29:5 A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he's probably planning to take advantage of you
Have you ever had a so-called friend or neighbor take advantage of you? Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? I had one several years ago that I thought was a true and dear friend. We had both been through the grinder together. Unfaithful spouses, deceived by the ones we loved, and basically treated like doormats. We were able to build a relationship based on the commonality of like suffering. In a way we both helped each other through our trauma. I placed a lot of faith and trust in this person only to be betrayed by them in the end. I have not spoken to them in over 4 years and probably never will again. I guess you could say that in some ways we took advantage of each other but there is a difference. I do not understand how friends can betray other friends. I can't even understand how anyone can betray another. I guess at least that is not in me. I have enough other faults to make up for it. I do however miss that friendship.
Michael W. Smith "Friends are Friends Forever"
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Proverbs 28 - The Writing on the Wall?
28:2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.Stability. What is that? I would not say we have had stability in this country since the industrial revolution, definitely not since separation of church and state was used to ban prayer, McCollum vs. Board of Education which essentially removed the 10 commandments and slowly but surely any mention of God in public schools. Throw Roe v. Wade on top of that and the plethora of bad government rulings that have attempted to remove God from public life over the last century and you will understand why we are in the moral morass we are today. The results: the divorce rate, teen pregnancy rate, and sexual immorality are as prevalent among Christians as non-Christians. We now have the makings of a nation poised for revolution and reform. On top of all that Christians are seen as judgemental, intolerant, hypocritical rule makers. That needs to change if we are to have any chance at turning this country around. Now is the time for us to take this country back. To bring us back to our manifest destiny which is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and bring glory to God. We cannot afford to go into hiding anymore.
Proverbs 27 - Eat Your Own Lunch
27:18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.
I am having a real hard time with this scripture. I consider myself to be one of the very fortunate, at least right now. I still have a job and my job still rewards me very well for performance. The problem is I see many examples in corporate America where people have been robbed. Of course the biggest one that comes to mind is Enron, but there are many more. Enron executives and employees that had nothing but their own (not their employer's) interest at heart robbed thousands of employees and retirees of their savings and retirement accounts. I was fortunate there as well I guess. I only lost $35,000. I know people who lost hundreds of thousands! We are seeing this every where today. I have to agree with what my friend has written. We need to return to a time when businesses were privately owned by mom and pop, families, and entrepreneurs. If we continue on the same old path, we will reap the same rewards. It is time for a paradigm shift in the business environment. Corporations are the dinosaurs of the past
I am having a real hard time with this scripture. I consider myself to be one of the very fortunate, at least right now. I still have a job and my job still rewards me very well for performance. The problem is I see many examples in corporate America where people have been robbed. Of course the biggest one that comes to mind is Enron, but there are many more. Enron executives and employees that had nothing but their own (not their employer's) interest at heart robbed thousands of employees and retirees of their savings and retirement accounts. I was fortunate there as well I guess. I only lost $35,000. I know people who lost hundreds of thousands! We are seeing this every where today. I have to agree with what my friend has written. We need to return to a time when businesses were privately owned by mom and pop, families, and entrepreneurs. If we continue on the same old path, we will reap the same rewards. It is time for a paradigm shift in the business environment. Corporations are the dinosaurs of the past
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Proverbs 26 - Rubber & Glue
26:2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim
Does anyone remember the old saying "I'm rubber and your glue, Whatever bounces off me sticks to you"? I used to love this as a kid because I was always being teased. At school or at home. My sisters picked on me relentlessly so I used this phrase a lot. I know it seems very childish but this phrase like the Proverbs verse is extremely true. I have had this experience with my daughter this week. She has been having trouble with one of her classmates calling her names and telling lies about her to the teacher. A kids first instinct is to retaliate and call names back. In fact, that is probably most of our first instinct! It gave me a golden opportunity to use this verse on the exact day she returned to school to face her accuser. No matter what, if you are not guilty, whenever someone lies about you it cannot harm who you are. Sure it could have some consequences on this earth, but who you are inside and who you are to Christ does not change. I hope that I was able to explain it to her effectively. The awesome thing was that she was able to go to school, hold her head up, and not fear her meeting with the teacher because she knew that whatever happened there, I supported her because she was being truthful
Does anyone remember the old saying "I'm rubber and your glue, Whatever bounces off me sticks to you"? I used to love this as a kid because I was always being teased. At school or at home. My sisters picked on me relentlessly so I used this phrase a lot. I know it seems very childish but this phrase like the Proverbs verse is extremely true. I have had this experience with my daughter this week. She has been having trouble with one of her classmates calling her names and telling lies about her to the teacher. A kids first instinct is to retaliate and call names back. In fact, that is probably most of our first instinct! It gave me a golden opportunity to use this verse on the exact day she returned to school to face her accuser. No matter what, if you are not guilty, whenever someone lies about you it cannot harm who you are. Sure it could have some consequences on this earth, but who you are inside and who you are to Christ does not change. I hope that I was able to explain it to her effectively. The awesome thing was that she was able to go to school, hold her head up, and not fear her meeting with the teacher because she knew that whatever happened there, I supported her because she was being truthful
Proverbs 25 - Hot Air
25:14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
Have you ever been promised something only to see that whoever made the promise reneged? I think we all have. I have always told myself not to promise anything you cannot deliver. Especially when it comes to my kids or other kids. I got to witness this first hand this weekend where my neighbor told my son 3 times that he would come to his basketball game. Josiah was excited about it even though I told him not to get his hopes up. I hated to have to say that but I knew he would not make it to the game. Unfortunately kids do not know who to depend on most of the time. They depend on everybody and they believe what adults tell them. I later had to console Josiah when he did not make, rebuke my neighbor when he did not make, and try to make a bad situation good. I think as adults we forget what it was like to be completely trusting of other people. For most of us it was so long ago, so many betrayals and disappointments ago, that most of us tend to err on the side of caution and protection instead of believing people. This is a very sad commentary on the human condition.
