Do you learn by Words or Wounds?

(Prov 21:11 ) An ignorant fool learns by seeing others punished; a sensible person learns by being instructed.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Solomon has already driven home the fact none of us know everything. Flowing in that same vein, he now compares and contrasts how fools learn with how the sensible (or wise) learn. Since we all need to learn and since our lives should be a continual learning process, it would serve us well to understand the best ways to learn. Understanding that, before we get into today's lesson, I want to provide a quick recap of some of the lessons we have learned thus far in this series that prepare us for this lesson:

1. None of us is as smart as 'all of us.' The faster we recognize the fact that we can, and should, learn from others, the better off we will be.
2. We all make mistakes and get off course from time to time. Without course corrections we would stay off course and arrive at a place, at the end of our lives, that we don't want to be.
3. God instructs us and corrects us because He loves us. He loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.
4. The faster we hear, receive, and apply the instruction/correction, the faster we will be developed into the persons the Father desires for us to be.

Now let's get into our lesson. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening." Do you want to be the simpleton or the wise?

1. Simpletons wait until they see others experience harsh punishment, or until they experience it themselves, to learn: Have you observed a group of misbehaving kids or childish adults? You can talk to them until you are blue in the face, but once they have gone down the path of foolish activity it seems like they need to see someone get punished before they snap out of it. As soon as one child or childish adult gets punished the others quickly calm down. As soon as one teenager gets arrested the others 'wake up' and see the error of their ways. But why should it have taken that? Why can't the fool simply receive and respond to the counsel of the wise? I guess the answer is, because they are a fool!

2. The wise respond to a simple word of instruction/correction: Unlike the childish simpleton the wise are willing to hear and accept instruction and correction, because they know that without it they will never truly mature and develop into the person God desires for them to be. The truly wise actually welcome instruction and correction, because they have a sincere desire to learn, grow, and develop. Their wisdom teaches them to learn from as many people as possible and to welcome (not fight against) the instruction.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you need to decide which type of person you want to be. Are you going to be the childish fool who has to see someone get into serious trouble before he makes a change or will you be the wise man who accepts and applies a simple word of instruction/correction? I have been both and I can tell you that the latter is much better! If you learn by words you won't have to experience the pain of wounds!

Father, I thank You for loving me enough to instruct me and correct me. You speak to me directly by Your Spirit and Your Word and also indirectly by sending others to me. Whether directly or indirectly, I declare, by faith, that I receive the instruction and correction You provide me, with WORDS, so that I don't have to experience or see others experience the pain associated with WOUNDS. Thank You for caring enough about me to see to it that I hear what I need to hear. And I also declare that as I hear it, I won't fight against it, but instead I will receive it, apply it, and be changed by it. I welcome instruction and correction! In Jesus' name. Amen!

A Thankful Heart

(1st Thes 5:16-18 NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.


This morning we take a pause, from the book of Proverbs, so that can slow down long enough to say, "Thank You" to God. Tomorrow is the day that is formally known as "Thanksgiving" in the United States. I will send out my 'Thanksgiving Message' today and I won't send out a message tomorrow. Tomorrow will be all about turkey, stuffing, pie, football, friends, and most of all... THANKS!

Many of us are so busy, our schedules are so packed, our email inboxes are so full, and our to-do lists are so long that we constantly feel like we have more task than time. The overwhelming pace of our society has caused many of us to run through days, weeks, months, and even years without slowing down long enough to realize how blessed we truly are. I was suppose to be going home to Maui to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my family, I was really looking forward to it however I have developed some medical challenges that has now allowed me to travel. It has been 14 years since I have spent Thanksgiving with my biological family.

However, I am still looking forward to tomorrow when our home will be full of food, my husband’s family, friends, and fellowship. And while I will enjoy the food - believe me, I am looking forward to it - I know that Thanksgiving, for the believers, should be bigger food. Thanksgiving is an attitude. Thanksgiving is a lifestyle. When you have a thankful heart every day becomes a day of Thanksgiving!

Let me give you a few quick from my own life. I will just use the last couple of weeks. A few weeks ago I was rear-ended and then I proceeded to thank God! Was I happy that it happened? Of course not. It was obvious that the person that hit me was not paying attention. Nor did he hade insurance but I was still thankful. I immediately thanked God for blessing us to have insurance with rental coverage so that I could continue to have transportation. A few months ago my daughter went through a very serious surgery and as a result she today is cancer free and recovering nicely. God really did a major work in her and I am very thankful that he spared her life. I could go on and on. What am I really saying? I am saying that the Father expects us to have a thankful heart. When we have a thankful heart it is hard for discouragement to get in, because thanksgiving is always flowing out!

In Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica he taught about living a life that is pleasing to God. In his closing remarks he said, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." What was Paul saying? What was He teaching us? I believe Paul was telling us that the secret to living a life that is pleasing to God is to maintain your joy, to keep an active prayer life, and to GIVE THANKS to God IN all circumstances. Notice that he said "IN" all circumstances and not "FOR" all circumstances. If we are honest we must acknowledge the fact that everything that happens to us is NOT good and we DON'T always like everything we face. But Paul's point is that we should trust God enough to believe that at the-end-of-the-day we will still come out on top. I may not always be able to Thank Him FOR IT, but I can still thank Him IN IT. This attitude of gratitude is what gives me a thankful heart and I pray you develop the same!

So what does this mean to you? It means that as you walk with God you will not always get what you expect and you may not always get what you want, but you should have enough confidence in Him to know that when it is all said and done you will not be disappointed. This reality, this confidence, this inner knowing, is what enables you to live a lifestyle of Thanksgiving! Look back and be thankful. Look forward and be excited. You serve a God that has blessed you, is blessing you, and will bless you. You have lots to be thankful for!

Father, I may not always like my circumstances. I may not even be able to thank You FOR them, but I declare that I will thank You IN them. I know that when it is all said and done, the situations I face will work out for my good, so instead of waiting until I see it to say it, I praise You now! I am excited NOW! I am expectant NOW! I am THANKFUL NOW! I look back and I am grateful. I look forward and I am excited. I live everyday as a day of Thanksgiving! From this day forward I have a THANKFUL HEART! In Jesus' name, amen!

Protect your Anointing

(Prov 21:10 CEV) Evil people want to do wrong, even to their friends.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Have you ever heard the saying, "If you play with fire you are going to get burned"? Fire only knows one way to be: HOT! It would be foolish to think that fire is going to be something else. It's actually similar with people. Some believers think they can hang out with evil people and not be affected by it, but that is simply not true. Whether we want to admit it or not, the people we hang out with DO wind up rubbing off on us.

