Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36–40, NIV. Isn’t it ironic that the two greatest commandments are not found in Exodus 20? However, these two great commandments that Jesus declares encapsulate the 10 Commandments. The first four laws given in Exodus 20 are to strengthen our relationship with God and…
“Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Job 1:10-11 More than ever before it is vital to have a hedge of protection around our family. The enemy of our souls wants to destroy the family structure and bring havoc in your home. You and I have a responsibility to keep our loved ones safe, protected, and away from danger. Close To The Mountain When my dad would preach, he would sometimes tell a story about an Amish farmer. This man lived at the top of a very steep and ridged mountain and he needed someone very skilled to drive his family because he knew with one wrong move, they would go over the side of the road and fall hundreds of feet to his family’s demise. So, he put an advertisement in town to hire a buggy driver for his family. There were about 15 young men who showed up for an interview. The Amish father said, “I want to see who is the best driver out of all of you. Show me who can get as close to the edge of the road as possible.…
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” (Proverbs 23:23, NKJV) For the past few days, we have examined some key words of wisdom from the Book of Proverbs. According to I Kings 4:32, Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. Although we have only touched on a few of his wise sayings, we have discovered some truths that when applied will help us successfully navigate life. We’ve also seen how these proverbs align with other Bible passages. God’s Word is an instructional manual for life. That’s why it is so vital that we not just read the Word each day but take time to meditate and dig deeper into its truths. Each of us probably has our own unique style of studying, but I will mention a few things that help me as I delve into the Word. These are just simple ways to study, but they work for me. How you study may be just as effective. I combine reading with prayer. As I read, I talk to the Lord about what I’m reading. An especially meaningful verse may turn into a personal prayer. I’m also not afraid to say, “Lord, I really…
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1, NKJV) A quiet dinner out with a friend ended suddenly as a family of four was seated in an adjoining booth. No, it wasn’t the children who disturbed our peace. They were quiet and seemed well-behaved. It was the father. His voice was harsh, angry, and relentless. The target of his anger was the young son, possibly seven or eight years old. What horrible deed had the child done to merit such anger? He wanted a soft drink with his meal. I can only imagine…
These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19, NKJV) As I sat in midweek Bible study, our pastor made the point that we must “love what God loves and hate what God hates.” Proverbs 8:13 confirms this. “The fear [respect, reverence] of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (NKJV). If we truly revere the Lord, we will hate evil. It’s that simple. The Proverbs 6 passage leaves no doubt about God’s opinion of seven distinct things. He hates them. But it goes deeper than that. The Bible calls these things an abomination to Him. He finds them detestable; they are offensive to His character. You may think, “I do hate evil, pride, and arrogance. I do love what He loves.” Hopefully that’s true, including that seventh item on the list: sowing discord among the brethren. Discord, or strife, brings friction and disharmony into…
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7, ESV) An old saying asserts, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I’m not sure I agree. It may depend more on the dog’s attitude than its age. At least that’s how it works with people. The ones who are most teachable are eager to learn and willing to listen when instructed. I once showed a friend the best way to perform a certain household task. Eager to learn the correct way, she assured me, “Show me one time and I can do it!” She was grateful for my help and willing to listen. I enjoyed working with her because she displayed a teachable spirit. After teaching a variety of ages in various church settings, I can tell you one thing I quickly discovered. Attitude counts. I remember a teen in my Sunday school class who loved to push his views, even if there was no logic to what he said. It was simple. He was right; others were wrong! (Have you met someone like that?) He had no desire to learn. He just liked to hear himself talk—and the other students knew…