Tag Archives: Bible

Proverbs 12

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1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. 2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of evil devices he condemns. 3 No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. 4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. 5 The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. 7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand. 8 A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised. 9 Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread. 10 Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. 11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. 12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. 13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. 14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. 16 The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. 17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. 18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. 21 No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight. 23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. 24 The hand of the diligent will rule,    while the slothful will be put to forced labor. 25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. 28 In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

A Killer Message!

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I have been preaching God’s Word for over twenty years. I have preached all over the United States, Brazil, and London. I’ve preached messages that were meant to challenge, change, and convict those listening. Sometimes I have been soft-spoken, while other times I just cleared a spot and pitched a fit (that’s preacher talk for “I got loud!”). I try not to plan how I am going to preach, but I spend a great deal of time on what I am going to say. I want to make sure the message God has laid on my heart is what comes out of my mouth.  There is nothing worse than spending several hours preparing and then laying an egg on Sunday. My greatest desire is to be obedient to the task.

In Acts 6.8-7:60, we can read a killer sermon by Stephen, one of the first deacons.  I say “killer sermon” because after he had finished preaching, those listening took him outside and stoned him to death. They didn’t kill him because he was an inexperienced preacher, was too boring, didn’t use enough illustrations, or spoke too long. Nope, they killed him because he was right! Everything Stephen said was 100% correct, and they didn’t like it–so they literally killed the messenger!

This Sunday as we take a closer look at Stephen’s message, we will examine what he said, what caused such a reaction, and how this applies to us today.

I hope to see you at 10:45 a.m. this Sunday morning at Living Oaks Baptist Church.

What Is Your Part?

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Graceway MediaOne of my favorite sections of Scripture is found in Ephesians 4.11-16. Within these six verses we can see our part in the body of Christ.  As Christians, we will find the most joy when we are living according to God’s plan and purpose.

In verses 4.11-12, we see that God has put leaders in place within the local body of believers whose purpose is to equip the membership.  They are to educate disciples of Christ to do the work of ministry. It is easy to go to church to watch others do “church;” however, part of gathering together is for equipping to do the work of ministry. So, what is your part in ministry? You do have a part whether you know it or not. Make sure you are educated on how to best live out your calling from God.

Verse 4.13 tells us the goal is to “attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” We are being equipped for “unity of faith,” knowledge of Christ, toward Christian maturity which is Christ our standard.  Notice Paul says, “the stature of the fullness of Christ.” For the longest time we had a poster on the wall to measure how tall my son had grown each month. Christ is our measurement.  We are to be growing in sanctification to look more like the One who lives within our hearts. So, how do you measure up? As long as we are incarcerated in human flesh we will struggle; however, if we set as our goal to constantly be growing in maturity and stature, we will never settle for who we are now.

Paul continues in 4.14-16 explaining why everything in 4.11-13 is so important. First, we will be grounded in doctrine and not confused by deceitful schemes.  Second, this will help us speak the truth in love to those who are deceived or are deceiving. Third, knowing doctrine will help us grow in Christ. Finally, Paul says that as each member grows, the entire church body is built up.  It will be stronger in unity, faith, worship, purpose, and fulfilling God’s vision for the church–making disciples. So, how is your understanding of doctrine? How steady are you in the face of opposition? How strong is your church with you in your current condition?

These verses have always given me a reality check.  I hope they will be a spiritual check-up for you as well.

I used to have a friend who had a saying, “If every church member were just like me, what kind of church would this church be?” What is your answer?

All I Want for Christmas…

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There are numerous events that have happened over the past fifty-six years, some I can remember better than others.  However, there are certain memories from my childhood that are as clear in my mind today as they were fifty years ago.  Those special times never seem to fade like so many other memories.  They are always present, fresh, and crisp in my mind.

One set of memories that I have is an accumulation of several of the same memory.  That is to say, every year just before Christmas my parents would place a book in my lap and let me read through any section I wanted.  It didn’t matter whether I was six, eight, ten, or twelve years old I always longed for the Christmas season just so I could look through the “BOOK!”  At this point I should probably explain what book I am talking about.  I would love to say that at the age of six and up I longed for the opportunity to flip through the pages of the Bible at Christmas time and read the nativity story; however, that would be a bit of a fabrication—okay, it would be a blatant lie.

In the early years of my life, there was only one book that could take me away from racing Hot Wheels, riding my bike, climbing trees, playing baseball, or watching countless hours of “Gilligan’s Island,” “Hogan’s Heroes,” and “Gomer Pyle.”  Only one book could bring to a halt a hyperactive child that only knew two aspects of life—sleep and play!  What book had such a powerful effect over me? Quite simply the “Sears Christmas Catalog.”  You can laugh, but it is true.  Each year my  parents would give me a sheet of paper and “The Book,” then I would write down everything I wanted for Christmas.

What a wonderful time of the year!  I was able to look through over 200 pages of toys and write down ANYTHING I wanted.  The excitement was almost too much for a child to endure.  My mind would race as I would imagine playing with each toy that I added to my ever-growing list.  The anticipation of Christmas morning was excruciating as I continued to examine my list of 50, 60, and sometimes over 70 different toys. What made the wait even worse was the knowledge that within a matter days a few of these could be all mine! The memory of these years are very special to me.  That was a special time of the year when I could ask for whatever I wanted and know that I would be given some of the toys on the list.

With Christmas racing upon me so quickly, I been thinking about the “Book.” These memories lead me to begin a mental checklist of things I would like to get this year for Christmas—tinted windows, a book, a new pair of shoes, or any number of items that I think I need.  The problem is there is no longer a book to look through nor a list to be made.  The nervous sleepless nights just before Christmas are no longer an annual event.  I guess it is all part of “growing up.”

I suspect all this sounds a bit depressing, and to be perfectly honest there have been times throughout the years I let the loneliness of the season bring me down.  But this year I decided it would be different.  This year I determined to look through the Book and write down what I want for Christmas.  However, this year I made a list of things I am guaranteed to get them if I simply ask for them. So, over the next few weeks, we are going to look through the book, not the Sears Christmas catalog, but “The Book” better known as the Holy Bible as I share with you my Christmas list for 2020.

This list might be different than any list you’ve seen before. However, in light of COVID and the uncertainty, concern, and lifestyle adjustments that it has brought, I want to make a list of the things I will need to make it through 2021 and beyond.

I hope you’ll check back each week between now and Christmas for a new post on “All I Want For Christmas.”

Did Jesus Say He’s God?

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For almost twenty-five years I have been reading, watching, and listening to Chuck Swindoll.  He has had a great impact on my life, so today I wanted to share an insightful video from Lightsource.com on him answering the question “Did Jesus Say He’s God?”  “Did Jesus Say He’s God?” by Chuck Swindoll