Have you ever been promised something only to see that whoever made the promise reneged? I think we all have. I have always told myself not to promise anything you cannot deliver. Especially when it comes to my kids or other kids. I got to witness this first hand this weekend where my neighbor told my son 3 times that he would come to his basketball game. Josiah was excited about it even though I told him not to get his hopes up. I hated to have to say that but I knew he would not make it to the game. Unfortunately kids do not know who to depend on most of the time. They depend on everybody and they believe what adults tell them. I later had to console Josiah when he did not make, rebuke my neighbor when he did not make, and try to make a bad situation good. I think as adults we forget what it was like to be completely trusting of other people. For most of us it was so long ago, so many betrayals and disappointments ago, that most of us tend to err on the side of caution and protection instead of believing people. This is a very sad commentary on the human condition.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Proverbs 24 - Cauterize It
24:5-6 It's better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day. Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win, you need a lot of good counsel
I have recently be taking Jujitsu. I always wanted to and finally got the opportunity. It is really very fun. The weird thing is I like getting thrown more than throwing someone else. I hopefully will get over that. It doesn't seem like a way to win the battle! The interesting thing about many of the martial arts is you don't have to be a big person to be effective. Sure size helps sometimes, but with Jujitsu, size is actually a hindrance. A masterful artist uses your weight against you. You have to learn the moves properly and it is amazing how you can make a person crawl with just the slightest pressure.
In our Christian walk our battles are spiritual and against the evil one and sin. When we try to rid our lives of some sin through our own strength, we will almost inevitably fail. Strength alone cannot defeat the evil one. Only Christ can do this for us. What we need to do is turn our lives over to him daily, hourly, and sometimes every minute so that He can work in us. We tend to rationalize and make excuses for our sin, comparing it to the rest of the world. "Oh, it's okay, I don't abuse it, or if I only do it this once, its not like its a habit, or look what everyone else is doing, this is nothing". If there is an excuse out there I have used it. If we really want sin removed from our lives we must give up on ourselves and give in to God. When God removes sin he tears it out. There is no weaning, or slowly removing it from your life like a nicotine patch. It is usually cold turkey and painful withdrawals. But when it is gone and you feel refreshed and anew, and ready to tell others of your triumph. Check out Isaiah 6:1-8. Isaiah was desperate about his sin in the face of a holy God and he cried out to the Lord confessing this uncleanliness. Not really sure what his sin was but he may have had bad language, or and unclean thought life. An angel of the Lord used a burning coal to cauterize his wound. Afterwards, Isaiah went through the countryside preaching the word of the Lord and telling everyone what God had done for him and what He would do for them. This is the kind of refreshment we all want in our Christian lives. We want IT - the obvious presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart and in our lives.
I have recently be taking Jujitsu. I always wanted to and finally got the opportunity. It is really very fun. The weird thing is I like getting thrown more than throwing someone else. I hopefully will get over that. It doesn't seem like a way to win the battle! The interesting thing about many of the martial arts is you don't have to be a big person to be effective. Sure size helps sometimes, but with Jujitsu, size is actually a hindrance. A masterful artist uses your weight against you. You have to learn the moves properly and it is amazing how you can make a person crawl with just the slightest pressure.
In our Christian walk our battles are spiritual and against the evil one and sin. When we try to rid our lives of some sin through our own strength, we will almost inevitably fail. Strength alone cannot defeat the evil one. Only Christ can do this for us. What we need to do is turn our lives over to him daily, hourly, and sometimes every minute so that He can work in us. We tend to rationalize and make excuses for our sin, comparing it to the rest of the world. "Oh, it's okay, I don't abuse it, or if I only do it this once, its not like its a habit, or look what everyone else is doing, this is nothing". If there is an excuse out there I have used it. If we really want sin removed from our lives we must give up on ourselves and give in to God. When God removes sin he tears it out. There is no weaning, or slowly removing it from your life like a nicotine patch. It is usually cold turkey and painful withdrawals. But when it is gone and you feel refreshed and anew, and ready to tell others of your triumph. Check out Isaiah 6:1-8. Isaiah was desperate about his sin in the face of a holy God and he cried out to the Lord confessing this uncleanliness. Not really sure what his sin was but he may have had bad language, or and unclean thought life. An angel of the Lord used a burning coal to cauterize his wound. Afterwards, Isaiah went through the countryside preaching the word of the Lord and telling everyone what God had done for him and what He would do for them. This is the kind of refreshment we all want in our Christian lives. We want IT - the obvious presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart and in our lives.
Proverbs 23 - Wise Children
15-16 Dear child, if you become wise, I'll be one happy parent. My heart will dance and sing to the tuneful truth you'll speak.
I can't imagine what it must be like to see your children become wise. The little joys you get from them now will be greatly magnified when they start truly using the intelligence God has given them, and on top of that when they start using Godly wisdom. I hope I am around to see that. I hope that my children will have a better head start and will choose Godly wisdom much sooner in life than I did. I pray that I will not reap in my life what I sowed as a child/teenager in mine. I am not sure my kids will survive it. I will always do my best to educate them and keep them from the dangers and roads that I went down.
I can't imagine what it must be like to see your children become wise. The little joys you get from them now will be greatly magnified when they start truly using the intelligence God has given them, and on top of that when they start using Godly wisdom. I hope I am around to see that. I hope that my children will have a better head start and will choose Godly wisdom much sooner in life than I did. I pray that I will not reap in my life what I sowed as a child/teenager in mine. I am not sure my kids will survive it. I will always do my best to educate them and keep them from the dangers and roads that I went down.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Proverbs 22 - Sound Advice
22:6 Point your kids in the right direction— when they're old they won't be lost
This is by far the simplest translation of this verse I have ever seen. I am new to reading "The Message" translation and though I like many of its translations some lose in the translation. This verse has much more meaning in the original scripture, but its simplicity is refreshing. If we put our kids on the right path, I firmly believe that God will see to it that they are drawn to Him. No one came come to God unless drawn by the Holy Spirit and though we cannot place the Holy Spirit in them, we can make them aware of His presence around us and in us. Never forget that your children are watching you. By educating our children about God, His word, His dealings with His people, and His continual involvement in our lives and love for us, I fully believe that they will seek Him. Whether that comes naturally or not, we, as parents, have the responsibility for honing that edge
22:29 Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired;they don't take a backseat to anyone
This verse hits me really hard. I so often wish I had not chose the profession I am in. When I first started in IT, it was fairly simple. You had pretty much one environment and few programming languages. Now it is all over the board. I stopped trying to keep up with it years ago and have pretty much moved on to product/project management/design and not so much development. I do miss the development aspect as I feel I my skills have diminished in that area. I had more freedom as a developer and actually better pay. Of course, I was contracting. I wish I had become a carpenter. That skill really doesn't change much. Yes, there are better tools every day, but the basic principles stay the same. I guess the same could be said of IT, but the tools you have to learn to use are much more difficult.
