WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

Proverbs 9:10
Fear of the LORD is
the beginning of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One
results in understanding.



Fear of the Lord is less about being scared of God than it is about having reverence and respect for God. This means that in your actions you ought to acknowledge God’s presence and sovereignty by consulting Him through prayers. Look at the advice of wise Solomon in Proverbs 4:4-9, "Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live. Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don't forget or turn away from my words. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown." Everyone should start their day off with some wisdom and they should set themselves up for good decision making throughout the day. The best way to achieve this is by spending time in the Word and by having a conversation with God through prayer.

START WITH THE LITTLE THINGS

Luke 16:10
Unless you are faithful
in small matters, you won't
be faithful in large ones.
If you cheat even a little,
you won't be honest with
greater responsibilities.



F.B. Meyer said that, “The supreme test of goodness is not in the greater but in the smaller incidents of our character and practice; not what we are when standing in the searchlight of public scrutiny, but when we reach the firelight flicker of our homes; not what we are when some clarion-call rings through the air, summoning us to fight for life and liberty, but our attitude when we are called to sentry-duty in the grey morning, when the watch-fire is burning low. It is impossible to be our best at the supreme moment if character is corroded and eaten into by daily inconsistency, unfaithfulness, and besetting sin.” The Bible is clear that huge successes begin with the little things. Start now. Start small.

LUST AND SHAMEFUL DESIRES

Colossians 3:5
So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you.
Have nothing to do with sexual sin,
impurity, lust, and shameful desires.
Don't be greedy for the good things
of this life, for that is idolatry.



I read a story about how Eskimos lure and kill wolves. The article said, “The Eskimo would coat his knife’s blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze, and layer it again with blood and another until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. A wolf then follows the source of the scent and discovers it; he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood and would lick faster until the keen edge is bare, the wolf licks the blade and does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue. His greedy thirst being satisfied by his own blood.” Lust is satisfying at start, but if you engage in lust and shameful desires it most certainly will be your end, and just like a lured wolf, you won't even know it.

ME AND MY BIG MOUTH

1 Peter 3:9
Don't repay evil for evil.
Don't retaliate when people
say unkind things about you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing.
That is what God wants you to do,
and he will bless you for it.



There's an old, but still oft used adage that goes, "Me and my big mouth." In December of 1825, the Russian Czar Nicolas I sentenced Kondraty Ryleyev to be hung. Fortunately for Ryleyev, the rope was old and snapped as the sentenced man’s weight pulled him to the ground instead of leaving him dangling in the air alive, but struggling for air. An accident like this would usually result in a pardon, but as Ryleyev fell to the ground, the guards overheard him saying, "In Russia they do not know how to do anything properly, not even how to make a rope." Well, unfortunately for Ryleyev this got back to the Czar who then gave the order, "Let the contrary be proven." If Ryleyev had only applied what the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:9, he would have been pardoned and lived to see another day. Sadly for Ryleyev, the contrary was proven. Careful with your tongue, anything you say can and will be used against you.

OF ONE MIND

Amos 3:3
Can two people
walk together
without agreeing
on the direction?



Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Innovative people have come to recognize that success can be achieved if people would work together. The Bible teaches this and it teaches it far more than Christians practice it. Luke 6:31-35 teaches us to, “Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” When this principle of reciprocity is truly practiced, there will be unity among God’s children. People could then easily work together toward blessings and success. Be of one mind in love and we gain God’s glory together.

MAKE THE COMMITMENT

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the LORD,
and then your plans will succeed.



The American inventor Charles F. Kettering said, “I often tell my people that I don’t want any fellow who has a job working for me. What I want is a fellow whom a job has. I want the job to get the fellow and not the fellow to get the job. And I want that job to get hold of this young man so hard that no matter where he is the job has got him for keeps. I want that job to have him in its clutches when he goes to bed at night, and in the morning I want that same job to be sitting on the foot of his bed telling him it’s time to get up and go to work. And when a job gets a fellow that way he’ll amount to something.” If we enforce our commitment to God in the same way that Kettering describes a job, our success won't be temporary, but rather it would last forever. Be faithful in doing what the Bible says, allow the Lord to own your life, commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be filled with success.

DON'T GET TO THE POINT OF REGRET

Ephesians 4:22
Throw off your old evil nature
and your former way of life,
which is rotten through and through,
full of lust and deception.



The Prairie Overcomer once published a story about a subway train crash in London where 41 passengers died. The forensics expert that examined the body of train engineer Leslie Newson reported that Newson's body contained the same blood alcohol content as a motorist that would be considered intoxicated. Newson had been drinking before his train smashed into the dead-end of a tunnel at Moorgate station on the morning of February 28, 1975. Regret is always at the end of bad decisions. If you’re heading in the wrong direction, or if you’re going to crash into a wall, you can still change course before you reach the point of regret. Just throw off your old evil nature and follow Jesus. Don't be stubborn about it either; after all, He is the Way.