We learned this back in chapter 13 where Solomon said, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces" (v.20). In other words, both wisdom and foolishness are transferred by association. And if that is the case, then why would you, as a Born-Again believer, willingly CHOOSE to associate with people who are programmed to do wrong? Later on in Proverbs Solomon says, "Don't envy evil people or desire their company" (24:1). He is warning us from hanging around them, because he does not want what's in them to get in us.

You know the type of people I am talking about. In chapter two Solomon says, "They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong" (verses 14,15). In chapter four he says, "Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; they can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice" (verses 16,17). These people are unhappy unless they are 'stirring the pot.' They find pleasure in making others miserable. They get excited when they have incriminating evidence so they can spread it as gossip. Solomon says that they can't get a good night's sleep unless they have negatively affected someone's life. In other words, when others are doing well it keeps them up at night. They find a preserve satisfaction in knowing that they have done their part in disrupting the peace of another.

We make hundreds of choices every day. If we think about it, our day is full of choice, after choice, after choice. Getting out of bed in the morning is a choice - one that I sometimes don't like to make. We choose to brush our teeth, take a shower, what we will eat, what we will wear, what path we will take to work, what we will do when we get there, and the list can go on and on. Obviously, some decisions are more important than others and therefore require more deliberation. You should take more time, for example, in choosing whom to marry and connect with for the rest of your life, over what to eat for lunch today. One of the decisions that we should place in the important category is the decision of whom we will call our friend. It's been said that "who you will be in five years will be influenced by the friends you choose and the books you read," so choose both wisely. My mother used to tell me daily, "Show me who you hang with and I will tell you who you are."

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Your friends matter: Show me your friends and I will show you your future. If you get to choose the people you call "friend," then shouldn't you choose wisely? Choose the right friends and they will help you live the right life.
2. Protect your anointing: If you value what God is doing in your life, then you will protect it by refusing to connect with those who may contaminate your anointing.
3. Select Godly mentors: Mentoring relationships are powerful. Mentors enable us to do much more than we can alone. Select your mentors wisely and grant them 'right of passage;' giving them access to speak into your life.

Father, I thank You for this reminder this morning. I know I am called by You. You are both light and love and I declare that I will be the same. I shine as light in the midst of darkness. I flow as love in the midst of hatred and selfishness. I seek to reach the lost daily, but I don't connect with the wicked on a level to where their wickedness can rub off on me. I protect what You have done and are doing in my life, but shielding myself from unrighteousness influences. I am determined to become the man/woman You have destined, designed, and desire for me to be! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Don’t be a Nagging Wife

(Prov 21:9 CEV) It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than to
live inside with a nagging wife.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. While Solomon's delivery sounds funny, there is a profound message here if we would take the time to understand it.

Back in chapter 18 Solomon said, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD" (18:22). There is a stark contrast between the favor magnet of chapter 18 and the nagging wife of chapter 21. Both are wives, but one is able to bring out the best in her husband, the other has a knack for bringing out the worst; resulting in her husband preferring the corner of the roof to her presence. I would hope that my husband doesn’t feel this way about me. To be perfectly honest I am sure he has felt this way about me a few times. So yes this is a scripture that I must keep close to my mind so that I never become the nagging wife.

It has been said that every man has both a king and a fool in him, and which ever one is spoken to more, which ever one is nurtured and developed, that will be the one he becomes. I can say, without a doubt that I have spoken to the king in my husband and call him my king. Not only that I believed in him when no one else did; and he knows that I am his biggest fan. Ladies, never underestimate the power of believing in your husband! When he knows that you believe in him it gives him wind beneath his wings. Even if the world is against him, he can feel unstoppable if he knows that you believe in him and that you support him.

Most of the time, whatever I teach to women applies to men as well and vice-versa, but in this case I believe that men, need the unyielding support of their wives. Now, of course as wives we also need the support of their husbands. I am not saying that we don't. But I am saying that what husbands receive from wives, by way of belief and support, far outweighs what husbands do for them in like manner. That's why it is so devastating to a man when he has a wife who does not believe in him. And to make matters worse, Solomon describes a wife who takes it a step further and constantly nags her husband. This is a dangerous situation for the marriage, because before long her husband will dread coming home. He will look for someone who speaks to the king in him and not he fool in him.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. For wives: Speak to the king in your husbands. The more you speak to the king in him, the more he will believe it and become it.
2. For husbands: Welcome the support of your wife and allow her to speak into your life. She is graced by God to minister to you in ways that NO ONE ELSE CAN, OR SHOULD!
3. For husbands and wives: Never make your spouse dread coming home. Do all you can to make your home a nurturing and loving environment where dreams are encouraged and believed!

Father, I thank You for this revelation. Your Word is awesome and it shows me how to live and enjoy life to the fullest. I thank You for my spouse and I declare, by faith, that I will be the blessing to them that You desire for me to be. I speak life and never death into my spouse daily. I build them up and I never tear them down. You grace me to minister to my spouse in ways that I only I can and only I should. My spouse welcomes my input because I always share it in a loving and caring way. I never make my spouse dread coming come. Our home is a sanctuary of peace where dreams are encouraged, believed, and supported! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Can People tell the difference?

(Prov 21:8 NASB) The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

This morning we continue "Unlocking the Power of the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." Here Solomon contrasts the crooked ways of the sinner with the pure ways of the believer; the point being that there should be a stark different between the two. The word "crooked" in this text means twisted or wicked (like whickered, e.g. whickered furniture).

People without God can live twisted lives without even recognizing it. The enemy can blind the eyes of the wicked to the point where they truly believe that wrong is right and right is wrong. Back in chapter two Solomon said that these people, "Take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong" (verses 14 & 15).

Have you ever met someone whose ways - their common way of doing things - was twisted? Satan is a master of deceiving people into believing that they are on the right path when they are clearly wrong and because many are deceived, they use their natural passion to live life in the wrong way; directing their energy and effort towards things are not promoting Godly good. Many of these people take pleasure in doing wrong because their moral compass is skewed; it is calibrated towards wickedness to the point that they enjoy twisted ways.

I know I keep using words like "right" and "wrong" and these words are almost taboo in today's society. I have gotten into many conversations with people who try to tell me that there is no right or wrong. They like to believe that we are just different. They want to find solace in thinking that living in sin is not wrong, but just their choice. They shun away from anyone who believes in an absolute right. Why? Because they realize that if the Bible is right, then they are wrong and they just don't want to come to grips with that.

