Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. My favorite description of Jesus is that he was "full of grace and truth." Why is it so difficult for me to deliver truth and lack so much grace. Foot in mouth tends to be one of my biggest diseases. Lord, I beg you to fill me with your Holy Spirit and cause the words...

As I was desperate to hear from Him this morning this is what he said: Proverbs 18:11-13 11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.12 A king's wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. Lately I have b...

Wow, there is nothing like vacationing with one of our kids' family, total 7 of us, out of town,, to remind me that living this grandparent season of life is a daily/hourly or minute by minute, walk in Proverbs 16:9 The mind of a man plans his way, But he Lord directs his steps. Yes, we started with a singular purpose in mind, sharing some time at time shares in Sedona. F...

"It's better to live alone in the desert than with a nagging wife." Proverbs 21:19 Guys, if you're like me, I automatically associate nagging as a "quality" related only to the wife. However, some of the definitions in the dictionary define nagging as "continual scolding, fault finding or complaining" and the dictionary does not exclusively mention it as a female characte...

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.Proverbs 16:23-24 September 2009... I found myself in a situation where I needed to confront someone in the moment. It was a time where I was deeply angry... and in the midst of my confrontation, I was loud...

Proverbs 16:9 the mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Late last year I received news of a critically ill friend. Amazingly, my wife and I each, separately came to the same thought; I should go to visit and encourage him. This was a big deal thought because he was in Bellingham, Washington. The mind of this man planned the trip, the Lord directed, ...

"He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him." Proverbs 18:13 Communications in a marriage relationship is listed as one of the top reasons for divorce. Whenever we ask the Young Marrieds class what topics they would like to study, the answer usually includes communication. I realize there is much said and written about this topic, so I really don...

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life,but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:1-4 Lord, give me a soft answer in the times my flesh fee...

Proverbs 1:2021 20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: Father, please open my ears. I know You're speaking, I know You're shouting. It's my ears that need to be unplugged and refocused on You.Please give me ears to hear! Proverb...

Proverbs 11:27 "He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it" OK folks. This one is a short one but a difficult one for sure. In everything you do, are you seeking good? How often do I jump to the conclusion that someone is speaking ill of me, or acting out of malice or bad intentions towards me. Seek the one who's birth we will celebrate i...

" There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord". (Proverbs 21:30) We sure are busy creatures. Last night my kids and I picked up my wife at the airport around 8:30 PM after she was out of state for work for a couple days. We drove home happy to be together, but everyone very tired after a long day of school, work, and play. "Tomorrow is very b...

So recently I have been working through a student who is choosing a life of serving self and what it looks like for me to lovingly/Biblically confront them. Also watched a tv show where the main character, who was a doctor, was dealing with being addicted to pain meds and I watched as his friends and family tried (horribly i might add) to help him by confronting him on the...

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledgeof the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 In another of many proverbs about wisdom Solomon again promotes thevalue of accepting wisdom's invitation and the foolishness ofrejecting it. In this chapter, just like chapter 8, wisdom ispersonified as one sending out an invitation to a magnificent banquet...

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 8:34-35 Why listen, why watch, why wait? As many have said over the years,the Christian life isn't difficult, it's impossible! Only One hasever lived it; Jesus! So again, why listen, why watch, why wait? Sol...

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:23-24 This morning I woke up from a dream where I was reminded a situation of over 10 years ago that reallysparked some anger in me. It was an old wound that was all but forgotten, but the dre...

Proverbs 25:26Like a trampled spring and a polluted wellis a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. What good is a spring of water if it's all muddied up? What good is a well that is polluted with garbage? What good is a Christian if he lives wickedly amongst the wicked? In ancient days, water was precious; it was a source of life. Where water was, there you woul...

You turn on the news, read the paper or even browse the internet and in the headlines your hearing of the wars that are taking place and you also hear of all the rumors of war. Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And who can forget hearing about all the famines and earthquakes happening in various places. These are the daily headlines. Today, the war ...

LUKE 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. JAMES 4:6....God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. PROVERBS 3:34Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. "Many writers in the Bible advise us to be humble, but we often think that our status in society or church carries so...

Today, I didn't do a very good job of being a dad. There are lots of ways I messed up but I'll just tell you about one of them and how it all might have been avoided if my son and I had read and applied Proverbs 10 this morning. One of my sons directly disobeyed me when he decided to do what he wanted instead of what I had told him to do. He should have had this on his bra...

Jesus said, "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. "(Matthew 5:42 NASB) Does this verse give you heartburn? It does me. I mean, really, that guy standing on the corner with his cardboard sign that says, "Viet Nam Veteran. Homeless. Need money for gas." I'm supposed to give him some of my hard earned money? Is this an iso...

