Our Bible verse for today: “The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding. Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips.” Proverbs 17:27-28 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “A wise person knows when to remain silent.”

I once knew a woman who was often a volcano of bubbling, babbling, emotion. She seemed to have little control over her emotions and she therefore frequently erupted with volcanic explosions of words – supercharged, critical, complaining, and often harsh words. Not much Biblical wisdom in that.

Oh, and she often found herself in a position of having to apologize. Once the pressure was released, once the molten lava of overheated words had been exhausted, and once she had finally calmed down, she was often embarrassed and shifted into damage control mode as she explained, rationalized, and eventually apologized for her behavior.

In Proverbs 17:27 Solomon tells us that the person who has acquired Biblical wisdom will have learned to keep a cool head and to restrain their words. That means that instead of being ruled by our emotions it’s the Holy Spirit who has control over our tongue. It means that we think first and speak second. And it means that when we do speak, our words are well thought out, intentional, and accomplish good rather than evil.

In verse twenty-eight Solomon goes on to explain that even a foolish person will be considered wise if they just keep their mouth shut. That reminds us of the old adage “Remain silent and you may appear foolish, but open your mouth and you will remove all doubt.” As your emotions are beginning to boil and that volcano of words is moving quickly to the surface you may find yourself having to bite through your tongue in an effort to keep it for wagging, but that will still be better than saying things that shouldn’t be said. 

A wise person knows when (and how) to remain silent.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me.” Jonah 2:2 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Sometimes our biggest mistakes teach the greatest lessons.”

I have always enjoyed the story of Jonah. It’s outrageous and comical on the one hand, and yet it teaches powerful Biblical truths on the other hand. In the story God has a plan to give the evil people of Nineveh one last chance to repent. His plan involves sending Jonah to them to preach the good news that God will forgive their sins. But instead of running with God, Jonah runs away from God. Why? Not because he was afraid that they would reject the message. No, he was afraid they would accept it. Jonah hated the Ninevites and he didn’t want them to be saved. So he disobeyed God and ran in the opposite direction God wanted him to be going in. He got on a ship, went to sea, and sailed off over the horizon.

(Cue the whale) So God caused a storm at sea, the sailors threw Jonah overboard, and Jonah got swallowed by Moby Dick. That was a bad place for him to be, in the belly of a whale, but the situation did offer some hope too. I love the song the Newsboys sang about Jonah’s escapade, “In The Belly Of A Whale”. Have you ever heard it? It is so funny!

“I’m sleeping with fishes here (in the belly of the whale)

I’m highly nutritious here, (in the belly of the whale)

Woke up this morning kinda blue,

Thinking through that age old question,

If you Google the title you can listen to the song for free. It’s hilarious!

The thing about the story of Jonah is that it’s a true story not an allegory. We know this because in Matthew 12:39-41 Jesus referred to Jonah’s story as actual history. The reason it’s included in the Bible is because it teaches such powerful lessons. First we learn that it’s foolish to run away from God instead of with God. But in this story we also discover that many times our biggest mistakes become our best lessons. That was true for Jonah. As he spent those hours marinating in the whale’s digestive juices he had plenty of opportunity to ponder the error of his ways. Then we read the results of that introspection,in chapter two verse two, when we see that Jonah acknowledged that he was wrong and God was right. He then called out for God’s help and once he was delivered, he got busy doing what it was he was supposed to have been doing to begin with.

It’s a great little story; it’s true; and it’s not just for children. There’s a lot we can learn while we’re sitting in the belly of the whale. Many times our biggest mistakes turn out to be our best lessons and we end up wiser for it.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “The wise person recognizes the importance of Christian community.”

Why is it important for the people of God to be together as a faith community? For one thing, it’s because that’s the model Scripture gives us. In the Bible the people of God are always together in community. Community is an integral part of living the Christian life. So fundamental is the notion of community – the importance of being together – that even in that perfect environment in the Garden of Eden God deemed “alone” as being “not good” (Genesis 2:18). Human beings are relational by nature. We thrive in community and we wilt in loneliness. That’s why in prison the highest form of punishment is solitary confinement.

In Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one,” and “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” What he meant to illustrate in those verses is “The power of together”. There is power in being together. There is support, encouragement, love, guidance, correction, and help. In Luke 5, four men carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus. When they couldn’t get into the room because of the crowds they hoisted him up onto the roof, broke through it, and lowered him by ropes into the presence of the Master. That’s the power of together. We do things for each other that we can’t do for ourselves. In Romans 12 Paul taught that we are all parts of one body, the Body of Christ, and we need each other.

Are you part of a strong and committed community of believers? If not, you’re missing an essential element in the life of a Christian. The Bible gives us no positive examples of Lone Ranger Christians. In every case we’re directed into community. The Christian who is wise in the ways of God recognizes the importance of Christian community.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Wisdom is learned through experience.”

True wisdom is learned through experience. It’s not something we read about, memorize, and recite to others. It’s something we live. Wisdom is the understanding of great truths that are then applied in a practical way in the real lives of real people in the real world. That’s the kind of Biblical wisdom James calls for in his New Testament letter.

In his letter James describes a Christian life of action and passion. For James true faith and true wisdom is always expressed in observable ways in real life. So he calls us to demonstrate our deep faith in the way in which we speak to others; in the way we treat others; in the way we care for the poor and sick and the suffering; in the way we safeguard and nurture our relationships. For James it is our service to others that becomes the observable proof of what’s really in our hearts.

“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 2:27

A person who is wise in the ways of God is not only familiar with the commands and instructions of the Bible, but that person lives them out in daily life. And the more of that they do, the more deeply ingrained such behavior becomes for them and over time it progressively becomes who they are. The experience of living that way results in making them truly wise.

A person who is truly wise in the ways of God got that way by living that way. It’s true, wisdom is learned through experience.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gates.” Amos 5:15

Our thought for today: “Biblical wisdom requires that God’s people act justly.”

One message which comes through loud and clear in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, in chapter after chapter, passage after passage, is that God has a soft spot in His heart for the down and out, the poor and the oppressed, the widow and the orphan. And along with that, God calls for His people to be the administrators of justice and compassion on His behalf and in His name. We are to help right the wrongs in the world.

The Old Testament prophet Amos was a simple man, a humble goat herder with absolutely no credentials to be a prophet of God. Therefore he was an unlikely candidate to confront wealthy Israelites on the sin of social injustice, but he is who God chose for the task. The days of Amos were a time of great national prosperity for Israel. The farmlands were productive, many people lived in fine homes and most of the population was well-fed. Those are the kinds of blessings God had always intended for His people to enjoy – it’s the very reason He led them into the Promised Land to begin with.

But now those same blessed people were exploiting the workers and the poor and the defenseless. Since their affluence gave them power over those less fortunate than themselves, they took bribes, imposed heavy taxes, took away the property and provisions that belonged to the workers, and they took advantage of the powerless. So God was angry and offended and He sent Amos to warn of the judgment and punishment that was to come.

The person who is wise in the ways of God will be kind, compassionate, and generous – especially with respect to those less fortunate, and they will defend the rights of those who are persecuted and oppressed. Biblical wisdom calls for God’s people to be advocates and administrators of social justice.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “Even now – this is the Lord’s declaration – turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster.” Joel 2:12-13 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “The smart thing is to repent and return to the Lord.”

In recent years I’ve been spending a lot of time in jail. Oh, not on the wrong side of the bars, fortunately, but visiting with those who are. Most of those people are young to middle-aged adults who have spent years addicted to drugs and alcohol, and they have usually supported themselves with a life of petty crimes.

Almost always they are remorseful and they have a strong desire to change the direction of their lives. And almost always they profess to either be Christian, or to have a Christian background in that they were raised in church and someone in their family (usually a mother or grandmother) was a strong Christian.

In every case my advice to them is to return to the Lord. First and foremost, before anything else in your life is going to get straightened out, you have got to get right with God. Once you do that, there is then a solid foundation upon which God can rebuild the rest of your life.