Many living in sin take pleasure in it. I know I was a good sinner. When I was a sinner I did my best to live like one. So it would be foolish of me to expect a sinner to live like a believer. A person that is not redeemed, that has not been Born Again, that does not have God's Spirit living on the inside of them, and that does not ascribe the truth in God's Word is simply not equipped or positioned to live a life that is pleasing to God. That's why we must share the truth of the Gospel with the lost. But Solomon's point this morning is that if we can agree that sinners live twisted lives, then we must also agree that believers should not! There should be a clear difference between the sinner and the believer. We should not be twisted. Our compass should not be calibrated towards unrighteousness. Our perspective should not be perverted. Our desires should be pure. Our hunger and thirst should be towards righteousness. And our conduct and character should be representative of the God who claim we serve; the same God who lives in us and we in Him.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. There should be a clear difference between your conduct (as a believer) and the conduct of sinners.
2. There are only two things the Bible says God is: Light and Love. If you claim to be in God and Him in you, then you must walk in the light (not darkness) and walk in love (not selfishness), this way people will know who your God is.
3. There is no such thing as an undercover Christian. If you no one knows you are a Christian, then it is time to take self-inventory. You don't have to go around screaming "Jesus, Jesus;" your conduct and character should be enough. Your life (not just your words) is the best sermon!

Father, I thank You for the reminder this morning. I recognize the fact that I have been called out of darkness and into Your marvelous light. I know that I have been translated from the kingdom of dankness into the Kingdom of Your dear Son Jesus. I am in You and You are in me. I am born of God and I am not ashamed of it. I declare, by faith, that my conduct and character will represent You all the days of my life. People will know the God I serve. People will be able to see a clear difference between my life and the life of a sinner. You are light, therefore I am light and I abstain from darkness. You are love, therefore I am love and I abstain from selfishness. You flow through me today and every day! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Dishonest gain is NOT worth it!!!

(Prov 21:6 NLT) Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God.

The last couple of years have been difficult times for many and the financial struggles of the national economy have spilled over into the lives and personal economies of many Americans, believers and unbelievers alike. The Word of God is always good and this scripture would apply to us at any time, but in today's economy the lesson is even greater. Because of the current financial pressures some have succumb to the temptation to do wrong, to cut corners, to tell 'white' lies, and to violate their integrity to make ends meet. And then again, there are those who pursue wealth unscrupulously whether the economy is up or down.

Here Solomon warns us from falling into the trap of thinking that a quick buck, earned dishonestly, is the answer. The dishonest wealth may come, but just like it came it will surely go, because anything that you have to compromise your integrity and the integrity of God's Word to attain is going to be temporary at best and severely detrimental at worst.

The God's Word translation of this verse reads: "Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time. They are looking for death." If you know better, then you ought to do better, because if you consciously sow bad seed the Father, who is the Lord of the Harvest, is not going to sit by and allow you to reap a good harvest. Bad seed produces a bad harvest every time. Back in chapter 10 Solomon said, "Tainted wealth has no lasting value" (v.2).

In today's scripture Solomon describes tainted wealth as a vanishing mist or a vapor. It might be here today, but rest assured that it will be gone tomorrow. Why? Because it was not gained the right way. What good is it to seek progress the wrong way, when you know that ill-gotten progress is actually regress?

In chapter 13 Solomon said, "Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow" (v.11). Do you want to leave a legacy (spiritual and natural) for your children and your children's children? Then do thing right before God. You cannot violate His Word and then expect to walk in His blessing.

One of the major ways the enemy has gotten believers off of God's destined path for their lives is with the lure of a quick buck. In Paul's first letter to his spiritual son Timothy he spoke of this. Paul said, "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows" (1st Tim 6:9,10).

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Never violate your Godly integrity for a quick buck; it's not worth it.
2. Beware of the money's seduction. If you LOVE money it is only a matter of time before you do something you should not do to get it. The LOVE OF MONEY will get you in trouble.
3. Don't pursue things, pursue God. If you pursue God things will pursue you (Mat 6:33).

Father, I thank You for giving me Your Word, filling me with Your Spirit, and leading me into all truth. Your Spirit convicts me when I am going astray. I declare, by faith, that I listen to Your voice, I respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and I abstain from every kind of evil. I walk in integrity, I honor You with my words and deeds, I am a faithful steward over the finances You bless to come into my hands, and I prosper the right way. I don't pursue things, I pursue You, and because I do, things pursue me. I know You want me to be blessed physically, spiritually, and financially, but I also know that You don't want me to dishonor You in the process. I won't! I honor You and I know You will honor me! All my needs shall be met according to Your riches in glory, by Christ Jesus! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Promises of God

My message is different this morning Just because I feel that as the holidays approaches us many that have lost a love one or have no significant loved on this can be a very hard time. So I would like to take time out from my teaching to send you a message of God’s promise’s though the scriptures.

The Scriptures can speak to us in whatever situation we are in.
If we take the time to search them we can find the answer to all our daily problems. Whatever we are feeling, suffering or hoping.....the Bible has something to say to us.

Let the Word of God speak to you now.
As you read the following Promises of God I hope you will be uplifted and encouraged by them. May God Bless you as you read His Word

..."He has given us His very great and precious promises..." 2 Peter 1:4


BELIEF
" I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." John 12:46
" Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
CHARITY
" Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap." Luke 6:38
" A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9
COMFORT
" God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
" I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart ! I have overcome the world ! " John 16:33
" Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28
COURAGE
" He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak " Isaiah 40:29
" Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" Isaiah 43:1
ETERNAL LIFE
" I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." John 6:47
" And this is what he promises us--even eternal life ." 1 John 2:25
" Jesus said: 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies'....." John 11:25
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27.28
FAITH
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" Heb.11:1
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" Gal. 3:26
"We live by faith, not by sight" 2 Cor. 5:7
FAITHFULNESS
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deut.7:9
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be moved, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed." Isaiah 54:10
GUIDANCE
" I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
" I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them, I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16
JOY
" I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy maybe complete" John 15:11
"...but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." John 16:22
LONG LIFE
" Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. " Isaiah 46:4
" For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life." Proverbs 9:11
LOVE
" I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3
" I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor. 2:9
MERCY
"...the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! " Isaiah 30:18
" As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." Psalm 103:13
PEACE
" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
" And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:7
PRAYER
" Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jeremiah 29:12
"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." Isaiah 65:24
" This is the assurance we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14
PROTECTION
"The Lord will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:7, 8
" When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames willnot set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:1,2
"But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" Proverbs 1:33
SALVATION
" But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour. " Titus 3:4-6
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor 5:17
SUCCESS
" That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God." Ecc 3:13
"Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy with his work---this is a gift of God." Ecc 5:19
" With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver." Proverbs 8: 18,19
TRUST
" Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5,6
"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust...." Psalm 40:4
WISDOM
"For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:5
".....He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths...." Isaiah 2:3
WORD OF GOD
" Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." Deut. 11:18
" All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and righteousness. " 2 Tim.3:15.16
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105
" The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
" Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " Acts 20:32

Planning

Prov 22: NLT Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

This morning we continue our series in the book of Proverbs.