MO' MONEY, MO' PROBLEMS

Ecclesiastes 5:11
The more you have,
the more people come
to help you spend it.
So what is the advantage
of wealth except perhaps
to watch it run
through your fingers!



A saying that I love is, “There is poverty in riches and riches in poverty.” Ecclesiastes 5:11 rings so true because the more we have, the more people come to help us consume it. In fact, discernment is needed just to wisely choose the people with whom to consort and expend it with. Matthew 26:7-13 gives us the best example: "During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. 'What a waste of money,' they said. 'She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor.' But Jesus replied, 'Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory.'" If you find yourself wondering which friends to expend your gifts with, remember that Jesus is the best friend you've ever had and that what is spent for God has eternal significance.

STAND STRONG

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on guard. Stand true
to what you believe.
Be courageous. Be strong.



David Huxley was recognized as the World’s Strongest Man when he single-handedly dragged a jumbo jet more than 165 feet. You read that correctly - a jumbo jet. The proceeds he received for setting this world record were donated to children's cancer charity so that children with cancer could travel before their days would end. Huxley's purpose may seem pretty simple, but we are all designed by God to fulfill a purpose not only for ourselves, but also to help others. There is real joy when we finally find out and fulfill what God designed us for, but you have to be part of the body of Christ for the purpose to be unveiled. Stand strong and be resilient for God’s purpose in your life. The joy of knowing will be unmistakable.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters,
be strong and steady, always
enthusiastic about the Lord's work,
for you know that nothing you do
for the Lord is ever useless.



History tells us that President McKinley once had to choose between two candidates for a foreign diplomat appointment. The choice was challenging for him because their qualifications were nearly identical. The thing that helped McKinley choose was an incident that occurred during his tenure in the House of Representatives. While traveling on a crowded bus one night, an elderly washerwoman had boarded and was carrying a heavy basket. Not one passenger offered her their seat. The man seated where the old woman was standing covered his face with a newspaper so as not to see her. The young McKinley picked up her basket of washing and offered her his seat. During the appointment process, President McKinley recalled that one of the candidates was the man with the newspaper. You should already know by now what happened next. Everything we do will lead us closer or further from the blessings of God. Remember that the things you do for the Lord are hardly ever pointless or harmless. There are no coincidences in life, so make a point to do the little things right when the opportunities present themselves.

SIMPLE OBEDIENCE

Hebrews 11:8
It was by faith that
Abraham obeyed when God
called him to leave home
and go to another land
that God would give
him as his inheritance.
He went without knowing
where he was going.



Have you ever wondered why parents don’t trust their kids with big stuff? It's probably because when they gave their children responsibilities to do something small, their kids didn’t obey the instructions completely. God wants to entrust us with the many blessings that He had prepared for us from the beginning of time, but people just never seem able to fully obey His instructions. There's a World War II story about a request that Great Britain sent to Australia to build warships. The Australians chose not to build ships, but instead sowed seeds with the intent to reap a great harvest and send food to it's motherland. Well, the incredible harvest came in and it was time to send the grain to Great Britain as help, but there were no ships available to move the grain. Eventually, mice got to the waiting grain and soon after made their way to towns, villages and cities, carrying diseases with them that would damage people’s eyes with blindness. The moral of this story is that an intended blessing can be a curse without obedience when basic instructions aren’t followed. When we do choose to obey, however, the blessings and the joy are entrusted without fail.

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Galatians 4:9
And now that you have found God
(or should I say, now that God has found you),
why do you want to go back again
and become slaves once more to the weak
and useless spiritual powers of this world?



Records show that Nick Janson has escaped from 1,680 pairs of handcuffs securely locked on his wrists by genuine police officers. He has even been branded as, “The Professional Escapologist”. While this may be possible with the physical around us, this is something impossible when it comes to sin and the spiritual realm. The only way to escape sin is through God's help. Romans 3:24 says, “Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.” Our Father loved us so much that He provided Himself as the very escape plan to victory for anyone who puts their trust in Him.

ARE YOU WORTH IT?

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because
of the good things we did,
but because of his mercy.
He washed away our sins
and gave us a new life
through the Holy Spirit.



A minister told a story about a little boy who was suddenly overcome with weakness while swimming in a deep part of a lake. The boy struggled to stay above water and had even gone under twice. A nearby man saw what was happening and quickly swam out to help the boy. While they were on the shore the rescued boy said, “Thanks for saving my life.” The man replied, “You’re welcome, son. See to it that you were worth saving.” The God of the universe came down from heaven’s glory and died on the cross to save all sinners. Was His death worth it? There's a saying that goes, “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” See to it that your life is worth the sacrifice made to save your soul.