This is by far the simplest translation of this verse I have ever seen. I am new to reading "The Message" translation and though I like many of its translations some lose in the translation. This verse has much more meaning in the original scripture, but its simplicity is refreshing. If we put our kids on the right path, I firmly believe that God will see to it that they are drawn to Him. No one came come to God unless drawn by the Holy Spirit and though we cannot place the Holy Spirit in them, we can make them aware of His presence around us and in us. Never forget that your children are watching you. By educating our children about God, His word, His dealings with His people, and His continual involvement in our lives and love for us, I fully believe that they will seek Him. Whether that comes naturally or not, we, as parents, have the responsibility for honing that edge
22:29 Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired;they don't take a backseat to anyone
This verse hits me really hard. I so often wish I had not chose the profession I am in. When I first started in IT, it was fairly simple. You had pretty much one environment and few programming languages. Now it is all over the board. I stopped trying to keep up with it years ago and have pretty much moved on to product/project management/design and not so much development. I do miss the development aspect as I feel I my skills have diminished in that area. I had more freedom as a developer and actually better pay. Of course, I was contracting. I wish I had become a carpenter. That skill really doesn't change much. Yes, there are better tools every day, but the basic principles stay the same. I guess the same could be said of IT, but the tools you have to learn to use are much more difficult.
Proverbs 21 - Book Ends
21:1 Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses
Good leadership is wholly directed by God. I love this analogy because living on a tidal fed river I understand what a river is like. There are low tides and high tides, times of feast and times of famine. The river never runs straight but goes all over the place. Just when you think you have it figured out, it meanders or changes its course. Sometimes the river is warm and abundant with life. Other times it is cold and dead. But in the end the river always has a destination. To return to the sea, the very beginning of life! This is so much like our lives. When we embark on our journey with God, there is never a straight path, it is sometimes crazy, painful, and all over the place. There are times of great progress and times of spiritual deadness. There are times when are lives are rich and full, and others when our lives are dry and meaningless. But in the end we are heading towards our purpose. To return to our maker the beginning of life. Once we come on board God will direct our paths. It is our attitude that determines the journey.
21:31 Do your best, prepare for the worst— then trust God to bring victory
The reason I called this blog "book ends" was that not only did I excerpt the first and last verse, but they are directly correlated. When we come on board as a Christian, God has promised to complete in us the work he begins (Phil 1:6). He is always with us, guiding out path, correcting us when we get out of line, and rejoicing with us in victory. Our responsibility is just to get on board the ship and let God direct it where He may. We need to prepare by reading God's word, praying constantly, and depending on God for everything. Above all we need to be flexible and not get to frustrated by life. Life is hard and we are fighting against the principalities of darkness. Prepare, do our very best, but let God fight the battles.
Good leadership is wholly directed by God. I love this analogy because living on a tidal fed river I understand what a river is like. There are low tides and high tides, times of feast and times of famine. The river never runs straight but goes all over the place. Just when you think you have it figured out, it meanders or changes its course. Sometimes the river is warm and abundant with life. Other times it is cold and dead. But in the end the river always has a destination. To return to the sea, the very beginning of life! This is so much like our lives. When we embark on our journey with God, there is never a straight path, it is sometimes crazy, painful, and all over the place. There are times of great progress and times of spiritual deadness. There are times when are lives are rich and full, and others when our lives are dry and meaningless. But in the end we are heading towards our purpose. To return to our maker the beginning of life. Once we come on board God will direct our paths. It is our attitude that determines the journey.
21:31 Do your best, prepare for the worst— then trust God to bring victory
The reason I called this blog "book ends" was that not only did I excerpt the first and last verse, but they are directly correlated. When we come on board as a Christian, God has promised to complete in us the work he begins (Phil 1:6). He is always with us, guiding out path, correcting us when we get out of line, and rejoicing with us in victory. Our responsibility is just to get on board the ship and let God direct it where He may. We need to prepare by reading God's word, praying constantly, and depending on God for everything. Above all we need to be flexible and not get to frustrated by life. Life is hard and we are fighting against the principalities of darkness. Prepare, do our very best, but let God fight the battles.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Proverbs 20 - Inauguration Day
20:18 Form your purpose by asking for counsel, then carry it out using all the help you can get. 20:28 Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.
With today being inauguration day, I thought that these verses out of Chapter 20 were very appropriate. I did not vote for Barack Obama. Surprise, I know. But in a way I did vote for him. I did not vote for McCain so anyone who did not vote for McCain voted for Obama indirectly. Unfortunately, that is the way our election process works. I am not sure if I will see it changed in my life time.
I do believe that Obama will try to be a good president. I believe he has good intentions, that he is a very strong person. He may not hold to some of the beliefs that we all have, but I do believe he wants what is best for this country. I feel very sorry for him because I don't believe he will succeed. This country will not turn unless there is a revolution. A revolution in every sense of the word. We need to remove Congress, we need change about 50 years of bad policy, bad decision-making, etc. We need a revolution of spirit. This country needs to get back to God in every area. We need God in our schools, in our court system, in our restaurants, in our sports, etc. We cannot continue without God. That is why I believe he will fail. I will always pray for him and our country but I believe we are on the precipice of time where Jesus is getting ready to make his triumphant return.