Solomon was running a kingdom with a billion dollar surplus at the time of this writing. The Blessing of the Father was operating in his life and on the nation. No one could say that Israel was not experiencing supernatural favor. Other nations knew that Israel was blessed BECAUSE of the overwhelming success the nation and it's citizens experienced.

So now, the questions is, did they have anything to do with it? Was Solomon and his kingdom Blessed because of God's goodness alone or did was God working with them, because they were honoring Him and following His principles? Or let me ask the question another way, do you have a role in your success? Do your actions have anything to do with your prosperity (physically, spiritually, socially, financially)? I think you know the answer, but most of us don't want to acknowledge it. Of course we have a role. Of course our actions matter. Just look at the nation of Israel as an example.

If you read Chronicles and Kings you will see the success of the nation go up and down and it was always based upon the decisions of it's leader and citizens. When the leader and people honored God and did what He said the nation was blessed, when they did not they were not. Was God still God? You better believe it! God was God the entire time, but their success was largely contingent upon their willingness to cooperate with the God they claimed they served.

Don't mistake this teaching, however, to negate in any way the grace of God. There are times when God blesses us in spite of our foolishness. Believe me, I have experienced that type of grace, mercy, and favor more times than I can count. We serve a GOOD God and we should never forget it. However, we should not tempt His goodness by continually ignoring His Word, will, and way; and then still expecting His blessing to flow in our lives.

Now, you may be thinking, "Okay, so what does this have to do with our text for today?" It actually has a lot to do with it. Solomon is explaining how we must be deliberate in our pursuit of success. Don't think that once you become a Christian that everything is magically going to be alright and that you don't have to work hard anymore. I am convinced that many Christians are looking for 'abra cadabra' (for magic), because they don't want to put in the work required for Godly success.

In chapter 10 Solomon said, "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth" (v.4), and in chapter 13 he said, "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied" (13:4). There is no way around it, if you want to experience success (physically, spiritually, socially, and financially), then you are going to have to do your part and work for it. Now, if you do it God's way you will experience His favor on everything you put your hand TO DO. But you if you don't put you hands TO DO anything, then you are not giving God anything to bless.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Receive: Pray, seek God, and then receive and lay out your plan/vision. If it's from God it's going to be BIG - too big for you to accomplish without Him.
2. Do: Be clear about your plan and then work the plan. Do your part in your destiny. God has gifted you, but it is up to you to put those gifts in motion!
3. Become: What you believe YOU must be determined to become!

Father, I thank You for blessing me to receive vision for my life and with the vision also the insight, wisdom, revelation, and knowledge to do my portion to bring it to pass. I know the vision is too big for me to accomplish without You, so I am definitely relying on You to do Your part, but I also know that You will expect me to do whatever You equip me to do. I declare this morning that I will. I believe You for great things and then I step out in faith to accomplish those things for Your glory. I am determined to become what I believe. I dream big dreams. I receive and lay out diving plans and then I work the plan with the full confidence that You will favor all that I put my hands TO DO! In Jesus' name. Amen!

What are you known by?

(Prov 21:4 GNB) Wicked people are controlled by their conceit and arrogance, and this is sinful.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs –I like to say that in this book we are Walking in the Wisdom of God."

Solomon has already spent a great deal of time painting the picture of how we are supposed to live. Every once in a while it seems like he throws in a few scriptures like this, so we can see what we are NOT supposed to do or look like.

As a believer our identifying characteristic should be the love of God (see John 13:35, 1st John 4:8). God is love and since we are in Him and He is in us, He expects us to operate in His love. If we are His children and we are called by His name, then it stands to reason that we would look like, walk like, talk like, and act like Him in the earth. When people see us they should see God.

John said, "As He is, so are we in this world" (1st John 4:17); and the "He" John refers to is Jesus Himself. So just as Jesus is - loving, caring, sharing, compassionate, merciful, inclined to forgive, disposed to do good, and etc. - so are we to be in this world! Did you get that? We are supposed to be like Jesus NOW! In this world. In our present state. In our daily lives. Not some day, not when we make it to heaven, not in our glorified bodies, but RIGHT NOW, today!

The Father expects you and I to be like His Son every day. We are destined to be conformed into His image (Romans 8:29), and when we are, when we allow the Father to transform us into the image of His Son, then Jesus becomes the "firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29). In the gospels, while Jesus was still alive, Jesus was the "only begotten of the Father," (John 1:14, 1:18, 3:16), but now, after Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave, and after He has poured out His spirit upon every person who accepts Him as Lord, He is now the "firstborn among many brothers." In other words, before Jesus' death and resurrection, He was the only one communing directly with the Father and being led of the Spirit, but now every Born-Again believer is supposed to be this way. We are supposed to look just like Jesus in the earth - making a difference everywhere we go.

This brings us back to our text for this morning. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Arrogance and pride-distinguishing marks in the wicked-are just plain sin." Arrogance and pride are not supposed to be our distinguishing marks. As Solomon states, they are just plain sin. As believers we are called to operate in love, because God IS love, and love is not arrogant or boastful. Paul said, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily" (1st Corinthians 13:4). When you operate in God's love you don't have excessively high and twisted opinion of yourself and you definitely don't look down on others.

Pride is what got satan kicked out of heaven. Isaiah explained it: "Satan said, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:13,14). What do you see in those two verses? Satan had an excessively high opinion of himself, God was not in his conversation at all, and he paid the price for it.

So what does this mean to you? Three quick things:
1. Arrogance and pride are the identifying characteristics of satan and his followers.
2. Love is THE identifying characteristic of Jesus and His followers.
3. Your actions (not just your words) tell others which one you are following!

Father, I thank You for Your Word and I thank You for Your love. You love has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit and I am now able to operate in Your love daily. I flow in your love so strong that others can see it, feel it, and get transformed by it. I am known as a child of God because I am known for Your love. Your love is my identifying characteristic. I prove I love You by loving others daily. I am loved, I believe Your love, I have faith in Your love, and Your love has transformed me into a vessel of love, light, grace, and peace! I declare this by faith! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Obedience and Righteousness

(Prov 21:3 CEV) Doing what is right and fair pleases the LORD more than an offering.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs -Here Solomon teaches us the importance of obedience and righteousness before God. Someone asked me: "Do people go to church to be righteous?" I replied, "No, but righteous people go to church." They continued: "Do people forgive to be righteous?" I replied, "No, but righteous people forgive." They asked me one more... "Do people give money to be righteous?" I replied, "No, but righteous people support ministry." What is the common theme of that line of questioning? It is that some people make the mistake of thinking that something they do (externally) for God is more important than the internal condition of their heart. The Father does not want your stuff, He wants you! You may perform lots of religious rituals, but it means nothing to the Father if He does not have your willing submission, obedience, and worship.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse is powerful, it reads: "Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to GOD than religious performance." The Father is not interested in your ritualistic practices if your heart is not right before Him. Our Lord is looking to be your Lord; a personal Lord who is either Lord OF all or He is not Lord AT all. And not just with outward performances, but with pure hands and a clean heart.

