of hearts, are not easily penetrated into by men; or it is not easily got out of them what is in them, especially in some men, who are very close and reserved. This is true of wicked men, who seek sleep to hide their counsel; and of good men, especially studious men, who have got a great deal of wisdom and knowledge in them, but not very communicative, being slow of speech, and silent in conversation."

But someone with insight can draw them out: "He will find ways and means to discover the secret designs of wicked men, whether against church or state; and, by asking proper questions, an understanding man will get out useful things from men of knowledge, the most reserved: some men must be pumped, and a good deal of pains must be taken with them, to get out anything of them, as in getting water out of a deep well, and which when got is very good; and so is that wisdom and knowledge which is gotten by an inquisitive man from another of superior knowledge, but not very diffusive of it."

So what does this mean to you? Simply put, it means that a person with divine insight can get the best out of anyone. Whether dealing with someone who is wicked or righteous, good intentioned or deceitfully conniving, a Godly graced person can go deep, like a miner, and bring out the golden nuggets the other person has buried in their soul. Are you that type of person? Can you see the good in anyone? And if you see it, can you bring it out? Can you get past a person's wayward ways long enough to help them bring out the best they have? If you have this grace, then use it, because it is much needed in the world.

Father, first of all I ask You to impart divine wisdom, insight, revelation and understanding (supernaturally) on me, so that I can see the best IN and bring the best OUT of others. I want to be an agent of positive change in the earth. You have put Your Kingdom in me. I now ask You to put me wherever You want, in order to bring about the change You desire. I look past outward failures and flaws in order to see the good every person has deep down inside of them. With Your grace I am able to bring it out so that they and others can see it, and so that true change can take place! In Jesus' name. Amen

A Faithful Man (Woman)

(Prov 20:6 KJV) Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs My mother used to say, "Statements are taken based upon who said them." Her point was that you must take the person's background and perspective into account when considering what they had to say. When you read this verse you must consider the fact that Solomon was a sitting king. He dealt with other heads of state and a multitude of his own leaders on a regular basis. He knew that people were on their best behavior when they stood before a king, so he also knew that a good portion of what he heard was peppered with superfluities. Person after person would stand before Solomon and promise to delivery thus and so, but the reality is that only a portion of those who promise actually perform as promised. Further, many of those who promised and delivered only did so once or twice. Finding someone who promises and performs on a routine basis - day after day, month after month, year after year - is hard. Solomon was looking for leaders who would consistently and faithfully perform for the long haul.

Guess what? God is looking for the same thing. How many people stand before God claiming to be faithful? How many people get before God's presence and promise to do better? And of those people, how many actually deliver on those promises? Now, I am not talking about being faithful for a week, or a month, or even a year. I am talking about being faithful God to for the long haul. How many people do you know who were once fired up about God but have now lost their way? How many do you know who were once on-fire, but are now burned out? But let's not just talk about God, how many people do you know who promised to be there for you, forever, but now they won't even call? People can claim this or that, but at the end of the day, it is simply hard to find someone who is going to be faithful and loyal for the long haul.

I am by no means a perfect woman. But one thing I have strived to be is steady and faithful. Let's use Today's Word as an example. Back in December of 2004 the Father told me to get up every morning and write a devotional. I vowed to God that I would and that I would continue to do it until He told me to stop. Well, here we are, over 6 years later, and I can tell you that I have gotten up every morning, five days a week (Monday through Friday), for these past 7 years and have reported for duty. I get up, pray, get in front of the computer, and type whatever the Father tells me to type. I have done this regardless of where I have been what time I needed to be at work (sometimes very early in the morning), or whether or not I was on vacation. Why? Because I made a vow to the Lord and I have sought to be faithful to it.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should pause long enough to ask yourself this question: am I being faithful? Am I faithful God and to His purpose for my life? If you cannot answer these questions in the affirmative, then it is time to make some changes. James told us that life is a gift to those who stay the course; he taught us about staying power (see James 5:10,11). Most of us claim to be faithful and loyal, but are you really doing it? Are you staying the course, day after day, month after month, and year after year? Solomon asked, "A faithful man, who can find?" Today you should say, "Here I am Lord, look no further!"

Father, I thank You for Your grace and Your Spirit. I declare, by faith, that I will be faithful and loyal all the days of my life. I know there is no retirement plan for the believer. Therefore, I will be faithful to You and to Your plan for my life, until the day that I die. I refuse to die with my purpose still IN me. I am committed to dying empty. I WILL arrive at Your ultimate destination for my life; and I will get there by being faithful EVERY day and in EVERY way. Every day will take me incrementally closer to Your ultimate destiny. I don't take any days off. I am a believer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, every year of my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!