Proverbs 19 - True Friends
19:7 When you're down on your luck, even your family avoids you— yes, even your best friends wish you'd get lost. If they see you coming, they look the other way— out of sight, out of mind.
Wow, this is powerful and very true. I have experienced how friends will turn their backs on you, they even become condescending of you. Look at Job. His friends, who had known him all his life, turned on him and accused him of being unfaithful, sinful, and wretched. I know in the last 10 years I have seen my friends go from many to few. I can count my true friends on one hand. I wish I had more, but I never want the kind of friends that will turn their backs on you in time of trouble. Why is this? Aren't true friends supposed to be there through thick and thin? Most are not but if you do find one who is, then you need to cherish and hang onto that friend forever. Maybe this has to do with the kind of friend you/I are/am. We also need to be the kind of friend who is there through thick and thin. Have you ever turned your back on a friend? Do you have any friends out there right now who need you?
Proverbs 18 - The Power of Words
18:20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. 21 Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.
The tongue is a mighty and powerful tool. It can either give life or take it away. Not so much in the physical sense but in the emotional sense. The book of James is very poignant on the power of the tongue. Do you have a problem with yours? I know I have, and at times I still do. I am learning much through this study about using words. There is nothing wrong with talking, it just needs to be at the right time and with the right thing to say. Much more is accomplished by a loving rebuke, or encouragement than can ever be accomplished by flattery, or condescension. With kids it can be hard to identify the difference. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person and ask "what would I want someone to say to me in this situation and how should they say it". If you take time to ask and answer that question, the response is usually out of love more than reaction. I pray that I will lean on God for the right things to say at the right time, always.
The tongue is a mighty and powerful tool. It can either give life or take it away. Not so much in the physical sense but in the emotional sense. The book of James is very poignant on the power of the tongue. Do you have a problem with yours? I know I have, and at times I still do. I am learning much through this study about using words. There is nothing wrong with talking, it just needs to be at the right time and with the right thing to say. Much more is accomplished by a loving rebuke, or encouragement than can ever be accomplished by flattery, or condescension. With kids it can be hard to identify the difference. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person and ask "what would I want someone to say to me in this situation and how should they say it". If you take time to ask and answer that question, the response is usually out of love more than reaction. I pray that I will lean on God for the right things to say at the right time, always.
Just a short note to say that just because I don't blog a particular chapter on a particular day does not mean I have not read that chapter on the prescribed day. I am reading my chapters every day, but I may not blog them that day, or I may not blog them at all sometimes. I am starting a 40 day dedication (fasting, memorizing, studying, journaling, etc) where I spend a minimum of 1 hour per day. I am using a book called "A Call to Die". This may preclude my blogging sometimes and will likely make my blogging shorter and less robust. I may not have time to search for videos, pictures, or other A/V tools to illustrate my text.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Proverbs 15 - One Chance
15:9 A life frittered away disgusts God; he loves those who run straight for the finish line.
We only get one time around, only one chance. We need to make the most of it. We need to make sure we run the race as if we are striving to win the race as Paul says. We need to give it our all. I have been extremely guilty of wasting so much of my life and it saddens me to know that there are times when God has been disgusted for what I have wasted. Praise Him for His grace.
I do my best to keep this in mind every day. Life is lived in the individual moments we are given. Each encounter, every situation, is defined by a split second, a moment in time. The people you meet, the time you spend with family and friends, your opportunities to minister to others. All these things are all too brief and we need to take full advantage of every opportunity
33 Miles - One Live to Love
We only get one time around, only one chance. We need to make the most of it. We need to make sure we run the race as if we are striving to win the race as Paul says. We need to give it our all. I have been extremely guilty of wasting so much of my life and it saddens me to know that there are times when God has been disgusted for what I have wasted. Praise Him for His grace.
I do my best to keep this in mind every day. Life is lived in the individual moments we are given. Each encounter, every situation, is defined by a split second, a moment in time. The people you meet, the time you spend with family and friends, your opportunities to minister to others. All these things are all too brief and we need to take full advantage of every opportunity
33 Miles - One Live to Love
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Proverbs 14 - Rules of the Road
14:14 A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.
How much have I been living this lately. It is a vicious circle. This one particular person in my life that I love very much is downright mean. Always has been, at least as long as I can remember. I want to say it is part of their DNA, inherited so to speak, but as the years have gone by she has just gotten meaner, more selfish, more unaware of the way she treats people. In making this observation, I also have to look to myself to ensure I behave with grace and love. It is very difficult but I am called to do so.
14:31 You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.
Another statement as to why our country is in its current state of affairs. How long has our court system, our government, etc. exploited the powerless. We have a system that is supposed to represent the people, but instead it represents the corporations, the lobby groups, and political action committees. There has to be an end to this. I pray that God will produce leaders of the type that this country was founded upon. Leaders who are willing to lay down their lives for their constituents and buck the status quo. It is time for a paradigm shift in our ruling body.
14:34 God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.
We have removed God from the schools, God from our courtrooms, God from our politics, and God from our daily lives. We all have a responsibility in this and a responsibility to do more. Our nation is dying, it is on a slow spiral to hell. I know that the Christian body is frustrated and in some ways feels very powerless to change the current direction. Only in prayer and through removing our self-dependence can we achieve this goal
How much have I been living this lately. It is a vicious circle. This one particular person in my life that I love very much is downright mean. Always has been, at least as long as I can remember. I want to say it is part of their DNA, inherited so to speak, but as the years have gone by she has just gotten meaner, more selfish, more unaware of the way she treats people. In making this observation, I also have to look to myself to ensure I behave with grace and love. It is very difficult but I am called to do so.
14:31 You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.
Another statement as to why our country is in its current state of affairs. How long has our court system, our government, etc. exploited the powerless. We have a system that is supposed to represent the people, but instead it represents the corporations, the lobby groups, and political action committees. There has to be an end to this. I pray that God will produce leaders of the type that this country was founded upon. Leaders who are willing to lay down their lives for their constituents and buck the status quo. It is time for a paradigm shift in our ruling body.
14:34 God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.