This reminds me of king Saul and the critical mistake he made when he got too big in his own eyes. Saul got to the point where he thought he could disregard what God instructed him to do. Saul did just that and when the Lord's anger was kindled against him. The Lord sent the prophet Samuel to rebuke Saul. Samuel said, "When the LORD sent you on this mission, he told you to wipe out those worthless Amalekites. Why didn't you listen to the LORD? Why did you keep the animals and make him angry?" The Lord had given Saul explicit instructions kill the Amalekites and everything they had. However, Saul decided to do something else with a portion of the spoils. This is how Saul replied to Samuel: "But I did listen to the LORD! He sent me on a mission, and I went. I captured King Agag and destroyed his nation. All the animals were going to be destroyed anyway. That's why the army brought the best sheep and cattle to Gilgal as sacrifices to the LORD your God."

Did you catch that? All the animals were supposed to be killed immediately, but Saul decided to make an elaborate offering, with the animals, to God - to the same God that had already told him what to do.

Samuel responded:
"Tell me, does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn't want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him. Rebelling against God or disobeying him because you are proud is just as bad as worshiping idols or asking them for advice. You refused to do what God told you, so God has decided that you can't be king" (see 1st Samuel 15:18-23).

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Sacrifices (or offerings) are not bribes to make God overlook our character flaws.
2. We can't buy God's favor or attempt to exchange good behavior in one area for bad behavior in another.
3. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Father, I thank You for explaining to me the importance of obedience and submission to You. I don't take my relationship with You lightly. I know that I am Your son and You are my loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father, but I will never disrespect You by taking Your position in my life lightly. While You are my Father, You are also my Lord, and I will willingly and humbly submit to You as such. I offer sacrifices and offerings, not in an attempt to cover anything up, but rather as a form of clear worship. I come to You with clean hands and a pure heart. I want to be naked, open, and unashamed before You. Because I am committed to full obedience, I and positive that You are committed to using me for Your glory! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Your True Self

(Prov 21:2) Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon teaches us two things:
1) That every one of us should routinely talk self-inventory, and
2) That even when we do perform self-examination it can be deceitful because we sometimes subconsciously convince ourselves that we are right, even when we are dead-wrong.

Even though it is sometimes difficult to acknowledge the error of our ways, we must try lest be become the fool Solomon spoke of back in chapter 12 when he said, "The way of a fool seems right to him" (v.15). So what's the answer? What can we do to make sure we are truly on the right path? Ask God! God will tell us when we are truly right and when we are truly wrong. We may be able to fool ourselves, but we will never be able to fool Him!

This verse reminds me of the Johari window. The Johari window is a cognitive psychological tool created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955. It's basically a tool used to help people better understand themselves. Imagine a window with four panes. The first pane is called "the arena." This is the part of you that is known to both you and others. This is where you are most comfortable. You don't feel like you need to hide anything about this part of your life.

However, the second pane is called "the façade." This is the part of you that you know about, but that you fail to expose to others. You put up a façade in hopes that others will not be able to see what you think is the 'real you.'

The third pane is called "the blind spot." This is the part of you that is known to others, but is blind to you. We are often blind to our own faults and what may be obvious to others can be painfully incomprehensible to us; which is actually what Solomon is teaching about today.

And lastly, the fourth pane is called, "the unknown." This is the part of you that is both blind to others and yourself. There are parts of you that are still undiscovered.

As you journey through life and evolve both you and others will discover things about you that you never knew before. But guess what? God knew. God knows everything you will ever do and He planned out your life accordingly. So spending time with God is definitely time well spent. He can prepare you for your future in ways that you would have never prepared yourself. So be honest with God, expose your flaws to Him (it's not like He doesn't already see them), and ask Him to make the necessary course corrections you need to stay on His desired path for your life.

The issue of correction is really the main issue of this text. This was a problem back in Solomon's time, but I believe it is even more of a problem today. When is the last time you attempted to correct someone? This is often a difficult task today because our society promotes the idea that everyone has the "right" to walk their own walk and to live their own lives their own way. Today the 'everything goes' mentality is prevalent within our society, to the point where it many don't see the need for correction. Why would you need correction if anything and everything is right? If we are not careful, we can raise up an entire generation of people who will always see themselves as right, innocent, and righteous (albeit self-righteous).

So what does this mean to you? It means that God looks at your heart. He sees your inner motives. He looks past your façade and even past your limited understanding. If you truly want to be right, then seek to be right with God. Ask Him to expose to you your inner faults and flaws. When God does, ask Him to help you to make the corrections you need to make in order to become the person He desires for you to be. There is an overwhelming peace that overtakes you when know that you are right with God. Seek that peace today.

Father, You know me, inside and out. You know the error of my ways. You know my deep motives. You know things about me that I don't even know about myself. I ask You to reveal all the things to me that I need to correct. I want to be the very best person that I can be, for You and for others. Lead me, guide me, direct me, and expose my true self to me, so that I can make change for the better. I want to be naked, open, and unashamed before You. I want the peace that comes from knowing that I am right with You and right with others. In Jesus' name. Amen!

King of King’s

King of King’s

(Prov 21:1 NLT) The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; He guides it wherever He pleases.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon once again references the sovereignty of God. This subject is not new to us. In chapter 16 Solomon said, "We humans make plans, but the LORD has the final word" (v.1) and "In your heart you plan your life. But the LORD decides where your steps will take you" (v.9). In the last chapter Solomon said, "A person's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?" (20:24).

In the lessons that corresponded with those verses we learned of God's sovereignty, but we were also reminded of our responsibility. I know when you first read this morning's verse and you see the words "He guides it wherever He pleases," it sounds like Solomon is saying that kings don't have a will at all; as if to say that they are simply puppets and God Almighty is the grand puppeteer. However, you and I know that that would not be congruent with the rest of scripture.

No, there is a dual aspect-God and man, man and God-to our lives. If we didn't have a say in the matter, then why pray? Why plan? Why petition anything of the Lord or bring anything before the Lord is He is simply going to do what He wants to do anyway? You and I both know-from the Word, life, and experience-that God has a part and we have a part.

