The book of Proverbs has much to say about someone who is a fool. A fool “lacks wisdom” (10:3), “despises wisdom” (1:22), “mocks at sin” (14:9) and “feeds on foolishness” (15:14). Still more, the book of Proverbs has much to say about someone who is wise. Which are you? The wise person is one who will “receive commands” (10:8). How do you handle commands? The wise person…

When a new year arrives, it is often greeted with great anticipation of new opportunities that will be presented. What “new opportunities” would you like to see in the new year? What “new opportunities” would just make your day if they came your way? May I challenge every child of God to enter the new year looking for new opportunities FOR THE LORD! Instead of…

When you see advertisements for products, what catches attention is if there is something “NEW” about it. People like “new” things, “new” ideas, “new” technology. Even the Athenians in Paul’s day “spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). So it is in religion, many folks are looking for something “new,” and so many churches…

The young lady collecting money at the first drive-thru window was looking pretty down. She was wearing a mask and the afternoon sun was intensely hot that day. She was also wearing two medical bracelets to notify potential first responders of her serious medical issues. On top of all that, the drive-thru was painfully slow that day, as the restaurant was horribly understaffed. Was the slow…

James 1:19 is certainly a verse that each of us ought to memorize. It is one of those verses that we need to hide in our heart, so that we sin against the Lord less (Psa. 119:11). There is much to emphasize in the verse, including where we often focus—be “slow to speak” and “slow to anger.” But before those two instructions is this—“be quick…

Sometimes our faith weakens. Sometimes our trust wavers. Sometimes our confidence wanes. Sometimes our priorities shift. Sometimes our devotion fades. Sometimes our desires change. And, when that happens, sometimes we fall from where we need to be. We may even “turn.” God was the one who used the word “turn” to describe the action that a mind/heart takes, which is followed by the body/life. While one may “turn TO” God…

As long as I “mostly” follow the Lord or “nearly always,” that’s good enough, right? Consider the stark contrast in Numbers 32. Joshua and Caleb “wholly followed the Lord” (32:12), and they were the ones permitted to enter the Promised Land. But “the Lord’s anger was aroused” against those who had “not wholly followed” Him (32:10-11). “Not wholly” following the Lord is equated in this text…

Here is how Paul described his state of mind in Second Corinthians chapter 7. He had had “no rest” (7:5). Sound familiar? He was “troubled on every side,” as “outside were conflicts” and “inside were fears” (7:5). Truly, Paul felt “downcast” (7:6). Have you been there before? But notice how verse 6 begins. While Paul was troubled, the next verse says, “Nevertheless God…” Think about that in your life. When…