We have removed God from the schools, God from our courtrooms, God from our politics, and God from our daily lives. We all have a responsibility in this and a responsibility to do more. Our nation is dying, it is on a slow spiral to hell. I know that the Christian body is frustrated and in some ways feels very powerless to change the current direction. Only in prayer and through removing our self-dependence can we achieve this goal
Promise Keepers Rally in Washington DC
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Proverbs 13 - Truth of Today
13:23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it all away.
Who will stand up for us in this day? This very thing is happening all around us. Corporate America, financial greed, and our government have stripped most of us of everything we have worked for. The current financial problems with this country stem from greed in the marketplace. Banks, brokers, financiers, mortgage companies, and our government have all been a part of this raping of America. And what do they do? After robbing us blind, they rob us again through financial bailout of these industries who have stolen from the people. It will not stand and it will not prevail. Everything that is being done to prop up the economy will fail. God will see to this. Another sign of the times that the end is coming soon
Larry Norman - "The Great American Novel"
Who will stand up for us in this day? This very thing is happening all around us. Corporate America, financial greed, and our government have stripped most of us of everything we have worked for. The current financial problems with this country stem from greed in the marketplace. Banks, brokers, financiers, mortgage companies, and our government have all been a part of this raping of America. And what do they do? After robbing us blind, they rob us again through financial bailout of these industries who have stolen from the people. It will not stand and it will not prevail. Everything that is being done to prop up the economy will fail. God will see to this. Another sign of the times that the end is coming soon
Larry Norman - "The Great American Novel"
Proverbs 12 - The Beauty of Discipline
12:1 If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it— how shortsighted to refuse correction!
How good are we if we don't put our learning into action. I have had the joy of experiencing this over the last few days. Learning so often comes in the form of discipline. God will test us to find out if what we are learning has really become part of our lives. We need to always be conscious of this because it will come and often quickly. It stinks when you miss the opportunity and look back and say "I just read about that a few days ago and yet I missed the boat". I think we all have a tendency to avoid correction. Correction is a great and wonderful thing when it comes from our Father. It is His greatest display of His love for us. What we need to do is realize that in our discipline, in our deepest and darkest moment, in our despair, and anywhere we are we are never alone!
"You're Not Alone" - Meredith Andrews
9 Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process.
I wonder if this is why I sometimes just stay where I am, work wise and ministry wise. I have never had the need to feel or be important. Significance, yes, importance no. I want to make a difference in God's kingdom, for His people, for my children, but importance is not my driving force. I do want God to expand my horizons and I pray for this every day. I want to live my life for Him but I have yet to figure out how to do this and leave my current job. Until then I will bloom where I am
How good are we if we don't put our learning into action. I have had the joy of experiencing this over the last few days. Learning so often comes in the form of discipline. God will test us to find out if what we are learning has really become part of our lives. We need to always be conscious of this because it will come and often quickly. It stinks when you miss the opportunity and look back and say "I just read about that a few days ago and yet I missed the boat". I think we all have a tendency to avoid correction. Correction is a great and wonderful thing when it comes from our Father. It is His greatest display of His love for us. What we need to do is realize that in our discipline, in our deepest and darkest moment, in our despair, and anywhere we are we are never alone!
"You're Not Alone" - Meredith Andrews
9 Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process.
I wonder if this is why I sometimes just stay where I am, work wise and ministry wise. I have never had the need to feel or be important. Significance, yes, importance no. I want to make a difference in God's kingdom, for His people, for my children, but importance is not my driving force. I do want God to expand my horizons and I pray for this every day. I want to live my life for Him but I have yet to figure out how to do this and leave my current job. Until then I will bloom where I am
Proverbs 11 - Venting
11:29 Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it's a stupid way to live.
I have had a really interesting week. I have had to put into practice many of the control mechanisms I have been learning lately. My family has pushed me to my wits end. My mom wrecked my 4 day old car so I have been praying and asking God to give me wisdom, strength, ability to forgive, and humble character. I realize it was an accident, and it was blessedly with the basketball goal, but it has really been nagging at me. It is not forgiveness for the accident but seems to have a much bigger scope which kind of goes back to verse 4 of this same chapter
11:4 A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.
Even though she offered to pay to fix the damages, sometimes in life it is not about the physical damage or in this case the property damage. There are much deeper issues. With this instance, for me, it is about respect. For a long time I have felt that I do not get any respect from her and never have. She has always just thrown money at situations and that does not solve anything. Though the car may not have been brand new (2005 Accord with 82K miles), it was new to me. She has backed out of the same spot in my other car thousands of times and nothing has changed. The basketball goal has always been where it is so it basically just boils down to not paying attention. As I write this I see how frugal and pointless my attitude is. It is what it is, just let it go and move on. I will be grateful for the positives in this. She did not have a wreck that hurt her, my children, or anyone else. Sometimes its good to vent
I have had a really interesting week. I have had to put into practice many of the control mechanisms I have been learning lately. My family has pushed me to my wits end. My mom wrecked my 4 day old car so I have been praying and asking God to give me wisdom, strength, ability to forgive, and humble character. I realize it was an accident, and it was blessedly with the basketball goal, but it has really been nagging at me. It is not forgiveness for the accident but seems to have a much bigger scope which kind of goes back to verse 4 of this same chapter
11:4 A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.
Even though she offered to pay to fix the damages, sometimes in life it is not about the physical damage or in this case the property damage. There are much deeper issues. With this instance, for me, it is about respect. For a long time I have felt that I do not get any respect from her and never have. She has always just thrown money at situations and that does not solve anything. Though the car may not have been brand new (2005 Accord with 82K miles), it was new to me. She has backed out of the same spot in my other car thousands of times and nothing has changed. The basketball goal has always been where it is so it basically just boils down to not paying attention. As I write this I see how frugal and pointless my attitude is. It is what it is, just let it go and move on. I will be grateful for the positives in this. She did not have a wreck that hurt her, my children, or anyone else. Sometimes its good to vent
Monday, January 12, 2009
Proverbs 10 - Silence is Golden?
10:19 The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.