Solomon speaks to God's sovereignty, but he also spends a great deal of time speaking to our responsibility. God's sovereignty does not alleviate us of the weight of our decisions, but rather adds on us the additional task of seeking God's will and of aligning our decisions with it. If that is true for us, then it is also true for kings, for those in authority.

In Solomon's day, kings possessed absolute authority and were often considered to be like gods. Solomon was actually a sitting-king at the time of this writing. By saying what he said Solomon was acknowledging the fact that while he was clearly in authority (here in the earth), he also understood that he was under authority. Solomon was a king, but he acknowledged the Lord as the King of kings.
Solomon's message is that all authority, kings or otherwise, is ultimately subordinate to God's authority.

God can influence kings just like He influences us. God can see to it that the work of kings' hands is either blessed or ineffective, just like He does with the work of our hands. God can see to it that kings are promoted or removed, just like He can in our lives. The bottom line is that kings are no different from anyone else. Those in authority are only there because God allows them to be there. While their influence is unquestionable, their position is perishable. If leaders routinely abuse the authority they have been given, they can quickly find themselves without it. However, if leaders allow themselves to be influenced by the God who blessed them to be there in the first place, then God will continue to bless them TO BE a blessing and they will find that they span of control will continue to expand and God moves them up the proverbial 'ladder' of whatever organizational structure they are operating in.

So what does this mean to you ? Two things:
1. If you are a leader, then thank God for blessing you to have the authority, but remember that God has ultimate authority!
2. Use your influence for God's glory. If you allow God to lead you as you lead others, then you will experience supernatural success in the earth. People will be amazed by your leadership ability and astounded by your wisdom - all because you allow yourself to be led by the greatest leader!

Father, I thank You for giving me the sphere or influence and the span of control that You have. I am blessed to be able to make a difference in the lives of others daily. I declare that I will. I submit to You, as my ultimate authority and I ask You to lead me as I attempt to lead others. I thank You in advance for giving me supernatural insight so that I can comprehend the complex, manage the seemingly unmanageable, connect with the distant, and lead with compassion. Your hand upon my life makes me an exceptional leader. I enter this day with great expectations. You and me, me and You, together, let's go make a difference! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Do you have the Desire to Change?

Prov 20:30 NLT) Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." My first reaction after reading this verse was to think, "That can't mean what it just said." Why did I think that? Because we don't normally teach about outward punishment for inward cleansing. Our normal emphasis, when teaching on the cleansing of the inner-man, is on Jesus' finished work on the Cross (i.e. the Blood of Jesus), and the cleansing power of the Word of God.

So you may be asking yourself why would I focus on the outward-man when I am trying to effectuate change to the inner-man? Solomon gives us the answer: because some people are so hardheaded, stiff-necked, and obstinate that they will never willingly accept the gentle truth of God's Word, nor hear God's still small voice, until they feel a level of physical pain associated with the error of their ways.

In the last chapter Solomon said, "Anyone who burns with anger must pay for it. If you save him, you will have to do it again." As I commented on that verse I said: "When you love someone and you see him or her in trouble your immediate reaction is to help get him or her out. However, Solomon teaches us here that there is a level of goodness in allowing someone to deal with the repercussions of their actions... we have to allow them to pay for what they have done, because if we do not, they will find themselves in that situation again and we will have to continue to rescue them.

What it comes down to is this: If you get someone out of a bind but you fail to change their mind, then it is only a matter of time before they do it again. Trust me I have done this over and over with a certain individual.

Mind renewal is the key." And therein lies the point of this morning's message. For you to submit to the process of mind renewal, you must FIRST have a desire to change. The problem is that many people never develop the desire to change until they endure a truly painful experience.
I am a perfect example of that I had to go through a very dramatic experience before I gave my heart to God.

The Good News Bible translation of this verse brings this out, it reads: "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."

I have taught this before I read it somewhere however I can not recall were. "DARE Method for Change." DARE stands for:
Decide: Decide what you want to change and what you want to look like after you have changed.
Associate: Associate real pain with your old behavior. This is the crux of today's message. Until a person associates real pain with their old behavior, they will develop the DESIRE to change.
List the worst possible thing that could happen if you do not change.
List the best possible thing that can happen if you do.
Recall: Recall the experiences that have kept you down in the past. Until you deal with your past defeat, you may never change.
Envision: Envision yourself as the "totally new" you; like your mentor or model. Who do you want to be like?

So what does this mean to you? It means that our loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. If you are too hardheaded to submit to His Word, listen to His Spirit, or follow the counsel of His Pastors, then He will sit by and watch as you endure the pain (physical or otherwise) associated with the error of your ways. What will it take for you to WANT to change?

Father, I declare by faith that I don't have to wake up in a jail cell or a hospital bed to develop the desire to change. I am Your child and Your Word tells me that I am destined to be conformed to the image of Your Son Jesus. I don't fight the process. I want to daily become more and more like Jesus. I declare that I will. I have been through enough already. I don't need any more pain to get me to the point where I willingly submit to You and Your process. I receive Your Word with gladness, I humbly submit to Your correction, I listen for Your still small voice, and I heed the counsel of those that You have assigned to speak into my life. As I do this I will grow, develop, and mature into the person You desire for me to be! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Young and Old Together

(Prov 20:28 NLT) The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon teaches us that both the young and the old have their advantages and can therefore add value in different ways to the Body of Christ. And that's what it is all about. None of us is as good as all of us. It takes all of us to make up the body. While teaching on the collective Body of Christ Paul said, "The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary" (1st Cor 12:21,22). While we are different parts - with different giftings, callings, weaknesses, and strengths - we all need each other to make up the Body. You may not do what I do, but I may not do what you do, so if either one of us were missing from the Body, then there would be a gap that only we could fill.

The young take pride in their strength and agility, and there is nothing wrong with taking care of one's physical body, just as long as you are willing to use that strength, vigor, and vitality for the Kingdom of God. But make no mistake, scarcely are the young considered wise. They may have vigor and vitality, but most require assistance in understanding how to properly channel that energy. And that is where the older generation comes in. Older believers may not have strength and agility they once had, but their many years of experience have afforded them the opportunity to grow in grace and wisdom. It would make sense, then, for the younger generation to respect the older generation's understanding and experience.

Neither group (young or old) should despise the other, for both can add value to the Kingdom off God. In the Apostle John's first letter he addresses both groups, saying: "You veterans were in on the ground floor, and know the One who started all this; you newcomers have won a big victory over the Evil One... You veterans know the One who started it all; and you newcomers-such vitality and strength! God's word is so steady in you. Your fellowship with God enables you to gain a victory over the Evil One" (1st John 2:13 & 14). The Veterans had the advantage of being there for the long haul. The newcomers had the advantage of learning from the veterans and then coupling everything the veterans taught them with their own personal experiences. This enables the newcomers to be much further along than the veterans were when they were babes in Christ.