That was the message the Old Testament prophet Joel had for the nation of Israel. As a nation they had wandered far from the Lord and they had lived in ways that were way outside of His established standards. Through Joel God called the people back to himself. He even went so far as to paint a picture for them of the ways in which they would be blessed once they were back in right relation with Him:

“Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.” “Joel 2:19

“I will repay you the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust – My great army that I sent against you.” Joel 2:25

I like the way verse 25 reads in the King James Version: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.”

The past is the past and what happened, happened. That can’t be changed. But God can repair the damage; He can restore what was lost; and He can then fill that new and restored and faithful life with all sorts of bountiful new fruit. Yes, God can restore the years the locust have eaten. But the answer is always to first return to the Lord. Biblical wisdom teaches us that we must repent and return, then the Lord can and will bless.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

Our thought for today: “A wise person is careful not to speak too quickly or too often.”

I have always admired people who have the ability to control their tongue. I’m impressed by those “Yoda-like” people who don’t say a lot but when they do speak, it is very profound and deeply wise. On the other hand, I’ve found that I have little patience for people who “shoot from the lip” and spout off about everything, all the time. They’ve also got something to say and it’s usually loud and it usually goes on for a long time.

In Proverbs 10:19 Solomon reminds us that the more we speak the more likely we are to eventually say something silly, or worse, sinful. That is also why in James 1:19 James cautions us that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. In other words, “God gave you two ears and only one mouth, therefore you should listen twice as much as you speak.”

Abraham Lincoln is known for the wisdom of his words. What I discovered about him however, after having read several biographies about him, is that Abraham Lincoln was so conscious and concerned about the words he spoke that he carefully scripted everything. That was true of all his public speaking, he almost never made any extemporaneous remarks in public, but it was also frequently true of his private conversations too. Lincoln would often think through his private conversations in advance, outline what he wanted to say, and then refer to his notes throughout the conversation. He did that because he was acutely aware of the importance of his words and he therefore wanted to maintain close control over what came out of his mouth.

The Biblical wisdom we learn this morning from James and Solomon is that we should think before we speak and that when we do speak, our words should be measured and few. Why? Because a wise person is careful not to speak too quickly or too often.

God Bless,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “Doesn’t Wisdom call out? Doesn’t Understanding make her voice heard?” Proverbs 8:1 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Wisdom is available for anyone who wants it.”

Recently the world celebrated the 20th anniversary of the invention of the Rubik’s Cube. The Rubik’s Cube is a puzzle in the form of a square plastic block consisting of rows of hinged and rotatable colored spots. The object is to continue twisting and turning the individual rows until all the colors are in perfect alignment. The odds of solving the puzzle are some ridiculous number like 1 in 7,000,000. It’s impossibly difficult but for more than two decades people have been fascinated (and frustrated) by the silly thing.

Fortunately God’s will and His ways are not like that. God doesn’t present us with some impossibly difficult puzzle which we need to twist and turn and grit our teeth over as we try to figure it out. No, His will and His ways are plainly stated in His Word. In the Bible God has told us everything we need to know in order to live a life that is pleasing to Him. And better still, in our day the modern translations of the Bible present God’s wisdom in the simple and straight-forward language that we actually speak everyday. You don’t have to learn Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or Latin in order to be able to read God’s letter to us. There is no puzzle to solve, no Rubik’s Cube of celestial mysteries to figure out. Just read it, embrace it, and live it.

In Proverbs 8:1 Solomon portrayed Wisdom as going out of her way to call people to herself. He then switches metaphors and uses the image of Understanding, and he tells us that Understanding makes her voice heard. As we follow the progression of the Proverb we discover that wisdom is available to anyone who desires it. Lady Wisdom goes out of her way to call out to people and to make her wisdom available and easily accessible to anyone who wants it.

In this Proverb Solomon is using the literary device of Lady Wisdom to stand for God’s will and His Ways. And so this image is actually designed to illustrate the truth that God’s Will and God’s ways are knowable and easily understood by anyone who wants to know and understand. It’s a matter of the heart.