I found this video clip. It is for Proverbs 18:20 but the same principal holds true. Sometimes when you take the time to carefully choose your words, you may find that what you were about to say had no value or merit. What you are more likely to find is that taking time to "hear" in your head what you were about to say, may not be what you really want to say at all. Especially with those who are around you most. We tend to treat our loved ones worse that we would strangers. Why? Because we can get away with it, because they know us, and they will usually tolerate our behavior. It should not be this way. We need to take more care with those we love around us. I want to be a man of few words, but I also want those few words to be valuable, edifying, encouraging, correcting, and peaceful. I don't want to be rude, self-righteous, or in a bad mood. I just want what I say to make a difference. A difference to the listeners and a difference to me.
I found this video clip. It is for Proverbs 18:20 but the same principal holds true. Sometimes when you take the time to carefully choose your words, you may find that what you were about to say had no value or merit. What you are more likely to find is that taking time to "hear" in your head what you were about to say, may not be what you really want to say at all. Especially with those who are around you most. We tend to treat our loved ones worse that we would strangers. Why? Because we can get away with it, because they know us, and they will usually tolerate our behavior. It should not be this way. We need to take more care with those we love around us. I want to be a man of few words, but I also want those few words to be valuable, edifying, encouraging, correcting, and peaceful. I don't want to be rude, self-righteous, or in a bad mood. I just want what I say to make a difference. A difference to the listeners and a difference to me.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Proverbs 9 - Don't Waste your time on the Wasted
9:7 If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you'll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.8 So don't waste your time on a scoffer; all you'll get for your pains is abuse
How many times I have dealt with this. I have tried many times to speak the truth of God to those who are completely cynical, to those who want to make God out to who they want him to be. They don't accept God's word as relevant, or completely true. They find fault with the fact that it has been written by man, translated down through they centuries, and can't even comprehend our way of living. I have learned to not even waste my breath and time on them. I will always continue to pray for them, but will no longer speak the truth until they have been led by circumstances or the spirit of God to accept the truth and God's word are true. Maybe that is being hard. It does not mean that I don't still care about these people or love these people. They just don't want to hear. As Jesus so often said, "let those who have ears, hear".
How many times I have dealt with this. I have tried many times to speak the truth of God to those who are completely cynical, to those who want to make God out to who they want him to be. They don't accept God's word as relevant, or completely true. They find fault with the fact that it has been written by man, translated down through they centuries, and can't even comprehend our way of living. I have learned to not even waste my breath and time on them. I will always continue to pray for them, but will no longer speak the truth until they have been led by circumstances or the spirit of God to accept the truth and God's word are true. Maybe that is being hard. It does not mean that I don't still care about these people or love these people. They just don't want to hear. As Jesus so often said, "let those who have ears, hear".
Proverbs 8 - The Right, Rewarding Path
8:10 Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money,and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. 11 For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her
8:19 My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; 20 the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
Boy, does this emphasize what I was saying in one of my last 2 blogs. Knowing God, wisdom, and that relationship is worth more than any salary or money-making career. I have so long be caught in this trapping, and so long wanted to get out of it. And what is so great is that here is the promise that the benefits of this relationship will not only provide for me but exceed anything I can obtain in a worldly career. I need to trust that God will assist me to make these changes as they are my hearts desire, and God's heart desire for me.
8:22 "God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—before he did anything else. 23 I was brought into being a long time ago,well before Earth got its start.
It is obvious that the first thing that Christ brought into existence is Wisdom. Colossians states that nothing came into existence but through Christ. So if Wisdom was there, and as this scripture states, Wisdom was the first created entity
8:19 My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; 20 the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
Boy, does this emphasize what I was saying in one of my last 2 blogs. Knowing God, wisdom, and that relationship is worth more than any salary or money-making career. I have so long be caught in this trapping, and so long wanted to get out of it. And what is so great is that here is the promise that the benefits of this relationship will not only provide for me but exceed anything I can obtain in a worldly career. I need to trust that God will assist me to make these changes as they are my hearts desire, and God's heart desire for me.
8:22 "God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—before he did anything else. 23 I was brought into being a long time ago,well before Earth got its start.
It is obvious that the first thing that Christ brought into existence is Wisdom. Colossians states that nothing came into existence but through Christ. So if Wisdom was there, and as this scripture states, Wisdom was the first created entity
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Proverbs 7 - Loud Mouth of Temptation
7:11 She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; 12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.Temptation as does wisdom is waiting for you at every turn and every corner. Temptation is everywhere, especially these days. There is so much immorality in our society, it is often hard to spot the good from the bad. Where as the adulteress and the fornicator used to hide behind closed doors, curtains, and in shady areas, it is on display proudly among the public. Lewdness, filth, debauchery, ill-repute, are on full display, and at your finger tips. The Internet, though a wonderful communications tool, is also one of the most horrific tools of man's (and woman's) sin. The pornography business is booming due to the Internet. It is the single most profitable business on the Internet. And it is not in disguise. Accidentally type the wrong URL and you can end up at a porn site. Open your email and look at the filth and spam that comes in. On TV, in magazines, and every where are ads for erectile dysfunction, penis enhancers, sexual devices, etc. It has gotten ridiculous. I do not understand why God does not wipe the slate clean. I have been watching Armageddon week on the history channel. The first day was a show about how multiple ancient societies and prophets have predicted that the end of days will come in 2012. I normally do not pay much heed to this type of speculation because no one knows the day and the time, but there is some credence to it. With everything going on around us, how long will God wait? The signs of the end times are here. Wars, famine, pestilence, plagues, destruction, calamities, etc. You name it, they are all around. How much longer do we have? I don't believe it will be long. We need to live like the days are short because in the blink of an eye Christ will return and call us home. Oh how sweet the day!