Why? Because the newcomers were not starting from scratch. It is never God's design for your children to have to start where you started. The Father wants the young to take advantage of the wisdom already garnered by the old. Why learn the same lessons your forefather already learned? Learn from them and then couple the wisdom they gave you with the wisdom you gain through your own personal experiences. This way you can make maximum use of your strength!

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. The youth have the strength, vigor and vitality, but they may not have the wisdom to channel that energy the right way.
2. The old have the wisdom gained from many years of experience, but they may not have the strength to maximize it anymore.
3. If the young and old come together they will cancel out each other's weaknesses and the Body of Christ will be much more effective!
4. Whether you are young or old, you can add value to God's Kingdom!

Father, I thank You for this revelation. This is a life changing Word. I declare, by faith, that I will maximize my purpose and potential while I am in the land of the living. I allow those that You have blessed with many years of experience to pour into me. And I am committed to pouring into others all those things that You bless me to receive. I channel my energy the right way, I partner with the other generation, and together we shall make the impact that You desire for us to make in the earth. Young and old, together, making a difference! In Jesus' name. Amen

Leading in Love

(Prov 20:28 NLT) Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs – I like to say that going through this book we are “Walking in the Wisdom of God." In the New Testament, when writing to his spiritual son, Paul said, "First, I want all of you to pray for everyone. Ask God to bless them. Give thanks for them. Pray for kings. Pray for all who are in authority. Pray that we will live peaceful and quiet lives. And pray that we will be godly and holy" (1st Tim 2:1,2).

Why did Paul instruct Timothy to pray for kings and those who were in authority? Because he understood that there is a connection between ruler and people. The ruler has the ability and the authority to make decisions for the people and their decisions influence the people's lives. Solomon also understood this; even more so because he was a king himself.

Solomon understood the fact that he was clearly in authority. Later in Proverbs Solomon said, "Show me a righteous ruler and I will show you a happy people. Show me a wicked ruler and I will show you a miserable people" (29:2); once again driving home the connection between ruler and people.

There is no question in my mind as to whether or not Solomon understood the fact that he was in authority. Most leaders clearly understand the span of control they have. Being in authority is not normally the issue. The issue comes when someone wants to be IN authority, but not UNDER authority. It's dangerous to have authority without accountability. Everyone who leads should also have someone who leads them. This way you have no problem exercising authority, because you also understand the importance of submitting to it.

This leads us to our verse for this morning. Solomon teaches us here that those in authority should acknowledge the God that blessed them to be there, to the extent that they seek to emulate God's character as they seek to fulfill the duties of the office wherewith they have been charged. Since God is love (1st John 4:8 & 16) and since all authority comes from Him (Rom 13:1), then all those in authority should seek to walk in love, in order to please the God that put them there. Leaders who displease God by mistreating His people can quickly find themselves out of a job.

To really get this message, let's read this verse from a few different translations: The Contemporary English Version: "Rulers are protected by God's mercy and loyalty, but they must be merciful for their kingdoms to last;" the Message Bible: "Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity;" and the Good News Bible: "A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair."

I will use an example of Godly leadership in my own personal experience.
My leader is Margaret Deemer recently I had something that I felt that I wanted to. Fortunately for me I needed her signature along with other’s to proceed in this plan. When I approached her with the idea she simply asked me why I felt lead to be involved in this. I explained my reasons to her and she simply said “did you pray about it and what did God say?” She knew immediately in her spirit that this plan of mine was not God’s plan. But she love me through it and she plated a seed in my heart. A few week later God spoke to me loud and clear that this was a Paulette idea and not a God idea. He hold me I was right were He wanted me to be and it followed up but three profits that told me the same thing as He told me. When I went back to her and shared with her of my decision not to follow through with my ideas. She said Praise God I was praying that God would show you that you are right were He wants you to be. Wow!!! She knew if I followed through with this it would impact my ministry and the people that I am leading. I know that in my group I am in authority but I am still under God and Margaret’s authority. Margaret did not judge me when I wanted to make a bad decision she loved me trough it and prayed me through it. She Lead me in love and that is how I lead my group and why we have been successful.


So what does this mean to you? It means that as a leader you must:
1. Realize that your decisions directly impact the lives of those you lead.
2. Acknowledge the fact that your authority has been given to you by God.
3. Recognize the face that while you are IN authority, you are also UNDER authority.
4. Seek to emulate the character of the God who gave you the position.
5. Lead in love. If you maintain love your position will be maintained and you will continue to experience Godly success. Love is God's highest requirement!

Father, I thank You for blessing me to be able to lead and for giving me such an awesome leader. I declare, by faith, that I will lead in love. I seek to emulate You in every area of my life and especially in those areas and ways that impact the lives of others. You have been merciful to me, therefore I will be merciful to others. You have been kind to me, therefore I will be kind to others. While I refuse to be a pushover, I also refuse to be a person who continually stirs up strife. I become the example and the conduit of Your love that You need me to be. I impact my sphere of influence with Your love, light, and wisdom. You have blessed me TO BE a blessing and I WILL be just that, in the earth, all the days of my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Awesomeness of God!!

(Prov 20:27 NLT) The LORD's light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.


This morning we continue Unlocking the Power of Proverbs. Here Solomon teaches us about God's sovereignty, alluding to God's omniscience as he tells us of our Heavenly Father's ability to peer deep down into our inner most being. Yes, you might be able to fool others with an outward façade. Actually, I would venture to say that a good portion of society puts up a façade in order to mask who they really are. But there is no hiding from God. When God examines us, He does not look at our outward man - our physical strength, beauty, adornments (or lack thereof) - He looks at the heart (1st Sam 16:7). Jehovah examines us from the inside out. He looks past the 'outward face' we present to others and He looks at our true nature.

Other translations of this verse describe the fact that God uses our human spirit as a lamp that illuminates our inner man to God. Here is an example: "The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one's inmost being." Your human spirit is the real you. You ARE a spirit, you posses a soul (comprised of your mind, emotions, and will), and you live in a temporary earthly body. Therefore, it stands to reason that when God wants to examine you He goes directly to core of who you are - your spirit.

In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth he said, "No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit" (1st Cor 2:11). In context, Paul was teaching about the awesome power of the Holy Spirit and how God actually gives us His Spirit so that we can know what He is thinking. But while it was not the crux of his writing, Paul does make it clear that no one can know another person's thoughts (or intent), unless they have access to that person's spirit. While this is humanly impossible, it is clearly God-possible. God has direct access to each and every one of us. No one can hide from His eyes. He sees us all and He sees all of us.