As a side note, as I write this it is the day before Mother’s Day 2014 and I find it ironically appropriate that as we study the theme of Biblical wisdom, we discover that Solomon uses the image of a woman as the personification of wisdom. How true. Thank God for godly mothers. We learn so much from them. “Thank you” to all the mothers for all you do for us. Happy Mother’s Day.

God Bless,

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Biblical wisdom must be learned and then it must be nurtured.”

There can be no question that the Apostle Paul was a Biblically wise man. He had a well developed degree of godly wisdom of his own, and he had a passion for developing that wisdom in others. And he didn’t stop at just preaching and teaching to large crowds. Beyond just that, he made it a point to invest the extra time and effort necessary to build into the lives of a select group of promising young men (Timothy, Titus, and Silas that we know of).

Paul made it his mission to pass on the wisdom to the next generation. The only way to do that effectively was to teach it, but then to nurture it in them as well. Paul spent time with them, he did things with them, he discussed Biblical principles and their practical application in real life situations with them, and he encouraged them. That’s what we’re reading in 2 Timothy 1:6-7. As part of this letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts him to “keep ablaze” his passion for knowing and serving the Lord. By phrasing it that way Paul was making it clear that there were things Timothy needed to be doing on a daily basis to ensure the flame of his passion for the Lord did not die out, and he was urging him to keep at it.

Biblical wisdom has to be learned, but then it also has to be nurtured. We have a responsibility to be sure that’sthe case in our own lives first, but then we also need to do the things necessary to help nurture wisdom and passion in the lives of those the Lord has given us to mentor. Are you being Paul to a Timothy? Whose life are you building into and are you being intentional about it?

I encourage you to first have a pattern of personal discipleship in your own life which will result in the ongoing learning and nurturing of godly wisdom. Then be intentional about being a good example, and an intentional source of inspiration and encouragement for others.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Wisdom”

Our Bible verse for today: “Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.” Proverbs 6:6

Our thought for today: “We learn from both positive and negative examples.”

Throughout most of the Proverbs King Solomon portrays wisdom in a positive light and illustrates the benefits of wisely choosing to live according to Biblical principles. But Proverbs six is different. In this chapter Solomon approached the subject from a negative perspective in order to illustrate some of the most common problems people bring upon themselves when they do not live with Biblical wisdom.

In verses 1-5 he illustrated the folly of entangling yourself in financial affairs with unreliable people. Verse one seems to be referring to the modern day practice of co-signing a loan. Solomon called that a trap from which we will find ourselves begging and pleading for a way out. Biblical wisdom will provide us with the insight we need into the character of unreliable people so we can avoid financial entanglements with them.

In verses 6-11 he addressed the issue of laziness and how it produces a life of poverty. Biblically, God has commanded us to work to earn our own living. He has taught us to be diligent and honest and to be the best employees in the workplace. He has also instructed us about our responsibility to be such good workers – such good earners – that we not only take care of our own needs through our own labor, but we also provide assistance for the genuinely poor such as widows and orphans. In this passage he illustrates that beyond not being able to provide assistance to others in need, the lazy man doesn’t even meet his own needs and therefore ends up living in abject poverty as a result. This kind of wasted life is the exact opposite of what the Bible calls for.

In verses 12-15 Solomon writes of how a malicious, gossipy, slanderous person will eventually get what’s coming to them. In verses 16-19 the subject is of how the Lord will punish those who behave in ways that He hates. And in verses 20-35 he concludes with a long section about the evils of adultery and the punishments which will ultimately be suffered as a result of it.

Solomon’s point is all of this? Simply to illustrate, by means of negative examples, that the person who chooses to live in ways contrary to God’s will, will suffer for it. In the Bible God gave us very clear and specific instructions about how to live in a manner pleasing to Him – anything less than that is unbiblical and will result in pain and suffering. It is the wise person who simply trusts God and lives accordingly, and we can learn that from both positive and negative examples.

God Bless,