DC Talk - I Wish We'd All Been Ready
Monday, January 5, 2009
Proverbs 6 - Not unaffected
6:27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? 28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
Though this scripture is in the context about what will happen to you if you commit adultery, it also says a lot about those that have had adultery committed against them. Anytime there some one steps outside the confines of God's intention for marriage no one is left unaffected. Not the adulterer, adulteree, the children, the families, society, etc. This has to be the one of the most heinous crimes next to murder and rape. The punishment for adultery was as severe in OT times. Today, there is no legal punishment. In fact, it is not even a good custody point in divorce court. My life has been thrown into upheaval because of 2 adulterous women. One BC, the ather AC. The latter was a wolf in sheep's clothing whom I thought loved the Lord and valued the sanctity of marriage. I can tell you there is no mercy from an scorned spouse over adultery. I am not sure how marriages ever survive it.
12 Stones, "Broken"
To put this in perspective of Christ and His bride makes my heart break for the pain I have caused Him. Every time I put someone else or something else before Him, I have committed adultery against Him. Being a man (therefore the bridegroom), in order to put this into perspective you have to understand how your wife would feel if you cheated on her. I know that He forgives me, but I so want to do what is right all the time. There are so many things that happened this year, and so many more to come, I think this may be a year of decision for me. I don't want to live life the way I have been, I want to be out on the front lines, fighting the war. I am tired or corporate bull and the way things are in this country. I want ot be an agent of change and go out swinging.
Though this scripture is in the context about what will happen to you if you commit adultery, it also says a lot about those that have had adultery committed against them. Anytime there some one steps outside the confines of God's intention for marriage no one is left unaffected. Not the adulterer, adulteree, the children, the families, society, etc. This has to be the one of the most heinous crimes next to murder and rape. The punishment for adultery was as severe in OT times. Today, there is no legal punishment. In fact, it is not even a good custody point in divorce court. My life has been thrown into upheaval because of 2 adulterous women. One BC, the ather AC. The latter was a wolf in sheep's clothing whom I thought loved the Lord and valued the sanctity of marriage. I can tell you there is no mercy from an scorned spouse over adultery. I am not sure how marriages ever survive it.
12 Stones, "Broken"
To put this in perspective of Christ and His bride makes my heart break for the pain I have caused Him. Every time I put someone else or something else before Him, I have committed adultery against Him. Being a man (therefore the bridegroom), in order to put this into perspective you have to understand how your wife would feel if you cheated on her. I know that He forgives me, but I so want to do what is right all the time. There are so many things that happened this year, and so many more to come, I think this may be a year of decision for me. I don't want to live life the way I have been, I want to be out on the front lines, fighting the war. I am tired or corporate bull and the way things are in this country. I want ot be an agent of change and go out swinging.
Proverbs 5 - Ambivalence
Okay so I have been out of pocket for part of the holiday's and though I was originally going to play catch up, I have done enough of that this holiday season. I am just going to pick up with today's Proverb
5:6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
Most people today, even those who claim Christianity, live and sleep with each other before marriage and they do not see this as sin. Even if they view it as sin, they are not going to change their ways. They look at the divorce rate and broken families all around them and would rather test drive the car before buying it. In many ways it is hard to argue with them because of the divorce rate. We, as Christians, have ripped the rug right out from under us. Our divorce rate is just as high as non-Christians. Still this does not make it right according to God's word. We profess one thing but do another. How are our children going to view this? When children see hypocrisy in part of our lives, they tend to view the rest of it through those glasses. I am doing my best to make sure that my kids do not see me as a hypocrite, but just as a person, who makes mistakes and learns from them.
One other thing that I want to add. This chapter is always very difficult because I have lived on the painful side of cheating too many times. Significantly, 21 years ago, I was cheated on by my fiance (of whom I lived with for 4 years), and my best friend (or so I thought). Also, for all that know me, I was cheated on by my wife several years ago. I cannot tell you how much pain this causes. It never goes away. You learn to live with it and get past it, but the reality of it is still there. It is like your father or mother dying. 21 years ago and I still remember the pain, I still feel like I was robbed, I still have to forgive. I am not sure I realized that until I ran across this ex-fiance's myspace page by accident. I had to do some re-examination and this Proverb came to mind. 21 years! This 1 incident has had an effect on all relationships I have ever had since then. After that first instance, I was very afraid of commitment for a long time afterward. By the time I finally did commit, it happened again. Where that leaves me now is a very difficult place. I have found that I am not willing to open my heart to anyone and I have pretty much shut out the world. I only have room for my kids and they will eventually leave.