So what does this mean to you? It means that this reality should cultivate our:
1. Godly fear: Not the type of fear that brings torment and timidity, but rather the type of fear that prompts us towards reverential respect. Someone asked the question: "If Jesus followed you around all day and heard everything you said, saw every place you went, and did everything you did WITH you, would you do anything different?" Most people's reply is "Yes!" However, if you are a Born-Again then God is already with you 24 hours a day, every day of your life. You should respect His presence and purpose in your life enough to live like He is there!

2. Godly comfort: On the other hand it is awesome to realize that you are NEVER (and I mean NEVER) alone. You should find comfort in knowing that our heavenly Father will never leave nor forsake you. He is there WITH you as you read this and He will be WITH YOU and FOR YOU ever second of every day of your life. Isn't that an awesome reality? And guess what? He knows everything you have ever done and He still loves you. Who would not WANT to serve a God like that?

Father, I thank You for the reality of Your presence, purpose, and power. I understand that You understand everything about me. It has occurred to me that nothing ever occurs to You. You know everything there is to know, about me and otherwise, and You still love me. For that I simply say, "Thank You!" I seek to honor You with my life and living. I seek to bring You glory. I know You walk with me everywhere I go, therefore I declare, by faith, that I will not take You places You should not be. I will not grieve You by disrespecting Your presence. I lay everything at Your feet. Every part of my life is naked and open before You. Cleanse me, purge me, purify me, and use me for Your glory! In Jesus' name. Amen!

You are Destined!

(Prov 20:24 TNIV) A person's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?
This morning we continue our series entitled, in the book of Proverbs. We are doing a verse-by-verse study of the book of Proverbs and somehow I skipped over verse 24 yesterday. Today we will go back and address it.

Have you ever wondered why you were born? I am sure you have. The pursuit of purpose is the foremost pursuit of most people's lives. I was born in Maui Hawaii, and was raised in a cultural mixing pot, was saved from and during many incidents that could have easily taken or ruined my life, and seemingly randomly moved to California. Moving to California I got an even greater opportunity to mix with people of diverse cultures and backgrounds and a few years after I moved here I gave my life to Christ. It was only then that I started to realize the 'method to the madness' my life's path had taken.

The Lord began to show me how He had been grooming me all my life for my life's assignment. I did not know it I as I was growing up, but my life's assignment would involve bringing racial and cultural reconciliation to the Body of Christ. If you have ever attended one of my Life Group meeting women of all ages and all different races and cultures.
Solomon asked the question, "How then can anyone understand their own way?" That is a good question. I know I could not understand my own way without God and neither could any Biblical character or anyone alive today for that matter.
Jeremiah, for example, had an experience with God where God explained to him that before he was ever born he was destined to be a prophet. Jeremiah was intimidated about the awesomeness of the responsibility. Standing before people and speaking for God is not to be taken lightly. Jeremiah was afraid, but the Lord calmed His fears and said, "Look, I have put My words in your mouth!" (Jer 1:9). In other words, it's like God said, "Son, calm down. To be a prophet you need to be able to speak my words, so since I have destined you to be a prophet, then I am obligated to fulfill my part of the deal. Here, here are my words and I have placed them in your mouth. I have done my part, now all I need you to do is yours." After this experience Jeremiah's life was never the same. He found his purpose and he sought to fulfill it. I could teach an entire series on this verse alone, but I will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you? Lots of things, but here are just a few:

1. Without God your life will not have true meaning.
2. It's only when you come to Christ that you begin to understand your purpose and potential.
3. If you prayerfully look back over your life you will see God's hand every step of the way.
4. Once you are in Christ you must find, follow, and then finish your purpose before you die.
5. Once you start praying for things that line up with your purpose you will see God answer those prayers quickly. He is not obligated to give you what is not yours to have.

Father, You are awesome. I was born by Your grace and Your divine providence. I am no mistake. I am here for a reason and as I spend time with You in prayer I know that You will show me how You have been involved in my life every step of the way and also how You desire to use me for the remainder of my life. I will find, follow, and finish my purpose. I will die empty. I will get OUT of me all that You have placed IN me while I am in the land of the living. I refuse to die full of purpose and potential. I am excited about my future because You have already seen it and You are a part of it! In Jesus' name. Amen!

God does not take Vows Lightly

(Prov 20:25 NIrV) A man is trapped if he makes a hasty promise to God and only later thinks about what he said.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon teaches us the importance of our words. I have taught several Bible studies, and have taught numerous times in this forum on the importance of our words. When you come to God in prayer, don't you want Him to listen to what you are saying and to respond to your words? Don't you want angels to go on alert when you bring a petition before heaven? I hope you do. But the sad reality is that heaven won't respond to your words if you prove them to be untrustworthy. If you don't even believe what you are saying, then why should heaven?

People have cheapened their words by using them incorrectly - not saying what they mean or meaning what they say - and by failing to follow through with the obligations their words committed them to. Here's a novel idea in today's society: if you promise to do something, you should actually DO it. The importance of this is magnified when God is involved in the equation. If you vow something to the Lord, or before the Lord, then He actually expects you to live up to that promise. So it would serve you well to carefully consider what you say and what obligations you take on (with your words) BEFORE you do so.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "An impulsive vow is a trap; later you'll wish you could get out of it." But the sad reality is that you can't. I know that in today's society you can vow to commit yourself to someone for life, but then change your mind the next week, and society seems to accept that.

Guess what? God does not. Once you commit yourself to something, especially when it includes a vow to the Lord, you are committed!

Moses taught: "When you make a vow to the LORD your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised Him. For the LORD your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the LORD your God" (Deut 23:21-23). In the 30th chapter Moses reemphasized this, saying, "A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do" (Deut 30:2). The language Moses used is strong and the message is loud and clear!
In Ecclesiastes Solomon drives this home again, saying: "When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?" (Ecc 5:4-6).

So what does this mean to you t? A few things:
1. It is much better NOT to vow, than to make a vow to God and then not fulfill it.
2. God expects you to live up to the obligations you voluntarily took on. If you don't, He will hold it against you as sin.
3. Don't let your mouth take you where your character can't keep you.
4. Pray BEFORE making a vow to anything or anyone - especially when God is involved.
5. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Your word must be your bond!

Father, I thank You for this reminder. For my words to be important to You and to Your angels, I know they must first be important to me. I declare, by faith, that I will carefully think through every obligation and also pray, before I take any on because once I voluntarily commit myself I know I will be committed before You and You will hold me to those commitments. Instead of my words becoming a liability, I declare that they will be an asset. I will line up my words with Your Word, I will season my speech with Your grace, I will only commit myself to those things I can fulfill, and in so doing I will enjoy Your grace on all that I say and all that I put my hands to do! In Jesus' name. Amen!