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

2 Timothy 3:4
They will betray their friends,
be reckless, be puffed up with pride,
and love pleasure rather than God.



According to the Persians of old, after a war victory Persia would choose a slave and make him king for three days. The slave would be clothed in royal robes and treated just as the king would be treated. Everything he would wish for would be granted to his pleasure. However, and here’s the catch, after the third day he would be killed as a sacrifice for mirth and folly. This “situation” is symbolic of the short-lived pleasures of the world. If you could have everything that the world would offer, you would still need to understand that those pleasures are short-lived when compared to the eternal joy that God will give. The lesson is quite simple: instant gratification does not equal long term happiness.

SERVE DUTIFULLY

Ecclesiastes 5:4
So when you make a promise to God,
don't delay in following through,
for God takes no pleasure in fools.
Keep all the promises you make to him.



Reverend W.A. Criswell once told a story about the time he surrendered to serve God. “I stood near the platform. I was twelve. Beside me an elder must have been close to seventy who’s been running away from the calling of the LORD who now surrendered to serve GOD. He was thin and haggard. His skin was wrinkled and burned from farming. He walked with a severe limp, and his arms and hands trembled. He was the brother of the preacher. That Sunday morning, everybody gathered to hear him testify. He stood before us creaky and rheumatic. His voice was weak. His body bent. Never once did he look up at us. It was impossible to hear him past the front row, but the congregation strained to listen. It was moving, and, at the same time, it was tragic. It was a lesson that I will never forget. If you’re going to serve the Lord, you sure better do it now.” Time is a gift that's given to all of us. None of us, however, know how much time has been given to us. If God called you to serve Him, hasten to the call and serve Him when called. You certainly don't want to answer the call when your time is almost up.

THERE ARE NO LOOPHOLES

Luke 11:42
But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees!
For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest
part of your income, but you completely
forget about justice and the love of God.
You should tithe, yes, but you should not
leave undone the more important things.



An actor that was on his hospital deathbed was visited by a friend. His friend was surprised to find him reading the Bible, so he asked what he was hoping to find in the Good Book. The dying thespian mockingly said, "I'm looking for loopholes." There's some worldly reality to what the dying man said. More often than not, the world trains us to make excuses and rationalize the mistakes we make instead of conforming our lives to the Word of God. Galatians 6:7 says, “Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!” Forget about looking for loopholes in school, home, relationships, or maybe even church. Definitely forget about looking for loopholes to heaven. Rather that expend energy on a pointless task, put your efforts into doing the right thing and you'll happily reap the best things.

DON'T BE LED ASTRAY

John 15:18
When the world hates you,
remember it hated me
before it hated you.



A son of a prominent family became a follower of Christ during World War I. After a tour of duty, the young man expressed fear that he might soon slip back into his old habits upon returning home. A fellow believer told the young man that if he made a public confession of his faith in Christ, he wouldn’t have to worry. The young man agreed to tell the first ten people he would see when he returned home of his encounter with God. When he returned, party invitation after invitation were sent to him and he would proclaim, "I've just become a Christian." Word had gotten around, and soon some of his friends stopped seeing him. Pretty sad, right? When you become a new Christian, some of your friends will turn away from you. While it's sad, don’t worry about it because Jesus said they didn’t turn away from you, but rather they turned away from Him. In probably the best of ways, it’s just time to make some new friends that won't lead you astray from the best path for your life in Him.

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

Luke 16:28
For I have five brothers,
and I want him to warn them
about this place of torment
so they won't have to
come here when they die.



The philosopher Kierkegaard once told a story about laughing theatergoers at a variety comedy show. The show was receiving loud applause and raucous ovation from the crowd, when suddenly the theater manager came on stage announcing that the theater was on fire. The manager literally begged the people to leave the theater in an orderly manner, but the audience thought he was part of the show and they began enthusiastically clapping for the manager. When the crowd finally realized that he wasn’t part of the show, it was too late. In a very similar way, Luke 16:28 teaches us about a rich man burning in hell that begged to go and warn his brothers about their burning future. Sadly, in Luke 16:29 we learn that Abraham told the rich man, "Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to." All of us have the Bible to tell us of the Good News and all of us need to acknowledge Christ's gift before it’s too late. The consequences are harsh and the excuses will fall on deaf ears because everyone has been duly warned.

TODAY IS THE DAY

Hebrews 2:3
What makes us think
that we can escape
if we are indifferent
to this great salvation
that was announced by
the Lord Jesus himself?
It was passed on to us
by those who heard him speak.



I read a story about a campus revival at a university many years ago. One of the students that was convicted by the Holy Spirit to receive Christ asked the university president, “Sir, I have made up my mind to consider the claims of Christ. Now what would you do next?” The elder replied, “I would wait until the excitement of the revival had subsided, and then I would think it out.” The student answered, “That is exactly what I will do.” The tale ends with that student dying, but never coming to know the Lord. Don't let what could be a final opportunity to know Christ personally pass by the wayside. Don't let what could be a final opportunity to share the Good News of the Gospel with your friends and family members that may not be headed to heaven. Don’t gamble with time. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you. Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.’”

THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

Job 31:25
Does my happiness
depend on my wealth
and all that I own?



Wealthy Texan Charles Cranford became the owner of Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal sword in a purchase he made at an auction held in Switzerland. His winning bid was never revealed, but experts agree that the sword is worth a small fortune. While I'm sure that the value of Napoleon's sword is valuable in worldly terms, the Apostle Paul tells us about a sword in Ephesians 6:17 that's worth countless times more: “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” And regarding the Word, John 1:1 teaches us that, “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.” Anybody who accepts the Word of God as truth, also accepts God and His righteousness. With the Word, you have the most valuable and potent sword ever fashioned for battle or peacekeeping. This is the truest wealth and the real source of true happiness and joy.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Luke 12:20
But God said to him, "You fool!
You will die this very night.
Then who will get it all?"



This verse is from a parable that Jesus taught about a man who prepared for this life but was not ready for the next life to come. Whenever I'm invited to speak at a funeral service, I use a story about a king who gave his jester a stick and some orders, “You’re a fool, leave, take all the money you need, don’t come back until you find a bigger fool than yourself.” Many years later, the jester came back because he learned that the king was dying. When he visited the king, the king said, “I am going away.” The jester asked, “Are you prepared, O king?” And the king replied, "No." The jester handed the stick to the king saying, “Take it. I’ve found a bigger fool than myself.” Like the king in this story, you may have prepared yourself for this lifetime, but are you ready for the next life to come? Sincerely accept the gift that Jesus has for you and preparations for the next life will be taken care.

GUARDIAN ANGELS

Psalm 91:11-12
For he orders his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you
with their hands to keep you
from striking your foot on a stone.



When Elizabeth Elliot gave a testimonial about her father’s life experience she said, “My father, when he was a small boy, was climbing on an upper story of a house that was being built. He walked to the end of a board that was not nailed at the other end, and it slowly began to tip. He knew that he was doomed, but inexplicably the board began to tip the other way, as though a hand had pushed it down again. He always wondered if it was an angel’s hand.” I'm sure that many people reading this may also have similar stories of miraculous situations where God's messengers altered a potentially bad, or even tragic, situation. It should make you wonder what His will is for your life and what you were meant to do with the life He gave you. The stark reality is that God loves His children so much that he has charged His angels to watch and care for his children, and to have a presence all around us.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against
people made of flesh and blood,
but against the evil rulers
and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers
of darkness who rule this world,
and against wicked spirits
in the heavenly realms.



History tells us that during the coronation of King Edward VI, the new king was presented the three swords symbolizing his reign over the British Isles. Edward, however, was dissatisfied with the presentation and asked for an additional sword. The people were curious about Edward's request and his officers inquired about the purpose of the fourth sword. Edward explained that the additional sword was for, “The Bible, The Sword of the Spirit which is to be preferred before these swords.” The Bible commands us in Ephesians 6:17 to, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” A wise leader knows that we are not really fighting against flesh and blood, but rather in the spiritual realm, and the only way to a true victory is to have the Sword of the Spirit.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE

Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
And the government will
rest on his shoulders.
These will be his royal titles:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.



Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, supervisor of the creation of the first atomic bomb, was invited to appear before a Congressional Committee which asked him if there were any defenses against the atomic weapon. “Certainly,” the great scientist said. The expectant, quite audience was waiting for the completion of the answer, and the scientist continued and said, “Peace.” Jesus came as the Prince of Peace. John 1:11 says, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” The reason that Peace does not prevail throughout is because the Prince of Peace has not been invited to the negotiations. If people, nations and governments would receive Him into their hearts, peace would exist all throughout every relationship.

A LITTLE CHANGE GOES A LONG WAY

Deuteronomy 6:5-9
And you must love the LORD your God
with all your heart, all your soul,
and all your strength. And you must
commit yourselves wholeheartedly
to these commands I am giving you today.
Repeat them again and again to your children.
Talk about them when you are at home
and when you are away on a journey,
when you are lying down
and when you are getting up again.
Tie them to your hands as a reminder,
and wear them on your forehead.
Write them on the doorposts
of your house and on your gates.



I remember being told a story about a young mother who had her infant boy in her lap and was reading her Bible to her little one. A curious person asked, “Do you think the baby understands?” The young mother said, “I’m sure that he doesn’t understand now, but I want his earliest memories to be that of hearing God’s Word.” I remembered the saying, “The hands that rock the cradle hold the nation.” We need to learn about Jesus first to teach about Him. If we make sure that our children learn about God first before other things, surely we will have a moral Godly nation and world. This little change can change everything.