5:6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
Most people today, even those who claim Christianity, live and sleep with each other before marriage and they do not see this as sin. Even if they view it as sin, they are not going to change their ways. They look at the divorce rate and broken families all around them and would rather test drive the car before buying it. In many ways it is hard to argue with them because of the divorce rate. We, as Christians, have ripped the rug right out from under us. Our divorce rate is just as high as non-Christians. Still this does not make it right according to God's word. We profess one thing but do another. How are our children going to view this? When children see hypocrisy in part of our lives, they tend to view the rest of it through those glasses. I am doing my best to make sure that my kids do not see me as a hypocrite, but just as a person, who makes mistakes and learns from them.One other thing that I want to add. This chapter is always very difficult because I have lived on the painful side of cheating too many times. Significantly, 21 years ago, I was cheated on by my fiance (of whom I lived with for 4 years), and my best friend (or so I thought). Also, for all that know me, I was cheated on by my wife several years ago. I cannot tell you how much pain this causes. It never goes away. You learn to live with it and get past it, but the reality of it is still there. It is like your father or mother dying. 21 years ago and I still remember the pain, I still feel like I was robbed, I still have to forgive. I am not sure I realized that until I ran across this ex-fiance's myspace page by accident. I had to do some re-examination and this Proverb came to mind. 21 years! This 1 incident has had an effect on all relationships I have ever had since then. After that first instance, I was very afraid of commitment for a long time afterward. By the time I finally did commit, it happened again. Where that leaves me now is a very difficult place. I have found that I am not willing to open my heart to anyone and I have pretty much shut out the world. I only have room for my kids and they will eventually leave.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Proverbs 30 - Just enough
30:7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. 8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! 8 Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. 9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
Most of us would love to be rich. We look for things that we can invent, design, buy/sell, or write that will bring us fortune. We play the lottery and dream. But we also have heard the many horror stories about those who have become rich and it lead to their demise. Most people are not able to handle wealth. It handles them. How many times have you asked God to just give you the opportunity and you would do great things with the money when you get it? I know I have. Don't you think He would give it to you if it would be for your better? I know that I would do a lot of good things with a lot of money if I had it. What God wants is for me to do as many good things with what I have as I can. When I consistently do this, He gives me more. It is a trust factor just like with your kids. You don't hand your children your credit cards and turn them loose in a toy store. When they have developed the ability to be wise and spend wisely, then you allow them greater financial freedom. This is what I ask of God. Give me the ability to be financially wise, have more financial freedom and to give more from that financial freedom
Most of us would love to be rich. We look for things that we can invent, design, buy/sell, or write that will bring us fortune. We play the lottery and dream. But we also have heard the many horror stories about those who have become rich and it lead to their demise. Most people are not able to handle wealth. It handles them. How many times have you asked God to just give you the opportunity and you would do great things with the money when you get it? I know I have. Don't you think He would give it to you if it would be for your better? I know that I would do a lot of good things with a lot of money if I had it. What God wants is for me to do as many good things with what I have as I can. When I consistently do this, He gives me more. It is a trust factor just like with your kids. You don't hand your children your credit cards and turn them loose in a toy store. When they have developed the ability to be wise and spend wisely, then you allow them greater financial freedom. This is what I ask of God. Give me the ability to be financially wise, have more financial freedom and to give more from that financial freedom
Proverbs 29 - Anger
29:22 An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to not be able to go through life without causing conflict? Well here is the answer. Anger. They are angry people. They don't necessarily even know they are angry or what they may be angry about. I know I have been this way in my life and when I usually find myself picking arguments, then I realize that I need to examine myself and find out what I am truly angry about. Part of that is inherited behavior. I see this in my mother. I love my mom, but I know why I left home! When she comes to visit, things are always tense. She is constantly complaining, starting arguments, expecting every one and everything to just come to her or work the way she thinks it should work. Don't even get me started about computers and cell phones! You would think that someone with a Masters degree could work a cell phone. Anyway, the bottom line of this is that she is angry, and has been for years. She is angry because my father died and left her alone. This anger has destroyed her. It robbed her of he intelligence, her snap, her joy. I have long since given up on trying to "fix" her. She does not see anything wrong. I have let this be a lesson to me though. First, that most of our behavior is learned from those who were most influential to us. Our parents. My dad was hot-tempered, and my mother harbors anger. I learned and have had to unlearn both. Mostly, I never want to be like that. Anger needs to be let go. Being hot-tempered does not resolve anything, ever. It does nothing but hurt yourself. Lastly, since behavior is learned, then I need to be careful what I am teaching.
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to not be able to go through life without causing conflict? Well here is the answer. Anger. They are angry people. They don't necessarily even know they are angry or what they may be angry about. I know I have been this way in my life and when I usually find myself picking arguments, then I realize that I need to examine myself and find out what I am truly angry about. Part of that is inherited behavior. I see this in my mother. I love my mom, but I know why I left home! When she comes to visit, things are always tense. She is constantly complaining, starting arguments, expecting every one and everything to just come to her or work the way she thinks it should work. Don't even get me started about computers and cell phones! You would think that someone with a Masters degree could work a cell phone. Anyway, the bottom line of this is that she is angry, and has been for years. She is angry because my father died and left her alone. This anger has destroyed her. It robbed her of he intelligence, her snap, her joy. I have long since given up on trying to "fix" her. She does not see anything wrong. I have let this be a lesson to me though. First, that most of our behavior is learned from those who were most influential to us. Our parents. My dad was hot-tempered, and my mother harbors anger. I learned and have had to unlearn both. Mostly, I never want to be like that. Anger needs to be let go. Being hot-tempered does not resolve anything, ever. It does nothing but hurt yourself. Lastly, since behavior is learned, then I need to be careful what I am teaching.
Proverbs 28 - Transparency
28:13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
Do you have sins that you conceal or things that you hide from others? Nothing is hidden from God. It seems easy to think that if no one else knows that it is okay, or if it doesn't hurt anyone else than it is okay. But God demands obedience in solitude as well as in public. He searches the heart and mind. He knows our motives, our secret thoughts. We are transparent to God whether we like it or not. We need to be transparent in all areas or life so that God shines through us. When we have sin, either on display or in secret, that clouds the transparency and God cannot be seen through or in us.
24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than a murderer.
Seeing this scripture today reminds me of when I was in high school and I took some money from my father's wallet. Though I did not get caught in the act, he knew it, and I got in huge trouble. I thought it was okay, no big deal, because he had plenty of money, why would he miss a $20. This was a sin I had totally forgotten about since it was so long ago. I thank God for showing me the many things that need to be confessed and also allowing me a window into the past so I can always be mindful of the forgiveness and grace of God. Since my father is not around now, I cannot ask his forgiveness, but I can get closure through the Lord. Thank you God for your mercy, grace, and patience.
Do you have sins that you conceal or things that you hide from others? Nothing is hidden from God. It seems easy to think that if no one else knows that it is okay, or if it doesn't hurt anyone else than it is okay. But God demands obedience in solitude as well as in public. He searches the heart and mind. He knows our motives, our secret thoughts. We are transparent to God whether we like it or not. We need to be transparent in all areas or life so that God shines through us. When we have sin, either on display or in secret, that clouds the transparency and God cannot be seen through or in us.
24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than a murderer.
Seeing this scripture today reminds me of when I was in high school and I took some money from my father's wallet. Though I did not get caught in the act, he knew it, and I got in huge trouble. I thought it was okay, no big deal, because he had plenty of money, why would he miss a $20. This was a sin I had totally forgotten about since it was so long ago. I thank God for showing me the many things that need to be confessed and also allowing me a window into the past so I can always be mindful of the forgiveness and grace of God. Since my father is not around now, I cannot ask his forgiveness, but I can get closure through the Lord. Thank you God for your mercy, grace, and patience.
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