If you have been a part of West Valley Bible Church or attended any of the services, you have probably heard more than once about the importance of being in God's word daily. You've heard how a personal relationship with Jesus means being in His word and letting it renew you each and every day. If you are a new believer or you find yourself struggling to stay consistent i...

I actually had most of this entry typed and ready to go a few days ago, but on the advice of my wife and the Holy Spirit (sometimes those are eerily similar) I decided not to. I had written the beginning and then deleted it. What was left my wife said "just didn't sound like me." It just didn't work because the intro was missing. In the intro there was (and is) a part abou...

Fleetwood Mac wrote a catchy tune called "You can go your own way" sometime in the 70s. Going your own way is something that seems like a pretty good idea. I'm sure there were thousands of school assemblies just this year with motivational speakers telling kids to have a dream and go for it (I know because I've sat through a few in my day!). It feels so right to go with yo...

First off, I want to apologize for something I said in my last post. I mentioned that "any good Christian" reads Proverbs every day. This was actually a weak attempt at humor. I realized after that some who don't know me may have taken it as arrogance. Please forgive me if I offended you. Thanks A friend reminded me recently that Proverbs 1 though 7 is basically a convers...

It's actually kind of weird to think about God enjoying anything in the way that we understand it. I enjoy watching a good football game, eating really good food, and spending time with my wife(I should score points for this). However, when I think about it nothing gives me more joy than seeing my kids run up to me and say "Daddy", when they do something they know I want t...

There is nothing more dear to my heart than my children learning to love God and fear Him. I know that this desire is Godly, but I also know that my desire for my kids to love God can easily become an idol. I keep that thought in mind as I write this.I have been a professional teacher for the past 10 years. I have spent significant amounts of time around kids from Kinderga...

I am out of town on a business trip visiting our largest client. Yesterday a meeting was scheduled on my behalf with the new CEO. I have never met him as is typical with large corporate companies. One of my relationships here felt it necessary for me to pitch a revolutionary business model to the CEO that we have been developing for the last 8 months. Its a meeting I could...

My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Tie them around your neck. when you lie down, they will watch over you;and when you awake, they will talk with you. Proverbs 6:20-22 When I think about the commandments of the Lord, I usually start to focus on me and where I don't measure up. I think about the things that I should be doing......

"He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him." Proverbs 14:31 God has created everyone in His image and it doesn't matter what ones status is economically, culturally, politically or whatever; God has created everyone. It is interesting that He especially shows concern for the treatment of the poor. Matthew Henry says: "we d...

"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD."Solomon - Proverbs 16:33 2012 looks like it's shaping up to be a really interesting year! Perhaps it's too early to be dogmatic but it seems the ingredients are coming together for this to be a year that'll be hard to forget. Consider some of our realities: we're still in the middle of all kinds of ec...

"the precious possession of a man is diligence." Solomon Proverbs 12:27b By the inspiration of God Himself, Solomon could not have said anything more profound, more timely, and more desperately needed in our culture today. In large measure men have stopped living like men as God intended us to be. Every time I read this verse I immediately think of my dad. There are ver...

Part of my reading includes reading a Proverbs a day, well on the 7th I was reading, go figure, Proverbs 7, and if you have read this chapter then you know its full of verses blasting warnings to run like your hair is on fire (or your clothes if you're bald) from the dreaded harlot, verses like: 12 She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.2...

Proverbs 22:3; Psalm 51; Isaiah 1 Today there is a common theme about sin and what God wants us to do. He is even giving a warning in the Proverbs verse about being aware of sin and that a prudent man sees the evil coming and avoids the sin. I catch myself many times battling the mind. When I am doing my yard it seems that I do a lot of thinking to myself which is very da...

"To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."Proverbs 21:3 I desire to be pleasing to the Lord. I desire to be useful to Him! That desire comes from HIS work of salvation in me. He is the author and perfecter of my faith (Heb 12:2). I know I can never pay him back the debt that he covered for me. I just want to show him my love and thank...

"The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips."Proverbs 16:23 Today I set out for a big day. A 2nd meeting with a very significant customer for our family business. Someone who's size could triple our sales. As I knew I would be heading into corporate politics needing to persuade a multitude of people why our services are good for t...

"Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked when it comes,for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught."Proverbs 3:25-26 Do not be afraid... The most frequent command that Jesus gave his disciples. Why? What does that say about us as the creatures... that we are a fearful being. And even though the answer is so simple ...

Reading: Proverbs 4 "A Father's Instruction" "When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, then he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live..." (Proverbs 4:3-4)Of all the things I experienced and learned growing up in a home of an alcoholic father, one has left its indelible mark. The...